Money for meals

[Frog]

How much money do you budget per person for meals a day? Has anyone broke it down per meal?

[MississippiDisneyFreak]

Well, we do dining plan which makes it easier. If you aren't doing that, it would depend on whether you are eating TS and QS or just sticking to QS....

[Frog]

Well, on our two previous trips, we did the Dining Plan... And our family loves the convenience of having everything pretty much prepaid... but we were considering staying at the Swan or Dolphin on our next trip... You don't get to participate in the DDP option when you stay at these venues... So I am gathering info on what and how much money we would need to budget for such an instance... I know my fellow Intercoties would have lots of information to share!

[brivers222]

i would suggest an excel sheet listing where you would like to dine (as stated above, CS or TS) and then look through the menus and gather the prices. Add up the appetizers, entrees, drinks and desserts you think party members will enjoy at each place and then multiply by 1.245 (if doing 18% tip) or by 1.065 (if just paying CS).

Honestly thats the best way to ball park your exact amount... buffets are the easiest because it's a set price per person regardless of what they eat.

To many variables to give a real number. Ficticiously around $20 a meal per adult TS is about right...

[QTPie68]

We like to to eat, that is for sure!

We always do a breakfast CS at our resort, then usually a CS lunch and TS dinner (although sometimes it might be TS lunch and then CS dinner at resort). For my upcoming trip I priced out all of the meals (estimate) of what we would spend, plus tax and tip to use to see how much the dinning plan might save me. With dining plan, a savings (estimate since I cannot tell EXACTLY what we will order, but have a good idea) of $80 - $100. That is for two hungry adults. My whole budget for the 7-day trip, and this includes dining at the airport too, is $1,000.

Yes, we could eat less than that and save a little, but I always like to plan for more and if I don't eat the whole CS breakfast and have a muffin, then I might have a little extra left over for something else.

[MississippiDisneyFreak]

I would say at least $10 to $15 per counter service (that's with drinks) and $30 to $50 per TS depending on where you eat....so at least $50 per person per day