Is this ridiculously cheap or a good idea?

M

Momarazzi

New Member
We're on a budget. I booked the trip for September. We have 5 nights with basic tickets and the free dining plan and are staying at the POP. With the free dining plan, we're going to have to fend for ourselves for either breakfast or lunch. I choose lunch because I don't like breakfast much anyway.

I've been looking around and Disney is stinkin' EXPENSIVE for food. I'm THINKING about bringing a couple boxes of Pop Tarts and granola bars (that's all I eat for breakfast anyway - a granola bar) for our family to eat in the room for breakfast. I estimate that by doing that every day we'll save over $100.00 and probably more.

Is this a good idea or should we just suck it up and eat breakfast in the resort like "normal" people?

And if I do decide to be a cheap-o, where can I obtain a toaster or will I have to pack that too? LOL.

Jennifer
 
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foreverbelle

foreverbelle

Well-Known Member
personally i hate breakfast, and yes i know i shouldn't. but its just not my favorite so i would dif. save the money when and where you can and bring the things you do like and know that you will eat....
 
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SewIn2Disney

SewIn2Disney

Well-Known Member
Thomas's (of the English Muffin brand) makes unfrozen bagels. I always pack them, along with the fruit parfait cups (they don't need to be frozen) for a quick breakfast. All the values have toasters in the food court, and butter and jelly are free. If you want cream cheese, you can buy individual sized packets from the food court.
You can also get hot water in the food court to make instant oatmeal with. I'll be bringing both on my trip in less than 2 weeks!
 
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T

TeeCeeFitz

Member
I must be in the minority on this. I opt for breakfast at the food court(QS Credit), skip lunch(have a snack) and then have my table service for Dinner. As I travel solo, this works for me. I enjoy having breakfast every day.
 
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Aggie Mom

Aggie Mom

New Member
We stay at the Pop and there are some good options for breakfast in the food court using your snack option. My favorites were the giant cinnamon rolls and muffins. You can get by without spending anything out of pocket if you use your snack credits for breakfast. We found that there was so much food on the counter service and table service options that we never really wanted snacks.
 
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ewensell3

ewensell3

Well-Known Member
Momarazzi said:
I've been looking around and Disney is stinkin' EXPENSIVE for food.
...
Jennifer
Click to expand...

By all means, take your own food. You won't be the only ones. However...

For what it's worth, while the breakfasts are a bit pricey, the portions are generous. I'm a light breakfast eater, so I am usually able to split a breakfast with my 9yo daughter and we each get enough food to last us until first snack or lunch.

Adult Breakfast Platter @ POP is $6.29 and is enough food for a light-eating adult and a child to share. I take the sausage and homefries. She gets the egg, bacon, and biscuit (I might steal a bite or two of the eggs). Similarly, two kids could easily split this meal down the middle.

The child's Mickey Waffle plate is $4.39 and comes with two small Mickey waffles and either two slices of bacon or two sausages. Again, I split it with my daughter and it's usually "enough". We usually carry-in or buy some fruit to augment this meal.

If you do buy breakfasts and still want to save money, I would highly recommend packing your own drinks and/or fruit. That's where they really get you.

And if you're feeding teenagers, I am so sorry. By all means truck in your own food... :)
 
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betteratmk

Member
:sohappy: I agree with the last poster!! Pop has huge breakfasts, we always split them when we feel like a big breakfast or something other than cereal. We get the refillable mug and our drink is covered as well. They have cinnamon rolls, chocolate croissants (plain ones too!) We always use our counter service for lunch when we are hungrier.
 
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mpeters

mpeters

Active Member
this is what we usually do with the dining plan

Breakfast = muffin or something small
Lunch = counter service
Dinner = Table Service

Unless we have adrs at a character breakfast then we usually do this:

Breakfast = table service
Lunch = usually skip due to big breakfast
Dinner = counter service
 
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balletgirl2

balletgirl2

New Member
I also use the coffe pot to make oatmeal. I bring the packets though because the instant bowls have more sugar and calories. I bring a couple of bowls, packets of instant oatmeal, a box of raisons and dried bananas. I make a pot of hot water and make my oatmel and add my fruit.
 
