Eating at DLRP on a budget!

[Bonnie]

Well, it is now just over a month until we set off on our holiday and we're both very excited. Unfortunately though, we have added up our finances and decided on a budget for our trip, which doesn't really match the plans we had for restaurants, etc.! I don't think we're going to be able to afford to eat at some of the more expensive restaurants we had planned to eat at.

Our original list included Blue Lagoon, Hunter's Grill, Auberge de Cendrillon, Café Mickey and the Lucky Nugget Salloon but I don't think we're going to be able to afford those. So what we want to do is look at some of the cheaper options. The trouble is, when comparing all of the cheaper options, we end up with a big list of places serving not much more than burgers and chips!

We're not really fancy eaters but we can only handle so much fast food. I have looked at www.dlpfoodguide.com but I'm still not really sure where we should consider. From your personal experiences, what are some good restaurants to eat at (for both lunch and dinner, in either of the parks, Disney Village, hotels, etc.) which offer value for money and a variety?

Obviously DLP isn't cheap (I know that ) but I was wondering if anyone had any tips for DLP on a budget. (Or is that an oxymoron?!)

 

[MinnieYC]

A general tip is to check out the prix fixe menus. They are available at most (if not all) of the sit-down restaurants. They have 2 or 3 courses. If you get the 3 course option (appetizer, main course, dessert), it is a large meal. If you have it as a late lunch, you really won't need dinner (perhaps a small snack will be fine), so you kind of get two meals for the price of one. The prix fixe menu often has the best-known selections (for example, the chocolate slipper is available at Auberge de Cendrillon with the prix fixe).

 

[cowza]

I found the dinner buffet they do at Plaza Gardens Restaurant, Disneyland Park fantastic and good value for money. I think it was like 14 euros for adults, maybe 8 for kids, children under 3 are free. You can eat as much as you like and food ranges from chilli con carne, chicken nuggets, cauliflower cheese, roast vegetables, pizza, salads, potatoe wedges, lots of deserts and much, much more.

 

[Cyrano]

Hi Bonnie

I'm sure you will still have a fantastic time even if you are watching the pennies

As you are staying at Disney hotel at least breakfast is sorted and you could fill up so that you only needed a snack at lunch-time.
We have seen families load up rolls with ham and cheese at breakfast time and wrap them in napkins - no doubt for later

At the fastfood you can also get pizza, pasta, salads, mexican etc so you will not have to live on burgers.

Reid

 

[Miffy2003]

I would say eat as much as you can at breakfast Bonnie! You've already paid for it after all

We often shared a pizza for a snack type meal in the parks.

 

[Bexx]

I thought that the Parkside Diner at the Hotel New York served very nice, but not TOO expensive food.

 

[Renate_do]

Hi,

something that works great for us is to have a huge breakfast at the hotel and then either a menu or a AYCEbuffet meal around 4pm.
The bests IMHO are
Plaza Garden AYCA 20,00€
Parksite Dinner (HNY) 20,00€
Billy Bobs 25,00€

also the Cowboy Cookout you get a stuffed potatoe, ribs and chicken for only 7,95€

look at my website, there are a lot of pics from the food there with prices.

Greets Renate

 

[Bonnie]

Thanks so much for the tips, everyone! I had no doubt that we'd have a fantastic time despite the smaller-than-anticipated budget, but I was concerned about being hungry. You've given me some fantastic ideas, though. I'm going to have to buy a little notepad to note everything down.

Oh and Renate - the photos on your site are VERY helpful, thank you! You don't often see photos of what the actual food looks like so that's fantastic... made me hungry, though.

I'm so excited! I did my last French exam today (last ever!) and that means I only have two exams to go, then it's off to DLRP for me!

 

[jodyb]

We rarely eat at the full service places and it never puts a damper on our fun. I too don't really care for fast food burgers, and our last trip we ate several times at the Mexican place just accross from the entrance to Big Thunder - excellent chili and other tex-mex things and very reasonable prices... Also there is a sandwich place in the village that was nice. Sorry I can't remember the names of either of those places! Oh, and we had one very low-priced dinner at Billy Bob's - an unexpected treat.
As others have said, not being able to eat at the most expensive places won't matter a bit - after all you'll still be at DLP, and I for one am quite jealous of you!!!
Have fun!

 

[NIK]

I prefer to 'graze' my way around the parks. I'm normally one who watches what I eat but hey, you're in Disneyland and the calories don't count!!! [Well, it's Fantasyland for the kids, why not for grown ups too]

I had a nice pizza in Col Hathis I think it was. Sat outside and enjoyed watching the folks passing by.

 

[Bonnie]

After reading your tips and having a good and thorough search through dlpfoodguide.com and Renate's site, we have come up with the following shortlist for possible places to eat lunch/snacks and dinner. I've underlined the ones we definitely want to try for various reasons:

LUNCH and SNACKS (< 20 Euros)
Au Chalet de la Marionnette, Fantasyland
Cafe des Cascadeurs, Walt Disney Studios
Cafe la Brousse, Adventureland
Colonel Hathi's Pizza Outpost, Frontierland
Cowboy Cookout Barbecue, Frontierland
Fuente del Oro, Frontierland
Hakuna Matata, Adventureland
Pizzeria Bella Notte, Fantasyland
Toad Hall Restaurant, Fantasyland
Victoria's Home-Style Restaurant, Main Street USA

DINNER (> 20 Euros)
Annette's Diner, Disney Village
Beaver Creek Tavern, Sequoia Lodge
Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show, Disney Village (as it's already paid for!)
King Ludwig's Castle, Disney Village
Parkside Diner, Hotel New York
Plaza Gardens Restaurant, Main Street USA
Rainforest Cafe, Disney Village
Silver Spur Steakhouse, Frontierland

So we have lots of options considering we're only there for five days! Plus we got a cheap upgrade to First Class for the Eurostar, which means we'll get a three-course lunch on the first day and a three-course dinner on the last!

We should be fine!

 

[MazdaUK]

We filled up at the breakfast buffet (and yes, we did take some rolls and fruit with us for the kids - they just can't eat enough at breakfast to lkeep them going). We ate in the "pub" - Toad Hall I think it was, but maybe its not there anymore. Anyway, it was sort of fast food but with some unusual options - just don't ask me what they were!

have a lovely time

 

[Miffy2003]

Well you have a nice selction to choose from there Bonnie!

I seem to remember the meal we had at Annette's Diner was only 50E (sorry my keyboard doesn't have the Euro sign!) for 2 adults and 2 children and that was very good value