How much cheaper staying in a villa

[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.

[Macka]

How many of you are there suzanne?

[LiesaAnna]

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!!

[zazu]

sorry, we are 2 adults and 2 kids (aged 5 and 3)

[chrizzy100]

<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]

[Macka]

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]

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]

[daxon]

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]

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.

[Eden]

<span style="font-family:Comic Sans MS"></span id="Comic Sans MS">
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 !