Bringing Food to Disney to Cut Food Costs

[monorailsilver]

Breakfast-cereal, pop tarts. We end up buying milk at the resort. We bring bowls & spoons (well a few times I have forgotten spoons so I had to use the resorts).

For keeping your milk cold you can use a trash can & fill it with ice. My dh & I have done this in an emergency (we forgot a cooler when we went somewhere). Or you can take a small collapsable cooler & fill it with ice when you get to your resort to keep things cold.

Snacks-small stuff that you guys like-pretzels, granola bars, etc...

 

[Planogirl]

If you're not allergic, those small 50 cent bags of peanuts can be good snacks. I can't stand the salt so I rinse them odd as that sounds. When we flew we brought rice krispy treats, graham crackers, Oreos (best vacation treat!), goldfish and so on. The only perishable might be bananas but those would be sealed in a large zip loc just in case.

I always brought tea bags and a water warmer too. I have to have my tea.

 

[kelly1218]

I doubt that the OP would save $50 (the equivalent of 5 night's refrigerator rental). When you factor that in it's cheaper to buy the individual milk, juice and soda pops even if they cost more at the food court.

Bringing extra food in your suitcase can be worth it IF you have the room and IF you don't have to pay to check your bags. Otherwise, you might be better off just getting breakfast foods and snacks at Disney.

If you do pack food, DO NOT pack perishables because if your luggage gets delayed, you will be dealing with a smelly mess when you do get it.

DO NOT pack liquids. If they leak, you will end up spending your savings on laundry detergent and washing machine costs.

For breakfasts, pack some of those individual cereal bowls. I think CVS has them on sale for $1 each this week. Or bring one box of cereal that everyone likes and pack a few disposable bowls and spoons. Buy juice and milk in the food court the night before. Fill your ice bucket and keep it cold that way. It will be fine in the morning.

Granola bars (without chocolate or icing) travel well. They make good energy snacks in the parks. Bring a couple of refillable water bottles. When you're thirsty just fill from a fountain. If the taste of Florida water bothers you, then bring some Kool Aid or Crystal Light mix-ins to camoflage the taste.

Individual packets of crackers, fruit leathers, cookies, pretzels, etc. all pack well. You can keep them in the room for a quick snack in the evening. Or just have another bowl of cereal.

We've actually filled the sink with ice and (adult) drinks before. we're classy like that.


We brought granola bars. They are great as a quick snack or a breakfast on the go. Apples are a big fruit in our family....but I'm not sure how they would travel in a suitcase.

 

[DisneyFan32WI]

Canned corn

 

[Agri]

We ordered from the GG this trip - we ended up not using half of what we ordered.

In the future, I would do things differently. I'd ship a case of water bottles and bring oatmeal, lance crackers, and maybe a few other snack-type items.

Part of the problem this trip was that it was not that hot out, so we didn't drink all of the water. We also weren't hungry enough for more than splitting a bagel between us when we needed to eat in the room. And again, it wasn't that hot out so we didn't expend as much energy in the parks as we do when its warmer.

I think you can really save some money if you know how you tend to do the parks and don't fight your true nature.

 

[weluvdizne]

We have a soft sided cooler that we filled with snacks and used it as a carry on. Then, while at the resort, we filled it with ice morning and night and it served it's purpose well. Things we packed in it were granola bars, fruit snacks, water flavor packets, individual cereals, crackers, cookies, pop tarts. Also, we bring a plastic pitcher and a long plastic spoon. We also bring a package of presweetened Kool-Aid and make that in the room. It helps to get my family to drink more "water". Also, it masks the water taste and is pretty darn cheap. You can actually stick the Kool-Aid container in the pitcher in your suitcase for easy travel.

 

[pigletto]

I just made a garden grocer order for our stay at the Poly. Without going into too much detail, my son didn't eat as well as he normally does at home (not as much bran/fruit/veggies etc) because we were on vacation and everything was just off routine. Well ..he got an intestinal blockage/suspected appendicitis and we spent the last few days of our trip at the Childrens Hospital
The doctor said it actually isn't that uncommon as kids get run down and off their eating patterns while on vacation.

Anyway.. I made a garden grocer order with lots of juice and fruit and bran cereal for the mornings, and some water and youghurt etc. We also added decent coffee and cream and sugar for Mom and Dad. After our experience it is absolutely worth it to rent the fridge if we were staying at a Value to have fruit and veggies cut up and easy to grab.

The prices were higher than at home for sure, but lower than trying to purchase all of it at Disney so it's a fair trade. I'm having it delivered right to Bell Services and feel much better knowing it's all onhand.
So that's one option for you. The other, is to take things in your suitcase if possible. Oatmeal packs, a box of cereral, granola bars, Pringles etc. travel well.

