Cook at campsite VS. Eat out at Table and Counter Services

[Disneefun]

Here's what we do: We eat breakfast (cereal and toast) and dinner in the camper every day. Every other day we eat a sit down lunch at a restaurant (lunch being cheaper than dinner at some places). We also get some desserts or snacks (micket bars, pastries, rice krispie bricks, etc.) which are pretty inexpensive, but still feel like treats.

But for the dinners we eat in the camper, I make as much as possible before we go so I don't have to cook on vacation, and I keep it simple. Cajun beans and rice, pasta salad, various one dish casseroles, etc. can all be made before we go, refrigerated, and then just microwaved at the campsite. Otherwise it's real simple stuff like hot dogs/hamburgers on the grill w/some canned veggies that can be nuked. Lunches are just sandwiches, hot pockets, mini pizzas, etc. It all may not be healthiest, freshest stuff going, but the neither is most of what we eat in the parks!

Eating this way means we can stay longer, still eat out a little bit and, when we do eat in, I don't feel like I'm losing vacation time having to cook. And the best part I've discovered is that, when I'm prepared to make my meals in the camper, if it's raining cats and dogs noone has to schlep out in the rain to get dinner!

 

[Donna]

I think these are all good suggestions. Also, i bet when you DO have a sit down meal in the restaurant, you really do appreciate it more than when you go to them each day. (not when the bills comes though, lol.

 

[chipscamping buddy]

We have had many such discussions in my family with me being the eat out one. I do the cooking at home and don't want to cook on vacation. However, the savings from breakfasts in the tent (pop-up on this visit hooray!!) and some occassional lunches and dinners really adds up. We almost always do one special breakfast and eat the rest in the site. Lately I have become a convert on the idea of returning to the site at midday for a lunch and swim. It seemed like it would take away form the time in the parks, but we found we could enjoy the evening hours and the magic evening hours much more and did not have a problem with seeing everything we wanted. That rest break is a wonderful thing. Usually we will do dinners in the parks, but alternate between a big sitdown meal and the counter service places (go Cosmic Ray). Overall this has kept our meal costs pretty low and made for 17 years of great vacations.

 

[terri01p]

Ok, I so wanted to do the dining plan on our next trip to WDW, that being said I payed 800.00 something, for a 11 night trip in a prefered site with AAA. If I would have done the dining plan everything included that I would have had to do to have dining would have been close to 3000.00 $ , just couldn't have justified that, so we will eat out some and cook in some. I did LOVE the dining plan last time we were there, and do hate not having it.

 

[campingcorgi]

I guess I'm strange (heck, I know I am!) but I don't really like eating out much. I find cooking at the rv to be fun and none of us are adventuresome eaters so we read the menus online and decide not to eat at most of the Disney restaurants. We do like to get take-out from the Trail's End and have it with veggies and sides from the rv fridge, though. We'll usually do that at least once a week, and eat a counter serve meal occasionally but cook most of the rest of our meals.

 

[DJBounce]

Thank you to all who have replied so far. Here at home the cooking and clean-up is usually done 50/50. I like to cook and if I don't cook then I really do not have a problem with clean up. We have already (before my original post) discussed breakfast at the camper as we are toast, cereal, caffeine type people for breakfast and may do Trails end once for a change of pace. I am not so unyielding that all meals have to be at the camper. Not even I would want that. My only qualm was the $$$ for the 5 of us over 8 nights with the dining plan. I would do something at a park every day for lunch, be it TS or CS, and Dinner at the camp site with the exception of Hoop De Doo. I know, I know, I'm on vacation and why cook...I understand that reasoning, BUT... I would like to drive from Iowa to WDW in two days and spend enough time so I've (and my butt) forgotten about the two day 20hr drive. With DP we can reasonably afford 3-5 nights and 5 is stretching it.

 

[CraftyMouse]

With DP we can reasonably afford 3-5 nights and 5 is stretching it.

Travelling all that way with all of your gear for only 3-5 nights is, IMO, just not worth it. I was already in the "stay longer/eat at the camper" contingent. Now that you mention that the options are 3-5 days or 8 days it wouldn't even be a choice for me.

Have fun, whatever you decide to do!

 

[CindyT]

I'd vote for anything that let me stay longer in the world!!!

 

[magicforever]

We like the DDP. When we camp anywhere else, I usually cook the same kind of stuff that I do at home. With the DDP we get something different. Something glutoneous. Is that a word? Anyway!!! We think that part of vacation to Disney is eating out like we would not normally. Its just something we put value in while at Disney. I would love to stay longer though. Not even go to the parks, but just hang out, cook, go to the pool, etc. It is a hard decision. I still voted for the DDP.

 

[jima53]

I like Campingcorgi's idea about bringing something from Trails End and combining it with fridge food. We have thought about that on our grilled steak night or hamburgers night,,, maybe some good salads or other things.


Jim

 

[juligrl]

I would do something at a park every day for lunch, be it TS or CS, and Dinner at the camp site with the exception of Hoop De Doo.

Definately make your TS a lunch. It's usually the same or just about the same menu as dinner, but you save a couple of bucks. And I'm not kidding about the crock pot - easy, easy, easy. Have fun and enjoy your time at the Ft.

 

[Donna]

Definately make your TS a lunch. It's usually the same or just about the same menu as dinner, but you save a couple of bucks. And I'm not kidding about the crock pot - easy, easy, easy. Have fun and enjoy your time at the Ft.

I would recommend a TS for lunch only if you're paying cash. If on the dining plan, you get your best bang for your buck using TS for your dinner. Menus is better and much more expensive!

 

[tinah159]

We usually eat lunch in the park. I put dinner in the slo-cooker and we relax and eat at our camp site. This allows us to stay longer, and spend the extra on my Mickey Mints!

 

[iradi8]

Could some of you that use the slow-cooker at FW put up some recipes that you use on the sticky Recipe post?

Even if you don't have a recipe -- could you just give us ideas on what you cook in your slow-cooker while at FW?

Thanks!

 

[CraftyMouse]

Question for those of you who use slow cookers/crock pots...Do any of you do this while tent camping? I am just wondering if the native "critters" would get into the crock pot if I left it on the table in our screen tent.

 

[rer1972]

We'll be flying to Orlando to stay at Ft. Wilderness. No room for dining gear, and we enjoy the restaurants at WDW. If I wanted to cook for myself I'da stayed at home for vacation.

 

[F4disneyfan]

We do roast beef in the croc pot we just put in teh roas and potatoes and some baby carrots and water and onion salt I hate onions LOL. then we put it on low and let it cook all day long. Then we will also do some roasted potatoes in the oven after we get back to the room. No this isn't in the trailer but in our hotel room but I am sure you can do teh same in your trailer/RV.

 

[spacekadet]

To me part of the experience of going is the dining.We did however cook a few simple meals.Besides we dont have the luxury of staying more than one week,so the way I see it cooking takes away from the attractions.I can cookout in my backyard.Now if I were staying long term I would feel different.

 

[djblu883]

I tented the first time I went to Fort Wolderness and had a Crockpot...no critters bothered anything...it was so nice to come back to a warm meal after a long day in the parks...you could also cook and freeze dinners and thaw and warm them as well...I did that with Chili and spagetti sauces....have a magical trip!!!

 

[ynottony99]

I also do most of the kitchen duty when we camp. I actually look forward to eating at the campsite. I am all for eating quick and easy foods, and really feel like we are able to relax and recharge better than if we eat at the parks.
That said, if the mood hits us and we are hungry, then we do grab a bite out.

I also like to eat breakfast at Trails End, and find that it will carry me through to supper time with a lite snack in between.