View Full Version : How much cheaper staying in a villa
we stayed onsite last year for 16 nights and only had a car for one of those weeks, we found we pretty much ate onsite/DTD all the time, bar a couple of meals offsite and a couple of breakfasts in the room. I think on average we spent about $150 per day on food, drinks and snacks.
Next year we are doing 21 nights in a villa[clap] and was wondering if we budgeted the same amount per day will we be okay. I will still doa few onsite meals, but we will mainly eat ot offsite restaurants, have breakfasts and occasional BBQ's, lunches, snacks in villa, plus of course we will be able to take our own water and stuff to the parks rather than buying it.
How many of you are there suzanne?
LiesaAnna
16-02-2006, 20:34
you can spend as much or as little as you want when you have a villa, as we are lucky to be able to cook and use fridges and the freezer so can buy bulk from wonderful places such as walmart and publix etc, sometimes we get a bit bored with eating out, so its nice to have a few meals at the villa!! would hate to forget how to cook![msnwink][msnwink] was thinking of 21 nights next year as we are missing a holiday this year!!
sorry, we are 2 adults and 2 kids (aged 5 and 3)
chrizzy100
16-02-2006, 20:45
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by zazu
we stayed onsite last year for 16 nights and only had a car for one of those weeks, we found we pretty much ate onsite/DTD all the time, bar a couple of meals offsite and a couple of breakfasts in the room. I think on average we spent about $150 per day on food, drinks and snacks.
Next year we are doing 21 nights in a villa[clap] and was wondering if we budgeted the same amount per day will we be okay. I will still doa few onsite meals, but we will mainly eat ot offsite restaurants, have breakfasts and occasional BBQ's, lunches, snacks in villa, plus of course we will be able to take our own water and stuff to the parks rather than buying it.
[/quote]
We find it cheaper to eat out...and I'm not cooking on holiday for anyone...[msnwink]..we freeze water to take to the parks to keep it cool longer...for 4 we spend way under $150 a day...just be careful you don't fall into the trap of buying to much in the supermarket when you get there....we are always getting the left overs from people going home...me and my daughter spent 2 weeks in FL and spent nothing on food...people in the holiday villa's were bring it too us when they left by the ton...we have stuff still in our freezer for our next trip...[msncool]
Yes have to concur with you there Chrizzy, we don't eat in much either however we do have breakfast in quite a few days, only because we can't be bothered getting out.
That said, if you do need to trim your spending a bit, you can buy fantastic staeaks and stuff very cheaply and do a really nice barbeque dinner for you all, and with a few bottles of vino and key lime pie around the pool, it's hardly slumming it.[msnwink].
chrizzy100
16-02-2006, 20:58
I want to get a BBQ....it is a cheap and easy meal...and one best left to the men to cook....[msnsmile2]
Even at home...we eat out most of the time...or buy take outs.... food is cheaper that way....I have friends here who have no idea how to boil water...
In 2 years my oven in FL has been turned on once...and that was my mum...we just make sure nothing is living in it when we go down to FL...[msnsmile2]
Ah now, we are different. We love eating out, but also I just love shopping for food when we are at our villas. I just love Publix supermarket for all the fresh food and the ready made stuff. This last trip discovered their brilliant sub rolls stuffed with ham, cheese, salads of all sorts - perfect beside the pool for lunch with a glass of something cold. Then we find it's easy to pick up lots of stuff for a buffet style meal which the kids can all request their USA favourites for. Then of course there's takeaways - we have had some great Chinese food delivered and pizzas. But then with so many gorgeous restaurants................. there is just never enough time in Florida for all the options!!![msnwink][msnsmile2]
steph_goodrum
16-02-2006, 23:36
I reckon Suzanne that with the ages of your children you may be able to cut it to around $50 a day in the parks for snacks and what you buy at the villa.
As your children are still young I would imagine a whole day in the parks at once would be a bit tiring so you may well all benefit from nipping back to the villa in the early afternoon when its quite warm to be walking round (depending on when you are going) and let the little ones have a nap and some lunch, maybe a swim before heading back early evening , meaning they are more likely to enjoy the fireworks in the evening. It means you can have a leisurely swim whilst they have a nap and recharge your batteries as well.