Best of luck and enjoy your trip

( I should add.. there were healthier options for ds at Disney.. but they were limited and 80% of the time he was just too excited to eat most of his meals.. it's not a Disney problem he got sick.. just a combination of things)

 

[princessbride6205]

I like to supply at least half our breakfasts and snacks with stuff from home. We like Luna or Clif bars. We also bring cereal, fruit snacks, crackers, nuts (cashews or almonds) and dried fruit. Then I bring a few empty small ziplocs and those stacking ziploc containers for portioning out once we get there. Sometimes I bring peanut butter, which I just put on crackers or buy some bread in the gift shop. You guys may benefit from getting the resort mug so you can get as many refills as you want.

We buy the jumbo bottles of water at the resort - while more expensive than a grocery store, it's still more cost effective than a grocery order if you don't drink a lot. Sometimes the gift shop will have gallons (might not be in fridge) of water.

Like a PP said, this only works if you are not paying to check an extra bag due to food.

 

[pampam]

I personally think instant oatmeal is a waste of money and poor nutritional value, jmho. We pack regular oatmeal (quick 5 min. kind) and plastic bowls with lids. We have discovered using hot water from the food court and putting the lid on, and letting it sit for a few minutes works just as well, and of course is better for us. I also make cookies to take which are no sugar, just a trace of fat, and make a great substitute for meals in the parks.

from Susan Powter's book "Food".

Oatmeal Fruit Cookies

2 medium bananas ( or 1 cup applesauce, or 1 cup mashed peaches, nectarines or whatever fruit you like.)
2 egg whites (I substitute 1 egg instead. It counts as more fat)
1 1/2 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup rinsed raisins
1 cup pitted and chopped dates (Often I substitute craisins or raisins)

preheat oven to 350
combine, let sit 10 minutes
wipe a cookie sheet with a little oil
drop by teaspoon onto cookie sheet
flatten with the back of a spoon (or not)
bake 20-25 minutes till lightly browned.
cool and remove from sheet.
These freeze well.

Usually I make them up ahead of time, and freeze, popping them frozen into our suitcase for our trip. They make an excellent meal substitute/ snack in the parks.

 

[ConnieB]

Check the DISboards for one of the fridge swaps...they're free, just takes a little bit of time and effort to get them (ok, maybe not totally free since it's generally something you tip the CM who delivers it, but if you haul it back down to the luggage room yourself, no tip for return). MUCH cheaper than renting from Disney.

It sounds like you're wanting drinks and snacks for inside your room, so consider getting the refillable mugs. I think they're about $12 each but then you can get all the soda/milk/juice/tea that you want from the resort food court. It looks like you have two kids so around $24 and you've got all the drink they can handle.

For inside the parks, we just got free water. ALL of the counter service places will give you a free cup of ice cold water for the asking. If your kids aren't plain water drinkers, then brink along some of the flavor packets (Crystal Light is the name brand, but Walmart has a generic brand that is just as tasty but half the cost). Half a pack in a small cup of water (so with two kids, get two waters and split the flavoring)....a straw to stir and thirst gone!

Others have given you great advice about sharing CS meals....we are one adult and two teens and we typically get 2 CS meals and it's more than enough for all three of us. We rarely get snacks in Disney, too busy, not hungry. Bring a few things for the room, but honestly we always came back to the room so tired that food was rarely on our mind.

Since you're only talking 5 days, one or two boxes of cereal should suffice for breakfast and not take up a huge amount of space. Milk can be brought back to the room in a refillable mug, then if needed you can still go back to the food court and get something to drink in the mug, there is no limit to how many times you can refill. The room created in your suitcase for the two boxes of cereal can then be used for souveniors (even if you don't buy souveniors, there are always mementos to bring home...the "I'm Celebrating" or "Honorary Citizen of Disney" pins are musts for us.....many many maps so that the kids can play with them at home and relive their journey, ok, we're weird enough that we also bring home handfuls of the Disney napkins to use at home (after one goes in each scrapbook). etc.

 

[Marionnette]

It sounds like you're wanting drinks and snacks for inside your room, so consider getting the refillable mugs. I think they're about $12 each but then you can get all the soda/milk/juice/tea that you want from the resort food court. It looks like you have two kids so around $24 and you've got all the drink they can handle.

Sorry, but milk and juice are not included in the refillable mug plan. It would be nice to get those as well since it would go a long way towards rounding out a breakfast. But sadly, that isn't the case.

 

[annsteere]

peanut m&ms---A little bit of protein mixed with chocolate that doesn't melt

 

[ConnieB]

Sorry, but milk and juice are not included in the refillable mug plan. It would be nice to get those as well since it would go a long way towards rounding out a breakfast. But sadly, that isn't the case.

Hmmm, ok, in December 2009 (we're doing Disneyland for 2010-2011) we got milk every morning for our cereal and OJ as well. The other juices were available, but except for OJ we aren't big juicers. So they've changed it in the past year?

