Grocery delivery vs. Resort store

BeanCounterBob

Active Member
I know that there are several options out there for a delivery service, and that Disney charges a few bucks to have these delivered. But here is my question...... I am really looking to have eggs, cheese, coffee, lunch meat, snacks and some bottles of water in the room. I will have a DVC villa; so there will be a kitchen. Do you think it will be cheaper to get all those basics from the hotel store, or delivered? My thinking is that we will cook breakfast in the room everyday for a week. Then we will need some snacks in the room for the evening.
My other thought is that it may be cheaper to get everything at the hotel store and not have to wait on a delivery.

But what are everyone's thoughts on prices between the two?
 

ELG13

Well-Known Member
I assume you are looking at those two options because you are unable to drive off site. I've never had groceries delivered but we have needed to grab a few things and after going to the hotel store we found it to be much cheap to drive off site to get those items. I would think of you are looking at things for breakfast and snacks you may want to do delivery depending on what and how much. If it's eggs butter and milk the I'd just get them at the store on property but for us we needed bacon, syrup, milk, eggs, bread beverages (alcoholic and non-alcoholic) just to name a few. A while back I was able to pull up and fill out the delivery listt and see prices etc. I believe it was on the Disney site.
 
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Herdman

Well-Known Member
We always do deliveries on our trips. We've used Garden Grocer in the past, but I think we may use Instacart this upcoming trip. The prices seem to be much cheaper than Garden Grocer last time I checked. We've never tried to compare prices to the resort store, but we usually order more type things than what I think the store usually stocks.
 
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BeanCounterBob

Active Member
Original Poster
Thanks for the info. I am leaning towards doing delivery since I am sure the hotel stores options will be limited, in fact I do know that; but I have never had to get more than just a few snacks. After our last trip I decided to not have quick service breakfast anymore. Everything we had was terrible and I don't really eat sweets. I would rather us make a decent breakfast and be set before we head out. I guess we will wait and see. This trip is only 37 months away!!!
 
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crawale

Well-Known Member
I assume you are looking at those two options because you are unable to drive off site. I've never had groceries delivered but we have needed to grab a few things and after going to the hotel store we found it to be much cheap to drive off site to get those items. I would think of you are looking at things for breakfast and snacks you may want to do delivery depending on what and how much. If it's eggs butter and milk the I'd just get them at the store on property but for us we needed bacon, syrup, milk, eggs, bread beverages (alcoholic and non-alcoholic) just to name a few. A while back I was able to pull up and fill out the delivery listt and see prices etc. I believe it was on the Disney site.
Disney do not deliver from the lists any more which is a shame as these items were heavy to buy and take up to the room.
 
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ELG13

Well-Known Member
Disney do not deliver from the lists any more which is a shame as these items were heavy to buy and take up to the room.
Oh I thought it was from garden grocers....maybe that's where I saw the list on their website. I'd hate to tote cases of water etc up the stairs!!
 
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JIMINYCR

Well-Known Member
Thanks for the info. I am leaning towards doing delivery since I am sure the hotel stores options will be limited, in fact I do know that; but I have never had to get more than just a few snacks. After our last trip I decided to not have quick service breakfast anymore. Everything we had was terrible and I don't really eat sweets. I would rather us make a decent breakfast and be set before we head out. I guess we will wait and see. This trip is only 37 months away!!!
Not only are your items very limited, but weve found the prices are inflated as well. Disney is just trying to provide the bare essentials and not running a grocery store. The vast majority of people needing to pick up a few things in a pinch wont mind spending more. They also dont want to leave the property and lose time at the parks. If you can arrange for delivery youll get much better choices and even with the delivery fee, come out ahead. Weve saved quite a lot in the past by getting food... but still cant resist spending on the Disney snacks.
 
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We used Amazon PrimeNow to have groceries delivered and it blew pricing from Instacart and definitely Garden Grocer out of the water!! Very easy. Because of Covid, although it is likely a permanent change, Bell Services will not deliver any packages directly to your room, you must be present for them to do so. However, as soon as the Amazon primenow app showed our packages as delivered to the hotel, we just called the folks at Bell Services and told them we were in the room and ready for our stuff, and they brought it right up. I think we were supposed to have been charged $6 per package/bag fee for them to bring it to the room, as opposed to free if we'd gone down and picked it up ourselves. But, I never saw any such charges on our folio nor our credit card.
 
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HouCuseChickie

Well-Known Member
This is all very helpful! We recently shifted our reservation to a 1 bedroom at OKW (contemplating a 2 bedroom if discounts come out) and I've been debating about driving to Publix vs. delivery services. We are only looking at Disney Springs for our arrival day, so a trip to Publix didn't seem all that bad, but that's me thinking outside of vacation mode. I may get there and not want anything to do with grocery shopping and be better off with PrimeNow. Of course, that will mean no Publix frosting :hungry:, not that I really NEED that 🤣
 
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Pooh'sBuddy

Well-Known Member
This is all very helpful! We recently shifted our reservation to a 1 bedroom at OKW (contemplating a 2 bedroom if discounts come out) and I've been debating about driving to Publix vs. delivery services. We are only looking at Disney Springs for our arrival day, so a trip to Publix didn't seem all that bad, but that's me thinking outside of vacation mode. I may get there and not want anything to do with grocery shopping and be better off with PrimeNow. Of course, that will mean no Publix frosting :hungry:, not that I really NEED that 🤣

Could you do a Publix curbside pick up where they bag everything up and you only need to drive there and pick it up? I'm thinking of doing that.
 
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HouCuseChickie

Well-Known Member
Could you do a Publix curbside pick up where they bag everything up and you only need to drive there and pick it up? I'm thinking of doing that.

