My budget help- Too much, too little, just right?

[bitohoney]

I'm not good at budgeting so I'd like some opinions please. I've gotten really used to WDW's dining plan where everything is paid for before I leave. DL wouldn't let me purchase the dining plan since I got a military room discount at DLH. It will be me, DD19 and her BFF19.
I have everything paid for (transportation, tickets, hotel, airfare) now I'm trying to budget for meals and misc.
I am paying for 3 adults meals and here's our itinerary:
May 30 - Arrive, dinner at RFC
May 31 - USH (Bubba Gump's dinner)
June 1 - DL, dinner at BB
June 2 - DCA, WOC dinner at WCT
June 3 - DL, F! dessert (paid already)
June 4 - Goofy's kitchen bkfst (paid already), DCA
June 5 - DL, BTR BBQ lunch
June 6 - Departure day

So in other words, we will be needing 3 meals a day, whether they be light meals on those heavy dinner days and the only paid for meal is Goofy's Kitchen breakfast and the F! dessert.
I hope to budget $1000 for meals for 3 during that entire time. And for any other expenses like souvenirs or whatever else-$700. DD and BFF will have their own money for souvenirs.
How are those amounts? Reasonable? Too much? Too little?

I'm probably making this harder that it really is, I'm just a worry wart.

 

[DisneytheKid]

Have you used the menu database sticky on the disneyland forum to look through the prices of the meals to help you come up witht that figure/ adjust as needed? I am attempting to do the same thing right now and that database has helped me so much already!

 

[DisneytheKid]

Here is the link to the menu database:

http://www.wdwinfo.com/disneyland/dining/menus.cfm

 

[mouseymommy]

Allears.net also has a list that is very current. They also have a lot of the DTD menus.

 

[lk2500]

Misunderstood you wanted all on site advice, my bad....

 

[bitohoney]

Here is the link to the menu database:

http://www.wdwinfo.com/disneyland/dining/menus.cfm

Thanks! I have looked but I STILL am not good at the money budgeting! I guess I'll have to really sit down and figure it out!

lk2500 the only day I will have a rental car is May 31st for USH. I like to stay there a bit later than the offered transportation allowed. Other than that I will be eating on site...love to be totally engulfed in Disney!

 

[stubby]

I used all ears to do ours. We will be eating at counter service, table service, and a character meal. On average it is going to cost us about $250 a day for 2 adults and 4 kids. Last time it was 2 adults and 3 kids and it was about $200 a day(this includes some snacks and desserts.) And we didn't eat breakfast in the park so this was for 2 meals. Most adult meals at counter service(Rancho, Plaza Inn,etc) cost between $9 and $14. Then drinks and taxes. Meals at places like BB are between $20 and $34. Don't forget taxes and tips. And then character meals or BTRBBQ run between $20-28. I hope this helps a little. Like I said before, I used all ears for planning on the last 2 trips. I knew which places we were gonna eat(not necessarily which rest on which day) and calculated total with taxes. Then I brought along a couple hundred extra just in case.

 

[bitohoney]

I used all ears to do ours. We will be eating at counter service, table service, and a character meal. On average it is going to cost us about $250 a day for 2 adults and 4 kids. Last time it was 2 adults and 3 kids and it was about $200 a day(this includes some snacks and desserts.) And we didn't eat breakfast in the park so this was for 2 meals. Most adult meals at counter service(Rancho, Plaza Inn,etc) cost between $9 and $14. Then drinks and taxes. Meals at places like BB are between $20 and $34. Don't forget taxes and tips. And then character meals or BTRBBQ run between $20-28. I hope this helps a little. Like I said before, I used all ears for planning on the last 2 trips. I knew which places we were gonna eat(not necessarily which rest on which day) and calculated total with taxes. Then I brought along a couple hundred extra just in case.

Oh I forgot about taxes! For some reason I was thinking there was no tax on food in CA. I did the 'pretend' orders last night and it came out to $888 without taxes so if I budget $1000 I hope I'll be ok.

 

[specialks]

Oh I forgot about taxes! For some reason I was thinking there was no tax on food in CA. I did the 'pretend' orders last night and it came out to $888 without taxes so if I budget $1000 I hope I'll be ok.

You also need to remember tips, not just tax. Also, I'd be sad if I didn't have money to buy snacks...yum churros!!

 

[rizzo0904]

I don't do a budget. We are going for 8 days as well so I'm going to keep track each day of what we spend on food. I can't imagine spending $125 per day on food for my family of 4...but maybe we will We have a few splurges, like Surf's Up with Mickey and Dine with Shamu. But that'll be offset with breakfast from the grocery store some days and bringing lunch/snacks in on other days.

 

[stubby]

Oh I forgot about taxes! For some reason I was thinking there was no tax on food in CA. I did the 'pretend' orders last night and it came out to $888 without taxes so if I budget $1000 I hope I'll be ok.

There is no tax on food in CA if it is uncooked(like what you buy at the grocery store).

 

[Argento]

We are two adults, two kids (2 & 3) and I budget $1500 in spending money for a 6-day, 5-night stay. Between food, souvenirs and incidentals, I'm usually right on the mark.

Also, I am not, in any way, shape or form, budget-minded when I am at the parks. I spend my entire year in budget mode so I cut myself some slack in the parks.