Dining Budget

[marriedmarylander]

How much money would you estimate for each CS meal per adult?

How much money would you estimate for these TS meals:
CRT
Teppanyaki

Can we share at CRT or Teppanyaki?

Yeah I know the menus are online but I don't know for sure what we will eat that day.

 

[dianemb]

If you go to allearsnet.com you can find all the menus and many have prices.

 

[**pixiedust**]

Well, it does depend on what you eat so it is hard to make a guess. If you look at the online menu and see what you like and what interests you, then you may be able to figure out a budget better. Have fun!

 

[cseca]

How much money would you estimate for each CS meal per adult?

hmm... I'm going to try to take a stab at this question.
I'd say between $8~15/person depending on your eating habit. If you usually get desert then maybe on the higher end but just regular meals I'd say $8~$10/person.

TS is a little harder to guess.
My guesstimate would be a min of $25/person.

I might be a little off but personally I budget $40/person for TS dinner in a nice restaurant. So I wouldn't feel guilty if I feel like getting a desert... hehe...

 

[MomofKatie]

I will try to estimate for you. For a CS meal, including tax, I would budget about $11 per person-(combo $8, drink $2, and tax $1). If you like to order dessert, add about $2.50 to the total.

TS- varies widely. I'm going to list a "for two" price, assuming you'll share one appetizer and one dessert. TS price includes tax and 20% tip, but no alcoholic beverages.

CRT- For two, $80 to $85.

Teppenyaki- for two, also $80 to $85.

 

[dani12]

When we ordered 3 meals it usually was about $38, that included lunch with drink and dessert. If you are trying to budget you should really check out the dining plan. It cost us $90 a day but that covered all of our table service meals. And this it was like we had free counter service meals and snacks!

 

[marriedmarylander]

When we ordered 3 meals it usually was about $38, that included lunch with drink and dessert. If you are trying to budget you should really check out the dining plan. It cost us $90 a day but that covered all of our table service meals. And this it was like we had free counter service meals and snacks!

DH says that $35 per person a day on food is outrageous and there is no way we can eat that much food.

 

[Bob P]

DH hasn't seen the menus, has he?

 

[daisy112878]

I think for both you'd spend more then $35/person and that's one meal. Has your DH looked at the menus? I don't know about CRT but most places like Teppanyaki will not let you share a meal (at least not the ones I've been too). I guess it also depends on if you drink and if you get dessert. I don't think I could leave CRT without dessert esp now with the new cindy dessert.

 

[marriedmarylander]

He saw the menus and said there was plenty of stuff under $7 at all the CS stations.

Plus I was told by AAA that I had to have the dining plan added about 2 weeks ago. I leave monday.

 

[marriedmarylander]

He saw the menus and said there was plenty of stuff under $7 at all the CS stations.

Plus I was told by AAA that I had to have the dining plan added about 2 weeks ago. I leave monday.

Right now I have:
MGM CS meals (2) - $40
Donald's Breakfast - $46 (including tax, tip)
CS dinner (AK or hotel) - $20
CS Meals at IoA - $40
Teppanyaki - $60 (2 entrees, including tax, tip)
Earl of Sandwich - $11 ($4.95 each sandwich plus tax)
Lunch at Water park - $20
Dinner CS (probably at hotel) - $20
CRT lunch (entrees about $13-$18) - $42 (including tax, tip)
MK dinner CS - $20
Lunch on depature day (CS) - $20
Brita Water Bottle - $8

The total is about $350 (not including the brita bottle)
The dining plan will be $100 more with the tax.

I don't know if I forgot to copy something down or not (I saved this in Excel)

 

[ExPirateShopGirl]

DH says that $35 per person a day on food is outrageous and there is no way we can eat that much food.

This reminds me of my dad who just LOVES to reminisce (sp?) about the old days when we was working his way through dental school at the hospital blood bank and ate in the hospital cafeteria for 18 cents.

I know, I know, OT...

Make sure your hubby sees the prices on the menus BEFORE you leave for WDW... and make sure you bring an extra stash of cash so you can eat when your food money runs out!

Have a great trip!

 

[daisy112878]

I was talking about TS meals not the CS meals.

For CS meals we usually spend around $15-20. We share a drink and then each get a meal. No desserts for this. This next time we are going to buy those brita water bottles that have filters in them. And then fill them up at the water fountains instead of buying cokes and water.

I think it also depends on what you eat for breakfast and if you dh eats a lot. There's no way I could ever share with my DH. I wouldn't get anything to eat. Even through you can't tell by looking at him, he eats a lot!!!!

Also you can save by eating a late breakfast/early lunch. That way you can get by without eating three meals a day. Also take snacks with you. We usually take little packets of chips or granola bars with us into the parks.

 

[MomofKatie]

He saw the menus and said there was plenty of stuff under $7 at all the CS stations.

