Food Budgets - What was yours - how long?

[jf256]

Interested to see what peoples food budgets are:

Lots of the advice is for short stays. We are staying 16 nights total - 2 adults. Mix of High End Restaurants, Snacks, Table Service and Sit Downs, Lounges and Festival Booths.
I think with 16 days you are likely to spend less overall per day as you have more time to experience everything. But we were thinking around $2000?

We have:

$380 dollar merch and dining card for first 5 days.
1 $100 meal credit at Universal Loews - with breakfast
2 x $15 daily credit for last 5 days at Hilton Bonnet Creek (figured that's our coffee in the morning)

We want to do:
Firework Dessert Party.
Flower and Garden Booths
At least 4 Sig Dining + Bull and Bear.

We do not drink alcohol at all. But drink lots of coffee!

Just interested in other peoples budgets really

 

[ezma]

Interested to see what peoples food budgets are:

Lots of the advice is for short stays. We are staying 16 nights total - 2 adults. Mix of High End Restaurants, Snacks, Table Service and Sit Downs, Lounges and Festival Booths.
I think with 16 days you are likely to spend less overall per day as you have more time to experience everything. But we were thinking around $2000?

We have:

$380 dollar merch and dining card for first 5 days.
1 $100 meal credit at Universal Loews - with breakfast
2 x $15 daily credit for last 5 days at Hilton Bonnet Creek (figured that's our coffee in the morning)

We want to do:
Firework Dessert Party.
Flower and Garden Booths
At least 4 Sig Dining + Bull and Bear.

We do not drink alcohol at all. But drink lots of coffee!

Just interested in other peoples budgets really

For the two of us I will plan $250 a day. Some days will be higher and others not so much. We are staying 8 days.

 

[Lord Such]

Yeah I'm interested in this thread... we head out in November for 14 nights with 4 of us (all adults), and this will be the first time in a good few years without the dining plan, so must admit to having some concern as to how much our dining spend will end up being, especially with the price hikes and current exchange rate. We'll still have a totally magical time though

 

[jf256]

Yeah I'm interested in this thread... we head out in November for 14 nights with 4 of us (all adults), and this will be the first time in a good few years without the dining plan, so must admit to having some concern as to how much our dining spend will end up being, especially with the price hikes and current exchange rate. We'll still have a totally magical time though

Yeah that is the problem our last budget was an upgraded free DDP to DXDP. So totally different vibe - and the websites etc are all aimed at people who are doing 5 day stays rather than just over 2 weeks.

For the two of us I will plan $250 a day. Some days will be higher and others not so much. We are staying 8 days.

$250 a day would be our aim i think if we were only staying 1 week but i think 2 weeks it would be well out of price range. Thinking we will have at least a couple of days where we just do quick service / lounge meals but we will see.

 

[isabellea]

I put aside what the dining plan would have cost for our family and try to stick with that budget. I don’t drink alcohol and DH rarely does so that helps. In the past, we always came under.

 

[jf256]

I put aside what the dining plan would have cost for our family and try to stick with that budget. I don’t drink alcohol and DH rarely does so that helps. In the past, we always came under.

i was thinking that dining plan+ 10% on top?

I m guessing you used the standard plan as a gauge?- my OH is very much a fillet steak sort of person but also likes to pick instead of eating a big meal twice a day. So i don't think we need to go with the deluxe pricing.

I think not drinking might be our saving grace tbh - although i do like a mocktail.

 

[tguz]

We did a ten day trip in December of 2021 for the 2 of us and we had 5 sit down meals, 2 snacks a day (each), and the rest of the meals were qs and we spend right at $1,300 for food/snacks total. We had breakfast in our room. We drove so we brought stuff for breakfast so we only bought 2 meals per day each. We don't drink alcohol......plan for a lot more $$$ if you do.

 

[buzzgirls&dad]

The Bull and Bear can be a budget buster. It is the best Restaurant anywhere near WDW, but it's expensive. We wanted to try some of the unique opportunities they offered but they come at a significant cost. Their service is fantastic and presentation even when pouring certain cocktail is spectacular. Good luck staying on budget for this.

 

[gorkt]

Hmmmm. I go with my family of 4 adults, and usually stay in a Villa, and buy our snacks, drinks and water to keep there so that saves a little. We also really only eat two meals a day, one QS and one TS, plus some snacks. I don't really eat at signatures. I also make good use of the Disney Visa card so I have about $950 set aside that I will use for food. We don't drink alcohol either but I do like some of the fancy non-alcoholic drinks they serve at a lot of restaurants.

Daily: Snacks: $40
QS: $80
TS: $160 - this is an average, sometimes more, sometimes less depending on the restaurant.

