For those paying oop for food do you venture outside of Disney

[crostorfer]

There's some discussion of that in that thread I posted. Not all chains are in all areas, so some people want to try certain chains that are in Orlando, that they actually can't get at home.

For us, sometimes it's just because it's easy. Take Starbucks for instance. We don't have to think about what to order because we know what we like. Now, I don't want a whole week of that, but it can be appealing at times.

And the cost savings doesn't hurt ...

I suppose I can understand that. Those of us that live in larger cities have access to multiple chain restaurants, sometimes I forget that there are a lot of people who live in rural areas.

 

[ncc1701]

We don't but it is just DH and I. We use DME and live in an area with at least one if not more outposts of the major chains within 30 or less minutes of either or home or work. So whatever savings in a 5 or 6 day trip we would get eating offsite for several dinners would be offset by the cost of a rental car.

 

[elaine amj]

Ohana/Texas de Brazil, there is no comparison if you have not been to TdB do yourselves a favor and have a little splurge. It is not much if any more money than Ohana

I've gone to our local TdB. Meats are very good and that salad bar is nuts! But...it isn't Ohana. We went 1x and DH has no desire to return (I would though). Whereas I will spend weeks on end stalking Ohana and it is his must do, even OOP. Guess TdB just doesn't add the Mickey koolaid. Also, Ohana is cheaper ($36-$42 vs $46 for TdB)

 

[SouthJersey]

Does anyone ever venture outside of Disney to eat dinner and save a buck or two, probably close,to half of what we would spend at the world. We can usually eat a decent meal with appetizer for around $60 2 adults 2 kids.

I' was showing my husband the prices which I figured with the dining calculator and he brought up if I would mind eating outside of Disney a few times. We won't be on the dining plan our next trip and to get the most bang for our buck would like to eat outside of the world once or twice instead of paying Disneys high price for a table service. It's going to cost 100+ to eat and don't want to pay that every time we want a decent meal.
We don't need anything fancy even a chain would be ok or good local place.

My husband doesn't mind taking a drive outside of the resort to eat a few times for dinner. It's been a few years since we have been in the area and I don't recall what is nearby.

We did that one year when we went with our cousin's and their parents and I would never, ever do it again. For the money, you can get better meals and save money by going to like Texas Roadhouse or Cattleman's yeah, but it completely killed the whole 'Disney' vibe for us. It made the trip feel like a Six Flags road trip with the coming and going, with locals dining in their everyday lives (if that makes any sense).

You'll definitely save money, but for us, the time/commute and 'unplugging' from Disney just killed the 'feel' we come to look forward to with every Disney trip.

 

[isaboo]

For the past two years we stayed on property to eat. We usually stay club level so our breakfasts, snacks, and drinks are pretty much covered. I just love the convenience of it! If not staying CL then we order from Garden Grocer for breakfast items, drinks and snacks. My teenage daughter and I share quite a bit when we go to a table service meal because we have the same taste and she has a tiny appetite.

About five years ago we stayed offsite and had a rental car. For that trip (three days following a cruise) we ate dinner off-site every night. I really didn't enjoy that as much. Now, we stay and eat on site.

 

[Caseheidi]

We usually eat a few meals at Cracker Barrel since we are from the NW and don't have them at home. We tend to stick the the big chains when we eat off site at WDW, so have done Olive Garden, Chevey's, AppleBee's, Pizzari Uno's and Macroni Grill. Not sure if it has really saved us much money, but it works for us.

 

[tasha99]

Yes and no. We will eat out while at Universal Studios before going to WDW. At WDW, we are staying 9 nights and have 7 ADRs scheduled, ranging from Scifi to V&A CT. I doubt we will keep all our ADRs, but those 2 are pretty important to me. The rest will be counter service or simple meals cooked in our villa. We won't venture offsite for meals because I don't want to rent a car (we'll have our groceries delivered).

 

[GrumpyDad1974]

Usually the nights we go to DTD we stop either before or after... we get tired of Disney food. There are plenty of chain restaurants and Steak and Shake, which we love (not really high end stuff but good) we don't have one where we live.

 

[Minniesgal]

I suppose I can understand that. Those of us that live in larger cities have access to multiple chain restaurants, sometimes I forget that there are a lot of people who live in rural areas.