Plus I was told by AAA that I had to have the dining plan added about 2 weeks ago. I leave monday.

Have a GREAT trip!

As for adding the MYW Dining to your pkg, I think it can be done up to 3 days before you leave- so you still could get in under the wire!

Your DH sounds like mine- when I showed him the $$ amt, and told him how much we planned to budget for food, he said "that's too much" and protested. He said we could find something to eat for less than I budgeted, and suggested lots of cheapie strategies to cut costs (mostly involving eating nothing but burgers and hot dogs and bringing stuff from home instead of buying snacks in the parks). When we got there, however, he instantly switched to the "we're on vacation, and price is no object" mode, and I was the one trying to rein in our spending! Don't husbands sometimes drive you crazy?

Eventually, I realized that DH doesn't REALLY want to see the total- he just wants to get there and have a good time. I just go ahead and book what is best for us, and tell him when to get time off. We are both much happier that way!

 

[kpm76]

DH says that $35 per person a day on food is outrageous and there is no way we can eat that much food.

Sorry, but $35/person per day is a conservative estimate in my opinion.....in some cases that amount spent won't even get you that much food. I'd really look over the menus on allears together to come up with a reasonable plan, but try to remain a bit flexible. You don't want to spoil your trip because you want a Mickey Bar and DH thinks that will break the bank...remember, you're on vacation so enjoy...

 

[Bob P]

Right now I have:
MGM CS meals (2) - $40
Donald's Breakfast - $46 (including tax, tip)
CS dinner (AK or hotel) - $20
CS Meals at IoA - $40
Teppanyaki - $60 (2 entrees, including tax, tip)
Earl of Sandwich - $11 ($4.95 each sandwich plus tax)
Lunch at Water park - $20
Dinner CS (probably at hotel) - $20
CRT lunch (entrees about $13-$18) - $42 (including tax, tip)
MK dinner CS - $20
Lunch on depature day (CS) - $20
Brita Water Bottle - $8

The total is about $350 (not including the brita bottle)
The dining plan will be $100 more with the tax.

Can't argue with that logic if you're going to do mainly CS, but that also assumes you'll be drinking tap water (no Cokes, beer, wine, or drinks).

My two teens had lunch at Cosmic Ray's on Saturday and it came to $25. I don't know what you both like to eat, but if you squeeze you might be able to get by on $35 per person.

Eating in WDW is like eating in New York City or LA...the same dinner for two that would cost you $60 in a lot of places all over the country will cost you over $100 in New York.

Enjoy!

Bob

 

[dani12]

Also keep in mind that this includes snacks which can popcorn, soda, fruit or ice cream. Those things alone add up! We also thought considered just doing counter services but we still would have saved money doing the dining plan. Have fun whatever you choose!

 

[nluvwithmickey]

I find it very hard to commit to any kind of dining budget when we go to WDW. We never know how hungry we will be, sometimes more than others. And we never know what we will be in the mood for.

On our first trip we ate ALOT of CS hdogs, hb's and nuggets because we were on a tight budget. But we still caved in and ate 3 character meals....those were not on my budget, we were getting really sick of junk food and wanted something served at our table that was ( or seemed ) more healthy.

I am so happy about the dining plan. No food to budget, every one eats what they want to eat and no looking at the prices!

That's what I call a vacation!

 

[Nora94]

we did the dining plan. It was 9 nights, 2 adults one 5 year old and one 2 1/2 year old. So, it was $720 for the whole trip for us.

I felt like we would have ended up spending at least $720 if we didn't have the dining plan, but we would have been surviving on cereal and milk for breakfast in the room, fast food at lunch and possibly leaving property for dinner to get other fast food. I would have ordered tap water at all meals and we would NOT have had a dessert or steak dinner to save our lives.

The dining plan is worth every penny if you want to eat like you are on vacation. If you don't mind eating cereal every morning, drinking water and not eating at a sit down resturant, sharing counter service meals, than yeah, it could be done for $35 a day. Maybe.

Nora

 

[ashresiren]

Here's my take on meal budgeting.... To begin, I concede that I am an extraordinary overplanner and as such my methods may seem a bit fanatical to some people. With that caveat in mind--I look at the menus for every restaurant I plan to visit and pick out all the things I might possibly order. I then budget for the most expensive of my possible selections in each restaurant. I have my husband and (in my case) nephews also pick the most expensive thing they might have and budget those in. I include tax, tip, and dessert. After all, it is vacation and you will hopefully be in a good mood. Thus, you may throw caution to the wind and order dessert more than you thought you would.

As for Teppanyaki, (we hate it) they will let you share for an extra charge as I recall. (They will normally allow you to share with children for free, but the child has to have his or her own drink). I can't comment on Cinderella's Royal Table because I've never eaten there. Happy Trip!