eating in the room to save

[SandrA9810]

It's just as easy to stop off at a food court of a nearby resort. Like walking to the Beach Club from Epoct, hopping on the monorail to the Contemporary. Pop is easy to get to from Studios and well Animal Kingdom is just way out there...

As well, the food courts/gift shops have a greater variety of items if there's a DVC part to it. Like you can get a lot of simple packaged foods at Wilderness Lodge that can be cooked right there in the food area, or taken back to the DVC rooms that have kitchens. Of course Fort Wilderness has the greatest variety of items... That way you don't have to pay crazy park food prices, but about the same as a convenience store price.

And every one likes to tour the parks differently. So going back to the room might work for some, while staying in the park is that much easier. I also think it becomes a bigger hassle to travel depending on the number in your family and if you're dealing with strollers. Of course time of the year can play a big part too, longer hours might mean a longer break to some.

 

[Danibelle]

I'm a little surprised that you expected them to provide you condiments to make a complete meal with. You could have brought your own peanut butter and jelly along with the bread.

Yes, I'm surprised that it is "ok" to use the microwaves, hot water, condiments, in the food court at all. And to take up seats that would be used by paying customers. I have seen the food courts full and would hate for a family to be left standing with their "paid for" food while free loaders are taking up the seats! Just saying. If you want to eat in your room, that's great. I have done this myself for breakfast but I wouldn't expect to use a restaurant for my own food.

 

[lisalis]

Quote:
Originally Posted by lisalis View Post
I brought those for my son last time, since he just turned four and doesn't eat a whole kid's meal yet. I just put the water in and microwaved them in the quick service eating area. They have about 3 or 4 microwaves on the end caps of the drink and condiment areas facing the food area. They are actually pretty good with a dab of creamer put in as well. You could either eat in the cafeteria or take it back to your room. The cafeteria can get pretty crowded at times.

FYI - They also have jelly packets there, but no peanut butter. I brought a loaf of bread to make him sandwiches as needed, but there was no peanut butter. Luckily, he likes jelly sandwiches
I'm a little surprised that you expected them to provide you condiments to make a complete meal with. You could have brought your own peanut butter and jelly along with the bread.

I wasn't really expecting them to provide me with condiments. I actually brought the bread so I could split a deli sandwich with my son since they have so much meat on them. I also don't usually jump to the worst conclusions about people I've never met

 

[maxiesmom]

I wasn't really expecting them to provide me with condiments. I actually brought the bread so I could split a deli sandwich with my son since they have so much meat on them. I also don't usually jump to the worst conclusions about people I've never met

But that is not what you posted. You posted your brought bread to make him peanut butter sandwhiches, but as there was only jelly provided he ate jelly sandwhiches. And doing that is kind of odd, imho.

 

[MistressMerryweather]

We reserved a frig with coffee maker from a fellow Dis'er for free. Yay!
We also order groceries from WeGoShop for breakfast, light lunches and snacks.

breakfast: oatmeal, cold cereal, milk, bagels, cream cheese, yogurt, oj
lunch: bread, ham, cheese, pb, jelly
snacks: crackers, pretzels, cereal bars, string cheese
fruit(bananas/apples/grapes/oranges), veggies(baby carrots/cucumbers)

It works out really great and saves us a bunch of moolah.

 

[GinnyEmma]

I brought those for my son last time, since he just turned four and doesn't eat a whole kid's meal yet. I just put the water in and microwaved them in the quick service eating area. They have about 3 or 4 microwaves on the end caps of the drink and condiment areas facing the food area. They are actually pretty good with a dab of creamer put in as well. You could either eat in the cafeteria or take it back to your room. The cafeteria can get pretty crowded at times.

FYI - They also have jelly packets there, but no peanut butter. I brought a loaf of bread to make him sandwiches as needed, but there was no peanut butter. Luckily, he likes jelly sandwiches

Are you actually saying to se the condiments etc. To supplement?

 

[KigerKat]

we are planning on eating our breakfast in our room each day with stuff we bring and pack snacks and only really spend on dinner We are staying at POP and this is our first time on grounds is there a micro wave in the main eating area we could use ? we have those individual mac and cheese things and such and do not know how we are going to heat them up

I would suggest bringing a small fridge with you to use in your room and stock it with meats, cheeses and maybe a little bit of milk for cereal. Since we are within driving distance, we bring our small fridge along with some muffins from Costco, a case of water and a case of juice. (We are normally on the dining plan and just eat breakfast in our room.)

If you can't bring one along with you, then consider renting one from Pop or getting in on a fridge swap here on the DIS. I think it's a big money saver to eat breakfast in your room, but a big time waster to go all the way back just for lunch. Maybe freeze some sandwiches in your room and bring them, some chips and fruit with you to the park for lunch. You can get a cup of ice for free at CS restaurants and fill them up at the water fountains.

