Interesting break down of a cost for a WDW trip (fam of 4)

The Points Guy has a break down of the cost of a trip to WDW for a family of 4 for a week. The trip on a budget has total food under $600 for a family of 4? I don’t know if that’s possible, is it?

Cost for a Disney World family trip on a budget: approximately $3,200 to $3,600

How much does a Walt Disney World vacation cost? (thepointsguy.com)

Cost for a Disney World family trip on a moderate budget: $4,800 to $5,200.

Cost for a Disney World family trip on a high-end budget: $8,500 to $9,300

Yeah, that would be a stretch I think. Maybe if they’re keeping some basics in the room and packing sandwiches, snacks, etc.?

We’ve had times where we’ve spent that much per day for our family :grimacing:

2 Likes

I agree, the least I’ve spent on a day for food for 2 adults, 2 children was $100. I think we did two QS that day. I try to budget $200 a day fir food alone knowing it will vary. And we usually get breakfast, which is cheaper, but a family preference

1 Like

There was a similar breakdown on the DFB you tube channel. I think it’s a big stretch that a family of 4 can eat for under $600/day. That’s all QS and maybe even brown bagging some meals. Over the weekend DH and I were looking at the cost of a resale contract at BC and then decided to calculate the cost of just the room (not the whole vacation) for an upcoming trip we want to take with his brothers, sister and mom. The cost of the rooms (1 two bdrm, 3 deluxe studios) for that trip alone is half the total cost of a 250 point contract. A contract we can then continue to use for the next 20 years. I totally get why Disney is a once a lifetime vacation for so many.

4 Likes

I think it is doable if you bring in food and drinks and just buy snacks. That works out to $21.43 per person per day.

1 Like

Not when a hot dog and bag of chips (no drink) is $10.99 at MK.

1 Like

Cost of food $600? They have it listed as $20 per day. Unrealistic for an adult. It would cover a couple of QS meals for the kids. I count any food, including groceries, in my food budget. Doesn’t sound like they are doing that.

1 Like

Last August, we bought $100 in groceries delivered to the room. I wouldn’t be surprised if we managed under $600 but there were only three of us. We ate one meal in the parks and the rest was our own food.

2 Likes

Lol assuming no after hours party for $1000

1 Like

Doable? Absolutely. We used to pull off food for our family (out of necessity) with 4 kids more cheaply than that. We budgeted for one snack in the parks per day, and mostly brought our food into the parks with us. Breakfast and dinner we ate outside the parks.

Enjoyable? Not as much. But being at Disney on a budget is better than not going to Disney at all.

But $600 for a family of four for a week? Easy peasy.

4 Likes

If you aren’t eating any QS or TS, yes you could. But they list QS options as part of that $600. If you are doing QS meals, no, I don’t think $600 is enough for today’s Disney prices.

1 Like

Even with QS you can do it easily. No problem whatsoever.

1 Like

I don’t prefer to even look at our bottom line.

:face_vomiting:

3 Likes

Your family must not eat much because that would never cover my family for QS. We have 5 people and even if you would give us another $100, it would not be sufficient. We do other vacations where we do a lot more cooking and packing and I typically need at least $1000 for a week long vacation. My very skinny kids and DH eat a lot. It’s worse now that my twins are 13.

2 Likes

You don’t just eat the QS…but you supplement with food and snacks you bring in.

It is easy to spend a lot on food, and if you aren’t used to eating on a tight budget at Disney, you might not realize how easy it can be.

We don’t spend that little nowadays. But we used to probably spend half that.

4 Likes

I have my doubts if eating QS daily. I think that $250 in groceries could go a long way, covering all breakfasts and snacks for a week, but a daily QS is easily 50+/day for a family of four, so that’s 600 total already over 7 days, without counting dinners. We’ve done around $600 for a 5 day trip, but we eat very little due to some health issues in the family.

3 Likes

Interesting…. I mean maybe

Absolutely if you’re not eating in the parks. 20/person/day Would be hard for me to fill up on. I eat more at Disney because I’m burning more calories. A Ronto Wrap, a meal he suggest, is just not enough food for a meal on its own. Maybe a ronto wrap + a protein bar, I could do

2 Likes

@ryan1 is a mathemagican if he can feed a family of 4 for a week at wdw for under $600. I’d love to hear your cost cutting magic BC everyone likes to save money. present day me Is more like @OBNurseNH and I don’t look at it.

We spent $150 on groceries for 10 days at Aulani and also spent that much on one QS meal at the resort for 3 adults (a few times) Brunch for 2 of us at Olivia’s (sat) was $38 before tip and I thought that was a deal. But 2 weeks ago it was $48 for 2 of us at Casey’s. If Ryan says it can be done I’ll believe him but I wouldn’t want to have to try it.

2 Likes

Back in the days of purchasing partially used tickets at sketchy Orlando outlets and free hotels for timeshare presentations my mom would get us down there on our lower middle class budget for next to nothing. We’d drive the 12 hours, go to a grocery store and eat PBJ or fast food outside the parks all week. That was the only way we could go. She was the OG. I can’t wait to show her fancy disney, though she will probably just scoff at the people “with more money than sense” :rofl:

9 Likes

I remember when McDonald’s outside the park was cheaper than eating QS inside but not anymore. The one on property has jacked up prices now