Help me estimate budget

[peppersugar]

SORRY if posted this wrong or put it in the wrong place--I need some help for folks who have been to Disney more often/recently than me.

I am planning a family trip to Disney world for early June for family of six--2 parents and children ages 20,17,13& 12. Haven't been in long time (1992) when children were much smaller--planning to stay on-site at Allstar Movies and know prices for resort passes--need help with an idea of cost of food/drinks. Probably have breakfast in-room but lunch & dinner in parks--probably usually a fast-food/counter service place but also want some sit-downs/buffets. Any help in estimating daily costs or suggestions for good places would be appreciated.

[This message was edited by peppersugar on 01-12-01 at 12:09 PM.] <IMG SRC="/infopop/emoticons/icon_confused.gif" alt="confused">

[This message was edited by peppersugar on 01-12-01 at 12:11 PM.]

 

[ALostBoy]

Hi peppersugar,
For info on menu's at WDW try
Menus
It is a great help

ALostBoy

[This message was edited by ALostBoy on 01-12-01 at 02:20 PM.]

 

[tinkerbelle2001]

We visited in May and I took $100 per day for a family of four. This included some small souvenirs. We also ate breakfast in the room, we only ate one "expensive" meal per day. The other was fast food. We also carried water bottles to prevent the expense of drinks. Two in my party were children. With the ages of your children, I would say that you should take a bit more because they probalby won't be eating kids meals. I would say you should expect to spend $8-9 per person on fast food and $12-$$$ on moderate meals. Good luck!

 

[a1b2c3]

Take lots and lots of money. Eat outside the park when you can.

 

[LeahA]

I would probably budget $200.00 per day for food/drinks/snacks.

 

[pomcoach]

I don't know how it always works out this way, but we have been going to WDW about every 2 yrs. since 1988. I always keep track of every penny. I add in flying, car rental, food (breakfast pretty cheap in room or Bob Evans), Lunch and dinner mostly at the nice restaurants, sometimes on the run in the World, hotel fairly cheap off site, passes to WDW, Sea World, Universal Studios, souvenirs, everything! No matter howmany of our family goes, it always comes out to $1,000 per person. No kidding! Sometimes just my husband and I have gone in the summer, still just a bit cheaper that $2000. Weird

 

[peppersugar]

Thanks to all who replied--anyone else have any info to share?

 

[DisneyBum]

Every time we plan a trip, we try to lower the budget for food so we have more money for other activities, but we always seem to give in to the expensive stuff.

There are just two of us, my fiance and me. On the last "quick trip" we took, we budgeted $85 a day ($15 for breakfast, $20 for a cheap lunch, $45 for dinner, $5 for cokes and stuff) each day. Weeeeeeell, when I saw Ghiradelli's at DD, I just HAD to have a hot fudge sundae, and then a drink, and then etc etc. Needless to say, I blew the budget that day. That seemed to happen quite a bit this last trip!

Food is always our biggest problem, budget-wise. And I figure with a family like you have, even if you have a plan, it will change, and Murphy's law says it will go higher, not lower.

 

[shirleyb]

You know your family better than we do. Will they want snacks and drinks all day long? For us, that was the biggest expense, since we ate breakfast in the room, and fairly light lunches and dinners. Mid morning and mid afternoon, my gang wanted snacks and drinks. We took some of this into the parks with us (I know, bad us!) but never enough to last the 5 of us for the day. I assume some of the older children will have some of their own money to spend, so maybe that will help. I figured $100 per day for food (Dh and I, and 10, 7 and 3 yr old) and we actually did a little bit better than that. Obviously, with older and more kids, yours will cost more. You ought to be able to get by for less than $150 per day, but you won't have a lot of sit down dinners.

Shirle

Shirley

CBR Jan 2000
Next Trip Jan 2002 Where to stay?

 

[hercamore]

I guess with 3 teens I would opt for a luncheon buffet and let them really fill up and then just have a snacky dinner or something in the room. All stars have pizzas to go.

