10 days in a studio--Eating?

[3girlsfun]

We will be in a studio for 10 days in June. I am trying to decide if we want to do the dining plan or not. We normally wouldn't do Disney without the dining plan, but, the thought of eating that food for 10 days seems a bit much. However, in a studio, we wont have a kitchen. It will be me and DH, and a 7, 3 and 2 year old. Switching to a 1 bedroom is not an option.

Suggestions?

 

[Silver Queen]

We are two adults and always stay in a studio. We like to have a light breakfast in the room and most of our other meals at a park or resort restaurant. Given the accommodations in the studio it would be possible to have lunch there also ( sandwiches,, microwave soup, fruit etc.). Dinner would be more difficult. I'm sure there are other posters here who are more creative and could give you some good advice.

 

[rentayenta]

That's tough. My first instinct is to change to a one bedroom but that isn't an option.


Our first trip was 10 days at the POR, kids were 10, 8, and 6. That was when the DDP was free. I am not a fan at all of the DDP but I may consider it not having full kitchen access. I am guessing you'll come back for midday breaks so I'd make sure to have dry sandwich stuff like pb with marshmallow fluff (not healthy but my kids love fluff and it doesn't need to be kept cold). If you'll have milk in the fridge, maybe Easy Mac too. Micro popcorn is another good snack.


Good luck.

 

[rlovew]

Breakfasts are obviously easy in a studio. Are you driving- If you are driving you could make a run for food every few days during an afternoon break and have more options- if you need to keep everything in the friudge from the start it is a different story. Also if you are driving you could bring along a crockpot and use crockpot meals- they are easy to cook in a studio. You do have the optionof using the grills and grilling some meals- we always enjoy that and the one time we were staying in a studio and my Sis and her family (8 people in total) joined us for a meal we grilled out rather than attempting to make something in the room.

They do have more microwave meal than ever these days but most need to stay in the freezer until just before they are cooked (or at least until 24 ours before) so you would only be able to have 1.

I would suggest planning on chips, fruit, and sandwiches for 1 meal a day and throwing in a microwave/crockpot meal every couple of days and then eating out at a quick service place for the 3rd meal a day.

Breakfast can be pop tarts, toast, waffles, granola bars, cereal, and fruit.

 

[stmize]

I would do the ddp and maybe eat breakfast in the room. The wet bar area is small. We did it for a few days in may with 4 of us it was cramped. We plan to go to a 1 bdr next time if we are doing eat in type meals. The studios also just have a dorm size frig. Not a lot a freezer space

 

[dgaston]

If you have a car you could get a rotisserie chicken from Publix, some bagged salad, and use that for a meal. I have a George Foreman grill in my OL and that opens up many possibilities in a studio.

You could also get prepared meats for tacos, or pulled pork sandwiches, fruit, baby carrots for snacking, etc. I second other poster's ideas about sandwich fixings for some meals.

Without a car I'd suggest ordering some of these things from We Go Shop or Garden Grocer. The freezer will only hold 1 -2 frozen microwave dinners, but Birdseye Voila and Buitoni are both good brands.

 

[kwdw]

Wow - plan carefully is my best advice..... If driving, bringing the crockpot is a great idea.

That said - unless you plan to drive out to the grocery store frequently, storing everything in that little frig is going to require planning if you want anything more than breakfast in the room.

Breakfast should be easy - just pick the stuff your family eats.

Lunch - sandwiches or easy to heat microwave meals that do not require refrigeration. If you want canned soup - bring something to heat it in.

Dinner - veggie chili is an option since you would not need room in the frig to store the meat. You could probably do something with canned tuna and the prepared rice you heat up in the microwave.

You also might want to plan to bring a few things from home - it's paper products in a studio. No LARGE bowls for the microwave - might want to bring that with you. Not alot to do cooking with.

You can store more in the frig if you don't buy milk in large containers - you could buy more milk at the resort if you only want to go to the main grocery store once.

Five in a studio is going to be full - you will want to stay organized!

 

[iluveeyore]

DH and I are staying in a studio for 4 nights after a week in a 2 bedroom with our kids, who will be leaving before us. In the past, we have just made sure we have breakfast items, we always have enough to make sub-like sandwiches (meat, cheese, lettuce, condiments), and microwaveable food and snacks that don't need to be kept frozen (soup, popcorn, hotdogs, etc.). Being there for 10 days if you aren't driving, it is worth it to rent a car for one day and make a grocery run for water, juice, milk, bread and other staple items you can keep in your studio kitchen.
We also find that we enjoy eating out once a day for dinner, and always have leftovers, so that's usually our lunch for the next day (we always have leftovers from Wolfgang Puck Express at DTD - their pasta is just as good the second day!). The DDP is just too much food for us. We pay OOP, then when we have leftovers, we don't have to buy much the next day. We can also share entrees and appetizers to cut costs.

 

[dgaston]

Forgot to add in my earlier post. I use a fabric shoe organizer in the vanity area to keep cosmetics and hair stuff organized. This is a tip borrowed from cruise boards -- works great!

 

[Deb & Bill]

The reason they don't have sharp knives in studios is so you don't kill anyone staying with you when they drive you crazy after ten days. So make sure you bring a sharp knife is you plan on cutting anything in your meal preparation.

Couldn't you reduce the number of nights and get a one bedroom? Ten days with three little kids in a studio would drive me crazy. You must have much more patience than I have.