It's going to be very difficult to get back and forth, especially if you have little ones with you that want to spend every waking second in the parks. Does the money you save on OOP meals outweigh the time lost in the parks?

 

[KigerKat]

Yes, I'm surprised that it is "ok" to use the microwaves, hot water, condiments, in the food court at all. And to take up seats that would be used by paying customers. I have seen the food courts full and would hate for a family to be left standing with their "paid for" food while free loaders are taking up the seats! Just saying. If you want to eat in your room, that's great. I have done this myself for breakfast but I wouldn't expect to use a restaurant for my own food.

I think use of the food court's "amenities" is for anyone staying at Pop, not just people buying food there. I don't consider resort guests eating their food from home "freeloaders".

The way you describe it would mean that it's not okay for a mother to heat up a bottle for her baby unless she made a purchase in the food court.

Yes, I do think it's in poor taste for a guest to base their meal solely on what is offered for "free" in the food court - that is tacky. But I don't see anything wrong with a family eating a meal they brought in at one of the food court tables, versus the tiny table in their room.

 

[jsmla]

We bring stuff from home quite often, I've used the microwaves at almost every Disney resort, some of them many, many times and I've never seen anyone else using one while I was there. The one at ASMu is right next to the pizza pick-up window and the CMs there as well as the ones keeping the drinks area clean (The Pop Century microwaves are in the drinks/condiments area.) have never said a word to me indicating that I wasn't welcome to use the microwave to heat up things brought from home.

We have an electric cooler that we use whenever we're at a Value resort. We bought it years ago and it has saved us a ton on food costs.

 

[mommylovesdisneymore]

Thanks everyone we are not planningon returning to the room packing sandwiches and fruit with water for lunches Breakfast in our rooms so hopefully this will save so the kids can get the little extras that make it so special like treats and such

 

[jgates]

I would highly expect that the 1st reason there are four microwaves in the food court is BECAUSE they do not want people cooking in the room. The providing of the microwaves & toasters for public use will help keep the risk of room fires by careless people (and yes, there are some). This keeps it in a controlled & monitored environment.

The 2nd reason would be sanitation. It's massively easier to mop that tile floor in the dining area than it is to clean peanut butter, milk or pudding out of the carpeting if one of the kids dumps it. (And you can bet that has happened a time or two.............every week )

I am not really keen though on just using all of their items to prepare my meals with though. That does border on the iffy. However, I would expect if you purchased the loaf of bread from them (as suggested) they wouldn't have a problem with you using the condiments then. I have a tendency to save my jelly packets, etc., from fast food places when they give you extras in the bag. I'm sure most people throw the extras, but I take them with when we go somewhere to a hotel for the weekend. Working in a restaurant on the weekends, just as an example, we have a chart that say how much each jelly pack, glass, spoon, bowl, etc., costs (they want you to be careful about tossing when bussing).

 

[ilovemk76]

Thanks everyone we are not planningon returning to the room packing sandwiches and fruit with water for lunches Breakfast in our rooms so hopefully this will save so the kids can get the little extras that make it so special like treats and such

For us, eating breakfast in the room is just a matter of saving time. The parents are getting ready and the kids, who take longer to eat, are not rushed during breakfast.

 

[MistressMerryweather]

For us, eating breakfast in the room is just a matter of saving time. The parents are getting ready and the kids, who take longer to eat, are not rushed during breakfast.

This, too. Especially if they get up a bit earlier than the parents. We can snooze or relax getting ready while they have their breakfast and watch Mickey Mouse.

 

[fortwildernessishome]

Yes, I'm surprised that it is "ok" to use the microwaves, hot water, condiments, in the food court at all. And to take up seats that would be used by paying customers. I have seen the food courts full and would hate for a family to be left standing with their "paid for" food while free loaders are taking up the seats! Just saying. If you want to eat in your room, that's great. I have done this myself for breakfast but I wouldn't expect to use a restaurant for my own food.

I wouldnt expect to use a restaurant for my own food, but if I was staying at the All-Stars or Pop, I certainly would use the tables in the food court to sit and eat if I so desired. Just like I would sit on the pool chairs even if I wasnt using the pool. When I am staying at a resort, I feel free to sit in a chair, even if I am not buying something at that exact moment, and I certainly dont feel like a "free loader"!! But no, I wouldnt walk into a sit down restaurant and take up a seat without buying my food!

 

[redandblue]

Yes, I'm surprised that it is "ok" to use the microwaves, hot water, condiments, in the food court at all. And to take up seats that would be used by paying customers. I have seen the food courts full and would hate for a family to be left standing with their "paid for" food while free loaders are taking up the seats! Just saying. If you want to eat in your room, that's great. I have done this myself for breakfast but I wouldn't expect to use a restaurant for my own food.

