In park budget for family of 4?

buttercup3

buttercup3

Mouseketeer
Joined
Sep 14, 2015
Hi! We are driving from Arizona and will be in the parks at the beginning of December.
We already have park tickets, don't plan to do photopass and won't be doing any table service dining. We also aren't huge souvenir people but our kids will probably each get some light up something or other!
We are a family of 4 and our kids are 7 and 4. We'll have 4 full days in the parks.
How much do you usually budget for spending and meals?
 
You can look at the menus to see where you might want to eat and the cost.
I have found there really isn't much price difference between CS and TS. So I'll book a reservation for one meal a day in the parks.

Breakfast is usually something fast and simple to eat while in line for park opening.

I pack a few protein bars and candy snacks for each day, along with water bottles.
 
Back when my kids were young and money was much tighter, I would bring in snack food for my kids--energy bars, crackers, fruit snacks, hard boiled eggs. We ate breakfast at the hotel (from our fridge if they didn't offer anything), didn't buy more than 1 drink a day (for the adults--coffee); 1 food treat for the kids; had cs and my husband and I would often split something like the chicken at Rancho del Zocalo. Food was not a significant part of the budget.

I now do DLR very differently with at least 1 ts a day, specialty coffee drinks; yummy treats; a cocktail at DCA and specialty dinners like WOC at CC and BB. My meal budget is much larger. I think Geemo's recommendation to check menus makes sense--then you can budget what works for you and how much you would like to spend.

I gave each child a set amount to spend for the whole trip--like $25.00--and they had fun looking at different things and deciding what to buy. I also like the idea of some parents on the board who do some pre shopping for Disney souvenirs and clothes to give their children before and during the trip.
 
For food on our most recent trip, we spent about $140/day for our family of 5. That was all meals and snacks in the parks. We carried water bottles, but would get lemonade or specialty coffee with meals.

Souvenirs, we spent about $350 throughout the trip.
 


It really depends how much you eat in the park. Regular meals are expensive, whether TS or CS. A counter service meal for a family of 4 can easily cost $60. Our TS meals were around $80 plus tip, but we usually got an appetizer when we did TS. If each person gets one snack during the day, you're looking at another $12 to $20 depending on what you get. We spent more in DCA because they serve alcohol and DH cannot sit down at a restaurant without ordering a beer! :confused3

Just getting ice water instead of drinks saves quite a bit. Soft drinks or lemonade are about $3.50 each, so a family of 4 could spend $28 a day just buying one drink per family member at two meals!

We gave our kids $50 each to spend for souvenirs ($25 per park), plus everyone got a pin, which was another $50 or so. DH and I spent about $150 on souvenirs, but that included a $75 60th anniversary Pandora bead.

Anyway, I think we spent about $200 a day overall.
 
Spending can have a pretty big range. I'm not crazy about spending a ton of money on food and souvenir. While I didn't add it up on a daily basis, here is what we did:
* Had breakfast in the hotel each morning including our coffee (so we never bought this meal)
* Brought a bag with sweatshirts, sunscreen, water bottles, snacks, and meal supplements (applesauce pouches, carrot sticks)
* We traveled with two 4-year olds, did all QS/CS, and we often split meals, like the kids would share a meal, DH and I each get our own and share the extra bag of chips with the kids or if not as hungry, we'd split one too. We usually bought 2 treats per day to share among us (Mickey rice crispy treat, milk shake, churro).
* Spent $100 on souvenirs for the whole trip (each kid got to pick out one item and we got a small family item)
 
CS kids meals are $8-9, adult meals are $11-12. Add $4 if an adult orders a drink. I'm not sure about the current price of breakfast, as I'm not a fan of what they offer. Snacks are $4-5 per item, for the most part. You can save some by bringing snacks, but then you also want to try some park items.
 


$0 for our family...or at least we try. We buy packable breakfast items from the grocery story: yogurt, granola, nuts, fruit, bagels, etc. We leave the park for lunch, rest at lodging, and grab an early dinner before heading back for the evening, making sure to bring a few snacks in case anyone gets hungry before bed. Realistically, we'll do a dinner or two in the Park at one on the counter service places. Even if you share meals, plan on $100+ per.
 
Too much. We share, because I hate to waste food, but don't budget much. Cocktails by the pool and one really nice dinner are usually on the agenda.
 
disneyfirsttimer18 said:
For food on our most recent trip, we spent about $140/day for our family of 5. That was all meals and snacks in the parks. We carried water bottles, but would get lemonade or specialty coffee with meals.

Souvenirs, we spent about $350 throughout the trip.
Click to expand...
We spent about 125 a day when we were a family of 4. Now, family of 5, one being a 2.5 year old, we will have a $150 budget.
My girls loved tigger tails from pooh corner and churros for treats.
We split plaza inn chicken and the girls split the grilled cheese at the jolly holiday. They loved the pbj from carnation cafe.
We do bring water and small snacks into the park b/c all 3 of my girls are grazers.
 
You guys are so helpful!! I found the menus and prices on the Disney app and started to make a mock eating plan. This will be our first time going with 2 meal eating aged kids, and the first time without my husband's parents who generously picked up the food tabs on our last visit!
Thanks for the tips and insights!!
 
