First Time in a Villa

[LadyJayne813]

We are going to Orlando in December for a week, and will be staying in a villa with a full kitchen for the first time.

We've never had a full kitchen in a hotel before, and I'm not sure I'd be comfortable cooking there. Has anyone else felt this way?

We are planning on having breakfast in the room daily, which would probably be heat and heat items, or breakfast pastry. I am going back and forth if I would want to make pancakes or eggs.

I would also like to make some frozen appetizers in the room, and was thinking about getting some disposable aluminum pans so we don't make too much of a mess.

We aren't spending all of our time in the parks. We will also be going to the beach, at the outlets, and just at the hotel pool. We would like to save money, so I wouldn't mind eating in a few times. I was thinking we could do some Stouffers entrees that are just baked in the oven.

Do others cook full meals in their vacation condos / villas? What do you make? Is there anything you would not attempt? Are there any kitchen tools you bring from home?

Thanks for your help!

 

[briand1023]

We do breakfast and sometimes lunch if we are hanging by pool.

 

[wiigirl]

We do breakfast and sometimes lunch if we are hanging by pool.

Thats what we do too...

 

[trinchick]

We were surprised by how much we ate in the condo once we started traveling this way. We particularly like it with small kids since there are only so many meals in a week that we feel like making them sit and be good in restaurants. Mornings are especially easier; we feed the kids as we get ready - helps us to make rope drop!

We rely on a lot of pre-cooked items from the grocery store. Makes prep and clean-up easier and they're usually still healthier and cheaper than a sit-down meal. Some easy meals we have made in a vacation condo/villa over the years:

• Rotisserie chicken with bagged caesar salad and yellow rice (from a packet)
• Pasta with Italian sausage or ground beef and jarred sauce with salad
• Fried chicken from the grocery store; we'll make a large salad at the store's salad bar to go with it - more $$ but a lot less work with no washing/chopping
• Hot dogs with chips, salad, watermelon
• Steak with yellow rice and broccoli (steamed in the micro)
• Breakfast for dinner - bacon, eggs, toast, fruit

One thing that makes it all easier is that we're quite happy to just throw everything in the dishwasher when we're done and run it every day. We usually hand wash pots/pans at home, but in the condo we just toss it all in the dishwasher.

We also don't bother trying to wrap and save leftovers. We realized that at the end of the week we just tossed everything and had to do a lot of dishes. It's kind of wasteful, but we try to be more careful in buying/prepping only what we're actually going to consume in a single meal.

We still eat out quite a bit, and I think that makes it more pleasurable when we do sit down to a meal in a restaurant.

 

[disney212]

I cook in our villa when we are at HHI. I take foil, baking parchment paper and nonstick spray as well as all food and seasonings. I line baking dishes with parchment paper or foil depending on what i am making. I spray all other cookware with nonstick spray. Once used they go into the dishwasher and get clean with no fuss. I normally do a couple full breakfast mornings at WDW since we do the parks commando style and don't spend much time in the room. It hasn't bothered me to use a strange kitchen. I love to cook and actually enjoy it!

 

[Kay1]

I actually like cooking in other people's kitchens; feels like I'm playing house or something. You do need to plan ahead and think of all the things you have in your kitchen that you grab without thinking: salt and pepper, paper plates, towels, napkins, foil and plastic wrap.

They make so many good frozen dinners these days, there's no real need to work all that hard. Sometimes it's nice to just heat something in the oven or microwave, and easier than getting dressed to go out.

I hope you enjoy your villa.

 

[eyor44]

I did once at Disney. There was 12 of us and we decided to do breakfast and dinner at the villa. Lots of adults so the clean up was easy.
Now when we stay at the beach, we do breakfast and lunch at the villa and eat dinner out. I am kind of funny about using stuff that other people have used, so I insisted on washing everything first. Carry extra dishwashing soap and dishwasher detergent. My experience has been that they don't leave you enough of that and you end up running to the store for more.

 

[Disneychix]

Meals with few ingredients are key. We typically do a pasta meal and a steak or burgers meal. Frozen French fries and mac n cheese are easy sides.

We will do eggs sandwiches for breakfast and make sausage to go with.

We like to have stuff for sandwiches and yogurt for lunch.

Also beer (which my DH would say is just as good as a meal).

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

For appetizers I would pack a roll of aluminum foil and line a cookie sheet that should already be at the villa. That way you can ball up the foil and toss it when you are done.

I run a dishwasher full of glasses, plates and silverware, and a pot when we first arrive. Because you never know how clean those dishes really are.