2 budget saving tips that I learned!

[loveshak22]

We just got back from 4 nights/3 days at WDW and the 2 tips I learned that helped our budget...

1. Free ice water can be ordered at any CS restaurant! I read that somewhere on here before I left and so I tried it and yes, I was able to get free ice water at every CS restaurant that I asked for it. The weather was much hotter than I expected (it was still low 90's and high humidity). I drink a lot of water and I was with my parents who have to take medicine throughout the day. I didn't want to waste snack credits on bottled water and I didn't want to pay $2.50 OOP per bottle. I tried the water fountains but many of them were luke warm (yuck). I think the free ice water is great. They give it to you in a medium sized cup (not one of the small ones some places give you for water) and I ordered up to 4 free waters with no problem. Since there are so many CS restaurants throughout the park it's also convenient.

2. Snack credits can be used for breakfast items on the DDP! This may be common knowledge but I didn't know that. We were there 3 days but since we were staying 4 nights we got 16 snack credits (there were 4 of us). We didn't check in until after 5:00 p.m. on the first night so we used a TS that night for dinner. That gave us that days CS and 4 snack credits to roll over into the next 3 days. We were staying at the POFQ and used the CS for breakfast the first morning there. When we were in the food court they told us we could also use snack credits for things like - side of sausage or bacon, cinnamon rolls, sausage and biscuits, croissants, small order of beinets (spelling?), etc. So for the next 2 mornings we used our snack credits for breakfast. Since we had a CS and TS each day as well we really didn't need many snack credits throughout the day. We had taken some peanut butter crackers with us so that also helped supplement breakfast. We still ended up with about 6 snack credits to use on actual snacks! It worked out perfectly.

So those were my 2 big budget savers for our trip! Since we had free dining, besides buying an appetizer at our TS and paying gratuity we maybe paid $30OOP on food and drinks.

 

[tanyatpb]

That is great to know thanks!!

 

[weaverlfc]

Can you order free ice water at TS restaurants?

 

[loveshak22]

Can you order free ice water at TS restaurants?

I would definitely think so. I saw that they used little paper cups with lids for kids drinks so I'm sure they can use those if you want a water to go. I would guess it's a little more work to go inside and order a water at the TS restaurants than at one of the CS restaurants but I'm sure they'd accomodate you as well.

 

[sammielynn]

You spent $300 on tips and other food in four days with the DDP?? Wow that seems high to me.

 

[loveshak22]

You spent $300 on tips and other food in four days with the DDP?? Wow that seems high to me.

oops! There should be a space in there...it should be we only spent $30 OOP, not including tips and appetizers we bought at TS meals. Since tip and apps are based on individual preferences I didn't include that in our total.

And that $30 was on bottled water in our hotel room because my parents preferred that to tap water and a couple of bottles we bought when we first got in the park. After that we switched to the free ice water at the CS restaurants.

 

[loveshak22]

Since tip and apps are based on individual preferences I didn't include that in our total. QUOTE]

If it helps as a reference though, for 4 days with the free DDP for all of our meals, snacks, and drinks (with tips, extra appetizers, bottled waters, and snacks) we spent about $190, if I'm remembering correctly. That's having the first day's CS and snacks rolled over into days 2-4 and using the snack credits for some breakfast foods as described in the OP.

That includes a glow cube at one restaurant, 2 apps at Le Cellier, 1 app at Chefs De France, bottled water for the hotel room, and 20% or more gratuity. I was fine drinking tap water so for others like me that would have saved some money on the total tab and without any apps we probably could have spent closer to $100.

 

[Blackbeltdisneygirl]

We just got back from 4 nights/3 days at WDW and the 2 tips I learned that helped our budget...

1. Free ice water can be ordered at any CS restaurant! I read that somewhere on here before I left and so I tried it and yes, I was able to get free ice water at every CS restaurant that I asked for it. The weather was much hotter than I expected (it was still low 90's and high humidity). I drink a lot of water and I was with my parents who have to take medicine throughout the day. I didn't want to waste snack credits on bottled water and I didn't want to pay $2.50 OOP per bottle. I tried the water fountains but many of them were luke warm (yuck). I think the free ice water is great. They give it to you in a medium sized cup (not one of the small ones some places give you for water) and I ordered up to 4 free waters with no problem. Since there are so many CS restaurants throughout the park it's also convenient.