I don't consider using services at a hotel I am paying for freeloading. And if I have to hike all the way to a cafateria to use a microwave or toaster because the don't provide them in the rooms then yes I am going to eat at one of their tables, I am not walking back to my room.

 

[MissUndastood]

I'm just curious as to where you (collectively) draw the line? If mac & cheese is ok to cook then is it also ok to cook up some hot dogs or scrambled eggs or even reheat an entire meal? Additionally if it's ok to take peanut butter and jelly packets is it also ok to take a coke or a cup of coffee? Really what is the cut off?

Personally, when we vacation we would never consider some of what here is suggested. If money were that tight I would either wait or cut it short by a few days. Frugality is one thing, but some of these suggestions are just down right cheap and thieving. Of course JMHO


Also wanted to add that if I were in line to use the microwave for something I purchased there and you were holding me up heating your mac & cheese (with free coffee creamer) I would be pissed off and you would hear about it.

 

[Bell30012]

There are some trips where we bring a microwave and small fridge with us when we are driving. Other trips we stay in resorts that have those features. One thought is bringing a small coffee maker with you. The coffee maker will heat water for oatmeal, cup of soup, etc.

 

[rumrunnergirl]

We eat breakfast in our room too. Since we drive, we bring a big cooler and a plastic bin of food. I also bring bowls, tupperware, and zip lock bags. I put the sandwiches and other items in tupperware so they don't get mashed. Also helps if you've bought a big bag of chips - you can just portion some out into a plastic container. They don't take up much room when you're heading home, whether you fly or drive. Pringles are also a good choice because the chips don't crush. We freeze water bottles and juice packs in the cooler and they'll last for a few days if we don't have a fridge in the room.

 

[pktbMouse]

I'm just curious as to where you (collectively) draw the line? If mac & cheese is ok to cook then is it also ok to cook up some hot dogs or scrambled eggs or even reheat an entire meal? Additionally if it's ok to take peanut butter and jelly packets is it also ok to take a coke or a cup of coffee? Really what is the cut off?

Personally, when we vacation we would never consider some of what here is suggested. If money were that tight I would either wait or cut it short by a few days. Frugality is one thing, but some of these suggestions are just down right cheap and thieving. Of course JMHO


Also wanted to add that if I were in line to use the microwave for something I purchased there and you were holding me up heating your mac & cheese (with free coffee creamer) I would be pissed off and you would hear about it.

Totally agree...."complimentary" and "free" are not the same word peeps...google it.

 

[KigerKat]

I'm just curious as to where you (collectively) draw the line? If mac & cheese is ok to cook then is it also ok to cook up some hot dogs or scrambled eggs or even reheat an entire meal? Additionally if it's ok to take peanut butter and jelly packets is it also ok to take a coke or a cup of coffee? Really what is the cut off?

Personally, when we vacation we would never consider some of what here is suggested. If money were that tight I would either wait or cut it short by a few days. Frugality is one thing, but some of these suggestions are just down right cheap and thieving. Of course JMHO


Also wanted to add that if I were in line to use the microwave for something I purchased there and you were holding me up heating your mac & cheese (with free coffee creamer) I would be pissed off and you would hear about it.

I'm still a bit confused as to the intention of the resort for putting the microwaves in the food court. If I order food there to be cooked for me, I should have no reason to heat it up. If I start to eat it and it's cold, I'm going to take it back to where I bought it at and have them heat it up for me - that's what I paid for.

So yes, I think it is okay to cook hot dogs, scrambled eggs or reheat an entire meal in those microwaves - that's what they are there for!

I never see microwaves in any other kind of food court or in counter service places in the parks, so I have to assume they are there for ALL resort guests to use, whether or not they purchased food in the food court. Don't you think that if the microwaves were only for people who purchased food in the food court, they would have signs on them and/or CMs watching over who is using them?

I found on another message board that the resort does not like guests to bring their own cooking appliances, because they can be a fire hazard. It's different for resorts that come with appliances, because they are insured for appliance fires in the rooms. Pop is not. I'm guessing this is a good reason why they can keep costs down and be considered a value resort. A CM posted that the CMs there are trained to confiscate cooking appliances they find in luggage or in rooms. I'm not saying people haven't been able to get away with it, but the CMs have taken things away before.

And you could let me hear all about it if you were behind me in line, it won't make the laws of physics work any faster. You'll just have to wait until I'm done. I'm a patient listener.

Actually, we're usually on the dining plan and just eat a quick breakfast in our room. But I would not complain one bit if I saw a resort guest using the microwave to heat up food they got elsewhere. But after reading some of these comments, I kind of want to make oatmeal in the food court on our upcoming trip...