Help with food budget?!

[CDoobee]

Hi!

I need help. I'm trying to figure out an approximate budget for our trip in May. I will have the room paid off by then and tickets will be bought. I'm not too worried about the gas, food, etc. on the drive. But, I'm having a hard time trying to figure out how much money/Disney dollars we should take for food.

We will be arriving late Saturday morning 5/22, and departing early Sunday, 5/30. We are a family of 4. Me, DH, DS19 and DD12.

Since we are driving, it'll be no problem to bring cereal, poptarts, milk, etc. for the mornings we don't have breakfasts planned. We'll bring plenty of bottled water and a few snacks also. We have 3 character breakfasts planned, which we may drop down to 2. We also have 3 sit-down lunches and the Ice Cream Social booked. We will have vouchers for all of these meals, with DH and DS sharing, and DD and I sharing at the lunches. We will also have about 18 Q&C vouchers, 2 per day on the days we have a PS for breakfast or lunch, and 4 for the day we have no PS scheduled. My DD and I will usually be able to share a Q&C. DH and DS say they will also, but I KNOW there will be times they will want more food.

How much money do you think we need to take for the "extras", such as Mickey bars, popcorn, alcoholic beverages (one or less per day for DH and I), and the extra food I'm sure DH and DS will want at times??

Any ideas? HELP!!

Debbie

 

[HaleyB]

If you are sharing Q&C's will you want another drink? We always do. That would be $2.50 X 18 = $45
We also often want an Ice cream or popcorn or an extra soda, so $2.50 per person per day for that is $2.50 X (7 X 4)= $70, or twice that if you think you will need a drink AND an Ice cream or Popcorn....
And lets say you need to add on to the Q&C your DH is spliting, most of the time? so 7 X $6 (sometimes adding an extra side, others a second sandwich)= $42

As for alcoholic beverages, I am way too cheap to ever buy these so I have no idea what they cost. I am sure someone here will be able to tell you .

This is how I do my food budget, I always just multiply days times people for each item. I find this gives me a number that is always a bit higher than what I really need (which is good, much better than not enough). We never seem to want to eat in WDW. Too much else to do.

 

[Kimberlyfamilyfv]

You could not get all those extra drinks with you meals and have ice water at no charge. This way you could avoid the extra drink charge.

Or You could do what I have done so often order you drinks with no ice then order the extra amounts of glasses you need and split the drinks. You would be suprised by how far your drinks will go when you do not have ice added to them. I do this at disney and universal -- its no problem.


If you go to epcot make sure to stop by the Coca-Cola exibit/store. The outside looks like a big igloo. They have different pops they make from all over the world. It is carbonated , tasty and wet. Most of all they don't care if you have seconds. There is a watermelon flavored pop be sure to try it.

These are just a few ways I try to spend a little less.

 

[kilee]

I think you are going to be pushing it having DH and DS (being 19) share a meal. Most guys I know would not substantiate on sharing meals. They aren't real big guys either. Some of the portions are okay-- but others aren't any bigger than a normal size take out meal. That said I would allow enough room in my budget for any extra meal for one person.

 

[CDoobee]

Thanks, HaleyB, Kimberleyfamilyfv, and kilee!

I agree that I really don't think DH and DS will share a Q&C voucher, no matter what they say! Except perhaps for the place they can get 1/2 rotisserie chicken. I DID read that somewhere, didn't I???

We went to Dairy Queen tonight, and my DH had to have some big, huge, monster burger thing, with fries, a soda, and a sundae! No way would he have shared any of that!

We probably won't need an extra drink for when my DD and I share a voucher. Luckily, she likes Diet Coke, too and they'll let us get a large with the voucher. Plus, we'll all have water bottles that we bring in, and/or can just get a glass of ice water.

I'm sure we'll all probably want a Mickey bar, Dole Whip, beaver tail or something each day. And I HAVE to have popcorn during the parades! Kind of like a movie, it's just not right without popcorn!!

I think maybe I'll buy a few more Q&Cs than I had originally thought. Maybe one more per day for at least 1/2 of the days we'll be there. Then just budget in extra money for the other days.

I'll check Deb's site and see if they have the prices for things like margaritas and beer. Probably no more than 1 each per day for DH and I, if that even.

And yes, we'll definitely go to Ice Station Cool if we just need a little something other than water between meals. But we WILL stay away from Beverly!!

Thanks, guys! It really helps "talking" it through like this!

We are going with my sister, bil, and possibly another sil, nephew, niece, great-niece, and great-nephew! I'm planning the whole thing, so if I can figure out what to do for my immediate family, I'll look a lot more credible trying to advise them!!

Debbie