Cheap eats DL/DCA/ and DTD

[mickey+minnie91]

Any tips on good meals that are either cheap or give alot of food for the money. I have two teenagers and no longer leave the parks during the day so I am only interested in on site venues. The only one that I know for sure is Earl of Sandwiches. Defiantly will be eating there.

TIA

 

[Indiana Scott]

White water Snacks in the Grand Californian has some decent deals. They have a nice breakfast burrito that's a reasonable good deal.

 

[tlovesdis]

We usually share meals. The fried chicken at Plaza Inn is one of our favorites. It's $18. We also love the corndogs, $9. The lobster nachos at Cove Bar are amazing, $16.

 

[figment_jii]

I'm not really sure that there are that many "cheap" eats inside the resort...but in terms of meals that are on the larger side, my family often shares the French Market Chicken (French Market), the Pork Spareribs entree (River Belle Terrace), and Fried Chicken entree (Plaza Inn).

 

[SMD]

I don't think that EoS is necessarily a good value or a shareable size portion like most people say here. I think it's the best option for a meal on a budget (Wetzels and Jamba Juice not being meals) in DTD, but it's all relative. And their sides are small and overpriced, so the value decreases if you get more than a sandwich.

I've heard that the Taqueria Jo's breakfast burritos are a good value. I know the prices are cheap, but I've never actually checked to see how big they are. I feel like some things at Jazz Kitchen Express are a decent value. You get a lot of fries, but the sandwiches are kind of small compared to the other items. I feel like it really is worth the effort to say, get a sandwich from Subway at night, put in the motel fridge and take it to the park the next day. I do that at D23 and Comic-Con and sometimes at DLR and it's a better option than trying to get the best value in a convention center or tourist trap like DTD.

 

[offwithyourhead]

Not too much for cheap food within the resort, especially if your teens are big eaters. There's a food thread around here somewhere that you can have a look at to see what portion sizes look like.

Have you considered bringing food in? We brought subway one day, and even though Pizza Press is offsite (across the street from the front gates) it's actually probably a shorter walk than EoS if you don't happen to take the monorail to DTD. I would absolutely vouch for that one for cheap food, and if you're bringing a soft-sided cooler, you could always stick it in there and bring it in to save for lunch.

You won't find huge portions for dirt cheap prices inside the resort. One churro is $4.50+ now. Nothing is cheap, it sucks. But you can soften the blow of overpaying for food by bringing your own drinks (buying drinks in the parks is basically bleeding money. A bottle of anything costs twice what it does at any convenience store along Harbor), lots of snacks, etc. and eating only one meal a day in the parks if you can manage. We brought lots of snacks and I never felt like I HAD to sit down to eat a meal, I was always full enough.

 

[Angrose]

I've always thought the soup in a bread bowl was a good deal and really filling. They are around $10. Based on recent menus posted online, here is where you can find them:
DLR: French Market (Gumbo and Corn Chowder), Harbour Galley (Clam Chowder and Seasonal Soup), Royal Street Veranda (Clam Chowder, Veggie Gumbo, Meat Gumbo), Golden Horseshoe (Chili)
DCA: Pacific Wharf Café (Clam Chowder, Broccoli & Cheese, seasonal soup)

Here's a very helpful link with menus: https://touringplans.com/disneyland/dining

 

[jammyjam25]

The Corn Dogs are huge and pretty filling. They also come with chips so that's a decently cheap lunch.

The Monte Cristo at Café Orleans is also massive. It's a little pricey at $18 or so but I think that can easily be split, even among big eaters.

I also ate lunch at the Hungry Bear last year for the first time and we found that their crispy chicken sandwich and order of onion rings made a decently large meal even when split for 2.

 

[mich311e]

Not too much for cheap food within the resort, especially if your teens are big eaters. There's a food thread around here somewhere that you can have a look at to see what portion sizes look like.

Have you considered bringing food in? We brought subway one day, and even though Pizza Press is offsite (across the street from the front gates) it's actually probably a shorter walk than EoS if you don't happen to take the monorail to DTD. I would absolutely vouch for that one for cheap food, and if you're bringing a soft-sided cooler, you could always stick it in there and bring it in to save for lunch.

