Food budget

[xsred]

How much money do you usually budget per person per day for adults and children aged 13 and 9? We are stayiing in a villa and will probably do some self catering, but I gather it is so cheap to eat that it ii not always cheaperr to eat in??!

 

[JayneL]

Hi
We are allowing about $40 per person per day. Thats for 2 Adults and DS's 13 & 15 (6'5'').

I will be interested to see other peoples replys. This may be far too much!! ( I hope it wont be far too little )

I dont plan on doing any cooking in the villa as I cook for a living but might just go as far as a pizza and some oven chips or maybe beans on toast

I am planning to go to Wall Mart on the first day and stock up on drinks, nibbles, snacks and breakfast stuff (as my son will only eat cereals and toast and wont eat at ponderosa) and lots of goodies like ice cream etc. So if we dont feel like going out at any time or just want a snack there should be plenty in.

Jayne

 

[stubb]

hi xsred

We tend to not eat at the main parks as there is 5 of us 2 being teenage boys. I don't know if you are near lake beuna vista but there is an area called crossroads which has lots of great places to eat. We especially like a chinese there.

Also somenights we just do a burger king.

The buffet/ all you can eat type places are really good for kids and teenagers, personally we don't like to eat hugh breakfasts although loads of people do this.

I would recommendgoing to a supermarket to stock up on juice, I tend to buy apple juice half fill a juice bottle with ice and apple juice (their juice is very strong) One thing we did notice that some places the food would not be piping hot.

Still you will have lots of fun trying different places.

michelle

 

[vernon]

Even just being able to do toast and cereal for brekkie is going to help keep the costs down. We usually stick a couple of frozen pizzas in the freezer for the odd chance that we decide on a night in or the kids are too tired to go out. Also if you decide on a day ( or morning) round the pool you're not going to want to get dressed to go out to lunch. A few rolls/bread, some ham, chicken,salad and deli items makes a nice change from eating in restaurants all the time.

Not counting brekkie it really depends on how you like to eat.

Outside the parks fast food (McD's, BK or Pizza hut) is going to cost you about $20-30 for your family. A lower end "family restaurant" like Dennys probably $40-50. For a nice meal somewhere like the Olive Garden (best quality for value IMHO) maybe $60-70 , there a lot of decent restaurants that will come in around $100 for a family of 4 but again much depends on how much and what you drink. A couple of beers isn't going to add much to the total but wine is expensive in the US and rarely will you see a bottle for less than $20 with $25-30 being the "bottom of the range".

In the parks counter service pizza or burger is going to be $30-40 , a cheap table service $70-80 and for one of the medium restaurants you're not going to be getting any change from $100. Again alcohol is going to make a big difference, on Disney the prices are probably 50% extra than off site, by the time you add on the tips it can be expensive. Some of the "better" restaurants like the Flying Fish at BW , Brown Derby or the good ones at Epcot you'll be kissing goodbye to $200 + . Heres a link to a site with some of the sample menus so you can judge the cost of eating in the parks. http://allearsnet.com/menu/menus.htm

 

[xsred]

Thanks for the replies. Hopefully we can keep the costs down by eating at the villa most of the time and have a few nights out a week!

We were hoping to have a few BBQs at the Villa too.

I'd welcome any more comments from people who have stayed in villas as to how much they spent on food over a week per person.

Thanks to all who have taken the time to reply!

 

[Mike Jones]

We do most breakfasts at the villa... more to ensure an early start than to budget.... we always eat counter service lunches in the parks, and these average $35 - $40 for 2 adults and 2 kids, per day. We generally have a coffe/cake/snack/ice cream at some point, probably $16 total. Dinner varies but is usually between $50 low - $100 high range.

Regarding the villa... we don't 'do' cooking on holiday!

Mike

 

[snookhams]

We always have a good breakfast at the Villa, usually cereal and either a cooked brekkie or something like a sausage or bacon sandwich, that way we tend to have a snack at midday and a good meal in the evenings. We do occasionally cook at the villa, although like a previous poster this is my line of work and I want a break like the rest of them. We do a lot of different eat all you like buffets, I read on the boards today about a great pizza buffet at cici's pizza eat all you can for $3.99 each! so thought we might give them a try with a very hungry 12 year old that eats me out of house and home these buffets are great.

 

[xsred]

I know the feeling, my 15 year old eats like a horse at the moment, so all you can eat sounds like a very good option!!!

I assume you can get those disposable BBQs out there that you can get over here? I doubt if the villa will have one of it's own for guests??

Can't wait now, just over 4 weeks until we go!! Kids are really working up to it too now!