Non DDP, what is your daily food budget?

[melissafox18]

Just curious what the average adult daily food budget/cost is for those that don't do DDP. We did it on our last trip and it's not how we like to eat. When I do the math of what our ideal meals would be, it averages about $120/day for the both of us (not including tip) - usually 1 TS meal per day (sometimes 2 with a breakfast -not buffet).

This trip we are thinking about converting our credit card points to a gift card and paying for all of our meals that way. Already have a free flight thru cc miles, so trying to take advantage of as much free stuff as possible!!

 

[sharonabe]

This really depends on how you eat.

We prefer water with our meals, so there's no cost there. One dessert to share per day or a good snack to share instead of dessert is plenty as well. There are also some QS meals where we can easily share the entree and an extra side. Same at TS...share an app, entree, and dessert. We don't do it to save money; it's just the way we PREFER to eat even on vacation.

So for just two adults, we could EASILY eat three meals for $120/day including tax and tip.

 

[jcjen519]

we like to do one signature or ts a day and then eat small snacks the rest of the day. cl works well for us. i would say 100-200 which would include alcohol. 2 adults and a 4 year old.

 

[MagicalMeg]

$125 per day for 2 adults & a one year old...sometimes we'd buy DS a side of veggies or fruit etc. we usually do one table service and two quick service per day plus snacks and ice cream.

 

[JennyDrake]

This really depends on how you eat.

We prefer water with our meals, so there's no cost there.

So for just two adults, we could EASILY eat three meals for $120/day including tax and tip.

DITTO!

For a 4-5 day trip, 2 adults, 1-2 TS (non-signature), no alcohol, no desserts, 1-2 drinks per day and maybe 1 snack per day, it is well under $100 per day per person. If we don't do a TS, it is about $60/day per person.

 

[2manypets]

We must be little piggys. Our budget is around $200 a day which includes several signature dinners, adult drinks (several of these) and any snacks we want.

 

[AuroraRora]

We must be little piggys. Our budget is around $200 a day which includes several signature dinners, adult drinks (several of these) and any snacks we want.

I was thinking this too! We budget about $100 per day per adult, which would be mostly 3 QS but sometimes 2QS/1TS, munching on snacks all day, and several adult beverages

 

[Princess_taffy05]

We are drinkers, so for us (2 adults), that's our biggest expense. We do a character breakfast a few times during our week stay and a few lunches, most lunches are QS with a few TS- but we do a signature meal everyday for dinner. With our alcohol, I'm thinking we spend around over $200 a day. Dining plan doesn't work for us and we only take it if it's "free". We splurge big time on our vacations!
Have fun!

 

[ElizabethB]

We just returned from a week's stay at WDW. We stayed club level at YC, so breakfast was included with our room. We also had some snacks and canapes in the lounge and some wine/beer. Beyond that, we found we were averaging about $160 to $180 per day. This was for four adults (two grown-ups and two 17-year-old boys).

For that, we did two table service restaurants daily, one lunch and one dinner. We generally ate dinner at 1TS restaurants as we have found the quality has declined so much at 2TS restaurants, we have given up on them. We used to love Jiko, Artist Point and Narcoosee's. Not anymore. We did eat one dinner at Il Mulino, which we enjoyed.

We did not eat at any quick service places and we ate no snacks. Often, the two adults shared an appetizer and a main course. The two teenagers ordered entrees and appetizers. We usually shared 1-2 desserts for the table. We drank water or sometimes a glass of wine with dinner. We used Tables in Wonderland, which knocked 20% off, but added back 18% for tip.

We were shocked when we learned that purchasing DDP would have been about $240 for the four of us. It would have meant only one table service per day instead of the two we had daily. It would have meant no appetizers unless we paid extra (and we found we enjoyed some appetizers more than the entrees). Since we are very careful about our weight, we try not to snack much. The $240 would not have included the tip either, whereas our $160-$180 did. Obviously, DDP would not have been a good choice for us.

 

[Lei]

I've looked at menus and food photos, and I'm aiming for $35 per adult per day. We're not big eaters. 2 QS. 1 snack. And a whole lot of (free) water, tho not all the time

 

[patsal]

2 meals a day, mixture of TS and QS and signature, three adults, dollar cost averaging for the two weeks it was about $125 per day.

