Realistic cost to eat/day

[Staciebobacie]

I need some real price estimates. I'd love to keep food really cheap. We are staying at the GC which I'm assuming won't be close to anything McDonalds like for cheap breakfasts and such.

What do you think is a reaonable amount to budget for per day? I keep thinking between $20-$35.00 per meal but I hope I am overestimating some and assume I'm underestimating others. Also, how much for snacks each day. I was think $25.00. There will be two adults and one 4 year old little girl who isn't much of an eater.

Just in case you need more info, we'll be arriving on a Saturday afternoon, and leaving for the airport before 5 pm on Monday. Also, on Monday we'll be having lunch at Ariel's Grotto so I know I am blowing the budget on at least one meal.

Any help/suggestions/ideas would be much appreciated.

 

[DizNee Luver]

We ate most of our meals in the parks & the quick service meals ran about $7-9 per adult, $3 for drinks & $6 for all kid meals.
So for your family estimate approx. $26-30 per meal.

Sit downs of course will be more...and don't forget tips at these places when estimating.

 

[jakoky]

Hi there, you may find the portions are large enough to share with your little girl...for me, i share quite often with my youngest daughter (she is 13 on this trip) and once in a while we just order an extra side salad if we need a little more...more often than not, we can share..actually, on our last trip, i shared some meals with my son who was 14 or my 16 year old dd....i find the portions HUGE, especially those off site-(mimis and dennys)....just a thought, and even it works out only a few times, some money saved and food not wasted
sharon

 

[disney4metoo]

There is a refrigerator in your room (at least the rooms I have been in) If would call and check if not request one. If you really wanted to save and go cheap, stop at the grocery store and bring your own cereal and milk for breakfast, lunch meat, chips, fruit for lunch and eat dinner out! You are very close to zip right to your room ( just a thought)!

There are fast foods available nearby, but you would have to drive. Get your car out of self park or valet, and drive and find it. For CS meals $20.00 -25.00(no drinks just water) would be good! My son and I ate at Storybook Cafe for dinner we both had soup, no drinks just water, he had lobster cobb salad, and I had the ravioli's, one dessert. It came to $65.00

Definitely bring your own water bottles...they are very expensive in the park! We normally stay in concierge at the Grand but when I can't get a room in concierge, the one thing I really miss is the small bottles of cold Dasani water! So when we are not in concierge we bring our own little bottles of Dasani and keep them cold in the refrigerator.

The giant turkey legs they sell on the street are $7.00, Dole Whip $5.00 ( I think) Churro $3.00, Ice Cream $4.00

Good luck and have fun!

 

[pixiewings71]

Actually you don't have to drive to all the fast food places. You specifically asked for a McD's, you could walk to a McD's. There's one on Harbor, so you would walk thru security on the GCH side of the parks, walk thru the esplanade and exit on the Harbor side, cross the street and veer left and walk to the McD's. They don't have a dollar menu but you can still eat there pretty cheap. One place to avoid on Harbor is Captain Kidd's, they have a buffet and a menu there but the food is gross and disgusting. Oh and avoid the IHOP too, they are way overpriced. The Denny's is good tho!

 

[Staciebobacie]

Thanks everyone. I think I am getting a better idea of ways I can save money on food.

We won't have a car or I would definitely look into visiting a grocery store. I know where the McDs is but hadn't considered it a viable option since I don't want my daughter walking all that far, I think she is going to struggle enough getting through the parks.

Thanks again.

 

[disney4metoo]

Actually you don't have to drive to all the fast food places. You specifically asked for a McD's, you could walk to a McD's. There's one on Harbor, so you would walk thru security on the GCH side of the parks, walk thru the esplanade and exit on the Harbor side, cross the street and veer left and walk to the McD's. They don't have a dollar menu but you can still eat there pretty cheap. One place to avoid on Harbor is Captain Kidd's, they have a buffet and a menu there but the food is gross and disgusting. Oh and avoid the IHOP too, they are way overpriced. The Denny's is good tho!

Sorry....we never eat at McD's so I do not know where it is!

 

[Queen Elisabeth]

Thanks everyone. I think I am getting a better idea of ways I can save money on food.

We won't have a car or I would definitely look into visiting a grocery store. I know where the McDs is but hadn't considered it a viable option since I don't want my daughter walking all that far, I think she is going to struggle enough getting through the parks.

Thanks again.

I believe that you can have Safeway (Vons?) deliver groceries to your hotel. That's what we're planning on doing.

ETA: Also consider bringing an umbrella stroller for your daughter. I have a 4 year old, too, and I'm going to bring one just in case the walking is too much for her.