 

[Marionnette]

Hmmm, ok, in December 2009 (we're doing Disneyland for 2010-2011) we got milk every morning for our cereal and OJ as well. The other juices were available, but except for OJ we aren't big juicers. So they've changed it in the past year?

Juice and milk have never been included. Do a google search if you don't believe me.

There is milk available for coffee and tea drinkers. Maybe that's the milk you were using?

As for juice, the only "juice" that can be gotten for the mugs is the fruit punch and lemonade that some of the soda dispensers have.

 

[rdevine10]

As unclassy as this sounds we have used one of room garbage cans for a "cooler". Fill with ice or ziploc gallons with ice and place in garbage can around items needing to be chilled. We did this with a small milk and maybe baby formula at one point many years ago at Pop. Worked like a charm and saved us a bunch of $ on a fridge!

Also, we often always pack breakfast items. Pop tarts, donuts, apples, pb, fiber one bars, etc. Small, but filling and easy. We do it mostly to save time (does save $ too). We prefer to eat breakfast in room while getting ready to get a jump start on the day!

 

[EKW]

I did a fridge exchange here...so my total cost was about $5. We only need 2 suitcases for our family, so I took a pilot's case with food. Here's what I took:

Styrofoam bowls and plates. Plastic silverware. Wish I would have taken cups!
Aseptic packages of milk, powdered milk for cereal, boxes of cereal, granola bars, poptarts, a box Capri Sun juices, a box of Little Debbie donuts, a bag of chips, individual packages of peanut butter, peanut butter crackers, a beef log, individual packs of fruit, fruit roll-ups, saltines, a container of spreadable shelf-stable cheese, and cookies.

We had plenty for breakfast for a week. Plus, we had juice and snacks for when we got back from the parks.

There were days when we went to the food court and I took the peanut butter...all I paid for was the bread and made peanut butter toast for breakfast.

I should add...the fridge exchange was a PITA. They couldn't find it when I checked in, but did find it that night. Then, when I checked out they somehow removed it from it's box and put it in an employee break room. The gal who arranged the exchange wasn't happy with me, but to this day I have no idea how it was my fault that they took it out of the box...especially since I'd taped the box shut...or that when they came to get it they took it to a break room instead of the storage room.

I probably wouldn't do an exchange again...the stuff we take would stay usable if I took a collapsible cooler and some garbage bags and filled it with ice twice a day!

 

[ConnieB]

Juice and milk have never been included. Do a google search if you don't believe me.

There is milk available for coffee and tea drinkers. Maybe that's the milk you were using?

As for juice, the only "juice" that can be gotten for the mugs is the fruit punch and lemonade that some of the soda dispensers have.

Never said I didn't believe you....just saying OUR experience. From 2008-2009we spent a total of 84 nights at POR, POP, CBR, CSR and WL. When we're at home the kids don't eat cereal....too expensive not enough nutrition to me...so it's a huge treat for them to get to have cereal at WDW....still expensive and lacking in nutritious, but easy, fills the tummy and won't kill them or anything. And every morning (except the couple of breakfast character meals we did) they took their mugs and went and got milk for the cereal....poured into the bowl and went back for OJ for all of us. Now....it's very possible that they didn't see or ignored signs that said you weren't supposed to take the milk or OJ with the mug, but not once in all those mornings did any CM stop them. So....not saying that folks should break the rules, but we apparently did and no one said a word.

 

[mtblujeans]

We last visited WDW in 2008 and there were signs all around the drink bar that said that milk and juice were not included with the mugs. However, there were also so many people at those bars at once, and the CMs were busy cleaning up after spilled food and sick kids, I could see where they might miss a few filling their mugs with one thing or another. I'm not sure the CMs are really supposed to be the 'juice police'. I can't see them embarrassing anyone by calling them on a violation....they really cater to the kids during meals and try very hard to make their meal time enjoyable.

 

[FergieTCat]

We last visited WDW in 2008 and there were signs all around the drink bar that said that milk and juice were not included with the mugs. However, there were also so many people at those bars at once, and the CMs were busy cleaning up after spilled food and sick kids, I could see where they might miss a few filling their mugs with one thing or another. I'm not sure the CMs are really supposed to be the 'juice police'. I can't see them embarrassing anyone by calling them on a violation....they really cater to the kids during meals and try very hard to make their meal time enjoyable.

I was at the All-Star Music this past December, and there was no milk at the beverages counter. I don't remember if there was anything besides non-dairy creamer. There were also no juices. Only soft drinks and coffee. And hot water for tea.

 

[Kay1]

I swear by Power Bars. They are the only breakfast I ever eat at Disney. They are compact and the nutrition keeps me going in a way cereal and muffins do not.

You've received some great advice, OP. I hope you have a fantastic trip.