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slappy magoo

slappy magoo

Well-Known Member
Take this with a grain of sea salt. I'm not the healthiest eater, and I'm often of the opinion that, on a vacation, eff it, eat what you want.

But when it comes to eating breakfast and eating a day in the parks, I think you're better off eating something at least a little more nutritious than cold Pop tarts, if only because your body will do better with more protein when you're planning on running all over the place.

Someone mentioned bringing Thomas' bagels. I'd second this, especially if you can get the whole wheat or multi grain kind. Don't taste as good, granted, but better for you, and the fiber might come in handy later, getting all the other junk you take in to get out. :lookaroun But instead of trying to get or store butter, I'd get a jar of peanut butter. More protein-more energy. It's got fat, but a "better" fat than just butter or cream cheese. And you don't have to worry about refrigerating it. After that, if you still want pop-tarts, maybe one will suffice instead of the two that come in each pack.

But if you can afford it, I'd suggest paying OOP for at least one or two breakfasts. They can be just as memorable a part of the vacation as anything else, especially with little ones at a character breakfast or at WCC in the Wilderness Lodge.
 
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Tinkyroo

Tinkyroo

New Member
Go for it - we do the same thing. We have always had breakfast in the room with food we brought from home.

If you're driving bring water bottles too. I bring a ton of them and stash them under all the seats. When they check my bag going into the parks they never say anything. I've even brought in food and they just looked at it and said "Cool".

If it means you can make your budget (or even if you don't have a budget) I recommend doing it. And, don't be ashamed - a lot of people do it too.

Have a great time on your trip!:)
 
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mickey7879

mickey7879

Member
We always pack stuff for breakfast or a snack. When we stayed at CSR one year we had a fridge in our room and went to the grocery store since we had a car and bought stuff for breakfast, a cheap toaster (on sale for only $3), plus stuff for snacks, water, soda, a small soft sided cooler that we'd take a put in the car for when we'd go to the water parks. We'd make sandwiches for a little picnic in our car at the water parks or whatever else we needed it for. It was so nice to eat breakfast in our room and have stuff to make a sandwich or whatever when we'd get back at night. I don't think you're being too cheap at all! Might as well save a few bucks plus have stuff right in your room to snack on. We're doing this same thing when we go in September, but we'll have a fridge in our room staying at POR. Have fun!
 
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Trishnh

Trishnh

Active Member
we always pack stuff for breakfast, too. DH & I dont eat breakfast much but hte kids need something & my mother comes with us & is of the 'breakfast is the most important meal of the day' thinking. We pack poptarts, bagels and little cereals and just buy milk at the food court and maybe a pack of cream cheese and us the toaster/microwave at teh food court. It works out very well-saves time & money.
 
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smk

smk

Well-Known Member
DisneyJoe said:
Value resorts have none of the above in the room - although a fridge can be rented on a per night basis.
Click to expand...
POP, in the preferred room section, had a small fridge. At least we had one last year in our room and we had a preferred room with a king bed. We did not order it extra, it was built into the TV stand on a shelf. And, I know you all have heard this before but breakfast is the most important meal of the day! We usually have cereal and fruit in the room anyway so we always have something to eat before we get too busy in the parks and end up crabby, starving and standing in a long line.
 
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Tinkyroo

Tinkyroo

New Member
Yes, I agree that the breakfast should be nutritious. I pack entire boxes of Raisin Bran, Wheaties and plain Cheerios in gallon size zip lock bags, high fiber raisin toast, 100% juice juice boxes and bananas. We use the disposable cups from the room, I pack disposable spoons and my DH buys milk from the food court. We also grab some jelly packs from the food court for the kids to put on their raisin bread sometimes and other times use them to make PB&J sandwiches with the bread and peanut butter we bring from home. We bring a box of sandwich bags too for packing them to bring to the parks.
 
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magicalmemories

magicalmemories

Member
It saves so much time to eat breakfast in the room while everyone is getting ready rather than waiting on everyone to get ready, then everyone to eat..... takes too much precious morning time. We always bring breakfast things and a toaster. Poptarts, english muffins, packaged cinn. rolls (from Sams), cereal (bought milk and juice at the store once there), bread (for toast and PB&J), lots of snacks. Maybe we were being cheap, but money saved on food is money to spend elsewhere and the time saved is great!!
 
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