One of the things to budget for your Disney World vacation is food. Especially without a dining plan, having a food budget in place is important to know just how much you need to cover this expense. Today we are diving into menus and numbers to see just how much to budget per person for food!
Cosmic Ray’s Menu (Magic Kingdom)
The first step to creating your Disney food budget it to browse menus. All Disney World menus can be easily accessed on the My Disney Experience app (or viewed online). Look at the items and what your family may want to eat, then simply add up how much your meal will cost. This will give you a general idea of how to set your food budget.
The Numbers
Disney entrees for adult, quick-service (lunch and dinner) typically start at $10.00 each, and upwards from there. A fountain drink will add $3.99. See the family of four scenario below.
Family of 4 (2 Adults, 2 Kids) at Cosmic Ray’s:
Adults Meals: $11.99 x2
Fountain Drinks: $3.99×2
Kids Meals (comes w/a drink): $6.69 x2
Total: $45.34 + tax (drink water instead and pay just $37.36 + tax)
Family of 4 (2 Adults, 2 Kids) at Kona Café (Polynesian Village Resort)
Adults Meals: $18.00 + $21.00
Non-Alcoholic Specialty Lemonades: $5.49×2
Kids Meals (comes w/a drink): $10.00 x2
Total: $69.98 + tip/tax (drink water instead and pay just $59.00 + tip/tax)
Your budget will vary greatly on your taste in foods. For instance dining on sandwiches and chicken nuggets will obviously stretch your budget further than seafood or steak menu items. For snack items, I recommend budgeting $5.00/per person. Character meals can be upwards of $150-$200 per family. Other factors to consider are dessert and alcohol purchases.
There are ways to save on your food budget such as packing snacks and breakfast items for your Resort room. Also consider sharing meals and snacks between 2 people.
How much to budget per person?
I would budget $45-$50 per quick service and $75-$100 per sit-down meal for a family of 4 (not including a Character meal). Add in $20.00 for 4 snacks and an additional $20-$30 for a light breakfast/extra drinks.
With these numbers, budget $160-$200 or $40-$50 per person per day.
How much do you budget for food daily?
Also Read: 10 Fast Food Restaurants Located Near Disney World
Learn more about Walt Disney World Dining and get suggestions for where to eat, how to use the Disney Dining Plan and more.