My parents got my girls a gift card for $50 each to spend while we were there. They didn't have to buy treats, but the rule was it has to fit in the backpack they carry on the plane.
 
BriannaRuth said:
We spent more in DCA because they serve alcohol and DH cannot sit down at a restaurant without ordering a beer! :confused3
Click to expand...

Well I do definitely plan to have a few specialty drinks in DCA! A trip to Rita's and a Red's freeze from the Cozy Cone are on my list!!
 
I always go with the best intentions on saving a little money on snacks and meals by bringing some stuff with us, but it never works out that way. There are just so many yummy things that you can only get at the park that I hate to miss out on the experience! Where else can you get chili in a cone? A Boysen-apple freeze? Five different, unique flavored popcorns, all fresh? (I had the pizza popcorn this year and it was surprisingly yummy.) Just makes the granola I packed look very boring.
 
Probably around 150 per day for the four of you. Don't forget you can bring in snacks to save a few bucks and also go to downtown Disney for snacks. Wetzel's pretzels are a pretty awesome snack in downtown disneyland.

And don't forget at Plaza Inn get the fried chicken. My wife and I order one plate of fried chicken and an extra side of mash potatoes and extra biscuit. We share the fried chicken between us and that fills us both up. It's a lot of food and we save a few bucks.
 
buttercup3 said:
You guys are so helpful!! I found the menus and prices on the Disney app and started to make a mock eating plan. This will be our first time going with 2 meal eating aged kids, and the first time without my husband's parents who generously picked up the food tabs on our last visit!
Thanks for the tips and insights!!
Click to expand...
Allears has good menus.
 
ehrawn said:
$0 for our family...or at least we try. We buy packable breakfast items from the grocery story: yogurt, granola, nuts, fruit, bagels, etc. We leave the park for lunch, rest at lodging, and grab an early dinner before heading back for the evening, making sure to bring a few snacks in case anyone gets hungry before bed. Realistically, we'll do a dinner or two in the Park at one on the counter service places. Even if you share meals, plan on $100+ per.
Click to expand...
For me, I enjoy various places in the park. We will generally eat 2 meals around the park, and a snack. My daughter and I both like Carnation Cafe or Rancho del Zoccolo for breakfast. When it is just the 2 of us, I know it will run me about $24 for breakfast at Ranch for 2 and $31 at Carnation. Late lunch/early dinner we enjoy so many places.

Even when my kids were younger (8 and up) when I would ask "Where would you like to stay on our next Disneyland trip?" the answer was the same from all the kids. "Where ever is cheap enough we can eat more in the park." A few years ago (5?) I would allocate $150 a day for food, plus extra on days I knew we had extra expenditures (ie character meal, special meal) for 6 people and I would find I rarely used it all. But we do share meals simply because it is always so much food!!
 
Malcon10t said:
For me, I enjoy various places in the park. We will generally eat 2 meals around the park, and a snack. My daughter and I both like Carnation Cafe or Rancho del Zoccolo for breakfast. When it is just the 2 of us, I know it will run me about $24 for breakfast at Ranch for 2 and $31 at Carnation. Late lunch/early dinner we enjoy so many places.

Even when my kids were younger (8 and up) when I would ask "Where would you like to stay on our next Disneyland trip?" the answer was the same from all the kids. "Where ever is cheap enough we can eat more in the park." A few years ago (5?) I would allocate $150 a day for food, plus extra on days I knew we had extra expenditures (ie character meal, special meal) for 6 people and I would find I rarely used it all. But we do share meals simply because it is always so much food!!
Click to expand...
Prices have gone up so much in the past few years.
 
tarheelalum said:
Wetzel's pretzels are a pretty awesome snack in downtown disneyland.
Click to expand...

I forgot they have a Wetzel's! We were planning on having dinner at the Rainforest Cafe our first night, but honestly my kids like Wetzel's so much they might be fine with that! More money for in the parks! Haha!

Malcon10t said:
But we do share meals simply because it is always so much food!!
Click to expand...

I do remember that we rarely finished a meal! I do love that about Disney. Now here's hoping we're all in the mood for the same things! Except I won't be having any of my hubby's clam chowder. Nor will I be sharing a single bite of any of my corn dogs!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page


GET A DISNEY VACATION QUOTE

Dreams Unlimited Travel is committed to providing you with the very best vacation planning experience possible. Our Vacation Planners are experts and will share their honest advice to help you have a magical vacation.

Let us help you with your next Disney Vacation!


New DISboards Threads

Jimsig
4-13-24 Brightline Trip From MCO to MIA
Replies
0
Views
1
Jimsig
Jimsig
wdw4rfam
Joy meet and greet?
Replies
0
Views
1
wdw4rfam
wdw4rfam
R
Favorite Park Bag?
Replies
3
Views
26
NYCgrrl
N
Sparrow'sLady
Photopass Discount?
Replies
2
Views
38
Sparrow'sLady
Sparrow'sLady
P
Sanaa early seating?
Replies
2
Views
36
CarolynFH
CarolynFH
SL6827
Has Wal-Mart ever managed your order like this?
Replies
5
Views
62
tinkerbellandpeterpan
T
NEWS & UPDATES
REQUEST A QUOTE
DISCOUNTS



Latest posts







facebook twitter
Top