Funball
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- May 25, 2010
i found this on mousesavers.com when i was looking for a dining voucher.. thought you'd all like to see this..,its a good tip!
Check Out Portion Sizes to Cut Costs
Many of the entrees and combo meals served at Disneyland Resort counter-service restaurants include a large amount of food. For instance, I can say from experience that the entrees at Rancho del Zocalo in Disneyland can be HUGE.
However, some food stands serve rather small portions for the money. In general I think the stands in DCA's Paradise Pier area provide a fairly poor value for the cost.
A good trick at the counter-service restaurants and snack stands is to stand to one side for a minute and watch as people leave with their orders, so you can see how the portions look. If the portions are big and you are not big eaters, consider splitting an entree or combo meal between two people and possibly ordering an extra side dish or appetizer to share.
Adults looking for a smaller portion at the counter-service restaurants should not hesitate to order from the kids' menu. No one will know you're ordering the kids meal for an adult! This is not allowed at full-service restaurants, however.
A good option at sit-down restaurants, and one that works well for someone dining alone, is to substitute an appetizer for your entree. For instance, order two appetizers instead of an appetizer and an entree, or order an appetizer instead of an entree, thus leaving yourself room for dessert. Be sure to inquire about the portion size first -- some appetizers are substantial and filling, but some aren't.
Best Bets
Generally speaking you'll save a lot of money by sticking with counter-service restaurants, which are substantially cheaper than table-service restaurants. Unfortunately Disneyland and DCA don't offer as much variety as one might wish, but if you look around you can find some decent options besides corn dogs, hamburgers and fries.
Some places that are relative bargains within the resort are the above-mentioned Rancho del Zocalo in Disneyland; plus the Jazz Kitchen takeout window and the Tortilla Jo's takeout window in Downtown Disney. Both the Jazz Kitchen and Tortilla Jo's have pricey full-service restaurants, but check out the takeout window at each of these locations, where you can get something a little different at a reasonable price. There is seating nearby where you can enjoy your meal.
· At the Jazz Kitchen, try the beignets (New Orleans-style doughnuts), red beans and rice, or a po-boy (overstuffed sandwich), which comes with a hearty side dish. Fountain drinks are fairly expensive here, but there are free refills.
· At Tortilla Jo's taqueria, try the tacos, which are quite a bargain considering the quality. The nachos are good and reasonably priced, too. The burritos are large and filling enough to be split by two people who aren't starving. Fountain drinks are ridiculously overpriced here: order water or consider "aguas frescas" (fresh Mexican juices), which are cheaper and healthier!
Check Out Portion Sizes to Cut Costs
Many of the entrees and combo meals served at Disneyland Resort counter-service restaurants include a large amount of food. For instance, I can say from experience that the entrees at Rancho del Zocalo in Disneyland can be HUGE.
However, some food stands serve rather small portions for the money. In general I think the stands in DCA's Paradise Pier area provide a fairly poor value for the cost.
A good trick at the counter-service restaurants and snack stands is to stand to one side for a minute and watch as people leave with their orders, so you can see how the portions look. If the portions are big and you are not big eaters, consider splitting an entree or combo meal between two people and possibly ordering an extra side dish or appetizer to share.
Adults looking for a smaller portion at the counter-service restaurants should not hesitate to order from the kids' menu. No one will know you're ordering the kids meal for an adult! This is not allowed at full-service restaurants, however.
A good option at sit-down restaurants, and one that works well for someone dining alone, is to substitute an appetizer for your entree. For instance, order two appetizers instead of an appetizer and an entree, or order an appetizer instead of an entree, thus leaving yourself room for dessert. Be sure to inquire about the portion size first -- some appetizers are substantial and filling, but some aren't.
Best Bets
Generally speaking you'll save a lot of money by sticking with counter-service restaurants, which are substantially cheaper than table-service restaurants. Unfortunately Disneyland and DCA don't offer as much variety as one might wish, but if you look around you can find some decent options besides corn dogs, hamburgers and fries.
Some places that are relative bargains within the resort are the above-mentioned Rancho del Zocalo in Disneyland; plus the Jazz Kitchen takeout window and the Tortilla Jo's takeout window in Downtown Disney. Both the Jazz Kitchen and Tortilla Jo's have pricey full-service restaurants, but check out the takeout window at each of these locations, where you can get something a little different at a reasonable price. There is seating nearby where you can enjoy your meal.
· At the Jazz Kitchen, try the beignets (New Orleans-style doughnuts), red beans and rice, or a po-boy (overstuffed sandwich), which comes with a hearty side dish. Fountain drinks are fairly expensive here, but there are free refills.
· At Tortilla Jo's taqueria, try the tacos, which are quite a bargain considering the quality. The nachos are good and reasonably priced, too. The burritos are large and filling enough to be split by two people who aren't starving. Fountain drinks are ridiculously overpriced here: order water or consider "aguas frescas" (fresh Mexican juices), which are cheaper and healthier!
Hey, If I am going to dream, might as well to dream Disney Big! 
In some ways, that worked out well as the server told us how many calories of deep fried deliciousness it was when he was picking things up and I just about fell out of my chair. 
That isn't even including the Au Gratin Potatoes or vegetables coated in butter. It was pure deliciousness though even if I could only eat one half. I really did want to eat the entire thing but my stomach after the half marathon was not happy about the idea!