 

[funhouse8]

Hi I just wanted to let you know I have a family of six and we stayed in the wilderness homes for not much more then two rooms at the allstar. We had alot more room with a complete kitchen,table, stove & full size fridge and freezer. There even was a dishwasher in the he room. The maid put all your dishes into the washer so everything was clean when you returned. I saved money by bringing food along with me and freezing botles of water everynight to take into the parks with me. By staying in a home we weren't on top of each other either. There is even a place you can get take out pizza to bring back to the room with you at night. I thought this might help. We really enjoyed our stay here. Gina ºoº

 

[DisneyMomof4]

Hi! we have 4 kids too but they are younger (2 1/2,5,8,10)We have always chosen one good meal each day, whether a massive breakfast buffet, late lunch, or nice dinner. We always eat cheap for which ever the other 2 are that day, knowing that we will enjoy one great meal. I don't know if you plan any offsite restaurants but we used to go to early bird dinners (4-6) and pay a lot less. For our trip this year, the www.wdwig.com site has been great for planning ahead for Disney meals. I've chosen one at each park and I know what to budget for those since the menus are listed. I also made PS reservations for some. I think planning the meals you really want to try ahead of time can help budget the rest of your meals for the trip. I know that when we're hungry and don't know where to eat we always spend more! Hope you have a great time!!

 

[chris1gill]

We've been to Disney several times over the last 5 years, and I can tell you eating at Disney IS EXPENSIVE!!!! The last time we stayed in a regular room, we spent 150 a day for 2 adults, a 10 year old & 3 year old... We probably could have saved 25.00 a day if we'd tried hard... and we did eat breakfast in the room... For six adults (basically all the kids eat like adults) I would really expect, even eating fast food most of the time, that you are going to spend around 225 a day at best.... I would go with a villa or FW Cabin, with the full kitchen, that way you can have nice breakfasts, eat dinner in, and eat lunch in the parks, without going completely broke!!! HTH!!!

 

[SusanD]

We usually budget about $125 a day for a family of four (boys 14 & 12). That includes breakfast in the room, one meal at counter service, a nice sit down meal and a few souveniers. With two more I would suggest $175 to $200. Much of this will depend on if you have light eaters in your group or not.

It can be done for less if you cut a few corners. Such as...order water with your meal instead of soda. When entrees are large (they frequently are) split them. Split or skip desserts. Eat your larger meal at lunch. Portions are about the same and the prices are more reasonable. Take advantages of any discounts that might be available. Eat off the property whenever possible.

 

[Disneydenise]

If you are set on the Allstars I would budget alot for food. I have teens and they do seem to eat alot more than you would think. They have a great food court I hear at the Allstars. My children are 16 and 15 last year we were in Disney 7 days and ate breakfast in the room each morning because by the time Pricess Layaround and Darkvader get up there is nowhere to get breakfast. We spent 1100 for the week on food. We didn't do any buffets but we did do a few fast food places. We only ate once at Italy a big dinner and we had a late lunch at the Castle. My son eats alot and my husband is a runner so he eats quite a bit too. I had taken a ton of snaks so that when they were in the room they could snack and pack some for in the parks too. We had our own water bottles the brita with the filter worked great the water foutains are all pretty cold in the parks so that saved us alot.

 

[denisenh]

Oh boy...I agree with the others that suggest staying at Fort Wilderness Cabins. It is a beautiful resort, a boat ride away from the Magic Kingdom, but a real good place to go and get away from it all. Are you driving or will you have a rental? If so, go off site and do your food shopping...bring a few staples from home if possible...you don't want to go buying a container of salt and pepper when you can grab the shakers off your kitchen counter and throw them in your purse on the way out the door! Get all the kids together and have a cook out at your cabin. Don't forget to pick up a bag of charcoal. You can enjoy the picnic table on your private deck!!! Plan ahead a bit, plan your meals for the week, I betcha you'll save money this way as opposed to 2 rooms at All Stars and eating out.
Have a blast!