How much money will I need...

[sam93]

Okay so I'm going to Disneyland in September (10-17) all the tickets and hotel have been sorted, how much spending money will I need for food? How much would you guys recommend or take yourself if you were going.

EDIT: the first and last days don't really count since I'll be flying too and from the UK on these days.

 

[blackjackdelta]

How many people, type of food you like, what are your daily eating habits, anything special you want to do? for starters.

Jack

 

[I'm mikey]

We usually spend about $35 to $50 a day, per person, for food.

It really depends on where and what you want to eat.

Here's a list of Disneyland Resort Restaurant's with menu's and Pricing, maybe this will give you an idea of how much money you will need.

http://allears.net/dlr/din/menu/menus.htm#dl

 

[sam93]

Thanks guys for the information, I'm just about to take a look at that link.

2 adults going, but we'll be paying for stuff separately. I'll eat anything, normally quick service so it's cheaper and I only really want a little extra money on top of what I'll need for food for gifts.

 

[PigletSeeker]

Last week were there for 2 days and had $240 in cash for our family of 5 and spent every penny. And that was really trying to do it cheap. The quick serve places have entrees for about $10 per person (burger and fries, etc). Drinks are about $4. You can leave the park and walk to McD's or Subway and save a few bucks.

 

[smiley_face2]

I always budget $100. per day for food for hubby and myself. We usually have 4 or 5 nicer sit down dinners, and the rest counter service or whatever over a 10 day period. We always have money left from that budgeting. We have never gone over yet in several trips. There are some places like the Plaza Inn, where the meals, both the chicken dinner and the roast beef dinner are just too much for 1 person and we share. we also pay the extra bit of money for them to do split plates at Blue Bayou, and I can't remember where else, but there is always just too much food on an individual entree!! the split plate fee means you each get your own appatiser if it is included like at Blue Bayou, and you each get a full serving of vegetable and starch, the only thing they actually split is the meat/fish portion. At Arials Grotto where you can get your world of color preferred viewing tickets with your meal, we always have the tri tip. no splitting anything here it is full price and meal for each person.

 

[mystic_path]

I'm a 30 year old, average to small sized girl who goes each year for 10 days to Disneyland (a day or two excursions). I take with me $250-300 for food for those days. However I do a few things each trip to save myself a bit of money

- I dont splurge on the $25 plates at restaurants. I keep it between $10-15 as my max budget.

- Take advantage of the hotels FREE continental breakfast

- I take juice packets into the park and ask for free ice water. I refuse to pay $3+ for a drink every time im thirsty. This saves so much money.

- Take into consideration if I have a character meal paid for and or booked. Several of them are all you can eat buffet and you can stuff yourself to the gills.

- Go to a convenient store (Easy if your staying offsite) and stock up on cheap snacks and drinks, and put them in your hotel room so you have a nibble when you go back for a nap or rest. I have even been known to grab milk and cups of cereal for breakfasts in the morning.

- If you go to Mimi's Cafe on Harbor, before your trip you can sign up for their free eclub. For joining you get a free breakfast. You just print off the voucher.

 

[Bungle]

I would set $50/day and then add another $100 just to be safe. Drinks add up to a lot at DL.

 

[Eeee-va]

If you're doing counter service, $50 per day should be more than enough unless you have a huge appetite.

I end up spending a tiny bit less than I expect (provided we don't do a sit-down meal)--especially if it's hot, which impairs my appetite.

If you only eat 2 meals per day, counter service, with no snacks, drinks, or desserts, and are careful to get the cheaper things on each menu, $30 per day would probably cover you. (I find I often only eat 2 meals per day at the parks--the portions are pretty big. I think I've only eaten breakfast at the parks once in my last several trips; usually we're not hungry and don't want to waste the early park time!)

But if you add in a couple snacks or a third meal, you'd want to plan for $40+ per day to be safe. If you are not doing sit-down meals and if you are spending carefully, I think $50 per park day should be fine.

If I recall correctly, each snack, including popcorn and soft-serve ice cream, is in the ballpark of $4-$5. (Popcorn buckets, ice cream sundaes, candy apples, and other larger desserts would cost more.)

Have a great trip!

 

[sam93]

Thanks very much guys, I can't tell you how helpful this information is to me. I was worrying about the prices of food at the resort, but it seems to be reasonable considering it is Disney. Plus after a quick streetview on Google maps I noticed a McDonald's, Carls Jr, Millies, Wendy's and Taco Bell within a mile or so of the entrance to the parks.

 

[Eeee-va]

Millie's is a sit-down restaurant. Not bad prices if I recall correctly, but more expensive than the others you mentioned, especially since you have to add 15-20% for a tip.

 

[mystic_path]

Thanks very much guys, I can't tell you how helpful this information is to me. I was worrying about the prices of food at the resort, but it seems to be reasonable considering it is Disney. Plus after a quick streetview on Google maps I noticed a McDonald's, Carls Jr, Millies, Wendy's and Taco Bell within a mile or so of the entrance to the parks.

Yes very close. You can walk to many off site places in less then 5-10 minutes from DL's main gates. That's the beauty of Disneyland. Its so compact that you can easily walk off site and back within a matter of minutes.

 

[gis]

Sometimes I go the extremely cheap route. I'll go to Target or a grocery store and buy a bunch of fruit and trail mix type items. Those will be my breakfast and lunch (and of course a water bottle for liquids.. that'll save on sodas and what not.) This way, for about $20-30 I can get breakfast and lunches for many days.

For dinner, I'll usually leave the park and head over to Storytellers (Grand Californian) and get something off their menu. It's a sit down joint, but it's actually very reasonably priced (if I'm with someone, they serve enough to split even..) If that's the case for you, you can probably get by on $10-15 a day.

I've even gone cheaper before..

I went once with my mom and sister for a three day weekend. We brought trail mix from home and for breakfast, we had got a few of the rice crispy mickey treats for my sister's bday. (We got three of these which we broke up in to three pieces over three days..) Then when we got to the park, we bought one of the oranges and shared a single orange between the three of us. It happened to be the Food and Wine Festival, so we ate lunch at the free demonstrations.. dinner was always in the Story Tellers, and they split an order.

I wouldn't say that's for everyone.. you should bring enough money to get an icecream, a dolewhip, and probably eat a churro. It's expensive, but this is your vacation..

 

[Liray777]

I always take $80 out of the ATM @ DLH in the mornings and budget it that way, eating mainly counter service, never have had a problem staying under that.

 

[starshine514]

My girls and I often manage to eat very cheaply. Free continental breakfast at the hotel, PB & J and trail mix for snacks, counter service lunch in the park or at Whitewater snacks, McDonalds or Denny's 2/4/6/8 menu (or leftover Taco Bell bean burritos from a quick run there at some point) for dinner.

 

[hlbtimes2]

I would allow about $15 per meal. From there it depends on if you are a 1,2 or 3 meal a day person. We typically have a light (free) breakfast at the hotel, and eat twice at the parks during the day. We typically have one snack during the day- poporn, cookie, churro. AS the others have said drinks are the thing that add up fast!