Tips on saving $money$ on FOOD

[SulleyanBoo]

We are staying 3 nights and 4 days (IN 15 DAYS!:sohappy

Any tips on saving $$ at the world. I think we are going to bring a mini fridge to the hotel to keep drinks in and buy some snacks for the hotel.

I was thinking about doing the dining plan but im not sure how exspensive that is either.

Any advice would help! Thanks!

 

[mjmyers10]

If you are staying on property, most rooms have fridges already. If you have a car, go food shopping or eat at off site restaurants. You can also bring snacks like granola bars and goldfish into the parks. Also, eat a late breakfast at a buffet restaurant that can count for breakfast and lunch. Then for dinner, grab a counter service. We love Earl of Sandwich.

 

[MagicKat103]

we have had breakfast in the room a couple of times - oatmeal, etc.
Also, we always have water bottles and we bring the single serving pouches of either ice tea or lemonade for them so it's not just water.
I always make a trail mix of nuts, cheerios, mini m&ms (be careful in the summer, they can melt), cranberries, goldfish, sometimes a few mini marshmellows. Great snack for the kids and adults.

 

[stichrules]

I forget how much the dining plan costs, but we one year kept every receipt for food or snack we bougfht and added it up and found if we would have bought the dining plan it would have cost right about the same. And we were being very careful not to splurge on any of our meals. We have since came to the conclusion the dining is really the way to go based on the amount of food you get and the different places you can eat. You can do food cheaper than the dining plan but in our opinion the dining plan is so worth it.

 

[sweetpee_1993]

Instant Starbucks Via packets for morning coffee and instant oatmeal make a great breakfast. When eating at non-buffets, share a meal. At table service ala cart menu restaurants have an appetizer as your meal vs. the pricy entrees. Or share an entree and get desserts. I second the water bottles and drink packets. Except nowadays I'd prob'ly bring one of my insulated straw tumbler cups (Starbucks! Holla!), ask for a cup of ice at a drink stand, then mix my drink packet with water in that. I love my straw cups for cold drinks.

A good bottled water alternative would be the water Bobbles (sold at Target and online). Self-filtering water bottles are a good thing.

Snacks. We used to bring beef jerky, Slim Jim's, M&M's, trail mix, and Lifesavers mints. Sharing a quick packet of trail mix in a line is a great way to pass the time.

Many years back we saw a couple in the MK on an out-of-the-way bench preparing a couple MREs to eat. We found that to be quite a crafty idea. It's good nutrition to give you energy. When we received our FEMA-rations post-Katrina we were given cases of MREs. The hubby laughed and said, "Alright! Don't have to worry about the food budget on the next Disney trip!" ((kidding...what we didn't use of the MRE rations we gave to the Sheriff's office I worked for to be routed to personnel who were still in need...no flamin' needed)) Seriously, the couple with the MREs really goes to show that where there's a will there's a way. I bet even if they never had to vacation on the cheap again they'll always treasure their memories of prepping their own hot meal on a bench at WDW.

 

[bethymouse]

Ddp

Do the dining plan! It works well, especially if you like to do Character Buffets: they're expensive! You can also plan a signature restaurant and really enjoy gourmet food w/ 2 TS credits! Try it!:wave:

 

[xdan0920]

Fast.

You will save a fortune.

:lol:

 

[wendysue]

I forget how much the dining plan costs, but we one year kept every receipt for food or snack we bougfht and added it up and found if we would have bought the dining plan it would have cost right about the same. And we were being very careful not to splurge on any of our meals. We have since came to the conclusion the dining is really the way to go based on the amount of food you get and the different places you can eat. You can do food cheaper than the dining plan but in our opinion the dining plan is so worth it.

It used to be MUCH cheaper without the dining plan, so they raised the prices ALOT, so that you think their plan is the best way to go.

 

[case88]

I agree w/ sweetpea...breakfast in the room. We bring the huge muffins from Costco for breakfast . We do get in CP or Tusker for breakfast one morning on our trip...and those mornings late breakfast works since you are so full you don't need to eat again until dinner time. Breakfast in the room saves $$ and helps us get into the parks faster.

 

[slappy magoo]

We generally just suck up the cost, because no matter how much we say the quality of food at Disney has suffered of late, once we're there and we smell all the food, we just crave. But somethings you can do...

Before you leave, buy a couple of Brita water bottles with attached filters (not a bad thing to have wherever you may go actually). Many of them are BFP-free if you worry about that sort of thing. This way you can fill your water bottles pretty much anywhere and it shouldn't taste too much like hot buttered monkey butt.

If you gotta drink something other than water, don't use them on the Brita bottles, but I'd second the suggestion of buying juice packets or squirt bottles you can add to your own water bottles or cups of water.

Even if you don't do the dining plan, try to pace your dining so you're only dealing with 2 meals in a snack. Just have a bagel or toast in the morning, followed by a fuller later breakfast that'll carry you through lunch. Or (probably more economical), have a decent breakfast, a little snack around noon, and as late a lunch as you're comfortable having, to tide you over through dinner, where you may be able to get by with something small just to avoid feeling hungry bed.

