How Much Do You Spend Per Day?

[tterrag24]

On average how much should I expect to spend at WDW.I'm going for 10 days at pop century. My girlfriend daughter and I will be going in august. We plan on eating a good mix of parks and resorts, counter service and table service. Brk lunch and dinner, along with some souvenirs? Nothing crazy but just ballpark, I always hear from people prices have gown up and there so ridiculous?

 

[wizards8507]

On average how much should I expect to spend at WDW.I'm going for $10 days at pop century. My girlfriend daughter and I will be going in august. We plan on eating a good mix of parks and resorts, counter service and table service. Brk lunch and dinner, along with some souvenirs? Nothing crazy but just ballpark, I always hear from people prices have rises and there so ridiculous?

$10? Really?

You're going to starve.

 

[ddbowdoin]

Be smart... avoid crap that sucks and is overpriced.

We did the following:

1.) brought down our own cereal bars, granola bars, chewies etc etc etc... this is your cheap breakfast. Sure we all love characters meals but the food is ok and the price is high.
2.) we brought our own water bottles, the water at WDW tastes a little better than my pool water so it sucks but, hey... saving coin
3.) there are some joints in the world that have bigger portions than others. My fiance and I would split a wrap or split a burger at Picos. It can be done.
4.) bring some more snacks in with you, peanuts or anything handy and portable
5.) enjoy dinner, you have to splurge somehow.
6.) go easy on gits

bfast: free
lunch: 10 / 2 = 5 a head
dinner: 10 / pp

bang... 20 buck days

 

[disneygirl1]

Last few years I have been on the Dining plan so I really don't spend more then $50 buck a day on most days, but before we started using the dining plan, I easily spent $100-$250 between food and sovuneirs.

 

[IndyDisney]

I'm in a similar situation (party of 3) and estimated $80 avg. per meal, $50/day for park, plus whatever you want to spend on souvenirs. So $2900 plus souvenirs. That would be your high estimate.

Ways to save -

1) Eat breakfast in your room - cereal, breakfast bars, pop tarts, far less expensive.

2) One big meal a day - lunch or dinner, your choice. Make it a table service and splurge.

3) Bring your own water/water bottles. Water costs a lot at WDW. Enough said.

4) Browse before you buy.

Cheers,
Indy

 

[micknminnie]

We usually get the dining plan but I always bring (we drive down) a case of bottled water, juice boxes for the kids for the week, fruit cups, cereal for breakfast and just buy the milk or use a snack credit at the food court. My kids are huge cereal eaters so they could snack on that alone all day. Other foods like Goldfish, granola bars, nuts, maybe some cookies. I try not to buy too much as far as souvenirs. I would be be in the poor house if I let my kids get something new every time we were in the parks. I set a small limit and let them know ahead of time what it is. As for myself and husband, the only souvenirs I get are usually an ornament and magnet with the year on it. Because we get the dining plan, I try to keep my spending to less than $500 for the week.

 

[DisneyWall-E]

You can also buy a filter water bottle. Brita has one for sale and one called a Bobble at Target, also I saw Walmart selling one in the camping section in sporting goods. Ice water is also free at any location. And as a general rule lunches are less expensive than dinners. DW and I always brought a cooler with some milk and yogert in it. Ice machines are at every resort.

 

[Gracy_hm]

If you have dining plan you can do your price goal. For us I spend in average $388 per person perday But that includes Spa treatments hair cuts at GF, Dress for my lady and all tips and meals

 

[Mikester71]

I'm in a similar situation (party of 3) and estimated $80 avg. per meal, $50/day for park, plus whatever you want to spend on souvenirs. So $2900 plus souvenirs. That would be your high estimate.

Ways to save -

1) Eat breakfast in your room - cereal, breakfast bars, pop tarts, far less expensive.

2) One big meal a day - lunch or dinner, your choice. Make it a table service and splurge.

3) Bring your own water/water bottles. Water costs a lot at WDW. Enough said.

4) Browse before you buy.

Cheers,
Indy

Sadly we did all four and STILL ended up spending a crazy amount on our 10 day trip a couple of weeks ago. :brick:

 

[Mikester71]

For the four of us on our recent 10 day trip to WDW, staying at Pop Century and eating most of our suppers there, we must have spent minimum $40-60 a day on food and snacks. And that was eating breakfast in our room (cereal, toast, etc.) and bringing our own water and using our resort refillable mugs every day. I was saying to my wife that I don't think we have ever spent this much on food, snacks, treats, drinks in the past (we have been going every 2 years during Spring Break in March). We figure something crazy like 80% of our spending money went just on food alone. Plus, we all bought a few souvenirs (t-shirts and such). I would say we easily spent over $1000 during those 10 days in WDW.

