Are we the only ones who don't make a grocery stop on our way to our resort?

[Kimberle]

From the posts I've read, it seems like we're the only ones who don't make a grocery stop, don't bring food, or keep a cooler in our room.

When our plane arrives, we just want to get into the towncar & get to the resort. We've no desire for even a quick stop.

We don't bring food. We're actually some of those "poor soles" who'll pay $2.50 for a bottle of water in the parks.

Maybe it's 'cause we're just a small family of 3. It just doesn't seem like we'd "save" enough money to justify. Maybe 'cause we're just a bit lazy & like to be "spoiled" a bit....

 

[skiwee1]

I know we try to. Whether we fly or drive down ourselves we always make a pitstop at Goodings. We get bottled water for my mom to drink in the room. She takes numerous pills and insists on bottled water. I also get diet pepsi and pink lemonade for myself and DD. Since WDW only has Coke products I still need my Pepsi first thing. LOL! We use it all in the room. We get the refillable mugs for going to the pool or having a morning coffee. I also rent a fridge to put our drinks in although we would do better buying one since we stay 10 days at a clip. But it is just more convenient to pay them to provide one. We still buy all of our drinks, snacks, and meals at WDW. I refuse to eat breakfast or any other meal in my room. Unless of course if it is room service!

 

[Madi100]

The first time we did. The second time we didn't. The first time we rented the frig. and bought soda at the grocery store. It was a waste of money. We bought the refillable mugs and used them more. So, the second trip we stuck with just that. We had also bought a few munchies, but I grew up eating a bologna sandwich in the parking lot of a park so we didn't have to spend as much money on food. I hated it. So, I refuse to do that. Food is just figured into my budget. We did pack munchies in one of our suitcase: granola bars, juice boxes, pop-tarts, etc. I think we had chips.

Grocery stop just seemed like a waste of time for us.

 

[dznyntnh]

I never even knew people did this until I made my first Town Car reservation for October.

It's not even something I would consider. Part of my vacation is to not do the things I do everyday of my life and not going to the grocery store would be top on the list. I can understand if your staying in a villa or a cabin, but the very idea of checking into a nice hotel and having the bellman bring my groceries to the room would kinda spoil it for me.

I know people do this to save money and cuz they have kids who are particular, so I see nothing wrong with them doing it, but not me, I'll pay the $2.50 for the water (or Diet Coke in my case ).

As in all cases, you do what your comfortable and what you have to do to accomplish the goal. And the goal is Disney World!!

 

[soccer mom]

We don't either. Too excited to get started! I agree with others. This is my vacation and I want to be pampered. I pick up enough food messes at home with four kids, don't want to do it on vacation too! If it doesn't come along in someone's carry on we buy it, even the $2.50 bottles of water! The extra few dollars you might save isn't even pocket change compare to the cost of the vacation.

 

[puffkin]

Wow, I can't believe you don't stop!

Here is my math:
3 bottles of water per day x 2.50 = 7.50
2 people x 7.50 = $15/day
$15 x 7 days = $105.

Plus, we usually buy some pop tarts and granola bars for breakfasts in the room. (Probably saves us another $60 on breakfast items. Our stops never take more than 10-15 minutes, and we are at the resort in no time. The minimal effort it takes easily saves us enough money for 2 nice meals in the park. But, to each his own. I can understand not wanting to stop, but it really saves us (2 twenty somethings) a TON of money!

 

[blessedby3]

As a family of 5 on a tight budget we always take snacks and drinks with us to Disney or stop and get some if we fly. We went to Disney in April and took 7 bottles of water in the park each day and drank every bit of it and sometimes even refilled with the yucky tasting tap water if we were really thirsty. I figure that saved me almost $18 per day and at 7 days that is $122.50! That is not pocket change in our family. I also bought 5 6-pack bottles of coke products from Kroger before we left at a 5 for $10 special. We didnt even drink all of those and it beat the price of the refillable mugs which I believe are about $10 for one. So the water from Sams was about $4.50 for a case of 32 and we took 2 cases and the cokes were $10. That means for less than $20 we had drinks more than we needed for the days at the parks and the evenings in the room. We also packed snacks and the kids ate them up each day in the parks and had breakfast in the room before we left- either granola bars, pop-tarts, etc. It works for us and we are able to use that savings in other places. Its just not a problem for us to bring in some snacks and drinks to save $$$.:cool

 

[mep319]

We don't use a typical "grocery" stop either. Not that we are rich but for one week a year we like to be pampered. I have the guy stop at a 7-11 for a 6 pack of water to keep in the room.......that's it!

 

[Miffy]

My dh and I (no kids) do make the grocery stop because:

(1) We like to have cereal with soy milk for breakfast and AFAIK, soy milk is not readily available anywhere at WDW. I'm sure one could request it in advance, but it's much easier to have the kind we like on hand, which they stock at the Kash N Karry.

(2) My dh snacks on cereal late at night, so it's super convenient to have it right there.

(3) I'm a big water drinker and consider bottled water a necessity at WDW (because the tap water tastes awful to me...jmho). Last time we didn't buy it at the grocery stop and I was sorry we didn't. I'm not a fan of Dasani, altho I'll drink it if nothing else is available.