 

[disneydreamer74]

We always spent money on room service or COmpass cafe for a filling breakfast. Room service is costly, but we ordered a big breakfast and added bacon and me, DBF, and DD2 shared it with leftovers to boot! Then sometimes we wanted a lunch on the go ,so we stopped at a cart and got chimichangas, or corn dogs, etc. They run you around $3.00 each. Also, we visited Crocs' BIts and Whitewater snacks for a quick and filling lunch that was pretty cheap. They have plenty to offer children also. Dinner we ate at table service. The one area I try to save at on vacation is dining. It can quickly escalate to a large bill!!!

 

[jenjersnap]

Thanks everyone. I think I am getting a better idea of ways I can save money on food.

We won't have a car or I would definitely look into visiting a grocery store. I know where the McDs is but hadn't considered it a viable option since I don't want my daughter walking all that far, I think she is going to struggle enough getting through the parks.

Thanks again.

Maybe you could send a runner to get the food? I was just reading that there is a place to eat on the esplanade or you could take it back to your room or there is likely other place too. We are planning to leave our 5 year old's stroller at home this time (lack of storage space in our rental car) and I am concerned about conserving his energy too!

White Water Snacks, the quick service option at the GCH, looks to be a bit more reasonably priced than the parks so might be an option. Here's menu: http://allears.net/dlr/din/menu/men_wws.htm I usually share with my picky eater, maybe get an extra side, a $6 kid's meal is a total waste on him.

 

[drag n' fly]

Maybe you could send a runner to get the food? I was just reading that there is a place to eat on the esplanade or you could take it back to your room or there is likely other place too. We are planning to leave our 5 year old's stroller at home this time (lack of storage space in our rental car) and I am concerned about conserving his energy too!

White Water Snacks, the quick service option at the GCH, looks to be a bit more reasonably priced than the parks so might be an option. Here's menu: http://allears.net/dlr/din/menu/men_wws.htm I usually share with my picky eater, maybe get an extra side, a $6 kid's meal is a total waste on him.

I was going to suggest WWS also. Two adults can easily share one brekkie. The breakfasts are ginormous and yummy!

 

[bumbershoot]

... I don't want my daughter walking all that far, I think she is going to struggle enough getting through the parks.

Thanks again.

ETA: Also consider bringing an umbrella stroller for your daughter. I have a 4 year old, too, and I'm going to bring one just in case the walking is too much for her.

I would strongly recommend a stroller, or thinking of the option of renting one. My guy is 4, he's fit and strong and outside of my fitness walking and Disneyland we do not use a stroller, but at Disneyland it is a MUST. The Volo is a good thing.


Our family of 3 budgets $100/day for food and souvenirs combined. And our souvenir budget is getting lower b/c, um, we kinda have everything we want by now. We share, we're vegetarian, and hubby and son can't have most snacks at the parks b/c of ingredient issues, so there are limitations with our diets, but we're always full and never go hungry!

 

[Staciebobacie]

I would strongly recommend a stroller, or thinking of the option of renting one. My guy is 4, he's fit and strong and outside of my fitness walking and Disneyland we do not use a stroller, but at Disneyland it is a MUST. The Volo is a good thing.


Our family of 3 budgets $100/day for food and souvenirs combined. And our souvenir budget is getting lower b/c, um, we kinda have everything we want by now. We share, we're vegetarian, and hubby and son can't have most snacks at the parks b/c of ingredient issues, so there are limitations with our diets, but we're always full and never go hungry!

We are definitely going to rent a stroller while in the parks. I just didn't know what to do outside of the parks. I really don't want to deal with the stroller on the plane and shuttles.

I think that $100/day for food and souvenirs is something we are going to aim for. I was worried that eating in the parks/resort for every meal was going to make an amount like that unrealistic. I see there are some good options and I'll have to do my homework over the next few weeks.

We have some dietary limitations too and I was figuring we'd be picking meals apart.

 

[pixiewings71]

A stroller is probably a good idea then. If you have a Disney Visa you get 2 free stroller rentals a day. You can't take them outside of security but you wouldn't have to walk much farther to get to the Harbor restaurants.

Sharing is a very viable option, our family of 4 can go to Riverbelle for breakfast and get 1 MM pancake, 1 Mark Twain, 1 plate of fruit and we are full when we are done! Sharing sandwiches at RBT is a good option as well.

 

[pixiewings71]

We are definitely going to rent a stroller while in the parks. I just didn't know what to do outside of the parks. I really don't want to deal with the stroller on the plane and shuttles.