I agree. We bring PB&J for our family. We also bring bags of veggies, apples, trail mix or nuts. I also stuff as much bottled water in possible in the locker or my backpack.

 

[Mickeybell]

The Coke Corner on Main Street has pretty good prices. The chili cheese dog with chips is only about $7.50. (the plain hot dog with chips is less) If we feel like having a soda we usually get one large and just share.

 

[Nohal]

DH & I split a fried chicken meal at Plaza Inn. Unlike WDW Plaza Inn in DL is counter service with the feel of a TS. Real plates and utensils. You get 3 large pieces of chicken, breast, thigh and wing and 2 sides. I got two sides of mashed potatoes and then went back and got a side of green beans. It was plenty of food for us at around $20.

 

[mel2014]

What we did last trip was get the corn dog from the Stage Door Café, where it comes with fries instead of chips. Makes for a pretty filling meal if greasy meal for $7.99. We also did the Plaza Inn chicken split. Rancho del Zocalo portions are pretty big.

 

[theluckyrabbit]

We split meals at Rancho del Zocalo and at Plaza Inn. Nicely filling, even for two. When we take teens to the parks, they often enjoy a turkey leg for a meal. A whole pizza from Pizza Port works, too, especially when it is freshly made. Agree that bringing in something as simple as pb'n'j sandwiches can be very helpful in keeping big appetites in check throughout the day.

 

[mickey+minnie91]

I think we may need to check put the pizza place. I do plan on bringing in snacks. I didnt think about peanut butter and Jelly but that will be a good snack for my ever growing bottomless pit 15 year old son!

 

[smartlabelprint]

http://allears.net/dlr/dining/menus

 

[MICKEYFIL]

The fried chicken at the Plaza Inn is wonderful but to add to the value you can just add additional pieces to the base order. Each piece is about $2.50 or $3.00 and makes for an affordable filling item for two people or those with kids.

The French Market for the beef stew in a bread bowl seemed like a good value when I had it. My kids (7 and 5) would split a salad at French Market and they seemed to enjoy it.

 

[Minniekins]

I've always thought the soup in a bread bowl was a good deal and really filling. They are around $10. Based on recent menus posted online, here is where you can find them:
DLR: French Market (Gumbo and Corn Chowder), Harbour Galley (Clam Chowder and Seasonal Soup), Royal Street Veranda (Clam Chowder, Veggie Gumbo, Meat Gumbo), Golden Horseshoe (Chili)
DCA: Pacific Wharf Café (Clam Chowder, Broccoli & Cheese, seasonal soup)

Here's a very helpful link with menus: https://touringplans.com/disneyland/dining

We were just there in early May for our first trip. My DD25 and I went to the Pacific Wharf Cafe in DCA on mother's day for early lunch(had Blue Bayou for a nice dinner!). Got the Clam Chowder bread bowl and although it tasted good, we both commented that it was not a good value. A lot of bread, but really not a lot of soup, like a small cup. Before you knew it the soup was gone, plenty of bread but nothing to eat it with, and we both just commented on how we probably wouldn't buy it again for the amount of food you got. We were disappointed that we had picked that place, but again, the food tasted good for what you got. Maybe some of the others are better deals.

 

[theluckyrabbit]

When we eat at Pacific Wharf Cafe, we make sure to ask for the soup or salad and bread to be separate. They serve your soup in a bowl with the bread on the side. We also ask for butter (I think it is in a bin by the napkins). The soup portion isn't exactly generous, but the bread and butter help make the meal much more filling.

 

[Tigerlily75]

Jolly Holiday Bakery has a grilled cheese & tomato soup combo for $9.99

 

[lindyv321]

We love Tortilla Jo's Taqueria for breakfast and dinner. I think Earl of Sandwich is a good deal because the sandwiches are a decent size and no one in my family has ever needed a side. In the parks the corn dogs are filling!