Eating from the ice chest...

[drexmac]

We're gonna be staying on property. Couldn't I just feed my kids a breakfast from the ice chest, and then carry snacks in a backback? Every year, we purchase season tickets from either SeaWorld, Six Flags, Zoos, etc. It is my experience that the kids don't wanna waste too much time sitting still and eating. I realize that the dining plan is an awesome deal...but other than a decent sitdown supper at the end of the day, I don't see us having to purchase any other food products during the day. Granola bars and other high energy snacks should be ok.....don't u think? I doubt that I'm the first person to consider this, so can someone tell me why it would be a bad idea?

 

[Mommarella]

Since I'm driving down this Summer I plan on taking breakfast stuff like cereal bars, pop tarts etc. However, I am doing the DP, LOL !! I just hate wasting park time in a crowded food court at breakfast time, to me that is the craziest of times.

 

[Tricia1972]

If all that you plan on is doing one sit down a night, then it probably isn't worth it.

Look at the menus - are you dining at Le Cellier, Tutto, Coral Reef? Will you order the most expensive item every time? If you're not, you won't come out money ahead on the DDP (some order the DDP for reasons other than financial, and perhaps you'd find it convenient to have everything prepaid.)

We have one sit down and one snack-y type CS planned for every day of our January 2010 trip, and the DDP still didn't work for us financially when I looked at the menus. We didn't care for the feeling of being on the DDP personally, so there was no convenience to be gained for us. We're opting not to do it.

Every family needs to look at the menus for themselves though. It may be that you're planning on dining at higher end 1TS restaurants and perhaps you'd come out ahead with the plan!

 

[LittleStinkerbelle]

We bring some of our own breakfast items and supplement with things from the food court (like fresh fruit/yogurt/milk). Saves time in the morning and we can eat a little healthier that way. But we still end up buying a couple of meals a day--or in the case of the ddp, using a c/s and t/s credit each day. I couldn't make it through the day on just snacks like granola bars, especially with all the walking around.

 

[pepperderr]

Last year was our first trip so I wasn't sure what to expect as far as meals and the expense or quickness of getting what we wanted at a resturant. We drove down and took 2 ice chests. We had breakfast food in there and stuff to make quick sandwiches I think. We took our own microwave too. We were able to get up and get us ready and heat up a breakfast quick before we got the kids up and ready. Then we would go fill up our mugs and head to the bus. We took granola bars and crackers to the park but we usually had something quick for lunch in the park. We would usually get something to eat at Pop century food court before heading back to our room for the day and then occasionally have leftovers for the next day that we could store in the ice chest and then heat in the microwave. We pretty much paid for one meal a day and maybe a snack or something lite at the park. The only day we ate breakfast at Pop was when we just had a relaxing day and weren't in a rush to get to the bus early. For us it worked out great because with what we are used to, I don't think my kids or even myself could find much we like to eat at the resturants. I searched EVERY menu I could find before we left and the DDP just didn't seem worth it to us. I am considering it for next year but even if we do the DDP we will still take and ice chest. It is very doable.