Allternative to renting a fridge?

[ChrisAlli]

I don't know why this is bothering in me so much but it is....

We'll be at ASMo for 10 nights in Oct. I know it's only $10 a night for the darn thing, but not knowing the size beforehand and that fact that I also paid for preferred because we really want Toy Story or Dalmations, I'm having a hard time deciding if we should get one.

I keep looking at collapsable coolers that I can pack in our luggage, but do I really want to fill it with ice everday?

DH says just get the frige it's only another $100, but it's just bugging me. We'll have a car I could buy one at Wal-Mart for under $100, but then what to do with it.

I know this is trivial, but it just bugs me that they're not in the room. I'm used to CBR I guess.

 

[Kae]

What are going to put it? We just took a softside cooler used it as our carryon just for waterbottles. If you have a car you could just buy a cheap stryofoam one & toss it a the end of your trip.

Kae

 

[Nuchi15697]

We took a cooler on wheels filled with cereal and misc. snacks. I used duct tape to keep the lid from opening and checked it in as a piece of luggage for the plane ride. My DS would get a few scoops of ice every morning before we left for the parks, when we returned to the room our beer, pop and milk was still nice and cold. For the ride home we used it for the souvies we bought.

 

[WDWAurora]

We drove, so we packed drinks for the drive in our big cooler on wheels. DH would roll it down and fill it up everyday. It seriously took about a minute to empty the water and refill it. Renting wasn't worth it for us at all. I would consider just driving and buying a foam cooler since you'll have a car and then tossing it. I just think foam coolers hold the cold better than soft-sided ones. I also like the idea of checking a big hard-sided as a piece of luggage.

 

[Tam1067]

When we stayed at WL in 2003, it was also $10/ night for a fridge and I refused to pay that because by the end of the trip, I could have bought a new one myself for that price. So I had a small cooler which I filled with ice each morning and replaced it in the evening. We kept milk, water, and apples in there and had no problems. It was easy and cheap.

 

[OhioTony]

$100 buys alot of Mickey bars!
We always drive so we take a cooler and fill it every morning. It really is no trouble.

 

[RenaissanceChef]

Use a cooler and buy a couple of small blocks of Dry Ice, we put in the dry ice, then regular ice and our goodies, didnt add ice till day three.

 

[FormrCastMbr]

How about using a cooler bag? I have one from Sam's Club...it is not one of those cheap things you would get at a supermarket it cost about $15.00. This may be like a colapsable cooler but this would be great to use as a carry on...have a great trip all!!!!!!!

 

[DisneyMama2H&O]

My parents have one of the coolers that can be plugged in as a refrigerator that we used when we stayed at CBR a few years ago. It was pretty convenient. We're taking it with us again this year just to keep some things cold in the car.

I don't know if milk is something you all will need in your room but we did. We discovered Parmalat milk last year. It was great. No need to keep it cold until you opened it and they even have it in juice box size. If you don't need milk I'd stick with a cooler and keep it filled with ice.

 

[blessdmommy]

We drove so we bought our own mini-fridge ($50) for our 10 nights stay last year and I guess we are hauling it back down soon for another 10 nights. We had thought to sell it afterwards to some college student or the like, but hubby might keep it stocked in the basement. Such a long trip up the stairs to the kitchen, right?

I agree about forking over $100 to rent a tiny appliance is ridiculous. Hope you can find a better way.

Maybe buy one while you are there and sell it to another Diser coming in after you?

 

[tndisneyfan]

Since you have a car, I would buy one of those cheap foam coolers. You can get them about anywhere for 2 or 3 dollars.

We drove down a few months ago and took a cooler with us. We would make a trip to the ice machine at night and fill it up. I worked great .

 

[kldmom2000]

Before they were complimentary at the YC/BC, DH and I refused to pay the extra $10.... we always had 2 sinks in our room vanity, so we'd keep one filled with ice from the ice machine and replenished it a couple of times a day-we stashed our bottled water in it-but that was before kids so it's all we needed I think the soft-sided cooler would be a wise idea! I wouldn't be able to justify the extra $100 either!!!

 

[Finsleft]

How about a styrofoam cooler from a nearby grocery store? Cheap and disposable when you're done.

 

[LuvOrlando]

If anyone in your family requires medication at refrigerated temps they will give you a free fridge. Both of my kids have Asthma and the bottle of Prednisone needs to be kept cold at all times. All I ever had to do was call the hotel and tell them it was a medical necessity and the fridge was free. I don't know if they ever peeked to see that the medication was actually there (it was) but its a thought.

 

[Disney Doll]

I'd bring a regular cooler if I was driving.

Keeping it filled with ice can't be that big of a deal. Bring 2 or 3 Ziplocs and just carry them down to the ice machine. Or bring one of those wheeled coolers and roll it to the ice machine.

Unless you are keeping something like medication in it. Then I think fridges are free.

 

[3PRINCESSMOM]

Don't get me wrong, I completely agree that for upwards of $300 & $400 a night the deluxes should provide a fridge. If I definitely had to have a fridge and could afford it, I would probably consider an upgrade from value to mod, 'cuz after adding $10 plus tax the difference probably isn't that great. However, it is the family that can only afford a value that needs to have snacks and possibly breakfast in the room that could really, really use a complimentary fridge, IMHO.

 

[FINFAN]

Go with the ziploc plan...we do, and it is really no biggie to grab the melted one ( bag/s) out of the cooler and dump it in the sink and go fill it w/ice. Now putting ice directly into the cooler...yuck...I just can't stand dumping that water everyday...items soaked...what a mess. I have even used newpaper bags to hold the ice and fit in odd size spaces like a garbage can.. and I always put the newspaper bags around our waterbottles and then our wet ponchos into them too...they are great to have, roll up so small. I always put 5/6 of them in my backpack.
I would make sure tp put whatever you use on the tile tho..not the carpet.


Pam

 

[DisneyFans4]

I know I wouldn't pay $100 to rent the fridge. I fly so I bring a collapsible cooler bag and fill it with ice and there is my fridge. I know you have to fill it everyday but the machine is only right down the hall and I only need it to keep beverages cold so I'll do it. Matter of fact, I bring 2 of them; the large one which is my fridge and a smaller one that I fill with ice and bring to the pool with me.

 

[Simba22]

I know this is trivial, but it just bugs me that they're not in the room. I'm used to CBR I guess.

The fridge that you can rent for $10 a night at the ASMo is NOT worth it! We did this in May and #1, you can't hardly fit anything in it, and #2, we had to get a roll away bed for my brother which blocked the fridge (and the door for that matter...With 4 adults those rooms are too small to add all of that extra stuff.) But we are going to just get a cooler and fill it with ice from the ice machine.

 

[ChrisAlli]

Wow!! Some great ideas. I never thought of dry ice or using ziplock bags, great idea.

I'm not paying $100, we'll either get the collapsable one or one when we get there.

Thanks again for the good ideas.