Please tell me if this sounds right to you...

[Brier Rose]

DH claims that I have set our food budget too high!! I have racked my brain and worked our plan over and over,and this is as low as I can get it. The thing is I think we usually spend MORE than this, it's just that I don't put it all down on paper before we leave. Our DD is bringing a friend this time,we're paying for her food, so that's where the difference comes in. Anyway, tell me what you think.... There are 5 of us total...Me,DH, DS4,DD11 and DD's friend 11.... Total food budget $910.00. This is for 6 days,includes snacks,tax and tips,and also 1 dinner at Boma,breakfast at Chef Mickey's,and lunches at Le Cellier and Tony's Town Square. That also includes the price of our refillable mugs from Mara. Other than the one breakfast a Chef Mickey's, we will be eating breakfast in the room.
So what do you think????

 

[addicted_to_WDW]

I think $900 is about right...that's $150 per day, which you won't spend on days you are doing counter service but can easily spend on the days you eat full-service. Does this include drinks in the parks? If so, I think the budget is just about right.

 

[cvallee]

I would think that an average of $150 a day is more than sufficient. We kept track of our daily spending on food in a notebook, and it averaged out to around $100 a day for two adults and 2 children. This included all food, drinks, and snacks.

 

[Brier Rose]

Thank you for such a quick reply!
Yes, that does include drinks in the parks. Just to give a better idea, here's what I have planned

Sat.- we're driving so we'll swing through the drive through at Mcdonald's for breakfast - $15.00
Check in at AKL lunch at Mara with refillable mugs- $80.00
Spend the day by the pool with one round of frozen tropical drinks(non-achololic for the kiddies)- $25.00
ice cream sometime during the afternoon-$13.00

Sun.- breakfast in the room,so FREE
Mk for EE, mid morning snack at Sunshine Tree Terrace (love that frozen OJ) - $13.00
leave MK and spend a few hours at AK snack at Pizzafari,split 2 pepp. pizza's and 5 drinks- $24.00 then ice cream-$13.00
spend the rest of the day and night at MGM,3:30pm late lunch/early dinner at Sci-Fi DIne In- $65.00 including glow in the dark ice cubes in sovenier cups.
snack at Fantasmic!- 2 Sovenier popcorn buckets and 5 cokes- $17.00
late snack at Mara- $25.00

Mon.- breakfast in the room,Free
Spending the day at Blizzard Beach, lunch at Lottawata Lodge,3 turkey legs,order of fries,order of potato salad and 5 drinks - $30.00
afternoon snack, snowcones- $ 15.00
dinner Mara - $ 30.00

Tues. -Breakfast in the room,free
Epcot all day, lunch 1:00pm at LeCellier,2 steak sandwiches,3 kids Jr. steaks, 2 creme brulee's and 3 kid's choc. mousse,drinks all around - $ 90.00
Crepe in France for DH and I to share - $3.50
ice cream for the kids - $7.50
Pretzels in Germany with 5 cokes- $19.00
Nachos and 5 cokes in Mexico - $16.50
grab the monorail for MK e-night, sometime during the night hot dogs and drinks from Casey's - $20.00 and ice cream-$13.00

Wed. - breakfast in the room,free MK all day,
lunch at 12:30pm at Tony's Town Square,3 kids meals,calzone and speghetti and meatballs,drinks and choc. creme brulee- $56.00
afternoon snack, Dole whips- $13.00
dinner, Pinnochios Village Haus ,cheeseburgers and drinks-$40.00
snack at SpectroMagic- 2 Sovenier popcorn buckets and 5 cokes-$17.00
ice cream at Mara - $13.00

Thurs. - breakfast at Chef Mickey's -$70.00
spend the day at Blizzard Beach,lunch at Lottawatta Lodge$30.00
afternoon snack ,snow cones- $15.00
dinner ,Mara - $30.00
we have an Illuminations cruise this evening,and I have order a B-day cake for dd's friend (didn't include that in my food budget),
so that will be their evening snack.

 

[westjones]

Did you figure in tax and tips also? I am not as organized as you, but I am trying to work up a budget and just realized that I forgot to figure that in.

Looks like you have a good budget plan. Tell DH if you are too high, he can keep the change!

DJ

 

[>>^..^<<]

Wow Briar Rose - that is some pretty impressive food scheduling

What happens if people start substituting? Is that allowed? I mean what if someone wants a sundae instead of a snowcone or a sandwich instead of pizza?

I am always an impulse eater and I can't resist things like fudge or roasted cashews

Main Street USA is my big downfall - so many nice treats

>>^..^<<

 

[Brier Rose]

I did include tax and tips.

SUBSTITUTIONS!!! NO WAY!!!
Just kidding. Seriously I went over all the menus extensivly,and I rounded everything up,like if I came up with $22.00, I would round up to $25.00 to cover the cost of someone getting something different,Most of the places we're eating everything costs pretty much the same, or close.
It helps that we've been so many times,and are eating at places where I know what we'll be ordering.Plus I know my kids tastes and that of dd's friend,so it's pretty easy to guess by looking at menus what they'll order.Of course they can get something different,within reason of course.
I also am bringing a cooler full of snacks and drinks for the room,and I ordered all the kids bottle straps.I plan on giving each of them a bottle of water in the morning,so that they can sip on it all day,refilling as needed.It will be end of June,and I worry about them staying hydrated.
I can't stay away from all those nuts and candy either!!
I know I'll have to have cinnamon almonds and at least one trip to the Main Street candy shop!! I'll just take that out of my soveneir money though.Maybe that will save DH's feelings a little.

