$100 challenge

[IleneF]

I will be at disney for 6 nights in May. Working on limited funds for this birthday trip. Have disney rewards for my birthday dinner. Will be there for 5 other nights. Giving myself and hubby a $100 budget for those nights. Will make sandwiches for the parks and breakfast in room (oatmeal/fruit).
Can anyone suggest the cheapest good eats for dinner. One I am aware of is the burrito at Mexico (easily split for two). What other good cheap eats are available. Veteran disney traveler but never had to do it this way, kinda looking forward to the challenge

 

[disneynuts777]

So if I am reading this correctly you only have $20 a day for the two of you to spend on dinner?

 

[disneynuts777]

So as I was sitting here thinking of all the meals we have shared over the years here are some of the options.....

1) The earl of sandwich in downtown disney. We have shared a panini ($6)and have each had a bowl of soup($3) with a coffee or tea ($2)
Total ($16+tax)

2)Cookes of Dublin in Downtown Disney. Shared a fish and chips ($11) added a onion rings($4)and shared a soft drink ($3). Total $18+tax.

3)We have also done McDonald's in Downtown Disney and can both get a combo meal for $20.

4) Cosmic Rays in the Magic Kingdom. Burger and Fries ($8)x2 and share a drink ($3). DH loves this place because the condiment bar is massive and has tons of things to pick from. So you can make yourself a very filling burger.
Total $19+tax

5)Toluca Turkey legs in Hollywood studios. We have shared a turkey leg ($8) and split a taco salad ($8) and shared a drink($3)
Total $19+tax

 

[IleneF]

Well, yes a little less perhaps because the oatmeal and bread/tuna will come out of that budget too. I've actually gotten some good ideas from another
website I frequent. Like I just found out Earl of Sandwich has sandwiches for $6 and 20%off with a AAA card I'll probably do that a couple of the nights! Maybe even breakfast once as the breakfast sandwich is $2.49.
This CAN be done!

 

[IleneF]

Thanks Disneynuts! Great suggestions...I had forgotten about the Turkey legs!

 

[off2dizney]

We love Cosmic Rays in the Magic Kingdom...the 1/2 chicken with the veggies & mashed potatoes are definitely big enough to share.....I the fixing bar is the bomb!

 

[IleneF]

We aren't soft drink drinkers so we usually get out bottled water at the Hess station for the week

 

[IleneF]

One thing is that we both do have healthy appetites and I wonder when people say they split things and it's enough if it's because they are full from
other things they've eaten during the day? I will try to bring little snack bars and snack items (raisins etc) that pack well from home for between meal snacks.

 

[cglaura]

Pizzafari at AK: Split a chicken caesar salad and an order of breadsticks. $11

Casey's at MK: Two hot dogs, two fries $12. You could probably get away with one fries, but we love them too much!

Epcot: Sunshine Seasons has a wide variety / almost food court but much better atmosphere. They usued to have an inexpensive baked potato, not sure if still there. I bought a tuna on croissant for I believe $6 last trip. It was huge.

DHS: Pizza Planet. Split a combo pizza/salad. Then get popcorn later.

Get cups of ice water at the cs places (free). We bring Wylers SF mix or Crystal light single serve paks from to add to them. They sell them at the Dollar Tree here, so pretty inexpensive....$1 for 8 drinks. We also use these to fill up with our water bottles at the fountains.

Thanks about the Earl w/ AAA...didn't know that!

We always split meals. I really am full. The only other thing I eat is an ice cream bar mid afternoon. Sometimes popcorn at night.

I eat breakfast in the room too. But if you want to do dinner in the room, breakfast out, and not sure where you are staying, but the food courts at the values (maybe mods too?) have a breakfast platter of eggs, bacon, buscuit for around $6.50. Get an extra biscuit and make breakfast sandwiches.

Have a great trip! I always do my trips like this, regardless, it's just in my nature, my friends call me miss frugalmeister, because I'm like that with everything at home. But then they wonder how I can go so often, when they have a hard time paying the bills, after of course dropping $100 on take out and eating out every week. I've stopped trying to explaing the rainy day / grasshopper theory and hope someday , but if not, just lend a sympathetic ear. Anyway, that was way off topic! Sooo, fruit is really cheap too for a snack, usually around $1.

 

[Malibustyle23]

Not sure where you are staying Pop Century had a really good large family size pizza that we ordered in the resaurant area and then took back to our room. I believe it was $10-$15 and it filled us up and we are big and big eaters. THat was 2 yrs ago though.