So around $320 a day or so is my approximate cost, $350 with padding. My card earnings will cover the first three days probably.

ETA: That hurts to type out lol.

 

[jf256]

The Bull and Bear can be a budget buster. It is the best Restaurant anywhere near WDW, but it's expensive. We wanted to try some of the unique opportunities they offered but they come at a significant cost. Their service is fantastic and presentation even when pouring certain cocktail is spectacular. Good luck staying on budget for this.

Yeah its less of a lets budget for food because we need to budget for food and more working out what we need so we can put a sensible amount away each month to cover most of it.

We decided against Victoria and Alberts because we don't really want to dress up, and have such a hugely fancy meal so b&b will be our 'more of an experience' meal than general food cost.

Its just a bit of a rough idea. Luckily bull and bear day will be pay day so it should be fine.

 

[CrystalClear82]

We usually budget about $250/per day.
Ideally we try to plan to have one sit down a meal a day....and just grab and go meals otherwise.

We've been ordering drinks and snacks from Amazon to save on costs.

 

[HopperFan]

Every single one of my trips is completely different.

Are we 1, 2, 3 or more in our party?
How much did we spend for lodging?
What are park hours that impacts offsite dining?
Will I have a kitchen I'll use?
How many days?
What and how many TS have I booked?
What special events did I book? (this summer did R&C Harmonious Pkg)

 

[Lord Such]

I put aside what the dining plan would have cost for our family and try to stick with that budget. I don’t drink alcohol and DH rarely does so that helps. In the past, we always came under.

Yeah what it [DP] has cost previously was my thinking (roughly of course), I've just been wondering lately with the price rises and exchange rate, what it could potentially be... thinking 4 adults with healthy appetites mainly QS meals, snacks and fluids, a few table service meals and easily balls-deep north of $4k.. one could fairly easily empty $6k their [Dis] way

 

[drenalin'junkie]

We are almost all non or light drinkers.
We tote a few waters in to save a little.
Chocolate bars in the backpack also for 11ses.
Breakfast $10 each @ Dunkin, Starbucks, Cinnabon, Main Street Bakery etc..
Lunch $ 15-30 each @ a TS. Usually a couple apps or desserts each. Possible entre.
Dinner $ $30 each minimum @ TS. Can be significantly higher. We plan $100 each
APs in all the parks pay for themselves in parking, merch and esp food discounts. Never mind the significant swag some come with.
EPCOT festivals are a solid way to eat well with a huge variety but can run as much as TS per person per day

 

[starousse]

Family of 4 with two teens. We probably spend on average around $400/day. We like to do some signature TS meals, so that brings it up a bit as well.

 

[Jangles]

I allow USD140 per adult over 14 days. As PP said Bull and Bear is expensive (amazing food though). Also, I find that the Epcot festival booths eat money.

 

[jf256]

I think after everyones replies - $2000 will not be anywhere near enough - so back to the drawing board i think. I can definitely stretch to $3000 but i'd rather oversave and understand than accidently end up in a different situation. So thank you everyone. Has been interesting to see other peoples budgets though so keep them coming

 

[snikki]

I budget $100 a day per person. It’s just myself and DD16 next trip. We are doing mostly breakfast in the room, TS lunches and snacks or QS for dinner. We do have two late breakfasts (Boma and Topolino’s) and will snack for the rest of those days.

For 9 nights I’m budgeting $2,000 for food.

I’m debating on doing too many F&W booths because it costs a fortune to make a meal out of the tastings and last time I did F&W I found waiting in a bunch of lines for a bite of food annoying after a while.

 

[Lord Such]

Family of 4 with two teens. We probably spend on average around $400/day. We like to do some signature TS meals, so that brings it up a bit as well.

this was what I figured it would be... 4x $100 per day x 15 days = $6k

 

[Lord Such]

Hmmmm. I go with my family of 4 adults, and usually stay in a Villa, and buy our snacks, drinks and water to keep there so that saves a little. We also really only eat two meals a day, one QS and one TS, plus some snacks. I don't really eat at signatures. I also make good use of the Disney Visa card so I have about $950 set aside that I will use for food. We don't drink alcohol either but I do like some of the fancy non-alcoholic drinks they serve at a lot of restaurants.

Daily: Snacks: $40
QS: $80
TS: $160 - this is an average, sometimes more, sometimes less depending on the restaurant.

So around $320 a day or so is my approximate cost, $350 with padding. My card earnings will cover the first three days probably.

ETA: That hurts to type out lol.

"ETA: That hurts to type out lol."

Yes it does doesn't it haha... I think any change from $6k will be a bonus (4x adults, 15days)... must not think about it, must not think about it, must not think about it haha