Dining Budget Help

[Firsttimer5901]

I need some help, My family and I are going to DW in June for 7 days. I am trying to budget food at quick service and maybe one sit down meal. I will be having Bariatric weight loss surgery first week in April so i am planning on taking my food any way. I have a Family of 5 and looking at quick service menus I am figuring to that with one adult, one 10 year old that i will order off of the kids or adult menu depending what is on it, and a 6 and 2 year old that will eat off the kids menu i need around 80 dollars a day in food. Can someone tell me if this is sufficient for my budget. Thank you for your help.

 

[DisneyHardin]

How many meals per day are you wanting this to cover?

It seems low to me for an entire family to eat at WDW on $80/day, but don't really have any first hand experience to offer because we always use the dining plan.

 

[Claire&TheBoys]

If that's to cover 2 quick-service meals per day, that's probably a little low. My family of 4 (both children eat adult meals) spends about $60 for one quick-service meal. Even with a couple of kids' meals for your family, I think I'd estimate $100 per day. That gives you room for some snacks.

 

[Darcy03231]

Generally, I've found that we spent $7-8/pp on kids meals and $10-$12/pp for adults, including a drink. If you're looking at 3 meals a day, even on the low side, it would be more like $95-$100/day.

 

[TwoMisfits]

I need some help, My family and I are going to DW in June for 7 days. I am trying to budget food at quick service and maybe one sit down meal. I will be having Bariatric weight loss surgery first week in April so i am planning on taking my food any way. I have a Family of 5 and looking at quick service menus I am figuring to that with one adult, one 10 year old that i will order off of the kids or adult menu depending what is on it, and a 6 and 2 year old that will eat off the kids menu i need around 80 dollars a day in food. Can someone tell me if this is sufficient for my budget. Thank you for your help.

Okay, so 2 adult meals, 2 kids meals, and a "swing" meal (adult/kid) per meal, so 10 meals/day (assuming breakfast in room/skipped).

Adults CS meals average $13-$14 (some as low as $9-10 and some as high as $20) and kids' meals average $7-$8 - kids meals get beverages and adults get none. If you do this plan, you'll spend $27 on the 2 adult meals, $15 on the 2 kids, and $10 on the swing meal (1/2 the time adult and 1/2 the time kid) per meal. So, each meal costs roughly $52, so $105 for the day if all adults drink CS water should work...

If you need 3 meals/day, you'll be talking $155-$160/day.

 

[cvjw]

We often share meals at counter service restaurants for our family of 4, and we would need more than $80 per day for 2 meals.

 

[kymom99]

Okay, so 2 adult meals, 2 kids meals, and a "swing" meal (adult/kid) per meal, so 10 meals/day (assuming breakfast in room/skipped).

Adults CS meals average $13-$14 (some as low as $9-10 and some as high as $20) and kids' meals average $7-$8 - kids meals get beverages and adults get none. If you do this plan, you'll spend $27 on the 2 adult meals, $15 on the 2 kids, and $10 on the swing meal (1/2 the time adult and 1/2 the time kid) per meal. So, each meal costs roughly $52, so $105 for the day if all adults drink CS water should work...

If you need 3 meals/day, you'll be talking $155-$160/day.

I think there is just 4 buying. She is bringing her own. But I do think $80 isn't enough.

There are 3 of us and we usually spent about $50 per meal when my son was younger. That was with 3 adult meals but I would drink free water.

 

[TwoMisfits]

I think there is just 4 buying. She is bringing her own. But I do think $80 isn't enough.

There are 3 of us and we usually spent about $50 per meal when my son was younger. That was with 3 adult meals but I would drink free water.

Rereading, I think you're right...so I guess if it's 2 meals a day for 4 people, she could do it on $80...but if she needs 3 meals, it will be more like $120...

Even with surgery, I'm not sure it's worth bringing all your own food and not just bringing some for the kids, too...if you gotta make 1 small meal, it's not hard to add 3 PBJs, some fruit, and a bottle of water/milk/juice to the same bag...

 

[happily single]

If you go to Allears. net and look under dining these are menus and prices for every possible location

 

[lanejudy]

I also think that's low to feed 4 people at WDW. As PP suggested, check out the menus at AllEars and look at what your family might order.

Also, you mention possibly 1 TS meal. Be aware that if it's a buffet or all-you-can-eat, you should expect to be charged full adult price even if you only eat a few bites. You can request a lower fee but it seems hit or miss if granted. If you eat at a regular ala cart menu, you shouldn't be charged. But with 3 kids I'm thinking you are considering a character meal and most are buffet, priced by guest age not by what you eat.

Enjoy your vacation!

 

[TwoMisfits]

Right, everyone at buffets is charged full price - adults would be $50-$70 (tax/tip included) and you'd have 3 adults + one charged child, so you are likely looking at a $200+ bill if you plan any character buffet (especially at dinner)...

 

[scrapquitler]

I need some help, My family and I are going to DW in June for 7 days. I am trying to budget food at quick service and maybe one sit down meal. I will be having Bariatric weight loss surgery first week in April so i am planning on taking my food any way. I have a Family of 5 and looking at quick service menus I am figuring to that with one adult, one 10 year old that i will order off of the kids or adult menu depending what is on it, and a 6 and 2 year old that will eat off the kids menu i need around 80 dollars a day in food. Can someone tell me if this is sufficient for my budget. Thank you for your help.

We just got back. DH, and myself, and 14 year old son. We were there for 15 nights/16 days. We eat mainly quick service only two table service meals this trip (Big River Brewery and ESPN club because DS and DH chose). DH did spend 3 days eating with his coworkers at their conference, so our food bill was slightly less than it would have been because of that. Sometimes I order kids meals (I think I did that around 5 times this trip), sometimes DS gets a kids meal (only 2 times this trip) and we eat a lot of snacks, but we tend to share them. We did have some alcohol at our table service meals and while we were in Epcot and AK. We spent a total of $1500 on food/beverages, so just about $100 a day.

 

[wendow]

My family of 6 spends $100-120 a day on two CS meals and snacks. I have two teens in that mix. However, they are fine ordering off the kid's menu when they like the choices, and I order from kid's menu quite a bit also. Otherwise, we share a few meals. We also may just order an adult meal for the two youngest and have them share that rather than buying two kid's meals (it's cheaper to do that). We also do not drink sodas and are fine getting water in a cup (free).

We eat breakfast in the room and take some snacks into the parks with us. We also share snacks that we buy in the parks. Buy 3 Mickey pretzels...everyone gets half...it is plenty.

I think for your family, it sounds like you need to budget closer to $100 per day and even consider giving yourself a bit more leeway for snacks and splurges.