you gotta eat, right?

[landog]

Okay, so I got my tax refund. Bought airline tickets to Orlando for my family of six. Got two rooms at the Port Orleans Riverside for four days. Discovered the cost of admission to the park was as much as the airfare.

I've learned that "Disney" and "budget" don't belong in the same sentence.

Now we just need to eat. What should I "budget" for food?

I'm guessing around $12 per meal per person (6 people x 3 meals x 4 days x $12 = $864). My wife says to double it.

Can you let me know what to expect?

Thanks,
- landog

WDW - never, ever

 

[Kaa]

It depends on where you plan to eat. That $12 per person, per meal will work out great if you only have counter-service meals. If you plan to have any full-service meals, then double the per person amount for those. This still builds a little bit of a cushion into your meal budget.

 

[CherylA]

I don't think thats too far off if you eat mostly counter service and maybe 1 or 2 less expensive sit downs. Especially if you can share some meals or eat breakfast in your room. I always figure $40/day pp and figure that if we eat a sit down lunch maybe we have breakfast in the room that morning.

 

[landog]

Is eating breakfast in my room going to save? Should I be packing cereal? Where do I buy the milk?

Is it worthwhile to rent a car so I can run to the grocery store?

Thanks!

 

[Kaa]

We take a soft-side cooler packed with a couple of boxes of cereal with us to WDW and have breakfast in the room each morning. I purchase milk from the gift shop at the resort - they offer larger sizes (quart). I then ice that down in the ice bucket overnight. It is less expensive to purchase the milk from the gift shop than to buy it at the food courts.

At the end of our trip, we have finished off the cereal and have another bag to haul home all the useless... make that wonderful souvenirs we purchased during the trip!

 

[Gillian]

Did you get a decent price on the rooms? If not, maybe we can save you money there so you can spend it on food!

Having a car large enough for 6 is probably not worth what you'd save in buying groceries for breakfast.

 

[tink2dw]

To get from the airport with a grocery stop on the way to WDW you can use a Towncar service. They only run around trip, $80,but with the coupons on the Towncar site you can save at least $5.00.

Mears will cost a family of six more than a towncar.

We used Tiffany Towncar. But there are others.

Eating in the room is a great option. While cereal is one way to go. Think of things like
pop tarts
pop tart swirls
cereal bars
bagels & creme cheese
peanut butter on your favorite ?
crackers and spray cheese


juice boxes
cans of sodas[bought at your grocery stop,because sodas at WDW cost $2.50 each,for a reg. size cup.]
Aquafina bottle water[fl. water makes some sick,Aquafina isn't bottled in Florida and bottled water in the parks costs $2.50 each for about 8oz.s]

Check for Room Discounts,the best place to see if you can get a better deal is MouseSavers.com here is the link
http://www.mousesavers.com/disneyresorts.html

 

[landog]

First of all, thank you all very much for all of the responses. You are very kind to share your knowledge.

Could you please direct me to the “tiffany towncar” site? That sounds like the way to go. One of my twins is in a wheelchair, but it might fit in the trunk?

I didn’t get any particular deal on the two rooms at POR. (I think I spent $1500 for two rooms, four nights.) I'll check that mousesaver site, if it's not too late.

Thanks for all the food ideas!

- landog

 

[Kaa]

Here is the address for Tiffany:
Tiffany Towncar Service

 

[tink2dw]

For cheaper tickets check out MouseSavers ticket page.
http://www.mousesavers.com/tickets.html

 

[momof2boyz2girlz]

I also have a family of six, and we stay offsite. It is much more comfortable to have a full 2 bedroom suite with a kitchen or kitchenette than stay onsite. This is just my opinion! This past trip, we stayed at the Residence inn lake buena vista north for $105. a night. It was 2 bedrooms, 2 baths, full kitchen. The total was just over $900. for 8 days. That included free breakfast. I was able to go shopping, pack my cooler for the parks everyday and even make some light meals in our room. All in all we only ate out at a restaurant 2 times. (I just don't like to spend my valuable time in the parks waiting to eat in a restaurant!) Whatever you decide, you will have a great time. Good Luck.

 

[disneyluv4]

landog,
When are you going? If you check out towncar services, yourride is the sponsor of this board and I know his rates are good. You will need a van for a family of 6. Go to the transportation board and they will give you lots of advice on this. It seems like alot for POR. Have you checked mousesavers for any codes? You may be better off at a value resort if you would like to save money. Even though POR is our favorite resort [ we will be ther in Aug.] How old are you're kids? They will enjoy the pool at POR. Don't forget about the refillable mugs. We love them. We always take food along and eat some in the resort. We get tired of eating out all the time. With the towncar services we will get a 30 min. grocery stop. Sometimes we eat a quick breakfast or we come back to the room for a break around noon so sometimes we eat a quick lunch in the room. Whatever we feel like, and it saves a few dollars. Have fun!!!

 

[DoeWDW]

When trying to contain my food budget, I also eat some meals in the room, as others have mentioned.

I didn't see anyone mention that portion sizes at Disney are often large enough for 2 people, especially at the sit-down restaurants. My hubby and I often split a meal and are plenty full, so this is an option. You can always order more or get a snack later if you're still hungry. Disney waitstaff have always been wonderful about bringing an extra plate or even separating the meal in the kitchen and bringing it out on two plates.