Your undercounter refrigerator will only have a very small freezer section, maybe room for a few water bottles. If you don't go shopping every few days, you'll be limited to shelf items instead of items requiring refrigeration.

With ten days, do you have an AP? You can get the Tables in Wonderland card that will save you 20% on most table service and a few counter service restaurants.

 

[LSchrow]

The reason they don't have sharp knives in studios is so you don't kill anyone staying with you when they drive you crazy after ten days. .

i can't imagine 5 ppl in a studio......for 2 ppl, we do as many have suggested for b'fast. sometimes we eat a late lunch (morrocco CS has large portions and is very tasty), and supper is soup or sandwiches.
we normally keep a quart of milk, a few soda bottles, lunch meats, water bottles, etc in the fridge, and about 6-8 microwave meals (budget gourmet size) in the freezer section.
check on the budget board for some good in-room suggestions. also, depending where you are staying, you can buy 2-3 meals at a CS or take-out location, bring them back to the room, and split amongst everyone.

 

[JWG]

10 days is long enough to consider AP's. With an AP you could get the Tables in Wonderland card for the 20% dining discount ($75 for AP holders). Then you could more easily mix and match eating in room and dining.

Breakfast in room is always easy. You have the toaster and can get milk in the minifridge. Cereal, oatmeal, toast, fruit, whatever.

Lunch is pretty easy, too. Sandwiches and chips/veggies/fruit. Any number of canned meals (ravioli!), etc.

Dinner is a bit tougher. But, pizza delivery (you can get off site), etc.

 

[com_op_2000]

Coming from GA are you driving or flying?
If you are driving, make a one pot meal (IE: soup or stew), bring it with you and have it in your room to warm up for lunches/dinners. DW and I do this all the time and depending on what we are doing on a particular day, will adjust which meal we eat in the room. Also, a vehicle will allow you to bring along or go shopping for some breakfast items.

 

[OurDogCisco]

If you are driving you can also bring a cooler and use dry ice to keep your food cold. We camp all the time and if you have the right cooler like the ones that keep things cold for days then, you could do it. I've put frozen marinated chicken in the cooler with dry ice and by day three it was still frozen. The key is using dry ice. That would expand your refrigerator space but it would definitely be tight in your room with all the extra stuff: crockpot, foreman grill, cooler, etc.. I know it is not a cheap option but the store at the resort does sell food. You definitely make a meal with hot dogs and stuff, etc...

 

[3girlsfun]

Thank you for all the ideas. I am definitely going to bring the crock pot. The possibilities are endless with the crock pot. I also had not thought about using dry ice. I will definitely look into getting a cooler that can maintain the dry ice, fabulous idea! We will have an AP, as we are going in April for a week as well, so, I'll look into the Table in Wonderland card. Thanks for the advice everyone!

I understand the space of a studio, but, we will be fine in the studio with the 5 of us. We had a 13 day vacation this past June that was a 7 day cruise and WDW combined, and we were fine. Everyone always ends up in the room with us anyway, so, no need to waste points on a larger room. When the girls get older, then we will get bigger accomodations.

 

[Madhatter266]

We have cooked several dinners in a studio - microwaved Dinty Moore, Hearty Soups, microwave rice and Chow Mein and anything Chef-Boy-R-Dee. It is not gourmet, but it saves money. Also tuna sandwiches on toast and microwaved bacon for BLTs will work if your family likes them. Again, it is not perfect but it works.

 

[MerriH807]

Although there are 5 of you, you would only need to purchase the dining plan for 3 of you since two of your kids are under 3. So the ddp would cost you approx. $110 a day. Can you feed your family for less than that using the crockpot etc. Where did you plan on eating if you decided to go to a restaurant? One trip to chef mickeys practically pays for the dining plan that day. I am not good at "cooking" in the studio. It's so hard to get a place for everyone to sit and eat at the same time..... We stayed in a studio this past summer and dot the ddp.

 

[zebsterama]

Our family has done two 10 days trips in a studio in the last few years, with two children in tow. We are doing another trip in about 10 months, again in a studio.

I would strongly suggest a dining plan. The room is small, the fridges are even smaller . You may be able to do a few breakfasts, and a meal or two via the crock-pot .... but IMO with snacks, the odd lunch and dinner, you're probably going to end up very close in cost to a dining plan anyway - probably exceed it.

Just my opinion.

Good luck with your choice & enjoy your trip.

Cheers,
Zebsterama

 

[PinkTink63]

We always stay in studios because we get to stay more days! There are only three of us though! We fly from Oregon and always bring our little rolling cooler that folds down pretty small. We mainly use this for drinks because we need as much room as possible for food in the fridge! They have ice machines to refill the cooler!

Breakfast and lunch stuff is easy (like everyone else has said!) We usually eat one meal out which is usually dinner. It can be done!

 

[Deesknee]

Having a car also opens you to going off property to eat. McDonalds, Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, Chix-Filet, IHOP. Are all reasonable alternatives. Now, if you are concerned because of nutrition, that is a different story.

I 2nd the TIW. We crunched #'s last trip & having the TIW vs. DDP saved us money. But there are 6 of us & 5 of us are adults. Not sure how that would be with paying DDP for children.

I know you are driving, but food for thought, (no pun intended)...previously we crunched #'s to see if eating off site would be worth renting a car for. For us, it was. Just a side note. We usually fly and rent a car. Eat off for dinner/late night meals if we don't have the AP/TIW card.