Budget for food?????

**first_timer** · 02-26-2002, 10:55 AM

We are planning our trip March 24- 31st and we want to ONLY take cash and travelers checks. Everyone says the food is soooo expensive. We know what we want to spend for junk but we do we plan on for food???? It will be my husband and daughter who is 11 and myself. We have PS
for chef mickeys for breakfast and Artist Point for dinner and have estimated the costs for that.

Can someone give me a good estiamte for food per day? I know that this is kind of a subjective thing but an idea to start would be good.

We are taking things with us for most days for breakfast and we are staying at Coronado Springs.

Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

Gina [img]graemlins/clappy.gif[/img]

ONLY 25 MORE DAYS [img]smile.gif[/img]

**Toughbug** · 02-26-2002, 11:09 AM

On a normal day, eating at counter service, we would usually spend about $25-$30 per meal and that would be for lunch and dinner. So we would budget at least $60 per day for counter service food. Now, we add in the cost for any special meals that we did so we averaged about $75 per day for food. For us the special meals are things like a character breakfast, at least one nice sit down dinner with priority seating and the special things like breakfast one morning at the hotel and popcorn and Mickey bars.

So about $75 per day for food. That might be high, but it is what most food cost on vacation anywhere you go nowadays.

Have a great trip! [img]graemlins/thumbsup.gif[/img]

**KylesMom** · 02-26-2002, 11:28 AM

We budget a bit higher than Toughbug - for our upcoming trip (DH, DS & Self) we've actually estimated $100 per day, planning on lunch and dinner predominately at counter service. This includes all snacks and beverages. Typically lunch and dinner counter service runs us $35 / meal. The other $30 per day is for beverages, (make certain you keep hydrated if you are going in the HOT season - it's hard to find good, cold water fountains!) Mickey Bars and any other snacks we may happen upon during our day. DH and I also like to sample a few cocktails at MGM, Epcot and Animal Kingdom while we are there, too.

A character breakfast will run you somewhere in the vicinity of $45, while a character dinner may run you around $60. Remember, though that the character events are for the most part all-you-can-eat, so it is very easy to substantiate the costs (AND They're So Much FUN!).

We're hoping to shave off part of this cost this year since we are driving and will be able to bring cases of juice boxes & water. If you budget a bit over and don't use all of your travelers checks, you can deposit them back into your bank account when you get home! Happy planning! [img]graemlins/mickey.gif[/img]

**first_timer** · 02-26-2002, 11:47 AM

Thanks for the info. We are flying and will be taking some food in our suitcases on the plane for our room and snacks throughout the day. We were thinking a little more for food but better to be dafe than sorry

Gina

**disneygirlnowmom** · 02-26-2002, 03:07 PM

The food may be expensive but the portions you get are huge! If any of you are light eaters I would recommend getting a entree for two people to eat from. This is a good way to save some money on food too!

**Jillpie** · 02-26-2002, 03:16 PM

I'll go a little further and tell you what we do for overall budgeting and it works great. We are a family of five(3 kids). If we're going for say 8 days, then I get 8 envelopes from the bank. When I get the travelers checks I divide 200.00 a day and place them in each envelope marked Mon., Tues. etc. That money is for everything, whether it be meals, souvenirs, water and then at the end of each day, if we didn't spend all of it, the rest goes into the next day's envelope for bonus money. It keeps me real organized and I never have to guess how much money is left for the week. Its just there, right up to the last day. Hope this helps!

**Jinnyboom** · 02-26-2002, 04:33 PM

We check out the menus on this site....www.wdwig.com to determine where we would like to it at each park...that way we have a pretty good estimate on what each day will cost.
I love the envelope idea too!!
Best of luck in your planning and have a great time!!!!

**Mufasa22** · 02-26-2002, 04:43 PM

At least $75-$100 per day, or, as I did on my last trip, I calculated a per person per day cost of $25-30.

We had 4 people, and it averaged out to $108 per day..

That average included the Hoop-Dee-Doo revue, and a trip to the Yachtsman Steakhouse, as well as airport food.

[ February 27, 2002, 11:31 AM: Message edited by: Mufasa22 ]

**TheRustyScupper** · 02-26-2002, 05:16 PM

1) We allow $35/day per adult and $25/day per child.
2) This includes a light Food Court breakfast and one main meal (including a charater meal as the main meal).
3) The remainder of the day we snack.
4) It has proven adequate for a group of (19).