 

[chocovrdmicears]

I've looked at menus and food photos, and I'm aiming for $35 per adult per day. We're not big eaters. 2 QS. 1 snack. And a whole lot of (free) water, tho not all the time

I think you are going to be hard pressed to eat well in Disney for $35 a day.

 

[sharonabe]

I think you are going to be hard pressed to eat well in Disney for $35 a day.

Not with what they have planned....2 QS, 1 snack, and water.

That $35 means $15 at each QS and $5 snack. That's VERY easy to do! In fact, they'll probably come under most days since 90% of entrees at QS are still $10 or under.

 

[chocovrdmicears]

Not with what they have planned....2 QS, 1 snack, and water.

That $35 means $15 at each QS and $5 snack. That's VERY easy to do! In fact, they'll probably come under most days since 90% of entrees at QS are still $10 or under.

On paper, it can be done. But eating happily and healthy for a day, for that price, seems a stretch to me. Free water is fine...but what happens if you decide you want a soda or a juice or a cup of coffee? There goes the budget...or an ice cream, or a piece for fruit, some popcorn...?
Not saying Disney eating cannot be done on a budget - but 100% Disney Food every day, for an adult, with all walking done in the Parks, for $35 a day...I still think it is a stretch.

 

[Lei]

On paper, it can be done. But eating happily and healthy for a day, for that price, seems a stretch to me. Free water is fine...but what happens if you decide you want a soda or a juice or a cup of coffee? There goes the budget...or an ice cream, or a piece for fruit, some popcorn...?
Not saying Disney eating cannot be done on a budget - but 100% Disney Food every day, for an adult, with all walking done in the Parks, for $35 a day...I still think it is a stretch.

Our goal is actually to beat the QSDP, lol. QSDP is $39-ish per day per adult, I believe? For my appetite, I think $35 is doable.

If there are days where I'm feeling for more drinks or snacks, no problem. $35 is just an aim, not a fixed price thanks for ur input tho!

 

[sharonabe]

On paper, it can be done. But eating happily and healthy for a day, for that price, seems a stretch to me. Free water is fine...but what happens if you decide you want a soda or a juice or a cup of coffee? There goes the budget...or an ice cream, or a piece for fruit, some popcorn...?
Not saying Disney eating cannot be done on a budget - but 100% Disney Food every day, for an adult, with all walking done in the Parks, for $35 a day...I still think it is a stretch.

Sounds like a challenge to me.

I don't have time right now, but will look into it tomorrow.

 

[CuteAsMinnie]

$75-80/day for DH, DD(20), DS(17) and I.

Not each... TOTAL

8 full days, bkfst on the 9th

We stayed CL and that most certainly kept our daily food costs down.

This incl. all meals n snacks.

 

[chocovrdmicears]

Sounds like a challenge to me.

I don't have time right now, but will look into it tomorrow.

It isn't a challenge.
Like I said previously, I know that you can do a $35 budget on paper based on 2 QS, 1 snack and drinking all water. It is the "living it" that doesn't seem feasible in my opinion.
Very much along the lines when people have a touring plan that goes down the minute. On paper you can plan to be in line for Dumbo at 2:47, but reality kicks in while you are there and you might be lucky to even get on Dumbo that day.
As long as someone as flexibility and understands that sometimes *planning* doesn't always work out to be *reality* - it's all good.

 

[GagesMama]

My husband and I ate for $50 for both of us each day. We brought our own breakfast (granola bar) and water. We shared a lunch, snack, and dinner. Sometimes we also shared a Coke. When walking around in the heat, we never wanted large meals, and the Disney portions always seem big anyways.

 

[pepe of ohio]

Wife and I can easily enjoy and survive on average 50 bucks for the both of us per day....

We are breakfast people, food court breakfast at 8.00 each= 16.00....dinner in food court 15.00 though we do share these meals a lot ) that's 30.00 ... So that's 46.00 a day for the both of us..

Lunches if we do are always sandwiches at the pool with grocery lunch meats we picked up at the store along with chips etc.

Drinks are beer, wine , alcohol and pop again bought at the grocery store in route...

We never did care for Disney TS signature restaurants.... ( long ago they were great, in the Kate 70's and early 80's)... So no dining plans for us...

We do like to snack around the parks through!!