(4) I'm very sensitive so I like to have a particular kind of toilet paper when we travel and it's much easier to buy it at the grocery stop than to pack it with us (which I've done before ).

Last time we had a cooler, but the time before that we rented a fridge, which was very convenient. We're debating which way to go on our December trip. 9 nights x $12 is a bit much for refrigeration.

I admit it's hard to make that grocery stop when we're practically at WDW, but I make a list ahead of time and we zoom thru the store.

I totally understand why someone would choose not to make the stop though. I too want to be pampered on vacation.

--miffy--

 

[musicmom3]

We've overbought--where we had to send stuff home with visiting relatives--and underbought. What works for us now is to arrange the grocery stop with Tiffany to buy bottled water, muffins/cereal boxes for breakfast, and goldfish or other snack-y things for the parks. We get milk at the gift store for the cereal. I cringe at the price of park water, would rather spend it on Dole Whips!!!!!

 

[Madi100]

Can you take bottled water on the plane packed in a suitcase? After posting before, I do have to add that we are going with my frugal parents who will probably want to stop at the grocery store. So, we'll have to see.

 

[Wineaux]

We'll be making a grocery stop if nothing else just for wine, beer and water! We have a villa so we can cook if we want too, but it won't be more than maybe a few breakfasts.

There aren't any wierd liquor laws we have to worry about are there? Here in Texas there sure are.

With two couples going, we'll have a list ahead of time to cut down on the shopping time. But time isn't really a big problem for us. We have a couple hours between flight arrival and check in. I figure we'll arrive right at check in time...

 

[mrsltg]

We definitely have snacks and drinks in our room- I wouldn't dream of doing it without!

We buy the refillable mugs for sodas and such, but we keep bottled water, beer, breakfast stuffs (granola bars, pop tarts, and donuts), and chips on hand for the times when no one feels like going to the food court. I especially like having the bottled water and donuts in the room... they are breakfast until a later character breakfast or lunch. Being that we're taking DD this time, we'll be adding juice boxes and animal crackers to the list.

Erin

 

[luvdzny]

We never used to make the grocery stop - now we do. DD has to drink 64 ounces of Gatorade a day (it keeps her blood pressure up so she doesn't pass out.) That is a lot more Gatorade then I would want to pack in a suitcase!!! We usually pick up a case of bottled water too, but that is it - we are on vacation, I want to be spoiled a bit

 

[bsears]

It's not even something I would consider. Part of my vacation is to not do the things I do everyday of my life and not going to the grocery store would be top on the list.

I'm with you !!! My vacation is a get away from real life. I know it would save me money, but I have saved for months for this vacation, and I want to enjoy NOT doing regular things.

 

[madge]

add us to the list of "stoppers" it really isn't that much of a time-waster for us, either. Part of our first night ritual is to head over to the Premium Outlet mall to check for bargains....there is now a Publix in that same complex

for our family, it really is a necessity to stop. there are 5 of us, and by purchasing the drinks (milk, juice, soft drinks, etc), the savings are significant. I also pick up our diapers and wipes (we are flying--9 days worth take up a lot of room!), as well as fresh fruit

I mail ahead a box of snacks and such so I really don't spend a lot of time in Publix. As I said, I really don't mind...I love that Publix store

 

[Miffy]

madge: I know what you mean about loving the Publix store. We feel that way about the Kash N Karry. Here in NYC the supermarkets are not very super--they're small with narrow aisles and minimal selection. When we got to the Kash N Karry in January, my dh and I felt like we were already in a theme park! I am not kidding. And I'm also not complaining about NYC--it's just the way thing are here.

--miffy--

 

[taylor1293]

We always bring a cooler to the hotel with us. I can not imagine paying $2.50 for a soda/water when I can bring it from home at .30 cents each!

We are a family of 4 and probably go through 10 soda/waters a day. If we purchased those at Disney it would be $25 a day vs $3 a day. That is huge savings, IMO. Over 10 days it amounts to $220! Or extra money for 3 character meals , as I like to look at it!

Teresa

 

[ennazus]

We don't make a grocery shop...

I do pack snacks ahead of time....buying them at home prior to leaving. This gives us extra room for souvernirs on our return trip.

We also bring our LL Bean Insulated Water Bottles
We fill these with ice right up to the top and squeeze the water in the cracks This gives us ice water for a long time! Of course we use our WDW bottle straps to lug these around. LOL

 

[madge]

Originally posted by Miffy
madge: I know what you mean about loving the Publix store. We feel that way about the Kash N Karry. Here in NYC the supermarkets are not very super--they're small with narrow aisles and minimal selection. When we got to the Kash N Karry in January, my dh and I felt like we were already in a theme park! I am not kidding. And I'm also not complaining about NYC--it's just the way thing are here.

--miffy--

LOL, I'm glad I'm not alone in grocery-store awe
That new Publix is really quite nice, I felt like such a dork last fall

looking around at the selection...I'm sure the employees knew I was a tourist!