**Marker** · 02-26-2002, 06:51 PM

Here's a couple ideas to save you a few $$$ on your food budget.

1) eat breakfast in your room. Bring a collapsable cooler, or get a cheap styrofoam (disposable) one at Wal*mart. Using ice from the resort ice machine, you can keep milk, juice, cream cheese, yogurt cold and have cereal, or bagels for breakfast. That can save you a lot of money.

2) Forget about soda. Besides being expensive, it doesn't hydrate you like you need. Think water. Carry a water bottle. Try to get one with a strap for over your shoulder, or to wear around your waste. You can easily refill in at fountains, or if you ask nicely, at counter service restaruants.

**MKPlutoGuy** · 02-26-2002, 07:03 PM

Just a few pointers into Jill's great idea! [img]smile.gif[/img]

1. As people have said, Bring a water bottle! You can always refill it

2. If you can, before you leave or at the local supermarkets, by a few pocket size snacks, two per person per day, so that you can have something to hold you over till meal time. It helps us out a lot.

3. Be sure to be organized with you money, Jill's idea really is great, because you don't want to run out of money the last day.

Have a great time! [img]graemlins/muscles.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/muscles.gif[/img]

**Dopeysfriend** · 02-26-2002, 10:48 PM

You can also check out several WDW Menus right here at Intercot's Info Central (main link is to your left in the blue stripe.)

Hope this helps! [img]graemlins/mickey.gif[/img]

**maidenites** · 02-27-2002, 12:14 AM

When some of you gave the advice to bring refillable water bottles, it reminded me of something unpleasant. WDW water from the fountains tasted pretty yucky. Maybe its because I'm used to the sparkling crystal water that bursts forth from the ground here in the great state of North Carolina, but as I recall on our last trip (5/00), we would treat ourselves by buying bottled water after drinking the yucky stuff in the park.

**kymom** · 02-27-2002, 10:13 AM

I read somewhere about buying brita individual water bottles. They have a filter inside so the water taste better. I looked on the target website and they are 6.99 . I am going to buy a few of these to take to the park and fill up.
Sounds like a great way to have good water.

**DopeyBoy7** · 02-27-2002, 11:03 AM

I've noticed a lot of you have been talking about water. I never, never pay for water at WDW. All you have to do is go to any quick service place or anyplace that serves fountain drinks and ask for a cup of ice water. It's free!!!! Yes, there is something free at WDW. It's great, esp during the nice and hot summer days

**JoeMaz** · 02-27-2002, 01:28 PM

I have to disagree. I think the food prices at Disney are very resonable compared to other tourist attractions. We are from Central NY and the food prices here are moderate (I think most of NY state is overpriced) We love to go south and to florida becuase everything is so cheap..
Compared to other touruist places Disney is one of the cheapest. We spend more money on food when we go to the shore or Dewey Beach for a week [img]graemlins/ack.gif[/img]

**Toughbug** · 02-27-2002, 06:29 PM

Hey JoeMaz,

that was great to hear. I think that some restaurants here in New Orleans are overpriced and way more expensive than most in WDW. I have never had a problem with spending money on food while on vacation.

Now the water bottle tip is something we do all the time. But we refill at the water fountains. The water to us tastes alright. Maybe that because of the water we drink here out of the fountains is just as bad and we don't know better?

**Freetime** · 02-28-2002, 06:22 AM

Bottled water at WDW is $2.50 per bottle! If your resort has a fridge, bring water from home and freeze it if you can. When you want it later in the day it will be cool. Also wrap it in a couple of paper towels or put it in individual ziplock bags to keep your things dry as it really will attract humidity!

I have read around that you can estimate an average of $50 per person per day for food. After looking at our PS arraingements for the 3 we have planned, and adding costs for counter food, snacks and such, that looks about right.

Just remember to watch which rides you go on after your meal!

[img]graemlins/ack.gif[/img]

Tony

**CuteAsMinnie** · 02-28-2002, 01:41 PM

We budget $100 day for food for myself, DH, DS and DD. As for the water, whenever we vacation, we freeze water bottles at home, remember to remove a bit off the top or the bottle will break. We store these in our cooler and believe it or not, but week's end, some are still frozen. It always works great.

**JoeMaz** · 02-28-2002, 02:05 PM

Sometimes when we go south it feels like we are on vacation from vacation because everything is so cheap..if you know what i mean? Maybe not?

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