HIFS- menu and food prices

[bigsis1970]

Hello, I am trying to get a handle on the food prices for HIFS- we are 1 adult and 2 kids-DD8 and DS5.
I am trying to do 14 days on $600.00 and am getting the idea that this is too low..we will be at HIFS
Dec 1 - 9 and ASMu Dec 9 - 15 .. I was thinking that $25.00 per day at HIFS should be enough as we
all get free breakfast and kids eat free with my purchase.. as for the ASMu stay I was thinking $50.00 per
day would be enough if we ate muffin/donuts in am and lunch at the food court and maybe counter service
in the parks for dinner..Please if you have eaten at either of these places recently and could help me a little
bit i would appreciate this.. Michelle

 

[dtauer]

I think the $600 is very low. Although it technically may be possible I don't think it's very realistic.

Yes, kids eat free at HIFS but if I remember correctly, only until 4:00pm (someone correct me if I'm wrong). Also the way it works is that the kids meals are free with adult meals. That works fine if you buy something from A&W but what if you want a pizza? In this case the pizza is around $14 and they don't split out the kids part of the cost. Also, if you can eat at the HIFS food court for lunch and dinner each day you have a lot more willpower for saving money than I do. The choices are limited and the service is very slow. In fact, we intended to use the kids eat free many times and we actually only used it once. It's hard to tell the kids they're having chicken strips for the 3rd time in a row because of the limited food court selection. Also, do you really think you can get back to HIFS for each meal so kids can eat free? What if you're at one of the parks or at SeaWorld? Are you going to leave, drive back to the hotel, and eat, just to save the price of a kids meal?

At ASMu I don't think $50 is enough either. Counter service or food court for our family of 4 is almost always around $30 per meal and we never get deserts. Also, none of this includes any sort of snack. I know it's easy to think that the kids can get by without snacks if they eat their meals, but when you have a hungry, cranky, child at a park, sometimes an overpriced snack from a food cart is a necessity.

If you look at the menus and add up the amounts it may look possible, but in real life I don't think it can be done on that amount. However, I'd love to have someone prove me wrong, because the food costs are often the piece of the vacation that is far higher than I plan.

 

[Disneymomma]

I think that to try to stay within your budget you have to stop at a grocery store
and buy breafast food, juices, snacks and bottled water. This will really help you to keep to your budget. Remember, that they inflate the adult meal $ and you still have to tip. I would eat breakfast in the room, take juices/snacks to the park for lunch and use counter service for dinner, buying kids meals for the kids. Sometimes the kids meals may even satisfy you too! Then you should have enough to get Mickey' ice cream for everyone during the nighttime parades and shows! You will be able to do the 50.00 per day very carefully.

 

[jjjbennett]

Hi was at the HIFS in July this summer here is the low down on cheap eats

Breakfast of course is free. Eat . eat. eat and fill a cup of juice or milk for each kid to put in your fridge for later.

Lunch at Pizza Hut and A$W Stand in lobby hours 11-4 maybe 5 You must buy a adult A&W combo (burger, fries and drink range in price from approx $5.79 to $6.79 (choices include bacon cheeseburger, chicken sandwich, and more of the same) or a pizza which can include a personal pan with a drink approx. $5 to $6 depending on topping, each kid (up to 4 kids per adult meal purchased) gets a free kids meal choice (burger fries, cheeseburger fries, hotdog fries, chicken nugget fries, or cheese personal pan pizza, plus all include soda. I takes about 10 minutes for them to cook your food but even during the July 4th week we never waited longer than that for lunch. You can eat in the lobby eating area , back in your room or at the pool. Kids do not have to be present when you order and they are very happy to give you the 4 free kids meal for each adult meal purchased We did this everday for 7 days and everyone in our family seemed ok with it. feed our family of 5 lunch each day for $5 to $6

Dinner
Kids eat free in the restuarant We did not do this as we always ate dinner out but the buffet deal was either $12.95 or $14.95 for adult meal and then kids eat free (up to 4 per adult) I think you may be able to order meals off the menu if you don't want to do the buffet.

This is not great food but its not bad either comparable to any fast food establishment and unless you are very picky it can be a real money saver for a young family Certainly more fun than poptarts and crackers and cheese in the room.

This worked for us as we at breakfast early hit the parks till about 12.30 or 1 in the afternoon, came back to the hotel for lunch then nintendo , pool, tv or naps to beat the heat and crowds, We went back out between 5;30 or 6, ate usually a nice dinner at disney but we could have eaten at HIFS restuarant before we left if getting those free kids meals was a big issue and it certainly would have been much cheaper than eating our dinners at disney and then and did the parks till closing
I think if you really ate every meal at HIFS and could bypass the snack at the pool stand then you could definitely do 1 adult and 2 kids for $25 but will it fit in your schedule

 

[TinkerbellTracy]

Hi!
If it was me, I wouldn't want to waste valuable park time coming back to the hotel for lunch just to save a few dollars! Especially because in December the parks close so early. I would have a HUGE breakfast before you leave, then share a couple of counter service lunches, and head back to the hotel for dinner--or go offsite for possibly even bigger savings!! Have fun, I always plan a food budget...and we always blow it!