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Hi,
We tend to do a mixture of both depending on what we have done in the day. Sometimes after a really hectic day at the Parks its nice to come back and order some food (I can recommend Domino's Pizza delivery - quick, good prices & very tasty!), or call at Walmart & pick up a cooked chicken and some chicken strips for the kids.
There are so many good restaurants in Orlando, most of them at very reasonable prices, you are spoilt for choice.
We are a family of 4 and wouldn't normally spend that much per day on food & drink. Although we do tend to eat breakfast and sometimes lunch by the side of the pool.
The Orlando Villas website has a great link - Florida Guide, this has many articles on Dining Out. You can also get most of the restauraunt menus with prices on the internet - this will give you an idea of how much meals will cost you.
Don't forget the portions at most places are huge, and sometimes 1 meal between 2 young children would be enough. The staff are always happy to oblige with extra plates etc.
Have a wonderful vacation !
chrizzy100
17-02-2006, 00:07
Subways $2.49 for a 6 inch can't be bad...a different sub every day....eat their healthy option...go on holiday and lose weigh...you can't get a better deal...:)
steph_goodrum
17-02-2006, 00:28
My husband likes Subway but not everyday, being a builder he says he has sandwiches 48 weeks of the year on a daily basis so when he's on holiday wants a change.
I would say that on $150 a day you will be well in. We spend less than that for a family of 5, and my boys are 16/13/11.
You will have plenty left for additional shopping.
One of the great advantages of a villa is the flexability it gives you.
You will save tons of money - I have done both hols, stayed in Disney once while villa being built -I was so fed up of packing bags to go to the pool, eating the same old stuff - not enjoyable by the end. Now in your own villa, you can watch the kids having fun in the pool, let them get their own drinks and ice creams without queuing for them , and generally relax. Its nice to be able to have a bowl of cereal in the morning and get out early - you spend valuable fun time stuck in restaurants :D THen when all the park restaurants are filling up, come back to the pool, stop off for some take away, or call in publix, get some subs or chicken dippers or whatever ,and get back to the villa, with your feet in the pool in no time. Work on the tan, and go back later see the fireworks, do the rides, and call for a meal, or come back for a sandwich and flop in a comfy bed. Bliss. No packing bags for long days, no maid disrupting you getting into your room, no queueing for drinks, no hassle just freedom to enjoy it all!! You will never go back!!
We just buy things like TGI chicken wings and mozerella sticks to have in the freezer in case we get hungry while we are at "home"
Otherwise we eat out - which is not expensive even with 6 of us [msnsmile2]
Cruella DeVilla
17-02-2006, 17:13
I'ts also the flexability staying in a villa gives you all round, I hate staying in hotels when we go somewhere else other than Florida, it is everyones elses inconsideration I can't stand.
For example a guest having their yappy poodle in the breakfact area on a chair when people are looking for places to sit and another owner wandering around the buffet with dog under arm, of course it was not for long when I noticed both of these incidents! Shouting and banging in the easly hours, misbehaving at the pool swearing and being loutish and that is just the kids[msneek]
chrizzy100
17-02-2006, 17:17
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by steph_goodrum
My husband likes Subway but not everyday, being a builder he says he has sandwiches 48 weeks of the year on a daily basis so when he's on holiday wants a change.
[/quote]
Food is the biggest let down once you live in the US...you go out to eat and everything is in a bun...you eat at home...well if you like steak you'll do OK...but apart from that everything costs the earth...[msnsad]
freddiehollie
18-02-2006, 11:18
Its amazing when I talk to the americans how they say how
expensive things are. They should come to the UK and see
how expensive things are here. I suppose its all relevant
things will be dearer in other countries, but not so much
in the States in my experience[msnsmile2][msnsmile2]
markandpam
18-02-2006, 12:41
I went to a Sleuth night and got chatting to some other visitors to Orlando. They were from Kansas and couldn't believe how expensive things were in Orlando, said food was at least a third more than back home.
