Help with dining BUDGET??

[RichNKatHolly]

I'm trying to budget for my Nov land/sea. We will have 5 days at the parks and will have 15 meals (B,L,D - 5 each).

I already have my amounts for my 2 dinner pacakages (fantasmic & Candlelight Processional, $275 yikes) but need help on the others. I like sit down meals like 1 or 2 times a day.

Is $750 for the remaining 13 meals not enough? We are 2 adults, 15yo, 5yo and 2yo. Thanks for any advice!

No flaming for the packages please - we have thought it out and these will work best for us. I know some people are dead set against them

 

[newholidayx2]

Im planning:
$15 for PS meals, $10 for counter meals, $5 snax, $10 alcohol, $20 char brkfst
this is per person

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I'm trying to budget for my Nov land/sea. We will have 5 days at the parks and will have 15 meals (B,L,D - 5 each).

I already have my amounts for my 2 dinner pacakages (fantasmic & Candlelight Processional, $275 yikes) but need help on the others. I like sit down meals like 1 or 2 times a day.

Is $750 for the remaining 13 meals not enough? We are 2 adults, 15yo, 5yo and 2yo. Thanks for any advice!

No flaming for the packages please - we have thought it out and these will work best for us. I know some people are dead set against them

Are the 2 dinners figured into the 15 or is it 15 + the packages?

Do you snack for breakfast or do you like to have your eggs/bacon or pancake type breakfasts?

Assuming all the rest of your meals are fast food.

Assume for snack breakfasts:
$6 per breakfast, $10 per lunch, $10 per dinner, $5 per snack = $31pp per day x 5 = $151.

Assuming plated breakfasts:
$10 per breakfast, $10 per lunch, $10 per dinner, $5 per snack = $35 pp per day x 5 = $175.

That's talking bare bones---so you have plenty of leeway I think to feed your family nicely for 5 days at WDW. Throw in a sit down meal in addition to the others if you like. And the 2yo wouldn't be paying the same prices as everyone else anyway b/c of kids meals or being free at buffets. Sometimes our 2yo shares with us depending on the portion size and whether or not I want her to have chicken strips for the 500th time on a trip.

ENJOY--sounds great!

 

[canwegosoon]

For a typical day my menu would be
Breakfast @ Mara
1 Adult Breakfast platter 5.60
side of meat 1.90
Waffles 6.00
Childs BP 4.00
Bev. 8.00 total 25.50 (plus tax)

Lunch Sitdown at Tony's @MK
3 adult PAnini/MB sub/combo 30.00
1 kids meal 6.00
Beverages 8.00 Tl inc tip $52 (plus tax)

Dinner Counter Service @ Columbia HARBOR House @MK
3 Sandwiches @ 7 21.00
1 kids meal 4.00
Beverages 8.00 Tl $33.00 (plus tax)

5 Snacks (bring own water) 15.00
Grand tl. 125.50 (plus tax)

So that is close to your $150 per day budget. It will not be dinners at Le Cellier or Jiko, but it will be fine. Plus you have the extra 2 meals as a buffer.

Could you do cheaper, yes...Bring Brita bottles, bring some snacks, bring a bagel to breakfast and only order meat(or eat breakfast in your room), Do more counter service...split more meals, order double burgers and an extra bun and split for 2 people. If you insist on a sitdown meal every day try for lunch since the offerings are usually cheaper. The beverages sneak up on you. My general budget is $100 for 4 so I think $125-135 per day for 5 is reasonable. There are lots of people who do it for less...it is up to you. Did you qualify for the Meal plan because that would be $115 per day for the 4 and the 2yo is NC. Then you wouldn't have to worry about your budget, and you could brobably get some of the breakfasts due to some of your other meals already booked.

Use Deb's site to help you http://www.allearsnet.com/menu/menus.htm
Good Luck

 

[dismom9761]

Please help a newbie! how do you qualify for a meal plan?

 

[RichNKatHolly]

Thanks for all the info! I think my $750 will do it OK. The 2 package dinners were included with the 15, so really I have 13 meals to go after the packages. We don't usually scrimp too much on food except to share appies and the kids share entrees. The 2yo will most likely never have her own meal unless it's a grilled cheese or omlettes (her favs). I'm kind of a foodie and enjoy eating non-fast food type meals. If we have a large breakfast, lunch will be a snack at counter service and dinner will be a sit down. If we snack breakfast, lunch can be a large sit down and dinner can be counter service. We usually balance pretty well - I just never did a budget before and was trying it out as our vacation is nearing $8000 all inclusive. YIKES!

As far as the meal plan goes, you don't qualify for any free food or anything, you just purchase it as part of your MYW tickets (at least that's what I believe). Unfortunately would couldn't do the meal plan because it's not offered with the land/sea