Eating in Disney Frugally

[bless7ings]

I was wondering what ideas you all had to eat inexpensively while staying on Disney property in a regular room?

 

[kjs1976]

First, I would bring bfast food items and eat in your room.

Go to allears.net and you can look up the menus for each park and resort to determine the cheapest places/meals to eat.

A lot of people share meals or get kids meals at CS places.

We always make a trip to DTD to eat at Earl of Sandwich...a personal fav and a cheap one. $5.99 for a salad or sandwich that is filling and delicious!

We also order from Gardengrocer.com and have snacks, water, and sandwich items for snacks and small meals.

If you want to eat at a sit-down, I would do bfast or lunch which is cheaper and can fill you up for a larger part of the day. Also, buffets are a great choice to please everyone in your family.

 

[BLLB]

My biggest tip would be to share meals. The portions, to me, are very large. My DH and I split most lunches.

 

[bless7ings]

Thanks,

The first 4 things you listed I have or am planning on doing for this trip.

The 5th one I have heard of, but know nothing about. Is it a free service or how much does it cost? What are the prices like? Are they as cheap as say Walmart?

Where is the least expensive place to shop and close by Disney?
Do people put the food in coolers?

Does anyone know if the Dolphin has a refrigerator in their rooms?
Anything else?

Can you use a microwave or toaster anywhere on premise?

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

Have a late breakfast buffet (10:45) and it can serve as both breakfast and lunch.

Trails End at FW has a cheap buffet for dinner

If you have a car eat off property. The amt you save by eating off property will more than pay for the cost of a rental car.

 

[nalajms]

Prices for delivered grocery are not as cheap as walmart. But compared to Disney it's cheap. And you pay a small flat fee for the delivery. You can look at the prices on their website. There are a few companies.

There are several places near by. Depends which hotel you're in. For Dolphin, I'd probably go to the Hess station. Winn Dixie and Publix are a ways off.

You may have to request a fridge for Dolphin. We were there a few years back, I can't remember if it was there or I requested it.

By premise, do you mean Disney or Dolphin? I can't remember seeing microwaves or toasters in the parks...

 

[Teresa Pitman]

While I think buffets can be a good deal for adults and teenagers (especially if you have teenage boys who eat like mine did!), they may not be good value if you have younger kids who don't eat much.

You can get free cups of ice water (tap water) at any counter-service restaurant - you don't even have to buy anything.

You can bring in snacks (granola bars, hummus and pita chips, trail mix, etc.) but of course be aware of what will survive if the weather is hot (and how you will carry them!). The cost of snacks can add up in a hurry.

Kids meals can be enough for many adults, or you can share meals.

Even the value rooms have fridges in them now, so you can store some food for breakfasts and snacks. We were in Pop last month and kept almond milk, fruit and raw veggies in the fridge and also had a box of cereal and a jar of peanut butter on the dresser. We'd make bowls of cereal with almond milk for breakfast and have apples or celery cut up with peanut butter on them.

TP

 

[rbrainerd]

One of the best things I do to save money is that I bring flavor packets to add to water in the parks (you can do so in your room as well, we have a condo so we no longer stay on site) I grab a handful, usually lemonade flavored, and put them in a small bag we carry into the parks. You can go to most any restaurant (not sit down and not free standing carts) and get a free glass of ice water. This can cut down on drinks which can total up quickly. Garden grocer always worked out good for us too. Good thing the kids liked PB&J ha. As said earlier, split meals. They are large. When we were having a hungry kind of day, we would eat breakfast, take snacks to parks, wait until around 2-3 and eat a larger meal that would last the rest of the day.

 

[chloelovesdisney]

I am also working on this right now. The prices at the restaurants in WDW have skyrocketed and our upcoming vacation will have a tighter budget than usual. I think we will eat breakfast in the room, possibly have sandwiches a few days for lunch (we are also doing garden grocer), and do mostly counter service meals otherwise. I will plan one character breakfast, and possibly a few sit down dinners at locations that won't break the bank like Via Napoli, the Plaza and Sci Fi. I have some Disney rewards built up that will cover two or three sit down meals.