Pam.
LiesaAnna
18-02-2006, 13:25
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by chrizzy100
Subways $2.49 for a 6 inch can't be bad...a different sub every day....eat their healthy option...go on holiday and lose weigh...you can't get a better deal...:)
[/quote]
these are £3.00 i think here, i love them but dont have very often!!!
florida4sun
18-02-2006, 13:34
Most subways do these for 1.99. My brother ownsa very succesful subway franchise in england.
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by LiesaAnna
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by chrizzy100
Subways $2.49 for a 6 inch can't be bad...a different sub every day....eat their healthy option...go on holiday and lose weigh...you can't get a better deal...:)
[/quote]
these are £3.00 i think here, i love them but dont have very often!!!
[/quote]
chrizzy100
18-02-2006, 17:58
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by freddiehollie
Its amazing when I talk to the americans how they say how
expensive things are. They should come to the UK and see
how expensive things are here. I suppose its all relevant
things will be dearer in other countries, but not so much
in the States in my experience[msnsmile2][msnsmile2]
[/quote]
When my mum and dad come over from England....they also spend time moaning about the cost of food in the USA....fruit and veg mostly...and tin goods...
I had to double the amount of money I spent on food overnight when I moved over.......and put away 4 times more for other household bills...it was a shock to us....
chrizzy100
18-02-2006, 18:01
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by markandpam
I went to a Sleuth night and got chatting to some other visitors to Orlando. They were from Kansas and couldn't believe how expensive things were in Orlando, said food was at least a third more than back home.
Pam.
[/quote]
My shopping bill is not so much in FL...most things are a $1 cheaper there for us....we are in MA and its a holiday place...at one time milk would go up from $3...to $10 all through the summer...
farawayfan
18-02-2006, 22:11
I'm actually quite concerned about the amount of money we'll need for our 21-day stay. We are a family of 5 staying in a villa and because of food issues we have to eat at home or take prepared food with us.
I plan to do a weekly shop (in the same way I would at home) and don't consider that money holiday money as I would be spending it anyway and will put it on the credit card in the same way. It's all the extras that I don't know how to budget. We will probably have ice creams every day and I'm sure there'll be food to buy during the week. I'm budgeting on about $50 - $70 per day for these extra which also include extras such as crazy golf.
We always buy too much and end up leaving it! we are a family of 3 and eat out most of the time as I don't do cooking when on holiday(not at home either if I can help it)[msnwink]thats what my hubbie says, I just say he's the better cook[msnwink] We have snacks in the villa and take it from me my son and myself are the worst fussy eaters out, but we manage!
We like the subways but my son says they are not the same here!! and won't touch them, see I did say fussy[msnsmile2]
ShirleyCottam
22-02-2006, 03:24
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by florida4sun
Most subways do these for 1.99. My brother ownsa very succesful subway franchise in england.
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by LiesaAnna
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by chrizzy100
Subways $2.49 for a 6 inch can't be bad...a different sub every day....eat their healthy option...go on holiday and lose weigh...you can't get a better deal...:)
[/quote]
these are £3.00 i think here, i love them but dont have very often!!!
[/quote]
[/quote]
I had a subway yesterday at the NEC in Birmingham, and it cost me £3.50 and it seemed a very small 6" to the US 6" !
chrizzy100
22-02-2006, 19:38
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by ShirleyCottam
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by florida4sun
Most subways do these for 1.99. My brother ownsa very succesful subway franchise in england.
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by LiesaAnna
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by chrizzy100
Subways $2.49 for a 6 inch can't be bad...a different sub every day....eat their healthy option...go on holiday and lose weigh...you can't get a better deal...:)
[/quote]
these are £3.00 i think here, i love them but dont have very often!!!
[/quote]
[/quote]
I had a subway yesterday at the NEC in Birmingham, and it cost me £3.50 and it seemed a very small 6" to the US 6" !
[/quote]
I could say so much......[msnwink][msnwink][msnwink]