Belle1962
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Aug 18, 1999
FOOD RELATED tips
Getting ready for our trip, I found this document I had been working on for my family. Thought I'd share it:
Keep a cooler in your room or rent a fridge.
1. Eat breakfast at the room. Pack or purchase at Walmart ($10) a small toastercan do:
Poptarts, frozen waffles, peanut butter toast, bagels, cream cheese, juice, donuts, other breakfast pastries, cereal, FRUIT, anything that pops into a toaster.
2. Eat your big meal at LUNCHespecially if doing a sit down meal. Try to get the last lunch seating possiblethey often start putting dinner food on the buffets around that time and you can actually get dinner" for lunch prices.
3. Take snacks into the park in your fanny park: fruit roll ups, fruit snacks, peanuts, slim jim, beef jerky, peanut butter crackers, combos, small boxes of pretzels, raisins, those Smuckers Peanut Butter and Jelly cracker kits (.99cents at my grocery store), Kraft cheese & crackers, etc.
4. Water is FREE at all of the parks. Any counter service will give you a cup of ice and water for FREE. If your kids won't drink plain water bring Kool-Aid, Gatorade or other powdered drink mix with you (in Ziploc bags) and add to the cup of water.
5. Order water with your meals not soda. It is FREE and your body will appreciate it.
6. Keep peanut butter, jelly, lunchmeat, bread, cold fried chicken, fruit, raw veggies in the cooler/fridge in your room. Check your freezer aisle for things that can be put in the toasteryou'll be surprised.
7. Split meals. Portions are huge and if you can get two people to agree on the same item there will be plenty for two. If you don't think there will beget an appetizer and split the appetizer and main course. (Or main course and dessertLOL)
8. Dessert or appetizers onlymake reservations for dessert or appetizers only at some the restaurants you want to experience but won't want a full meal at. (This will not work for buffet meals). (Sometimes we go in for appetizer & dessertin my family that can constitute a meal)
9. Check the pricessometimes a buffet meal for a family is more expensive than ordering off the menu-because at a buffet EVERYONE is charged, while at other restaurants you can share meals. Check Deb Will's site for prices (www.wdwig.com)
10. Check out the kids meals. Usually a sandwich, chips, cookie and drink. Even for adults this is sometimes enough. (Who can eat in the heat anyway???)
11. Eat at off timesthis will save TIME and time is money at WDW.
12. Budget some money for snacks at the parks. If you do the majority of your snacking from your fanny pack the kids will appreciate a "park bought" snack all the more. If your kids are old enough though you may be able to reason with themIf I buy you the $3.00 ice cream cone, you won't have anything to take home. OR I can buy you the $3.00 whatever and you can take it home.13. Ghiradelli's: the sundaes are HUGEshare them.
14. Determine how hungry you really are before you order. A lot of people order from remote controlI need a drink, an appetizer and a main courseand don't realize your appetite can change with the activities you are doing. If you really aren't that hungry don't order all that food. You can always order more foodbut once ordered you are paying for itregardless if you eat it or not.
Getting ready for our trip, I found this document I had been working on for my family. Thought I'd share it:
Keep a cooler in your room or rent a fridge.
1. Eat breakfast at the room. Pack or purchase at Walmart ($10) a small toastercan do:
Poptarts, frozen waffles, peanut butter toast, bagels, cream cheese, juice, donuts, other breakfast pastries, cereal, FRUIT, anything that pops into a toaster.
2. Eat your big meal at LUNCHespecially if doing a sit down meal. Try to get the last lunch seating possiblethey often start putting dinner food on the buffets around that time and you can actually get dinner" for lunch prices.
3. Take snacks into the park in your fanny park: fruit roll ups, fruit snacks, peanuts, slim jim, beef jerky, peanut butter crackers, combos, small boxes of pretzels, raisins, those Smuckers Peanut Butter and Jelly cracker kits (.99cents at my grocery store), Kraft cheese & crackers, etc.
4. Water is FREE at all of the parks. Any counter service will give you a cup of ice and water for FREE. If your kids won't drink plain water bring Kool-Aid, Gatorade or other powdered drink mix with you (in Ziploc bags) and add to the cup of water.
5. Order water with your meals not soda. It is FREE and your body will appreciate it.
6. Keep peanut butter, jelly, lunchmeat, bread, cold fried chicken, fruit, raw veggies in the cooler/fridge in your room. Check your freezer aisle for things that can be put in the toasteryou'll be surprised.
7. Split meals. Portions are huge and if you can get two people to agree on the same item there will be plenty for two. If you don't think there will beget an appetizer and split the appetizer and main course. (Or main course and dessertLOL)
8. Dessert or appetizers onlymake reservations for dessert or appetizers only at some the restaurants you want to experience but won't want a full meal at. (This will not work for buffet meals). (Sometimes we go in for appetizer & dessertin my family that can constitute a meal)
9. Check the pricessometimes a buffet meal for a family is more expensive than ordering off the menu-because at a buffet EVERYONE is charged, while at other restaurants you can share meals. Check Deb Will's site for prices (www.wdwig.com)
10. Check out the kids meals. Usually a sandwich, chips, cookie and drink. Even for adults this is sometimes enough. (Who can eat in the heat anyway???)
11. Eat at off timesthis will save TIME and time is money at WDW.
12. Budget some money for snacks at the parks. If you do the majority of your snacking from your fanny pack the kids will appreciate a "park bought" snack all the more. If your kids are old enough though you may be able to reason with themIf I buy you the $3.00 ice cream cone, you won't have anything to take home. OR I can buy you the $3.00 whatever and you can take it home.13. Ghiradelli's: the sundaes are HUGEshare them.
14. Determine how hungry you really are before you order. A lot of people order from remote controlI need a drink, an appetizer and a main courseand don't realize your appetite can change with the activities you are doing. If you really aren't that hungry don't order all that food. You can always order more foodbut once ordered you are paying for itregardless if you eat it or not.