I actually like a lot of the Disney buffets and family style places, but it's $200 for us to go which is just plain nutty to me. We're not big eaters so for what we have it's just not worthwhile. I'd rather add on more nights to the trip for that money.

 

[chloelovesdisney]

A couple of us will get kids meals at the CS locations sometimes depending on what they have and our appetite.

 

[squirrel]

First find out what is available at the Dolphin. At all of the Disney resorts they have a microwave and toaster in the food court.

I used the hot water at the food court to make packaged oatmeal (brought from home). You could use a coffee maker to heat water and do the same.

I bring bowls for cereal so we can eat in the room. I pack applesauce pouches/cups, fruit bars (we fly from Canada), cereal or granola bars and penguin cookies (like Bear Paws only a bit healthier-banana muffin).

I would bring microwave popcorn and pop it in the microwave at the food court and refill the one souvenir bucket I purchase.

If you do an order from a grocery store you could make sandwiches for the park too.

 

[wdw4rfam]

Thanks,

The first 4 things you listed I have or am planning on doing for this trip.

The 5th one I have heard of, but know nothing about. Is it a free service or how much does it cost? What are the prices like? Are they as cheap as say Walmart?

Where is the least expensive place to shop and close by Disney?
Do people put the food in coolers?

Does anyone know if the Dolphin has a refrigerator in their rooms?
Anything else?

Can you use a microwave or toaster anywhere on premise?

I believe all or most of the counter service locations at the resorts have toasters and microwaves, not sure about the Dolphin. Defiantly try and get water and drinks delivered to your room, it saves a ton of money. Breakfast foods too, but sounds like you already planned that. If you are a coffee drinker, pack Starbucks via, or other instant and run the water through your room coffee pot. Works for oatmeal too.

 

[bless7ings]

Where are your favorite places to go? And how much time does it take to drive?

Have a late breakfast buffet (10:45) and it can serve as both breakfast and lunch.

Trails End at FW has a cheap buffet for dinner

If you have a car eat off property. The amt you save by eating off property will more than pay for the cost of a rental car.

 

[loveswdw]

One of the most inexpensive meals we've had has been at Picabu in the Dolphin. They serve a family style meal--a whole rotisserie chicken and three family size sides for $25. And it was delish, too! I can't feed my family of four at most restaurants anywhere for $25 much less one at WDW.

 

[hsmamato2]

the Dolphin has mini-fridges, no microwaves though eat milk and cereal in the room for breakfast- also AAA gives a 20% discount at some place, I think the Dolphin has a few- Picabus is a good place for a dinner that's discounted- Earl of Sandwich also... share meals, and order qs kids meals if it looks good to you...I do all the time,and for a quick lunch it's fine....I recommend bringing your own cereal,and getting milk offsite if possible, you do NOT want to buy it in the gift shop....
You can pack your own lunches for the parks if you desire also....
I don't think Disney buffets are a good deal...35.00 pp is expensive.... it's cheaper to go to a TS place and order what you want to eat....

 

[Gumbo4x4]

Where are your favorite places to go? And how much time does it take to drive?

We carry a soft-side cooler into the parks full of drinks and $5 footlongs. We get a locker and just carry a handful of things with us. MIO (and other versions) work great with free ice water.

 

[squirrel]

Order in pizza one night for dinner.

We used the free ice water available at CS locations and added flavorings to it. We don't care for the taste of Florida water.

Some CS meals are good for sharing-1/2 chicken dinner at Cosmic Ray's.

 

[oldfastpassxpert]

If you have no car, and you enjoy some frosty beverages, the gas station across from downtown Disney sells beer. I think it's a BP. the bus terminals are a short walk.

 

[OnceUponATime15]

If you have no car, and you enjoy some frosty beverages, the gas station across from downtown Disney sells beer. I think it's a BP. the bus terminals are a short walk.

Hess Gas Stn

 

[hsmamato2]

last time I stayed at the dolphin, I couldn't spot this place.... where is it? also wanted to get some gas and couldn't find it....