 

[bigsis1970]

HI Everyone, Thanks for the responses i have gotten so far.. This has
been helpful for me and if i can possibly save any more pennies between
now and then i will as i don't want to be eating poptarts and cheese and
crackers in our room.. But i am coming back to the hotel everyday even if it
is "wasting" time .. Don't want kids to be on overload, so an afternoon rest
i think will be necessary.. Thanks again.. Michelle

 

[hercamore]

Hi, my two cents is. you're going to have a mini kitchen in HIFS, so why don't you go to a grocery store and get some water for the parks, (2.50 a bottle in the parks) other drinks, milk, supper food. This will give you a variety of things to eat.

 

[bigsis1970]

yes, good idea to stock up on some "dry" goods -chips, pretzels, crackers, trailmix,
donuts, poptarts, powder drink mix, ceral and we will have a mini-fridge for milk, water
fruit.ect.. Thanks for all the replies

 

[jesse]

When we stayed HIFS, we ate a BIG breakfast, then had a late lunch at the parks, and then a light meal from food we had purchased and had in our room, sandwiches, soup heated up in the microwave etc. Keep in mind you need a few supplies if you're "cooking" in your kitchenette, there are no plates, can openers, etc. We also carried snacks and drinks with us to the parks. One night we had the buffet, but I didn't think it was a very good deal; Sodas weren't included and they add a 15% gratuity, somehow our bill was over $30.00 for 2a/2c.

 

[bigsis1970]

about the dinner.. i have some coupons for sizzler and Uno's so we may eat off
site for supper.. thanks for the hints about plates and things.. i think we will hit
the wal-mart that is close by and get some paper goods, micro popcorn, soda
juice and water, our chips and snacky things for our waist packs.

 

[sablair]

The Orlando Sentinel Website has discount restaurant coupons. I tried to paste the link for you, but it didnt work. Do a search and look for the coupon section on their webpage.

We used the Golden Corrale coupons for $4.99 breakfast and $5.99 lunch and dinner buffets.
Since you get free bfast, you could snack through lunch and then do the dinner buffet at Golden corrale. It is a really good buffet and there are locations on 192 and I-4 (I think the one on I-4 is new and has a better buffet. The one on 192 offers the coupon prices regularly for bfast) We tried Ponderosa but didnt think it had much variety and the food was overcooked. Houlihan's offers a Kids Eat Free coupon on the webpage too...love Houlihans lots of choices and the food is good.

They also have Dominoes pizza coupons. $3.99 for a medium one topping. There is a location just past Old Town on 192. It was worth the detour to grab a couple. We put some slices in baggies in the fridge for the kids to snack on.

If you definately cant go higher with your budget, check out the Golden Corrale. The buffet has a lot of choices and includes dessert, and they have a fajita night (Thurs), a seafood night (Fri), cant remember the other special nights.... you wouldnt have to eat chicken fingers and burgers every day. I think kids under 12 get a discount too. My kids never get tired of eating here.... they can always choose different items off the buffet. They will also cook to order some stuff like eggs, and omelets... there was several different meat choices at dinner and a full buffet of veggies. The food was always good and fresh... we left stuffed! If you ate two meals there every day with the coupon, (and if the child discount isnt lower... cant remember) it would only cost you $33 a day for the three of you, plus drinks and a tip.... that would fit into your $25 a day for when you get free bfast at the HIFS and $50 a day when you are onsite.

Sheila

 

[bigsis1970]

Thanks for the info and i have checked the web and gotten the coupon.. Michelle

 

[bigsis1970]

will we have to have a coupon each time we go there or is this something that is always
offered??? thanks again

 

[sablair]

It depends... We went to the one on 192 and their bfast was the same price as the coupon. The dinner was 8.99 so the coupon saves you $2. The GC on I-4 (more convenient to WDW resorts) had higher prices, so yes, you would have to take the coupon with you at both most likely. The one on I-4 is also newer, nicer and has a little arcade area (be forwarned )
Dont forget that they have a different kind of menu for the buffet most nights so it isnt really eating the same thing over and over.

There are places that you can eat in the parks that can be economical too. Go to wdwig.com and check out the menus... they have the prices listed too. It might be a good idea for you to scope out where you can grab a bite so you wont have to make a last minute decision in the park. For instance.. four of us (two adults, a teenager and a 7 yr old) ate at Pizza Planet in MGM for $27. That was two combo meals (pizza, salad and a drink), two veggie pizzas and a coke... it was a lot of food. Before we left we looked over the menus and knew exactly what we would order at counter service if we had to. Im sure your kids could share meal combos at some places.. I know the chicken finger combo at Sunshine Season Food Fare in Epcot was a lot of food. The biggest money saver by far for us when eating somewhere was always ordering water. I figure we saved @ $150 by taking our own drinks to the parks and water at meals.

Enjoy your trip and let us know how it goes If you really stick to a plan.. and plan out every single meal and snack you could do it. Plan plan plan.. every single meal and its cost before you go I bet you will find that if you do take those breaks in the afternoon and eat offsite you will all be much more rested and happy too... good luck!

Sheila

 

[bigsis1970]

for the encouraging words of advice.. these boards are the greatest..
i will let you know and i love Deb's site!!