How to budget for family dining at Disney World

Disney World vacation

Editor’s note: This is the final installment in a six-part Q&A series on “Bringing the kids to Disney World” with Jonas Lehmann-Karp, of The Walt Disney World Moms Panel.

Q: How much per day would a family of 4 spend on meals and snacks in the park?

A: There are a number of incredible food options in the parks, from grab-‘n’-go to counter service to full-service, sit-down restaurants. Eating at Disney World is a treat, but it also can be an expense. Planning a generic budget is difficult as everyone’s food needs are different. Generally speaking, a family of vegetarians probably can probably eat out for a lot less than a family of professional wrestlers. And of course, there are also tricks and ways to “cut corners” to eat for less, such as by replacing meals with a cereal or snack bar, skipping meals, eating extremely light or by sharing plates. The most accurate way to budget your expected dining expenses for a family vacation at Disney World is to plan out several meals in advance by looking at the menus, including prices, that Disney and other Web sites post online.

With those caveats and tricks aside, and without taking into account some of the great deals and packages out there, like the Disney Dining Plan or Tables in Wonderland, I’ll give you an answer based on my family of four, which consists of two adults and two boys. Such a family could generally expect to spend anywhere between $70 to $200 or more for a full day of eating at Disney World, a figure that includes breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks.

On most mornings, we grab a pastry and coffee at the resort or park which runs about $20 for a family of four. That being said, once per family vacation, we usually choose to enjoy a character breakfast, which can run a family of four about $90, including tax and gratuity.

For lunch, my family usually eats at a counter-service restaurant. Generally, we find that it costs about $35 for a family of four to eat a counter service meal, which includes two adults meals and drinksand two kids meals (which generally include the entrée, two sides and a drink). Another option is to grab a famous turkey leg lunch from a stand or cart. These turkey legs are so massive that my boys can share one and be satisfied. The cost of three turkey legs and drinks should cost under $25. Alternatively, you can eat lunch at a sit-down restaurant. While likely more expensive than a counter service lunch, Disney restaurants usually provide lunch menus with smaller prices and portions.

For dinner, you can eat at a counter-service restaurant. However, usually my family chooses to eat at a sit-down restaurant so we can regroup, connect, and talk about our day. Disney offers a range of options for a sit-down meal from relaxed to ultra fancy. A basic dinner of burgers, kids meals, and drinks may run from about $50 or more including tax and tip for a family of four. Should your family want to enjoy appetizers, fancier entrees, wine, and dessert, don’t be surprised if the bill for a family of four starts to run at least $100 or higher.

For snacks, I would budget about $10-15 per day. You can find various snacks around the parks, including fresh fruit, popcorn, and the famous Mickey Ice Cream Bar, which all run a few dollars each.