Also, if you are ordering at a counter service restaurant, you will see meals listed that include, for example, a sandwich, fries and a drink. Please remember that you CAN order any item by itself. One person can order the meal and another person can order just the sandwich - then they can SHARE the fries and drink.

Hope this helps!

Doreen in PA

 

[DoeWDW]

One more thing....did you check on the price of a Fort Wilderness cabin? Sometimes one cabin (sleeps 6-8 people, has a full kitchen) can be as cheap or cheaper than 2 rooms at POR. The full kitchen makes meals a breeze and can really save you money. Plus you can eat stuff that you're familiar with.

Doreen in PA

 

[Belle1962]

Budget-food related tips
FOOD RELATED tips
Getting ready for our trip, I found this document I had been working on for my family. Thought I'd share it:
Keep a cooler in your room or rent a fridge.
1. Eat breakfast at the room. Pack or purchase at Walmart ($10) a small toaster–can do:
Poptarts, frozen waffles, peanut butter toast, bagels, cream cheese, juice, donuts, other breakfast pastries, cereal, FRUIT, anything that pops into a toaster.
2. Eat your big meal at LUNCH–especially if doing a sit down meal. Try to get the last lunch seating possible–they often start putting dinner food on the buffets around that time and you can actually get ‘dinner" for lunch prices.
3. Take snacks into the park in your fanny park: fruit roll ups, fruit snacks, peanuts, slim jim, beef jerky, peanut butter crackers, combos, small boxes of pretzels, raisins, those Smuckers Peanut Butter and Jelly cracker kits (.99cents at my grocery store), Kraft cheese & crackers, etc.
4. Water is FREE at all of the parks. Any counter service will give you a cup of ice and water for FREE. If your kids won't drink plain water bring Kool-Aid, Gatorade or other powdered drink mix with you (in Ziploc bags) and add to the cup of water.
5. Order water with your meals not soda. It is FREE and your body will appreciate it.
6. Keep peanut butter, jelly, lunchmeat, bread, cold fried chicken, fruit, raw veggies in the cooler/fridge in your room. Check your freezer aisle for things that can be put in the toaster–you'll be surprised.
7. Split meals. Portions are huge and if you can get two people to agree on the same item there will be plenty for two. If you don't think there will be–get an appetizer and split the appetizer and main course. (Or main course and dessert–LOL)
8. Dessert or appetizers only–make reservations for dessert or appetizers only at some the restaurants you want to experience but won't want a full meal at. (This will not work for buffet meals). (Sometimes we go in for appetizer & dessert–in my family that can constitute a meal)
9. Check the prices—sometimes a buffet meal for a family is more expensive than ordering off the menu-because at a buffet EVERYONE is charged, while at other restaurants you can share meals. Check Deb Will's site for prices (www.wdwig.com)
10. Check out the kids meals. Usually a sandwich, chips, cookie and drink. Even for adults this is sometimes enough. (Who can eat in the heat anyway???)
11. Eat at off times–this will save TIME and time is money at WDW.
12. Budget some money for snacks at the parks. If you do the majority of your snacking from your fanny pack the kids will appreciate a "park bought" snack all the more. If your kids are old enough though you may be able to reason with them—If I buy you the $3.00 ice cream cone, you won't have anything to take home. OR I can buy you the $3.00 whatever and you can take it home.13. Ghiradelli's: the sundaes are HUGE—share them.
14. Determine how hungry you really are before you order. A lot of people order from remote control–I need a drink, an appetizer and a main course—and don't realize your appetite can change with the activities you are doing. If you really aren't that hungry don't order all that food. You can always order more food–but once ordered you are paying for it–regardless if you eat it or not.

 

[CherylA]

I have to agree that the wilderness homes might be the way to go for your party, it would most likely save you quite a bit. You may want to rent a golf cart to get around the campground while you are there especially if it will be a warmer month and you plan to use the pool.

 

[SueM in MN]

For getting to yout hotel, you could email the company you are thinking of and ask if they have a vehicle that would accomidate the wheelchair plus the number of suitcases and people you plan to have. Some might not be or would assign a different type of vehicle to pick you up.

If you are staying at one of the WDW resorts, almost all of the buses are wheelchair accessible, with ramps or lifts and tie downs for wheelchairs. If you are staying off-site to save money, you may find that they do not have accessible transportation to the parks. Something you might not have thought about.

Feel free to follow the link to the disABILTIES Board in my signature if you have any questions about touring WDW with disabilities.

 

[Pixie Power!]

Can adults order off ALL children menu's at WDW? I always leave something, the meals are just so big, so this would be a saving for me also.

Thanks

Emma

 

[jgates]

This is probably pretty heavily debateable. I did it a couple of times with no trouble. However, there was at least one place where there was a sign up saying you couldn't do it. ???Maybe at the Mexican place by Pirates??? I'm not sure-it seems as if it were there the same sign would have been at the other 3 places that are all connected in the backto the Mexican restaurant & I don't remember it anywhere else.

Other than that I have never heard where anyone has had a problem doing it.

 

[disney4us2002]

Hey Pixie, that might get very old even if you can order off all the kids menus. Almost every one I've looked at have been burgers, hot dogs, and chicken fingers. I order an entree and share it with my youngest son, then the 2 middle boys usually split ONE kids meal as they always want dessert anyway. We have definitely fallen into the overordering pit--this time around we're going to be more alert to this habit. In many places and appetizer/dessert is a better option than an entree anyway, lol.