That's a good idea. I think theirs is powered by Instacart, so I have to see how it compares to just using Instacart from the get-go vs Amazon. They do have an in-store pickup ordering option, but it looks more limited in what you can get. I just tested ordering some cheese, but most of it looks like deli stuff, platters, and bakery goods that are the food options. So, probably not going to cover all we'd need with in-store pick up.
 
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Gillyanne

Well-Known Member
Could you do a Publix curbside pick up where they bag everything up and you only need to drive there and pick it up? I'm thinking of doing that.

We usually stay in a Villa/Apt off site and have a car, but we did this with walmart. We would always make a walmart run the day/evening we got in, and do the grocery shopping etc. This year I did walmart grocery and just drove up. While I did still overbuy a little (mis-judged how often we'd want sandwiches) it also helped me to not pick up random stuff along the way while in the store :)
 
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disneygirl76

Carey Poppins - Nanny and Disney Enthusiest
I used to be only a resort store person until about anout 2 years ago when I did a grocery delivery service for the first time. And now, I do the grocery delivery every trip!!! It is so easy and fast and the exact selection of items you want. I have found it to be immensely helpful and over all cost per item is less but I usually spend more then if at the store because I am able to buy more items I really want/need; things that may not be available at the resort shop. Hope this helps!!!
 
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dreamfinder

Well-Known Member
If you have something delivered via courier, IE PrimeNow, GardenGrocer, WeGoShop etc, there shouldn't be a per item fee from bell services. That said, if they accept it on your behalf, then you should tip them a few dollars a bag regardless.

Yes, DVC resorts used to have a grocery delivery option for owners. The DVC resorts carried a larger selection of food, and they knew it was a courtesy to have as an option for their owners.

But odds are even though DVC stores usually carry the basic essentials, odds are if you are buying 10-15 things, having delivery would be cheaper. Just check the prices on the few options to see who works in your favor. GardenGrocer is usually a slight markup per item, plus the possible service fee. WeGoShop has the service fee, but you pay exactly what is on the receipt. PrimeNow is a somewhat limited selection (PrimeNow vs Whole Foods get handled as two separate orders) but prices are fair and you know exactly what you will pay.
 
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MikeyK72

Well-Known Member
We used Amazon PrimeNow to have groceries delivered and it blew pricing from Instacart and definitely Garden Grocer out of the water!! Very easy. Because of Covid, although it is likely a permanent change, Bell Services will not deliver any packages directly to your room, you must be present for them to do so. However, as soon as the Amazon primenow app showed our packages as delivered to the hotel, we just called the folks at Bell Services and told them we were in the room and ready for our stuff, and they brought it right up. I think we were supposed to have been charged $6 per package/bag fee for them to bring it to the room, as opposed to free if we'd gone down and picked it up ourselves. But, I never saw any such charges on our folio nor our credit card.
You were lucky with that...there definitely is a $6 charge for accepting the grocery delivery. DW and I were just at Riviera less-than 2 weeks ago and paid the $6 for our InstaCart order. I was also charged an additional $6 a couple days later to accept an Amazon delivery...even though I went to the Bell desk to get the package myself. I assume the $6 is for them to accept a delivery on your behalf.
 
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nickys

Premium Member
Disney do not deliver from the lists any more which is a shame as these items were heavy to buy and take up to the room.
Where did you see this? Or was it personal experience?

The order forms are still available for DVC members and I don’t see anything to say they aren’t doing it any more.

Or were you meaning for non-DVC rooms - which I didn’t realise was ever an option?
 
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nickys

Premium Member
You were lucky with that...there definitely is a $6 charge for accepting the grocery delivery. DW and I were just at Riviera less-than 2 weeks ago and paid the $6 for our InstaCart order. I was also charged an additional $6 a couple days later to accept an Amazon delivery...even though I went to the Bell desk to get the package myself. I assume the $6 is for them to accept a delivery on your behalf.
It depends on how it is delivered. If it’s from a grocer then there is / was no charge. If it’s delivered by courier or the mail then there is a charge. Prime Now is treated as an Amazon parcel, but I think Amazon Fresh is treated as a grocery order. Or it maybe the other way round!

All assuming you go and collect it yourself from Bell Services.
 
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nickys

Premium Member
If you have something delivered via courier, IE PrimeNow, GardenGrocer, WeGoShop etc, there shouldn't be a per item fee from bell services. That said, if they accept it on your behalf, then you should tip them a few dollars a bag regardless.

Yes, DVC resorts used to have a grocery delivery option for owners. The DVC resorts carried a larger selection of food, and they knew it was a courtesy to have as an option for their owners.

But odds are even though DVC stores usually carry the basic essentials, odds are if you are buying 10-15 things, having delivery would be cheaper. Just check the prices on the few options to see who works in your favor. GardenGrocer is usually a slight markup per item, plus the possible service fee. WeGoShop has the service fee, but you pay exactly what is on the receipt. PrimeNow is a somewhat limited selection (PrimeNow vs Whole Foods get handled as two separate orders) but prices are fair and you know exactly what you will pay.
We usually get some basics ordered through DVC to last us 2-3 days. Then we have usually gone out to Publix and bought what we need for a few days. Then repeat as necessary. Coming from the U.K. we like to get over the jet lag before driving so we hire a car a few days into the vacation.

We’d get stuff like bread, butter, eggs, bacon, juice, snacks and so on through DVC. Haven’t seen or heard that’s not available, you can still send in your form (by fax 😂😂😂).
 
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BeanCounterBob

Active Member
Original Poster
Thanks for all of this advice. We are just under 3 years until we go.....but with how big I want this trip to be I have started looking at all the facets of the trip. Really I am looking for breakfast options, fruit, snacks, and drinks. I will keep an eye on what the options are at the time of the trip. I guess its never too early to starting planning!
 
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