 

[wannabeBelle]

Pricing on the food in Disney is not insignificant. To help minimize unexpected costs, I definitely recommend the dining plan, any one of them. In most cases it is at least a break even, if not a slight savings. If you prefer at least one sit down meal, the regular Plus Dining plan should work out well. That plan is roughly $46.00 per adult per night of your stay. That includes one snack, one counter service meal and one table service meal per person. The Counter Service meal and the Table Service meals do include a soft drink and dessert. This does not include gratuities or any side items or appetizers though. Still a great deal and as I said in most cases at least a break even and food wont be a concern any longer in terms of budgeting. Hope this is helpful! Marie

 

[YankeeMouse]

At counter service, you can always ask for, for example, the burger without the fries. That is not shown as an option on the menu, but if it gets taken off, it saves a couple of bucks. We always ask for water in a cup, and if there is any kind of topping bar, you can get lemons, add sugar and make lemonade. Better for the heat and hydrating factor than pop anyway.

 

[plaz10]

We always ask for water in a cup, and if there is any kind of topping bar, you can get lemons, add sugar and make lemonade. Better for the heat and hydrating factor than pop anyway.

Also you could take those packets of lemonade/iced tea powder made by Crystal Light and put them in your free water. I think a box of 14 is like 3 bucks? They made a generic wal mart brand I believe thats even cheaper. Carry around a few packets a day and instant lemonade/iced tea. They have a bunch of flavors besides those 2...apple juice, grape, cherry, etc...Saves some money!

 

[MITCH 112198]

We always have the free dining plan w/ table service but still allow for about $100.00 a day to spend. we stay 9 days. thats why it is called vacation, and we go every year w/ 2 kids.

 

[Michael Hall]

Do lunch for your table service as it is cheaper than dinner. Same basic menus. Have a great trip.:wave:

 

[IndyDisney]

Sadly we did all four and STILL ended up spending a crazy amount on our 10 day trip a couple of weeks ago. :brick:

And that's why I recommend the dining plan. I haven't even been on a trip using the dining plan yet (first one in July), but am such an advocate of it already. I see it as a break even (except that we just got a free dining pin to use, so, um, yeah), but the real advantage of it is that your food is paid for. Yes there will be some incidentals, but the fact I don't have to either carry absurd amounts of cash or whip out the CC all the time is great, plus the lack of stressing over "whether we have enough budgeted to do 'x' or eat at 'y'" makes the trip more enjoyable. Last year's 3 day trip was kind of sticker shock at the meal prices once it was all said and done. None of that this year.

Cheers,
Indy

 

[wannabeBelle]

Exactly so Indy. Just not worth the stress when a lot can be included with one of the DIning plans. Marie

 

[WDW 3]

My problem with the dining plan is all the reservations. I hate planning where we are going to be and when we are going to eat 180 days before we leave. Quick service plan, not too excited about that either. I make a couple (4 tops) ADR's for a 10 day trip.

 

[Susan Savia]

We bring water bottles with us and plenty of snacks. Eat our breakfast in our room and some mornings swing into McDonalds for a egg sandwich. We either skip lunch and get a nice dinner outsiide of the parks in the evening (Golden Corral, Western Sizzlin, etc.) or have lunch (counter service) in one of the parks and skip dinner. We're always full the rest of the day after lunch. Food for a day runs about $45 for 3 of us. Prefer to not make reservations for park restaurants because making a reservation 6 months out, we really dont' know where we will be at any given time or feel like eating. I pretty much purchase the same items each year...a dated magnet, a dated photo album, one tee shirt, two pearls from Japan and a few gifts to take home for the following years Christmas.

 

[metallicaham]

I plan and plan to the nth level. So much so, that I have taken a reasonable guess at what we will order when we go in August. We have been on the dining plan for the last three years. The value of the food we will order is worth around $925, and consists of one sit down, one counter service, and one snack per day for each of four people. This includes five character meals, lunch at Le Cellier, & dinner at San Angel, plus we will utilize the snacks similarly as we would if we were not on the plan (tour until your thirsty and get a frozen drink). We would skimp if we were not on the plan but not too much. Then there is souvenirs. We always hit World of Disney first to get a gage on everything sold at Disney World. That said, we allow for about $20 per day for each of our children, and about $250 in total for each of us adults. We only go about every year or two, so we tend to save up for the experience. So, some math, based on the way we do it:

Meals for 4 $750 (backed off the total above to include only 2 sit downs)
Souvenirs $780
Tips $50

Total $1580

Divided by 7 days = $225 per day to eat and play in Disney World Exclusive.