 

[Mic]

You are smart to round up, and I think your budget looks fine. The only suggestion I would make is for Sunday at AK, instead of paying for the pizzas, drinks, and ice cream seperately, just purchase 4 of the kids' meal deal vouchers for $6 each, and that will entitle you to 4 personal pan-type pizzas and 4 drinks at Pizzafari, in addition to 4 bottled waters or sodas from a cart, and 4 ice cream bars. You could add another ice cream for $2.50, and save @$10 total.
After 12 years of marriage and 4 kids, I have learned there are some things I just can't tell my husband...the cost of dinner at 'Ohana for 6 and the cost of annual passes Have a great trip!

 

[Brier Rose]

Oh my gosh Mic!!! Thank you so much!!!
I would have never thought of that.I'll definatly go with that idea.
Thanks again!

 

[dvc guy]

very impressive budget, how are you are balancing check books LOL.
I never lay out a budget, but now I know what to do. Have fun

 

[Brier Rose]

I'm actually pretty good with a check book!
My DH owns his own buisness,and I do all of the business and household books.Believe it or not I actually enjoy it.Except when I have to right in red ink of course.

 

[InstImpres]

You brave people....I don't want to see it that specific, I might convince myself to skip a trip, I am spending too much!

 

[Brier Rose]

NOOOOOOOO!!!! Now you sound like DH!!
I don't know why he's funny like that.He could spend the same amount of money and not bat an eye,but if you put it on paper like that,watch out. I hear the sirens from the budget police now!!

Here's hoping he never asks to the the food budget,resort budget,ticket and soveneir budget all at the same time and add them together!!!!!

In 26 trips to the world in 11 years, he has never had a clue what the total cost has been.It's for his own good I tell ya!!
That is how I have had 26 trips! I break it down and hit him a little at the time....Oh Dear(she says in a voice sweet as honey), I need $$$$ for our resort reservations.......then I let a few weeks pass and in a voice just as sweet....I need $$$ for park hoppers...
It all works out to be the same as if he paid it in one big pop,but he just seems to take it so much better this way!

That does sound terrible doesn't it???

 

[Mic]

Brier Rose-
Have you considered DVC? The accomodations would be paid for, so you just need to budget for tickets and food. I ask because you go often enough that it would probably benefit your family, especially if you are in the habit of bringing friends of children. We have a large family, hence always needed 2 rooms, and we were going twice a year, so it made sense for us. I do not like to pay a big chunk of money at once for anything, so I budget just like you, in increments. Since we were buying Annual passes each year, I even figured out a way to break that cost down. I let 4 of our annual passes expire last year, and used hoppers for 1 trip for all 4, renewing only 2 passes. On the next trip 4 months later, I purchased 2 more AP's, and the other 2 used the rest of the days on the 4 hoppers. On the last trip, I purchased the last 2 remaining AP's, so we all have AP's with 3 different renewal dates so I can renew 2 at a time instead of all 6 at once. On the next trip, I plan to upgrade everyone to a Premium AP, so I am really glad I did this(it would be $2600 to purchase all 6 at once!). I average 3-4 trips a year, budgeting for food and 2 AP renewals each trip. I did make a major mistake this year, though...I bought more points as a birthday gift to myself a month before our trip! My husband is a lot like yours(what he doesn't know won't hurt our marriage)...the words "food budget" used to scare him, but now it's the word "add-on"! Just remember to use your sweet voice when you talk hubby into doing the DVC tour.

 

[Brier Rose]

Mic
We have talked alot about DVC,but at least for now we've decided it's not for us.This is the first time we have taken a friend,so the extra space usually isn't a problem.We also really love to stay at different resorts.One of our most favorites is the Contemporary Tower,so DVC wouldn't help us out there.I also don't think I'd like having to worry about wether or not I was using weekend points and all that.
Who knows maybe someday though!
We would actually really love to move to Celebration.We checked into it,but decided that DH is just too well established in his business here for a move to make since right now.
Maybe I see early retierment in the future?

That sounds like a great plan for the annual passes! Can you believe that as many times as we go,we have never bought AP's?? We always buy hoppers.The longest trip we take is 8 nights and that is in Dec.,so we usually get 5day hoppers,2 days at MVMCP and have one free day.On the MVMCP days we don't go to the parks,because we sleep in as late as possible,so we don't need tickets for those days.Whenever we go during the year,it's only for 3 days so we get single day tickets.
I have been begging DH for AP's for Christmas this year,but I have a B-day in Oct. Maybe it will ease his mind a little to get me 2 for my B-day and 2 for Christmas!

Thank God he shares my love of Disney! If not I think he'd have me commited to the the Disney Rehab Center!!