And not everyone who visits WDW regularly lives in the USA

 

[baldy6060]

We don't eat much offsite because we bring enough food to eat in our room when we need to. We might grab McDonalds right before we get there. We do go to an outlet mall so we usually eat offsite then. Last year it was at an Italian place at an outlet where we met up with my sister. A couple of years ago we stopped at Applebee's to meet up with her. Some years ago my uncle met us at a Lone Star. I ate at a Checkers once just because I wanted to see how it differs from our Rally's (no difference). Last year we had the dining plan so I was in no mood to eat anywhere for a long time afterwards and we had enough leftover food to eat on the way back (Earl of Sandwich, King cupcakes, etc). It is strange, though, how you can eat so much good food and still be in the mood for McDonalds on the way home.

 

[tami82]

I love all of the comments, but I don't understand why people would go off property to seek out places that they can (likely) eat at when they are home?

Lately we have been seeking out more places that aren't chains when we travel to try new things, we did this a lot on our trip to,Tennessee and very glad we did as we came across some really great places.

 

[Sargeant Tibbs]

We do other things besides WDW, so naturally we eat off property on those days. Sweet Tomatoes, Flippers, and an unassuming little place called King of Falafel are our favorite local inexpensive places.

I'm here now, sitting in a cabin at FW with a cup of coffee, getting ready for our breakfast at Trail's End. We still have a few more days left on this trip but our best meal by far has been Hellas, a restaurant in a Greek sponge diving community called Tarpon Springs.

 

[Lilylogan]

We don't - I'd rather eat a cheaper meal at WDW like fish & chips from England counter service vs. driving to eat at Outback or something.

If we have our car, we'll venture to Target or Walmart just to get drinks/snacks but usually that's it.

 

[TheRustyScupper]

Our (nearby) off-site Recommendations:
. . . Bull & Bear - Waldorf Astoria Bonnet Creek - Fine Dining
. . . Café D'Antonio - Celebration - Casual Italian
. . . Columbia - Celebration - Casual Spanish/Cuban
. . . Fish Bones - Hwy192 - Seafood
. . . Venetian Room - Caribe Royale Hotel - Fine Dining
. . . The Hotel Tea Room - Davenport, FL - Casual - Friday: Steak-Fry, Daily: Afternoon Tea (BEST ribeye you have EVER had!)

 

[Jennasis]

we take a vacation to Orlando, not just Disney, even though we own dvc. What I don't understand is why anyone would think to even comment on the dining habits/preferences of others.

If we dine off property, it's because we want to. Plain and simple. Whether its a familiar meal that we really enjoy at a place that, yeah, maybe we can get at home, or someplace that we don't have access to, it's our choice, our money, our vacation.

 

[Lisaloo]

We will venture offsite on arrival day or departure day to go to Cafe Tu Tu Tango on I-drive. Tapas and interesting art...my family loves it and it is a tradition for us.

 

[Disnsyncey]

Since my trips are at the most only 6 days long, park time is valuable to me....plus we use DME, so it would cost money to get there too......th only place I would POSSIBLY think of going is Ale House because its right out the back of DTD, since that was basically my go to when I lived in Orlando.....but that would add at least an hour to the eating, and that is an hour I don't want to waste....

 

[tami82]

we take a vacation to Orlando, not just Disney, even though we own dvc. What I don't understand is why anyone would think to even comment on the dining habits/preferences of others.

If we dine off property, it's because we want to. Plain and simple. Whether its a familiar meal that we really enjoy at a place that, yeah, maybe we can get at home, or someplace that we don't have access to, it's our choice, our money, our vacation.

I agree to each his own.

 

[Uncleromulus]

Since we have all the "chains" right near us at home, no reason whatsoever to go to them when at WDW.

Since we like the Signatures, venturing off property to a "Signature-like" spot probably would cost just as much as WDW.

 

[Crystal824]

If we happen to have a car, we may eat offsite. Just depends on our itinerary. I wouldn't leave a park, eat dinner/lunch offsite and then come back to a park. We have been known to run through Chickfila for a late dinner after leaving a park or go to Giordano's (DH loves that place) on a night when we were leaving the park early anyway. I think it would take a lot of time to leave and then return. If that was the case, I would just eat QS there.