Food Costs

[BeckWhy]

Ok, I'm planning on $15 a meal at the parks. Now I'm almost positive we won't spend that much, but my mom says "be prepared." Even still, when we get there, is there ways of cutting costs so we don't spend the max of $15 a meal?

 

[MrsPete]

If you plan to eat all fast-food, you'll have no problem sticking to $15/person/meal; however, if you want to have any sit-down meals in nice restaurants you're sure to exceed that amount. Take a look at www.wdwig.com -- you can see menus and prices.

 

[Mickeyluver37]

Do you mean per person? If so, I think the only way you can accomplish that is with counter service. Maybe 2 people for $15 with counter service. I haven't seen any sit down restaurants are that cheap, even for one person. To get a good idea of prices in the parks, check out the menus on www.wdwig.com

 

[BeckWhy]

You people aren't READING it correctly! I KNOW $15 is a good price per person at a fast food place. But I want to know HOW TO CUT IT DOWN WHEN I GET THERE!

 

[WIcruizer]

No offense, but you won't get much help with that attitude.

 

[elfbo]

If you read some of the previous posts. ie. ones that arent on the front page, they have some good tips about how you can save money on food, like eating instant oatmeal at breakfast in the room, and leaving a packed lunch in your car for a midday break.

Good Luck

 

[Lewisc]

Don't buy drinks, either get water from a water fountain or ask for ice (tap) water which should be free.

Skip extras (deserts). Only order what you need (burger) and get the extras outside of the parks. Share your side dishes (french fries).

I don't think you'll save $$ but for variety go to the nearest resort to eat. Contemporary has a snack bar/mini food court. AKL has some type of fast food.

BUT if you don't have enough $$$ you might shorten your trip a day. You don't want to be running around hungry or not being able to afford ANY treats.

 

[faith]

The easiest way to cut your food budget is to have breakfast in your room. Take along some breakfast bars, poptarts, etc. How about some peanut butter prepackaged crackers, a bag of your favorite candy to cut the snack budget? Anyway you get the idea. Pick what snacks you like. Have a fun trip.

 

[C.Ann]

Originally posted by BeckWhy
You people aren't READING it correctly! I KNOW $15 is a good price per person at a fast food place. But I want to know HOW TO CUT IT DOWN WHEN I GET THERE!

----------------------

Your attitude (both on this thread and the other asking how you can "cut costs") amazes me..

Do you REALLY expect people to go out of their way to give you suggestions when you give the kind of responses to suggestions that you HAVE been giving?

I don't think you're ready for this trip by a long shot..

Work a little (or a lot) harder, save your money, and when your budget will allow for all that you need/want/desire, then go ahead and make the trip and have a great time...

Until then you might want to temper your responses a bit....

 

[patsal]

The suggestions above are great. For the most part even with a soda and a dessert at the counter service you will not exceed the $15.00 per person at counter service (example the combo meal at Caseys with a Hot Dog, soda, fries and brownie is under $10). To cut the cost a bit more and have a snack for later,purchase the meal deal coupons at MK and AK for $11.99 plus tax you will get a combo meal with a drink, an extra coupon for another drink later and a coupon for an ice cream or popcorn for later. If you use one of these and then just get the extra entree with ice water you should be in good shape and well under $30 for the total meal. For a little more than that each you could try a buffet breakfast and fill up as a brunch and maybe skip a meal. Also, I don't remember the per person cost, but a short boat ride from MK is the campground where Trail's End is. They have a breakfast, lunch and dinner buffett--I think the lunch is within your price range. As suggested, check wdwig to get a better idea about specific menus and totals. If no more tha a tool to "rule out" over budget restaurants. If you need to cut another meal remember there are good "meal replacement bars" available purchase a box or two and they will make a good lunch or dinner substitute rounded out with some salad or carrot sticks and a piece of fruit.
Good luck!

 

[gepetto]

Originally posted by BeckWhy
You people aren't READING it correctly! I KNOW $15 is a good price per person at a fast food place. But I want to know HOW TO CUT IT DOWN WHEN I GET THERE!

I'm sure they were READING IT CORRECTLY. They both gave you a link to a site with every menu and prices for all of WDW wher eyou can plan your meals down to the penny.

 

[AuntMinnie]

Besides for eatting breakfast in your room, (which you plan to do anyway)


I don't know how big of an eater you and your mom are or if you/she would even go for it but:
Instead of ordering the smallest meal each, order the Biggest meal and split it. (Order a double cheeseburger then cut it in two) You would save a bit of money, and have room in your belly and a little extra cash for a treat latter in the day. I hate filling up on meals leaving no room for snacks .

Another option, but I'm not sure if they let you do it or not is to order a kids meal. But I haven't been in a long time and not sure if thats okay or not. I'm sure others here will be able to tell you if its okay or not.

You probably won't like this but if you have a hard suitcase carefully pack a loaf of bread and a jar of peanut butter, a plastic knife and a box of baggies. It's cheap and it will fill you up, and does not need to be refrigerated.

