WDW budget for 5

[sabrinadv1]

Here are the specs:
Five people (three children), five nights in CR MKV room, No DDP, three table service meals planned (Chef Mickey's, Whispering Canyon, Dino Downtown Disney), three boys have $100 of their own spending money for the week.

We are not big souvie buyers, maybe a t-shirt and some smaller things here and there. The three boys do not eat much and, I am thinking that as hot as it is going to be we will probably buy more drinks and ice cream than actual meals. We will be driving down about an 8 hour drive. We will be traveling late at night on the way down so food shouldn't be a big factor then. We will be attending Star Wars Weekends (hubby is a big fan).

How would your budget look for this trip? I keep second guessing myself .

 

[sabrinadv1]

No one?

 

[karliebug]

how old are your boys? The dining plan is a great value if they are under 10. Are you asking how to save money? You could save money by staying at POR, they have rooms for 5.

 

[mrsklamc]

I am sure you will get lots of responses, just 11-2am aren't really peak hours.

 

[taymaesmom]

We usually travel on a budget as I am very frugal and cannot justify spending a forturne on food and souviners. We are a family of 4 (mom, dad, 2 dd's ages 15 and 11), for an average day I budget $125, that money will buy us 2 counter service meals, drinks and snacks for the day with money leftover every time. By the time we hit day 3-4 of the trip I am usually ahead $100. If we do a TS I budget seperately for that amount, we typically do 2 TS meals per trip. I usually give my girls $100 at the begining of the trip to spend as they like and they always have enough money, dh and I rarely spend much but we do get some things which usually come out of our daily budget. We drive down and do eat at least 1 but usually 2 meals each way and we bring breakfast to have in our room each day.

We went the week between christmas and new years this year, we did 4 nights at CSR (got with a discount for $697), 5 day base tickets bought thru Undercover Tourister, $200 for gas, $600 for spending money, and $200 for the girls to spend. A budget trip that was also a surprise to the girls, we enjoyed the holiday celebrations so much we are going again this year!

 

[Pembo]

Go to allears.net and look at the menus to budget for meals.

We are a family of 5 (kids are 13, 10 & 6 last trip). We got the QSDP...I think we saved about $50 on food. However it was nice not to have to share. Disney food is pricey and we always share drinks/meals. The kids were happy to be able to get their own drink and we always had plenty of water.

Since you're driving, bring breakfast foods from home. My kids eat sandwiches so we bring lunch fixin's too. There were days we ate "lunch" for dinner after our afternoon break at the pool. We always have pop and other snack foods in the room too.

 

[brymolmom]

With driving down I'll vote AGAINST the dining plan. With 3 TS meals planned, IMO the 'regular' DP (not the quick) would be best - but you can eat for way less. I would stock a cooler full of bread, sandwich stuff, snacks, 'goodies', fruit, drinks, yogurt, milk, juice, bagels and bring it all with you. Breakfasts can easily be in the room. You'll have a frig so the milk and yogurt, etc. will be easy to maintain (can empty the cooler when you get there). If you want on a few days - bring a soft-sided cooler and bring lunches and drinks to the parks with you.

On a 'resort evening' order a pizza from the food court. That plus snacks/sides/drinks from your frig in your room should feed you all.

Not knowing ages of kids it's a guess here but I'd say that if you follow the above advice, maybe plan on $50-$75 per day NOT INCLUDING THE 3 TS meals. Add those in separately and go to the menus to get exact-ish costs (don't forget tips). This is depending how many meals you want to eat out of your frig/cooler.

I think you would be fine if you over-estimate to $100 per day PLUS the TS meal costs. That way you can buy some souvies in there and your mickey ice cream bars, etc and likely still be under budget.

 

[sabrinadv1]

We thought about the ddp but, decided against it this trip. We usually do it but, this trip we didn't want to be tied to plans. We also think that it's going to be too hot to sit down and eat as many heavy meals as we would eat say in October. We will be bringing snacks and some drinks from home.