Trail's End Buffet at Fort Wilderness is consistently one of the better "sit-down" meas on property (even though you keep getting up to get your own grub). It's not the most convenient place to get to if you don't have your own car, but a day when you're at the MK, you can take a break and boat over to Fort Wilderness for lunch or dinner.

And while it's not part of the dining plan (and you can't make reservations, it's first come first served), the Garden Grove Cafe in the Swan has character breakfasts each Saturday & Sunday, 22 a head adults, 13 for kids. The cheapest character meal you'll find on property.

 

[NeedMoreMickey]

Remember if you do decide to use the dining plan you have to sign up for it 5 days before you check in. Every year my sister and I do a extended weekend trip and we tried to cut back on our food cost one year but there are too many things that we just had to have like Dole Whips, a pretzel from Germany, etc. We found the last 2 years we get our favorites snacks and share them, get the taste, don't spend as much money and don't get the over full feeling from junk food.

 

[real mad hatter]

Split.

Share a meal,the create your own pasta at PORS is huge and enough for two,our free dining for this year is our first time getting this deal,but QS counter food is excellent if you pick the right places.:wave:

 

[dcibrando]

all resorts now have refrigerators or beverage coolers along with wi-fi

 

[Disnee4Me]

When the kids were younger and we used to go down the last two weeks of August (when camp ended and before school started), we would grab a muffin or bagel in the morning at our resort (usually All Stars), take it to the park that had early entry, ride all the open rides and then between 9-10 we would eat the muffin or bagel. Or would would get them at Main Street Bakery, Sunshine Terrace Food Court?(?) or Starring Rolls Cafe. Then we would eat lunch at a sit down restaurant at 2 p.m. (to get out of the sun at the hottest time of the day). By the time we got out of the restaurant, it was 3-3:30, so we wouldn't be hungry at 5 or 6 for dinner, but instead would get an ice cream or other quick bite of something to eat, maybe between 6-7 p.m. not really eating dinner. And we always had PopTarts and other granola bar type items back at the hotel. Saved lots of $$$ by not eating 2 big meals.

 

[Rachael83]

My favorite way to save $$ and not eat too much junk is to order from the kids menu. You get a protein/carb in a decent size portion and you can get grapes and other yummy sides! With a glass of water it's rarely more that $6-7 a meal!

 

[Phonedave]

A good part of the time when you think you are hungry, you are actualy thirsty.

Go drink some water (which is free) and see if you are still hungry.

Other than that, don't eat like a hog.

I used to do every trick in the book to try and save dining money. It's not worth it (to me). I'm on vacation, and not a cheap one at that. I don't need to try and save $10 by packing a suitcase to look like a Costco shopping trip, and packing a backpack into the parks that makes it look like I am going on an extended safari.

I (and my kids) eat a smallish breakfast (somtimes we do this in the room for the sake of speed, not cost savings). WE will grab a CS lunch, or a snack if the mood strikes us, and then often do table service dinners. We don't do a lot of extra snacking, and we rarely buy sodas (beer and wine is a different story)

I realize that for some every penny counts, but unless you are at WDW on a shoestring, I say just be sensible and enjoy yourself



-dave

 

[DisneyBeatles]

We usually don't buy the dining plan which is good for us. we find that the dining plan is your pretty much paying for super expensive dinging ahead of time, while we can do much cheaper. we do a couple fancy restaurants, but the whole trip it's pretty much quick service or stuff we bought from the grocery store right off property

 

[UPbeekeeper]

Bringing water bottles and refilling them is my biggest must-do. First off, you are keeping yourself hydrated and secondly, water will help keep you feeling fuller between meals. In our backpack, we always bring snacks that travel well, like beef jerky, pringles, licorice, granola bars, etc. Sometimes when you feel like snacking, you aren't really hungry, you just feel like snacking. Why spend $4 on junk when you can satisfy that small craving on something cheap you already have with you?

As others have said, we always eat breakfast in our room.

Lastly, besidethese ideas, we have found that the more we deny ourselves things, the more we want them. So, if you say flat out that you aren't going to do any sit down meals, chances are, that's all you're going to think about the entire trip. Go to a meal, enjoy yourself...it doesn't mean you have to order the most expensive thing on the menu.

 

[foreverbelle]

Yep agree we usually bring out own breakfast stuff and have snacks handy. Of course having a 3 yr old, and snacks its a lot easier having them handy anyway. Water, etc. All of these are great ideas and things we often do. Some of the meals are large enough in quick service that my husband and I share. Or we share with our son..

 

[dreamscometrue]

Before you leave, buy a couple of Brita water bottles with attached filters (not a bad thing to have wherever you may go actually). Many of them are BFP-free if you worry about that sort of thing. This way you can fill your water bottles pretty much anywhere and it shouldn't taste too much like hot buttered monkey butt.

We did this for the first time for our trip last month, and it was the best thing ever. I actually never minded the WDW tap water, but the rest of the family wasn't too keen on it, so we often bought bottled water. With the Brita filter bottles, we filled them up frequently from the drinking fountains. The family was happy, and even I noticed the difference. Great investment.