I think that $100/day for food and souvenirs is something we are going to aim for. I was worried that eating in the parks/resort for every meal was going to make an amount like that unrealistic. I see there are some good options and I'll have to do my homework over the next few weeks.

We have some dietary limitations too and I was figuring we'd be picking meals apart.

Ok just saw this post. Walking to Harbor is not hard at all, if you've had a stroller for her inside the parks she should be fine walking to McD's or Denny's, Mimi's or Millie's on Harbor. They are less than a 10 min. walk to and from the parks.

 

[bumbershoot]

We are definitely going to rent a stroller while in the parks. I just didn't know what to do outside of the parks. I really don't want to deal with the stroller on the plane and shuttles.

I think that $100/day for food and souvenirs is something we are going to aim for. I was worried that eating in the parks/resort for every meal was going to make an amount like that unrealistic. I see there are some good options and I'll have to do my homework over the next few weeks.

We have some dietary limitations too and I was figuring we'd be picking meals apart.

OK, whew, I'm glad you'll be renting one. There are some 4 year olds out there who can handle it...my dude's just not one, he's prone to nasty leg aches (as I was as a child) and as most kids do, tends to take 10 steps when 2 would do, LOL.

I will mention that some days we go well under and some days we spend from other days...and we generally only do one character meal, if that, during a trip.

You'll find that most meals are easily shareable. Some don't like the food, but we enjoy the platters at Rancho del Zocalo...they fill hubby and I up! DS loves the bean/cheese burrito with rice on the side there.

Tomorrowland Terrace has a few breakfast options that even include a beverage (like a Nesquik chocolate milk, or a coffee, etc), and those are pretty big too in our experience.

Sharing is a very viable option, our family of 4 can go to Riverbelle for breakfast and get 1 MM pancake, 1 Mark Twain, 1 plate of fruit and we are full when we are done!

Nice! You've given me a nice idea of getting the fruit plate and our (meat excluded) Mickey pancake and seeing what that does for us.

The best thing about sharing, in our opinion, is that you're usually full, but IF you're not? You can get more food!

 

[mechurchlady]

Bring a stroller as you will need it to get from your room to the rental place. i have watched the Pooped Parent Parade at the end of the day and is it a sad site to see as kids are dragging their little legs and parents are sagging under the weight of tired toddlers. It is several blocks from a GCH hotel room to the monorails or park entrance. Can you walk up to 3 blocks carrying kids and other stuff each way? Are you willing to walk blocks in the airport with the kids?

Take a stroller from home with you. The kids are better off strapped in the stroller and you can use the stroller to carry stuff. You would save money unless you have the Disney Visa.

I would do one filling meal such as Cafe Orleans, Taste Pilot Grille or Plaza Inn each day and one lunch type meal. Have a nice family sit down meal then later on have a hot dog or burger or corn dog for example. Eating at Plaza Inn one meal and Taste Pilot or Coke Corner is about $25 for me.

I would bring baggies and share popcorn and treats. I take hours to finish popcorn it seems.

 

[YellowMickeyPonchos]

We did the GPS one day on our walk from the Mickey and Friends Parking Structure to the Park Entrance gates. It was almost exactly 1/2 mile. It's only less than 1/3 of that to the Grand Californian Blue Moon Gate (between Sephora and the now defunct Libby Lu) and it is about 3/4-7/8 of that to get to the DLH. It's about the full 1/2 mile to the Paradise Pier.

Any way you put it, I would hate not having a stroller of my own that late at night. If you have the stroller and are using the Mickey and Friends garage, you can choose to bypass the tram line and walk it. Otherwise, it's pure convenience for packages and other things you might need to carry out of the park. It's worth lugging it through the airport - which is really so easy - it helps you get through the airport so much faster! (Gate check it for maximum convenience!)

 

[LuLusApple]

We just spent a week at DL and spent 125-150 a day for 4 of us and one infant. Me 42 DD12 DD17 and DD20 we ate well!
Brekki at river belle terrace 2 days
Breakfast in the park one day
Blue ribbon bakery every other day
Bengal BBQ 3 times for lunch
Cafe Orleans once
Pizza port once
Blue bayou for dinner once
Pizza port dinner once
French market dinner once
Winecountry trattoria once

Turkey legs
Chimichangas
Churros
Popcorn
Corn dogs
Dole whips
Iam probably leaving out a ton we didn't even use all the budgeted $
We did bring our own water bottles everyday and crystal light packs.
I was really pleased with the food budget.

 

[Ms. Shuttergirl]

Gosh it's scary how quickly food for a family can add up in a day, wow. Definitely good to do a little planning ahead