My budget looks like this:
$130 for gas (free gas cards for the first fill-up)
$360 for TS meals
$300 kids spending money
$500 for other meals for the week
$50 for food on the way home (we are eating at Chef Mickey's that morning)
$500 emergency fund (to be put in savings when we get home if we don't need it)
$50 arcade
$200 for souvies for me and hubby

Does that look about right? Am I forgetting anything? I am thinking since we have a MK view room that some nights we will just go back to the room and order in pizza or something from off-site. I have read that there are a few places that deliver to the CR.

 

[sabrinadv1]

So what do ya'll think does my budget look ok .

 

[deerhart]

We thought about the ddp but, decided against it this trip. We usually do it but, this trip we didn't want to be tied to plans. We also think that it's going to be too hot to sit down and eat as many heavy meals as we would eat say in October. We will be bringing snacks and some drinks from home.

My budget looks like this:
$130 for gas (free gas cards for the first fill-up)
$360 for TS meals
$300 kids spending money
$500 for other meals for the week
$50 for food on the way home (we are eating at Chef Mickey's that morning)
$500 emergency fund (to be put in savings when we get home if we don't need it)
$50 arcade
$200 for souvies for me and hubby

Does that look about right? Am I forgetting anything? I am thinking since we have a MK view room that some nights we will just go back to the room and order in pizza or something from off-site. I have read that there are a few places that deliver to the CR.

$360 will be cutting it close on the TS meals. Chef Mickey's alone will cost you (dinner) $136.27 before tip ($107.84 breakfast), Whispering Canyon about $98.99 for dinner (assuming 3 skillets and 2 kids meals) and t-rex downtown will probably easily run you $70-$80 after tax and tip. I would up it to $400 or $425 just in case someone wants dessert, a drink or orders a more expensive meal at Whispering or Dino.

Can't say much for souvies, I spend the $200 on myself pretty easily (I LOVE Basin and need to stock up for the rest of the year and I have a certain Twinnings tea that I can only get either from out of country or at Epcot)


Since you have a vehicle, you can always jump off site to pick up a to go order at someplace as well.

 

[sabrinadv1]

Chef Mickey's is for breakfast. If we can find somewhere that delivers to the CR we will probably be doing that for a couple of nights at least (we don't care for WDW pizza). I was thinking of going to Ft. Wilderness and getting one of the chicken take-out meals also one night and having a pic-nic on the balcony. I don't want to have to skimp all week but, we don't plan on going commando this trip at all. We really just want to relax alot. That was the main reason for booking the view that we did. I think my budget looks pretty good. I just really wanted to make sure I wasn't forgetting something.

Thanks everyone.

 

[hsmamato2]

Papa Johns pizza is nearby,and I think delivers to the hotel lobbies.....

 

[jodim]

Do you have a Disney Visa? They were running a promo for Kids play, stay and eat free... that would be significant savings for your children under 9.

 

[kidd_freeper]

I would stock a cooler full of bread, sandwich stuff, snacks, 'goodies', fruit, drinks, yogurt, milk, juice, bagels and bring it all with you.

This is a really good idea.

How do you prefer to do this? Do you bring a cooler with wheels, do you put the cooler in a rented locker or do you just carry the cooler around with you?

 

[sabrinadv1]

Do you have a Disney Visa? They were running a promo for Kids play, stay and eat free... that would be significant savings for your children under 9.

We have a 40% off room code.

 

[plutolovr]

How do you prefer to do this? Do you bring a cooler with wheels, do you put the cooler in a rented locker or do you just carry the cooler around with you?

I believe the poster meant to keep this food in the room for breakfast and snacks. You are not allowed to bring in any coolers with wheels into the parks. You could make sandwiches and pack in a small soft-side cooler to bring in the parks with you. And yes, you can rent a locker if you like to keep your small cooler in.

 

[sabrinadv1]

Papa Johns pizza is nearby,and I think delivers to the hotel lobbies.....

Thanks .