OVERVIEW
The first section gives ways to reduce food spending on your Walt Disney World vacation; the second addresses those who can’t sign up for the Disney Magic Your Way Plus Dining plan
YOU CAN’T AFFORD THIS AMOUNT OF MONEY ON FOOD
You can save about $735 compared to the recommended food budget, but at the cost of missing much of the best of Walt Disney World. Adding a little of the best back in lets you save $415 compared to the recommended food budget while still enjoying some of the most family-friendly meals.
The basic itinerary has you eating in Orlando 7 breakfasts, 9 lunches (including one brunch), and 8 dinners.
This includes the Disney “Magic Your Way Plus Dining” plan, 5 sit-down meals outside of the plan*, and four breakfasts in your room. Of all these meals, 6 are character meals,** one is a dinner show—the Hoop Dee Doo Revue—and one is a musical brunch—the Gospel Brunch at the House of Blues.
The total food cost for this in the budget is about $525 per person for people ten or older, and about $245 for those younger than ten. The modeled family, with 2 adults and 2 children, one younger than ten and one older, will spend about $1820 on food and snacks.
If you can’t afford this level of spending, you could save $735, without disrupting your itineraries, but at the loss of the best that Disney World has to offer.
You can bring the food budget down to from $525 to $280 per person 10 and older. (Per person costs for kids younger than ten stay the same–because the dining plan is so cheap for those ages.) Tactically, the way this works is that
- You don’t sign up for the dining plan
- You eat all of your 17 lunches and dinners at Walt Disney World counter service establishments, at an average per meal of $12.50 for those ten or older, and $10.50 for younger than ten.
- You eat all your 7 breakfasts in your room, at an average of about $2.50 per meal per person
- You buy a refillable mug per person for about $15
- You spend an additional $5 per person per day on snacks.
You could supplement this with two or three special events and still be below the modeled food budget, without losing so much of what Walt Disney World has to offer.
For example, you could attend Cinderella’s Royal Table lunch, breakfast at Chef Mickey’s, and the Hoop Dee Doo Revue dinner show, and still be below the recommended food budget by about $415.
YOU CAN’T GET ON THE MAGIC YOUR WAY PLUS DINING PLAN
If you can’t get on the dining plan, then I recommend taking the basic approach above and filling out your itinerary with special meals. See the itineraries themselves for my suggested meals, and if needed revise based on this page.
If you do all the meals I direct in the itinerary, but pay cash for them all, you will spend quite a bit more than if you were on the dining plan. I can’t give an exact figure as it depends on what you order. Expect for planning purposes to spend at least $50-75 more per day.
*Rainforest Café in Downtown Disney; Cinderella’s Royal Table at the Magic Kingdom, the Whispering Canyon Café at the Wilderness Lodge, Chef Mickey’s at the Contemporary Resort, and the Gospel Brunch at the House of Blues
**Cinderella, Chef Mickey’s, Akershus Banquet at Norway in Epcot, Liberty Tree Tavern in the Magic Kingdom, 1900 Park Fare at the Grand Floridian, the Crystal Palace at the Magic Kingdom.
DINING LINKS
- How to Eat
- What if You Can’t do the Dining Plan?
- Where to Eat
- Dining Alternatives
- The Comprehensive Guide to Walt Disney World Dining
- Character Meals and Dinner Shows Ranked in Order
- Table Service Meals at the Parks Ranked in Order
- Table Service Meals at the Resorts Ranked in Order
