How much to budget???

[vjmartin]

How much do you budget for food a day?? I know I have seen posts concerning this, but I cannot seem to bring anything up when I search the word "budget."
We are putting the numbers on paper for a possible trip next summer. There will be myself, DH, DD 15 & 13, and a new addition to the family by next summer who will be about 5 months old. Both girls can eat (at least right now). I would like to do at least on character meal which I know will be high. We do like sit down meals at the end of the day to relax.

I just don't know where to start on a food budget any help would be appreciated.

Thanks

 

[MickeyNicki]

DH and I will eat a CS for breakfast, I usually order the kids meal because that is plenty of food for me so I guess around $15 or so?

Lunch we share something so around $10 and we share all our snacks so I guess around $20 - 30 for the day (DH is a huge fan of snacking).

Dinner is where we have our sit down and that could run around $60-70 including tip. We do not eat apps or dessert because we do not do that at home.

Sometimes we will do a TS breakfast and dinner in the same day, in that case we skip lunch and just snack. $40 for breakfast, $70 for dinner and $20-30 for snacks so I guess $100-130 per day for the 2 of us.

 

[erikthewise]

I suggest starting at $150 a day. This assumes usually eating breakfast in your room, lunch at counter service or modest table service, and table service for dinner each night.

Of course it makes a BIG difference whether you order an appetizer, dessert, both, or neither at each meal. And what you order for drinks. But at least it's a starting point.

If you think you're going to spend more than this, or if you like to eat big meals for dinner, including both appetizer and dessert, then consider using the Disney Dining Plan.

 

[LuluLovesDisney]

I would guess around $40 per person per day, without sharing, but that really depends on your mix of CS and TS locations.

Counter Service (CS)
Adults' meals are around 7-15
Kids' meals are around 4-7

Table Service (TS)
Adults' meals are around 16-30, without dessert or appetizer
Kids' meals are around 6-9 but usually include a small dessert, sometimes even a starter or sorts (fruit, carrot sticks, cheese)

Signature TS
Adults' meals are around 22-40, without dessert or appetizer
Kids' meals are around 7-12 but dessert usually costs 3-4 extra.

I think it all depends on your restaurant choices, whether or not you want appetizers and desserts and whether or not you share. If you know your family will probably want one CS and one TS a day and will enjoy each having their own entree and dessert (and appetizer at the TS) then you might want to look into the Disney Dining Plan, as it could save money. I've never used it, but I know there is a subforum here for it. Now, if you enjoy sharing and the kids won't eat full meals with appetizers and desserts, it might be a waste. Also, if you prefer to eat MOSTLY CS *or* MOSTLY TS and wouldn't want to do one CS and one TS a day, it probably won't work for you.

Personally, we like to have 2 TS a day, but we share 75% of the time. Usually one app, one entree and two desserts! So, DDP isn't a good idea for us, esp. since we have the DDE discount card (we're AP holders)

Good luck!

 

[RADOPT]

When we did our past 3 trips, I looked at the menues of the places we thought we'd eat at and caculated the price based on what we thought we would order. It was better for us then using what others said, as we are not snacker - plus it was fun. You can find the menus at http://www.allearsnet.com/din/dining.htm.

We always eat less at disney then at home - so we were always under budget.

 

[angelmav]

Twice as much as you think youll need!

Seriously though, Unless your staying off property or getting a room with a kitchenette, go for the DDP, not only will everything be paid in advance, but youll eliminate alot of stress over what your spending. I cant say that its a great deal, but if your eating in the parks/disney resorts its Much better than paying OOP.

 

[pumpkin5156]

I suggest starting at $150 a day. This assumes usually eating breakfast in your room, lunch at counter service or modest table service, and table service for dinner each night.

Of course it makes a BIG difference whether you order an appetizer, dessert, both, or neither at each meal. And what you order for drinks. But at least it's a starting point.

If you think you're going to spend more than this, or if you like to eat big meals for dinner, including both appetizer and dessert, then consider using the Disney Dining Plan.

This is exactly how I did our food budget. We are only two adults and one toddler (so DS is free), but he still eats snacks, etc. We'll do cereal/granola in the room, CS lunch, one or two snacks per person, and then usually a TS for dinner. We do not do the whole app. and dessert thing, and we're actually saving about $500 without using the DDP. We booked the land/sea, and I looked to booking it apart so we could add the DDP....it's just so much food and we'd feel forced to use every credit!

Anyways, I'd say a snack is anywhere from $3-$6 per person, CS lunch is $8-$13 per person, and TS dinners are going to run you probably $100 for your whole family. More for character meals. Maybe to a character breakfast? They tend to be cheaper, and in a lot of opinions: better food!

GL!

 

[mill4023]

I would guess around $40 per person per day, without sharing, but that really depends on your mix of CS and TS locations.

Counter Service (CS)
Adults' meals are around 7-15
Kids' meals are around 4-7

Table Service (TS)
Adults' meals are around 16-30, without dessert or appetizer
Kids' meals are around 6-9 but usually include a small dessert, sometimes even a starter or sorts (fruit, carrot sticks, cheese)

Signature TS
Adults' meals are around 22-40, without dessert or appetizer
Kids' meals are around 7-12 but dessert usually costs 3-4 extra.

I think it all depends on your restaurant choices, whether or not you want appetizers and desserts and whether or not you share. If you know your family will probably want one CS and one TS a day and will enjoy each having their own entree and dessert (and appetizer at the TS) then you might want to look into the Disney Dining Plan, as it could save money. I've never used it, but I know there is a subforum here for it. Now, if you enjoy sharing and the kids won't eat full meals with appetizers and desserts, it might be a waste. Also, if you prefer to eat MOSTLY CS *or* MOSTLY TS and wouldn't want to do one CS and one TS a day, it probably won't work for you.

Personally, we like to have 2 TS a day, but we share 75% of the time. Usually one app, one entree and two desserts! So, DDP isn't a good idea for us, esp. since we have the DDE discount card (we're AP holders)

Good luck!

I think those numbers are right on. For DW and I and our 4 kids (one of whom eats adult meals), our typical CS meal was around $40-$45 and our typical TS meal was $80-$100. Most days we had one CS, one TS, and a few snacks. We budgeted $200/day, but probably spent closer to $150/day on food.

 

[aubriee]

When we did our past 3 trips, I looked at the menues of the places we thought we'd eat at and caculated the price based on what we thought we would order. It was better for us then using what others said, as we are not snacker - plus it was fun. You can find the menus at http://www.allearsnet.com/din/dining.htm.

We always eat less at disney then at home - so we were always under budget.

This is what I do. We usually eat donuts, granola bar, or an 'oatmeal bar to go' in the room, then do a CS lunch, and TS dinner. Go to allearsnet.com, look at the menus and decide about what your family will probaly order. Add 6.5% tax and if a TS figure in the tip. Sometimes you will come in under budget, just because you may have had a TS scheduled, but everyone was tired and you ate CS at the resort. Alot of times when figuring what you'll eat, you will figure an appetizer, entree, and dessert, but then when you get there you are too full for dessert. Be sure to carry extra though, because you never know.