What's a reasonable food budget?

[LiLPrincess]

I'm crunching numbers trying to see if I can afford a trip to Disney World next summer. I have twins that will be turning 16 and I'd really like to surprise them with a trip.

What do you guys think is a reasonable daily budget for food? We are a family of 3, just myself and 2 kids. I plan to stop at the store and keep breakfast food and snacks in the room. I think most of our meals would be counter service, although I would like to budget for a sit down meal maybe every other day (you can only eat so many burgers!) I really want to find a way to make this work.

Thanks for your help!!!!!

 

[Letsbgoofy]

I think that a budget will depend on how much your children eat (are they boys or girls?) If you are staying at a resort with a food court, it's less expensive to eat there vs. eating at a park. We budget $75.00/day for 3 of us. We eat breakfast foods that we bring ourselves, eat lunch or dinner at our food court, and eat the other meal at a sit down restaurant. We usually have money left over; depending on which restaurnats we eat at.

 

[Magic2000]

We usually bring breakfast/snack foods with us, but we always have one breakfast at the Polynesian for the Tonga Toast!! I believe the Tonga Toast is $7 or $8, and everytime you sit down, its $2.00 per drink. We are a family of 5, 4 "adults" and 1 "child". I have to say that on occasion, I have ordered off the kids meal, as has my 14 yr old. Character meals are more expensive, but most are buffets, so you get a nice variety. The buffet at BOMA's is excellent!!! I would allow about $5.00 each for lunch, if you're doing counter service, and about $15.00 each for a sit down meal (possibly more for buffets). Also, we found eating breakfast at the hotel, and a light snack, then a good early dinner was fine for us most days. If you go to Deb Will's site, there a list of almost all the restaurants and the menus. That will give you a pretty good idea of the prices. Good luck!!!

 

[chris1gill]

I completely agree with LetsBGoofy.... 75.00/day... Plan on eating breakfast in your room (stop at Publix Grocery on your way in)... then I'd do a sit down lunch because it's less expensive than a sit down dinner... then do the counter service dinner....

I think 75.00 would work well as long as you didn't want sit down meals all the time.... To get an idea, check out the menu's over at www.wdwig.com

 

[candykisses]

We budget $150.00/day for DH,myself and DS 14 & DS 7. The boys eat breakfast in the room. Cereal or Poptarts. DH and I don't eat breakfast. We have a counter lunch and a sit down dinner. Snacks & sweets throughout the day. $150.00 is more than enough.

 

[Humpbacks1962]

Gee, I make it on even less than $75/day!

Here's what you do: If you're staying on site, bring along pop tarts, etc. If off site, select a room that offers free continental breakfast. Some hotels give you a deal where kids stay free! So for less than $40.00/night, you eat breakfast before you go and even grab extra donuts and fruits for later.

Now, go to Disney.com and look up the list restaurants. I know there's already a list somewhere that includes all the affordable ($$ & below) restaurants. Select buffets. Often all we needed was to have a hearty lunch and by night time, some light snack, because we were still full! Most affordable restaurants on property give you nice portions.

I go alone with my children as well, they're 11 and 8. We have a hearty breakfast and we're not hungry until shortly after noon. If nobody wanted breakfast that morning, we can get around until noon and then sit down for a nice, affordable meal somewhere. Then eat fruits later on! I have made it on even less than $50.00 a day, eating at the afordable restaurants.

Wanda

 

[TinkerbellTracy]

I budget $100/day for food and snacks. That way you are not cutting it quite so close. Or if you are only going to do sit downs every other day, then you could budget $60 day on counter service days and $100 on sit-down days. Then you will still have enough left over for Mickey bars--or a quick muffin/danish if you get tired of eating breakfast in the room. Travel days I use half of my budget! For our trip this December I am estimating $1000 for 10 days(2 adults and 2 children) although I hope to have a little extra left over!