Cheap eats and daily budget recommendations?

[Melinda_Oz]

Hi folks,
We're coming from Australia to DW in 12 days and are trying to work out what is a reasonable budget for daily spending. We'll have a kitchenette but will likely eat out most days. Will $100 a day for food and small expenses be enough for 2 adults and a 9 year old kid who doesn't eat much?
(We're not including the DW tickets or accomodation in that of course )

We would love recommendations for cheap/healthy/good quality restaraunts. We are staying at the Blue Tree Resort and won't have a car.
Melinda
counting the days

 

[dzneelvr]

Our family has only stayed on-site so I can't give you recommendations outside WDW but a couple of points: our portions in the US are HUGE, almost embarrassingly so. Order to share and you can always ask for something more during your service no matter where. Try to stock up on fruits and veggies for your kitchenette and do breakfast there as well. I personally think it's ridiculous to spend $$ for basic breakfast items. After all, cereal and eggs taste the same in WDW as at home! Our markets have a wonderful array of prepared items, so don't be afraid to eat in your hotel and maybe one meal a day in WDW. Lunch will be your best value. Have a great time and welcome

 

[Melinda_Oz]

thanks for your advice - I appreciate it.
I figure a quick taxi ride to the local market and back would cost far less than paying for 14 breakfasts

 

[MarthaJr.]

Check for advice on http: //www.mousesavers.com Lots of helpful hints there.

I personally highly recommend Earl of Sandwich at Downtown Disney. Very reasonably priced and high quality.

Check out http://www.allears.net they have all the menus and prices for all Disney property.

Enjoy your trip!

 

[billwendy]

Eating breakfast in the room and bringing some snacks with you can really save money. We just came back from a trip and just did simple breakfast in the room and we were amazed at how much we saved! We also drink cups of water instead of carrying around bottles (sometimes we carry iced tea or lemonaide mix to mix into the water ) or buying bottles of water. Also, like another poster said - portions are rather large, so a lot of times I get a kids meal!!

 

[MickeysFans]

We also keep peanut butter and buns with us everyday with bottles of water and juice boxes, snacks, etc. and have sandwiches for lunch. We make them in the morning and put them in a plastic bag until lunch. We only eat out for supper. The taxi will be worth it, just ask what is close by. I think Target is pretty close?

 

[alyssa810]

We typically budget $100 a day for food, and we don't eat in when we're at WDW, with the exception of an occasional bagel or english muffin in our room. We're 2 adults and a 2.5 y/o who eats a lot, and we manage to get in some table service meals too. We LOVE Earl of Sandwich too, and Wolfgang puck express -the kids meals especially are plenty for a grownup, if you like chicken fingers & fries too! don't discount some of the buffets too, they can cover 2 meals depending on the time you go.

 

[squirrel]

There are companies that deliver groceries that might save you time and money. I know they deliver to the WDW resorts, but they probably deliver to other hotels.

Garden Grocer is one. I don't recall the other ones.

 

[imarealgrl]

My sister just used gardengrocer.com. She said the groceries were a great price. Sharing meals is a great idea for the parks. We usually eat breakfast in our room, pack snacks, and buy a large meal in the park. I think $100 per day will work.

 

[kidd_freeper]

I agree with other posters. Plan to eat breakfast in your hotel room.

We are a family of 6 (2 adults, 17 yo girl, 10/9/8 yo boys) going for 15 days total (not all Disney). We also plan to take mid-day breaks at our off-site rented condo.

I am budgeting:
$300 for groceries,
$1100 for one counter-service or one off-site restaurant meal each day and
$275 for Hoop De Doo.

Works out to $112/day for twice as many people as you. You should be fine.

 

[disneymarie]

Hi folks,
We're coming from Australia to DW in 12 days and are trying to work out what is a reasonable budget for daily spending. We'll have a kitchenette but will likely eat out most days. Will $100 a day for food and small expenses be enough for 2 adults and a 9 year old kid who doesn't eat much?
(We're not including the DW tickets or accomodation in that of course )

We would love recommendations for cheap/healthy/good quality restaraunts. We are staying at the Blue Tree Resort and won't have a car.
Melinda
counting the days

I remember at the Blue tree, if the same one as a time share and complete kitchen, bedrooms, and living room.
They have a breakfast set up each day in the building near the pool. Lots of fresh fruit, cereals, bagels, pastry, oatmeals and juices put out. Kept us going a great deal of the day.

In the room, we had Pizza delivary, with salads a bottle of soda. You can have water delivered ahead of time and other items too.
This is when you get back from the park, and you are looking for the energy and spot to fill.

I liked eating in the parks at the spaceship in fantasy land, the taco stand near Mexico in Epcot, the pastry I think it was near Norway that had what looked like lethal pretzels, almonds, drizzle, yummo, but for kids had great snack meals,

Inside the building that tours the lands, and Nemo there were eateries,

At the Animal Kingdom we ate at a place near dino land that was BBQ and baked potatoes the best baked beans, ribs, chicken
Epcot at Back lot, or the Cafateria I can't think of in the rear area are affordable healthy meals.

Down town Disney I always enjoyed the Earl of Sandwhich....
Have fun.....food tends to be the last thing we thought of until we were growling hungry and ate at the next spot....

 

[MousekaMaddi]

we used and LOVED gardengrocer.com
never tried wegoshop but heard its great too, they both shop for u and deliver, there is a fee but if u order $200.... breakfast food, water, soda, diapers, snax, shampoo or whatever,... it adds up!
We loved it, the delivery fee is worth it because u dont have to DRIVE or shop!! THEY do!

 

[ScotsMinnie]

We stay offsite too and I would recommend a trip to the supermarket. The fresh goods are tremendous and you will get some lovely food for breakfast.

We also found the portions to be huge. Your child may find that he can eat from your plate and still have enough. I shared with mine a lot of the time.

Sometimes we would have a later lunch at the parks and then instead of having a big meal at night would cook some pizza with salad or something similar at night. It worked well for us. We also kept lots of fruit and snacks so we could take some with us during the day.

There are so many places to eat off site and most are very reasonable.