I can't wrap my head around a food budget

[VickiVM]

After 9 prior WDW visits as a family of 5 where we often were on a tight food budget, and now that it will only be me and my husband next month during Food & Wine, I cannot seem to come up with a reasonable food budget. We'll be there 4 nights/5 days with only 2 ADR's. The rest will be unplanned, but I want to set $$ aside into 2 separate Visa gift cards so we'll have some sort of tangible limit, but I don't know what it should be.

We're not big eaters, but we are adventurous and will share several items from the food booth. And staying at POR, so will visit the food court a few times. Is $600 enough?

 

[FLkid]

I always budget $50 a day per person, and we usually do one table service every other day

 

[Lisa F]

After 9 prior WDW visits as a family of 5 where we often were on a tight food budget, and now that it will only be me and my husband next month during Food & Wine, I cannot seem to come up with a reasonable food budget. We'll be there 4 nights/5 days with only 2 ADR's. The rest will be unplanned, but I want to set $$ aside into 2 separate Visa gift cards so we'll have some sort of tangible limit, but I don't know what it should be.

We're not big eaters, but we are adventurous and will share several items from the food booth. And staying at POR, so will visit the food court a few times. Is $600 enough?

I would say you'd do fine on that as an upper limit. you will probably have money left when you come home. It is about the equivalent of what you'd pay on the DDP for 2 adults and most people find that they spend less than DDP unless they do a lot of character dining and other good value type things.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Check out the Disney Food Blog. they should have prices from last year, if not for this year for the F&W festival booths. And you can check out menus for all the restaurants and see what the prices will be for the things you think you might like to order

 

[Hopefully]

Food & Wine food adds up very quickly. Each "tasting" of 2 - 3 bites each, can be $5 - $7. It adds up quickly. I agree, check out the menus on the Disney Food Blog for the food booths. Expect prices to go up. Check all ears.net for menu prices.

 

[lborne]

I agree with PP. If you are eating at F&W, it adds up quickly. Small bites, spaced out over time, and you will end up spending more than you think. Looking at the old menu prices is a great idea. Don't forget to add drinks, tax and tip.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Yep, it's easy to spend $100 a day for two people on samples of food and beverages at the F&W Festival.

 

[adisneyaunt]

Yep, it's easy to spend $100 a day for two people on samples of food and beverages at the F&W Festival.

Totally agree!!

 

[Tigger's ally]

I think we are going to be buying that $60 for 8 deal. Together, we can share about 6 food items and 2 deserts.

 

[Tigger's ally]

Yep, it's easy to spend $100 a day for two people on samples of food and beverages at the F&W Festival.

If Lacava is involved, it is easy to spend $100 on Marg's alone. Been there, done that! Arghhhhhhhhhhhh!

 

[Jadyreen1282]

We go during free dining and still spend 400 bucks extra on booze and tips and add-ons and...

 

[Canooknic]

If you're not drinkers I think that you'll be absolutely fine with $600.
DH and I did $900 in 10 days when I was pregnant......and $1700 in 10 days when I wasn't !

 

[Tigger's ally]

If you're not drinkers I think that you'll be absolutely fine with $600.
DH and I did $900 in 10 days when I was pregnant......and $1700 in 10 days when I wasn't !

Sounds like you have a really good time when not pregnant.

 

[kizzle]

I've always managed $100 for 2 people

If you got ADR then I Would double it for that day

 

[loves to dive]

I spend around $500 for one person during F&W, that does not include any special meals I may have already paid for. I don't do any TS meals, again except for any special F&W pairing meals that have already been paid for. The only ADR I book is tea at GF. I go solo so splitting booths is a no go for me (my son goes with me for F&G but we do tend to do a few more TS meals during that since there aren't as many booths). I'm a small woman and don't eat large meals. I go to F&W every day of the trip.

 

[thepicklebee]

I would personally buy a Disney gift card from a place you can get them at a discount (I buy mine at Sam's) instead of having to pay an extra $5 for the Visa. I consider the money I save on them to be one more snack (okay. Drink) for me!

I also have had terrible luck with Vosa gift cards randomly declining at places (not WDW just in general).

 

[LovesTimone]

I would pad that number a bit more. Especially if you are making this your dinner one night at F& W. At food and wine, the plates are small and really appetizer size between 4 an 8 dollars is what is states on the website. You can share most of the items but some are really just for one person. I can't remember where last year we got some shrimp dish and there were only 3 small shrimp and grits/polenta with corn thing, really enough for 1 person a couple of bites each, so we got 2 around 16.00 plus DH got a beer add in another 10.00 so 26.00 dollars and that was only at 1 booth, but then the fisherman's pie ( Ireland) was enough for each of us to get a couple of decent bites we decided to share 8.00 plus a glass of wine and beer and we were at almost 30.00 dollars again. So doing the math around 60.00 dollars for 2 booth stops.... now both of these stops we did get some adult beverages and the items were on the upper price point, also when getting adult beverages at the kiosks, they aren't really a full size drink, more than what you would get in a flight offering but not full size. At least that's the way it seem to me.

DH and I some times have a drinks and a appetizer... then head out for dinner somewhere else. Also we have gone to dinner then made it desserts around the whole.

 

[Hikergirl]

It will be just dh and I for F&W and I am thinking of budgeting $200 per day for food and drinks. We will be the for 5 days. Right now I have ADR's scheduled for every day and I originally had the regular DP on my reservation because I was thinking I would just use all our CS credits at the F&W booths and the TS ones for our late dinners.
I'm debating on adding it back and getting 2 of the $60 passes for our drinks.

 

[tarheelmjfan]

We find snacking at F&W to be quite a bit more expensive than a TS meal.

 

[VickiVM]

I would pad that number a bit more. Especially if you are making this your dinner one night at F& W. At food and wine, the plates are small and really appetizer size between 4 an 8 dollars is what is states on the website. You can share most of the items but some are really just for one person. I can't remember where last year we got some shrimp dish and there were only 3 small shrimp and grits/polenta with corn thing, really enough for 1 person a couple of bites each, so we got 2 around 16.00 plus DH got a beer add in another 10.00 so 26.00 dollars and that was only at 1 booth, but then the fisherman's pie ( Ireland) was enough for each of us to get a couple of decent bites we decided to share 8.00 plus a glass of wine and beer and we were at almost 30.00 dollars again. So doing the math around 60.00 dollars for 2 booth stops.... now both of these stops we did get some adult beverages and the items were on the upper price point, also when getting adult beverages at the kiosks, they aren't really a full size drink, more than what you would get in a flight offering but not full size. At least that's the way it seem to me.

DH and I some times have a drinks and a appetizer... then head out for dinner somewhere else. Also we have gone to dinner then made it desserts around the whole.

We don't drink much, so I can eliminate some of the expense there. May do a beer or two. And we'll spend one of the 5 days lounging around the pool, and another possibly at a different park. But I hadn't thought much about portion sizes vs. cost per portion...may need a bit more $$.