Pack some treats from home to take into the park with you( stuff that wont melt) before you leave get some goodies that you really like, even if it's an expensive at home goodie, it's still cheap compared to what you would pay for snacks there. (crunch-n-munch, twizzlers, honey roasted peanuts etc.) Don't forget the baggies so you can dole out each days portion.


Many have posted that all counter service will give you cup of ice water upon request, I never knew that before the boards. If you're up to it, carry some Ice tea mix, crystal light, etc ( in a baggie with a spoon) mix it in, and sip your fav drink!!

HTH

 

[tebright]

Well our last trip 2 years ago we were on a tight budget but we still enjoyed ourselves. We actually ate breakfast in the room and I made a bunch of PB&J sandwiches and other snacks for thorughout the day. We brought water bottles and filled them up. Now we had a great time but I'll tell you, none of us wanted PB&J sandwiches for about a year after that...lol.

This year we are going in December and we are doing it up. We are saving some money by staying offsite and will be eating breakfast free at hotel but we plan on eating at the parks for lunch and dinner. It's just a different experience. We are doing this by purchasing meal vouchers. Not really any savings but the concept is that they will be prepaid.

 

[Beth E. (NJ)]

You can also carry some small snacks with you. I had my daughter bring juice boxes and some snack bars/raisins/fruit chews with her so she could snack when she got hungry.

I also buy one water bottle, put it on a strap and then refill it at water fountains throughout the trip.

 

[Debbie]

Adding to Aunt Minnie's suggestion. If one of you orders an appetizer, and the other a meal, and you split, you'll both be filled for less money.

We will often order a kids-meal at the counter service- the size is just right.

Eating at The Land, give you a nice variety in counter service.

We usually only eat 1 meal (breakfast in room) in the parks a day. That along with a few snacks (Dole whip, iced tea etc.) seems to be just right for us.

Happy planning!

 

[BeckWhy]

patsal: Thanks for the info! Where would I get the meal vouchers though?

AuntMinnie: LOL! I love the idea of packing bread and peanut butter (considering I've heard the PB & J sandwiches at Disney are very thick and hard to eat).



Does any one know who much milk will cost at the resorts (well, if you know the size of the milk container will be helpful too). Thanks!

 

[cpl100]

Patsal, I had no idea they had the meal deal at MK. I only knew about AK.

Which restaurants have the meal deal in MK?

Thanks.

 

[Pat_Elliott]

Originally posted by C.Ann
----------------------

Your attitude (both on this thread and the other asking how you can "cut costs") amazes me..

Didn't this person, after much negative foreplay in the last thread, say she wasn't going? I'm confused by repetative asking for help and slapping those that offer it. I mean that in the nicest way. It takes me five minutes or so to forumulate a decent response. That's time I value. I hate to spend it without purpose.

Pat

 

[phamton]

Originally posted by Pat_Elliott
Didn't this person, after much negative foreplay in the last thread, say she wasn't going?

Here's a play by play:

First posts were how to convince her boyfriend to go (he refused.) Then she was taking her teen brother and his friend. (Wanted to know if she bought child tickets for them online, could she trade them in for adult tickets once there, without being charged extra.) Then how to convince her dad to send her mom instead. Then not going.

Hope that helps.

Now back to the question: My first trip was on a very tight budget. We brought pastries, etc. with us from home and ate those in the room for breakfast. We waited for the latest lunch time (usually around 2:00) and made that the main meal. Then in the evenings when we got hungry, my husband would pick up KFC, pizza, or McDonald's off-site and bring it back to the room.

 

[Pat_Elliott]

Originally posted by phamton
Hope that helps.

Sort of! More important, in reading your post, it hits me this info can benefit others.

DW and I went one time on a very, very low budget after unexpectedly giving ourselves a new roof. We hate hitting credit cards, so we tried to manage under a $50 per day food budget. We creamed it.

We stayed at a Marriott with a Fridge. It had a microwave, too, but I don't think we touched the thing. We always hit Walmart on 192 first thing. We had a bunch of bagels, cereal, juice and some fruit for breakfast each day. We're fond of eating breakfast with a newspaper while sitting in front of a gate. We love being first.

We also make our big meal of the day lunch. We find neither of us can eat a full meal, so we get an entree, appetizer, desert, and usually an extra salad or something (choosing carefully). We always carry a bunch of granola bars, Pop Tarts, cheese and peanut butter crackers (et al), which we buy at Walmart). That deals with the "snack" aspect of the parks. We also use our Brittas for water, and neither of us is a soda drinker.

For dinner, we get some burgers from the dollar menu at Mickey D's or BK. At Walmart, we got plenty of chips and stuff.

I think at the end of the week, we figured we'd averaged less than $40 per day for both of us, all food included.

Of course, we blew the credit cards off the face of the earth with PI liquor tabs, but we were younger then!

Pat