The CS rest. by Country Bears Pecos Bills ?(I believe) has pretty large servings at at a good price range also.

 

[TinkOhio]

The Kringla Bakeri in Norway at Epcot has one of the best kept secrets. For $9.99, you get large gourmet sandwich, a big cup (think bowl) of soup, and a dessert. DH and I split this last Christmas break and just ordered another soup. (I think the soup was around $3-4.) The sandwich was an awesome chicken salad with huge chicken breast chunks and fresh veggies served on a large croissant. The sandwich alone was being sold for almost $9, so for the extra buck, you couldn't go wrong. Oh yes...the soup that we had was a seafood bisque--with lots of shrimp, scallops and crab. It was one of the best bisques that I have ever had! This was a ton of food for the money. It was by far the best bargain that we had for the whole trip!

 

[Kayka]

Haven't done this but was told you can... order a double cheese burger and for about a buck you can purchase an extra bun. That can turn one combo meal into two.

 

[TinkOhio]

Haven't done this but was told you can... order a double cheese burger and for about a buck you can purchase an extra bun. That can turn one combo meal into two.

We also do that at Pecos Bill's. The have a huge condement bar with the hot cheese sauce that our DS likes to dip his fries in. I love the sauteed onions that they have at the condimant bar. We usually load up our burgers there and then walk back to the seating section that looks out onto the Pirates ride. Pecos Bill's also has a HUGE chicken wrap that is very easliy shared by two...and it's very tasty.

 

[nelep]

Fort Wilderness' Trail's End Buffet has a decent "to go" option called Trails to Go. You can get:
16" cheese pizza $14
Chicken dinner for $7
Bucket of chicken for $19

Here's the menu link
http://allears.net/menu/menu_teb.htm

The buffet is $21 per adult (a little out of your budget) and was listed as the most economical buffet in one of the Disney travel books I read. We ate there and thought it was REALLY good - it's basically the same food as the HoopDeDoo review (ribs, chick, salmon, ice cream bar, etc.)
We got the take out pizza - also good. Skip the nachos - yuck.

Good luck! You can do it!

 

[Where'sPiglet?]

Haven't done this but was told you can... order a double cheese burger and for about a buck you can purchase an extra bun. That can turn one combo meal into two.

You could also have them cut it in half or just cut it yourself and skip the extra bun.

 

[LorieR]

Well, yes a little less perhaps because the oatmeal and bread/tuna will come out of that budget too. I've actually gotten some good ideas from another
website I frequent. Like I just found out Earl of Sandwich has sandwiches for $6 and 20%off with a AAA card I'll probably do that a couple of the nights! Maybe even breakfast once as the breakfast sandwich is $2.49.
This CAN be done!

Can I ask where you found out about the AAA discount at Earl of Sandwich? DH and I love their sandwiches and we have AAA but have never used our card. Trying to do a real budget trip for Dec. and this would help

 

[carola2]

Where is Earl ???? and what kind of food they sell??

TIA

 

[IleneF]

Can I ask where you found out about the AAA discount at Earl of Sandwich? DH and I love their sandwiches and we have AAA but have never used our card. Trying to do a real budget trip for Dec. and this would help

Are we allowed to mention Mary's mousesavers.com website? That was where I read about Earl discount...and lots of others

I just want to correct the buffet price someone mentioned at Trails End is not $14, it may be that for lunch though. I believe dinner is $18 still a great price for a disney property buffet.

Lots of great ideas. We are DVC owners so we will be at BCV for our stay except of one night at AKV , airline tickets were bought at while back and we have AP's. DH got downscaled so if it wasn't all paid for we wouldn't be making this trip...that is why the economy version on meals

 

[IleneF]

The Kringla Bakeri in Norway at Epcot has one of the best kept secrets. For $9.99, you get large gourmet sandwich, a big cup (think bowl) of soup, and a dessert.

They also have a .99 dessert (dirt pudding I think) that is very yummy.

 

[IleneF]

Where is Earl ???? and what kind of food they sell??

TIA

Earl of Sandwich is in Downtown Disney. It's a great little restaurant, fast food style where you go through a line and then sit down but the atmosphere is nicer than a McD's and food quality and selection is better. Nice size sandwiches on yummy bread, hot or cold, soups, salads and desserts available. Price is very good for disney area shop.