2. Snack credits can be used for breakfast items on the DDP! This may be common knowledge but I didn't know that. We were there 3 days but since we were staying 4 nights we got 16 snack credits (there were 4 of us). We didn't check in until after 5:00 p.m. on the first night so we used a TS that night for dinner. That gave us that days CS and 4 snack credits to roll over into the next 3 days. We were staying at the POFQ and used the CS for breakfast the first morning there. When we were in the food court they told us we could also use snack credits for things like - side of sausage or bacon, cinnamon rolls, sausage and biscuits, croissants, small order of beinets (spelling?), etc. So for the next 2 mornings we used our snack credits for breakfast. Since we had a CS and TS each day as well we really didn't need many snack credits throughout the day. We had taken some peanut butter crackers with us so that also helped supplement breakfast. We still ended up with about 6 snack credits to use on actual snacks! It worked out perfectly.

So those were my 2 big budget savers for our trip! Since we had free dining, besides buying an appetizer at our TS and paying gratuity we maybe paid $30OOP on food and drinks.

We like to use our CS entitlements sparingly by sharing meals. We get adult portions for the older kids and they share with the younger kids. My husband and I frequently share too. Then we will use snack credits if we need a little something to stretch the meal further. We tend not to snack much during the day. Then we have enough entitlements to eat breakfast everyday using CS credits. My husband and I can last a long time by sharing an omelet together.

 

[loveshak22]

We like to use our CS entitlements sparingly by sharing meals.

That's true too! We're big eaters but at our CS lunch we definitely had too much food for all of us and could easily have shared. There was one CS meal we ate for dinner and it was a late dinner at POFQ food court and none of us were willing to share that night - but if we had planned better with a snack after lunch or something we probably could have

 

[Blackbeltdisneygirl]

That's true too! We're big eaters but at our CS lunch we definitely had too much food for all of us and could easily have shared. There was one CS meal we ate for dinner and it was a late dinner at POFQ food court and none of us were willing to share that night - but if we had planned better with a snack after lunch or something we probably could have

Every now and then we are too hungry to share, and that's okay! Usually for me it's the first day there after flying, and buses, and such. I am always famished! I usually end up buying a nice bowl of soup in addition to my CS meal. Whatever works I say!

 

[disneyfan328]

for anyone that is interested in doing so:

The last time we stayed at Disney we ordered bottled water online from Staples.com. It was cheap - even with shipping and they delivered it right to the hotel for us. The lady on the phone who took my order even gave me a discount on the shipping because it was my first order and a really good idea (so she said!) we packed one of those bags you get from the grocery store to put ice cream/meat etc) in and packed that. We filled it with ice each night and kept it in the bathtub - just in case it leaked and we had cold bottles of water whenever we needed them.

It worked out great and saved us a bunch of money.

 

[loveshak22]

for anyone that is interested in doing so:

The last time we stayed at Disney we ordered bottled water online from Staples.com. It was cheap - even with shipping and they delivered it right to the hotel for us. The lady on the phone who took my order even gave me a discount on the shipping because it was my first order and a really good idea (so she said!) we packed one of those bags you get from the grocery store to put ice cream/meat etc) in and packed that. We filled it with ice each night and kept it in the bathtub - just in case it leaked and we had cold bottles of water whenever we needed them.

It worked out great and saved us a bunch of money.

That's smart too!

 

[Dizneydaz]

Thanks for the tips. I have gotten many glasses of free ice water at WDW and DLR. You can also get free hot water at CD at DLR and I would assume WDW as well. We were at DLR yesterdays and since it was cold and rainy we wanted hot tea. Got our free water and used my own tea bags. It's pretty much the same thing as getting free water and using those flavor tubes.

Love using SC for breakfast. We also make at least one trip to POFQ to get beignets for breakfast. You used to be able to get 6 for 1 SC, now it's 3. But it still makes a great breakfast, especially if you add a side of fruit salad.

 

[bookgirl]

I"m a total water snob and except for one cs resturant in china and the Luau I was just fine with getting a free ice water. I think the other two were tap as they did have a 'taste' but wherever I got water from a drink fountain the water was just fine.


We did a walmart run for a few snacks and breakfast items for my solo trip. We also had picked up a half case of water (my mom will not drink any thing else and since her and my stepdad were meeting me for the first half of the trip I had to have some) If I was by myself I would not worry about the water at all.