Food budget for trip

[Befferk]

We are going to DIsney in Feb. 2008 and staying at ASMo. We will be staying for 10 nights. Last time we went, we camped so we made a lot of our meals at the camper. So I really have no idea what to budget for us. We won't be eating nice sit down meals except for a few. There is me, DH, and our very picky 5 year old son. I thought about the dining plan, but it doesn't make sense to me for us to get it. They way I understand it, you have to purchase it for the entire length of your stay, correct? Because there are a couple days we won't be there during the day (for example, we are going to the Daytona 500) and will only be in the parks for 5 days. What does everyone else do for budgeting meals?

Beth

 

[minnierocks]

For our family of 4...Me, DH, DS (13), and DD (11), I am budgeting $150/day.

You will not spend that much, especially if you are not big eaters. If you go to www.allearsnet.com and pull up the menus, you can get some idea of how much you would need for food. You can look at individual restaurants and counter service locations, for selections and pricing.

We always pack our breakfast and snack items. We eat breakfast before we leave our room, and carry our snacks into the parks. We usually eat a big lunch (because entrees are cheaper) and grab something light, if we get hungry later...

Hope that helps!

 

[mamaprincess]

We usually spend about $50 dollars per person per day. We don't cook.

 

[bigalpf1]

We are going to DIsney in Feb. 2008 and staying at ASMo. We will be staying for 10 nights. Last time we went, we camped so we made a lot of our meals at the camper. So I really have no idea what to budget for us. We won't be eating nice sit down meals except for a few. There is me, DH, and our very picky 5 year old son. I thought about the dining plan, but it doesn't make sense to me for us to get it. They way I understand it, you have to purchase it for the entire length of your stay, correct? Because there are a couple days we won't be there during the day (for example, we are going to the Daytona 500) and will only be in the parks for 5 days. What does everyone else do for budgeting meals?

Beth

Dining plan is Okay if everyone eats a lot and you don't mind planning a lot of your meals.It is usually just me and my DW we share a lot of app. entrees and desserts.We make sure we get all the necessitys{Beer Wine Water and snacks this saves a lot.Also pick up Juice Donuts and Cereal for breakfast,no cooking.It saves a lot of time and money.

 

[TSWJan78]

But remember if you are going to spend more per day on average than you may want to get the dining plan. You do not have to be in the parks to use it.. you can use 2 TS in one day if you want... You can use contor service for food to go if you want. so if you budget more than $800 for the trip you may want to try it.... PS we are going to the 2008 500 to.. it is my wedding gift to my FH... see you there

 

[snomofinn]

For the 4 of us ME, DH, DD 20, DD 13, I allow 200.00 per day on food. Over the past years we usually spend less then that, but I hate being short money so I figure a little higher, so Iam sure to have enough money.

 

[mickeystoontown]

I would definitely suggest you check out www.allearsnet.com. Click on dining and scroll down to menus. You will find the menus and prices so you can plan a budget. We stay 10 days at WDW and purchase the dining plan. We spend 7 days in the parks (all day long) and have 2 "down" days where we sleep in and go off site and see explore other things.

We aren't heavy breakfast eaters and usually just eat something light that we have brought along with us. We use our counter service meals for lunch and our table service meals for dinner. Since we don't use our meal plan for our "down" days, we use those counter service meals to purchase a breakfast on days we want one. The table service meals we save and use on a signature dining meal. We like the Hoop Dee Doo. The snack credits, we use for extra fresh fruit, water or colas.

I didn't realize how much we spent on food until, one year, I saved all of our receipts. We ate mostly counter service meals with just a character meal or two thrown in. With the dining plan, we are able to do the Hoop Dee Doo, eat with the characters several times and, best of all, order anything we want meaning we are more apt to try new things.

We paid just over $800.00 for our dining plan last year (3 adults and 1 child). I decided to save our receipts and see just how much we would have spent had we not been on the dining plan. It was over $1,400.00 and that didn't include everything because I couldn't find most of our snack receipts.

Hope this helps at least a little bit, Lisa

 

[Befferk]

Thanks for all the input. I was leaning away from the dining plan because we will only have (out of 10) 5 park days + a waterpark day, the rest will be shopping and the 500 offsite. The other side of the dining plan is having to make all those ADR's for the table service meals. I had like 7 ADR's last year, and DH hated that, he didn't want to have to be tied to eating at a certain time and place, he wants to stay more flexible this time. How bad would it be without ADR's? Hmmm.... will have to ponder a bit more. I assume the credits can be used at the resort food court, as well as Down Town Disney?

Beth

 

[mickeystoontown]

Hi Beth,

I understand where you are coming from about set times to eat. I made my ADR's late in the day (7:45 or 8:00 p.m.) so that we didn't feel as if they were cutting into our park touring time. We arrive at the parks when the gates open and don't leave until they close. Some of the Downtown Disney restaurants accept the Disney Dining Plan. Your best bet would be to go to www.disneyworld.com and search for the list of restaurants on the dining plan.

Lisa

 

[bigbabyblues]

In 2004, it was me, DH, DS3 and DS15 months; the baby shared with the 3-yo or ate off our plates and was free at buffets/character meals. Our budget was $140 and day and we used almost all of it. That was one sit-down/table service meal per day, and two days we had two sit-downs.

DH and I went to WDW the first week of Feb this year and there were people being turned away at each restaurant we went to that didn't have ADRs.

Hope this helps!

 

[klinlin]

Thanks for all the input. I was leaning away from the dining plan because we will only have (out of 10) 5 park days + a waterpark day, the rest will be shopping and the 500 offsite. The other side of the dining plan is having to make all those ADR's for the table service meals. I had like 7 ADR's last year, and DH hated that, he didn't want to have to be tied to eating at a certain time and place, he wants to stay more flexible this time. How bad would it be without ADR's? Hmmm.... will have to ponder a bit more. I assume the credits can be used at the resort food court, as well as Down Town Disney?

Beth

I would agree that the DP is a better value, and I like knowing that I have everything all paid for before I get there. I made ADR's for my last trip, but found it fairly easy to switch them once I was there as long as we were flexible. You could use plenty of CS at the resort, and even take them to go if you are going off site. You can also use them at DD. Have a great trip!

 

[pooh2001]

We budgeted $200 per day for 2 adults, DS 15 & DD11.

When our kids were the child's price at meals we budgeted $125 per day.

We do breakfast in the room when we do not have an ADR.

 

[basketlover]

pooh 2001, you spend $200 a day without breakfast? And if you don't have ADR's do you do all counter service? thanks for the info.