Food costs international drive

[Bigmack]

Hi,

Our family consisting of 2A and 2C are looking at booking for next year but are really struggling with what to do regarding food. We went to WDW in June this year and had the DDP which was fantastic but were thinking off staying off the Disney site this time and getting a hotel on I Drive. How much does it cost on IDrive to eat and have a few drinks?

Any information would be very much appreciated

Bigmack12

 

[wayneg]

So many places to eat, I don't know much about I drive, totally dislike the area but prices will be similar to other areas offsite.
We ate at Logans Roadhouse a couple of months ago, cost $44 for 3 adults see post #103 here http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2954922&page=7

Mimis Cafe always costs us around $50 post #125 http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2954922&page=9

A fave of ours Orlando Ale House always cost $40-50 post #140
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2954922&page=10

Our #1 offsite meal is always Cheesecake factory, one of most expensive at around $70 for 3 but excellent food.
Post #387 http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2954922&page=26

You can spend anything from $5pp for all you can eat pizza to $50+pp there are restaurants for all budgets. Our last trip was on DDP but looking forward to next trip to eat offsite again, just as good IMO. Some meals on DDP paying for extras & tips were costing almost as much as we pay OOP offsite.

 

[LauraDaveCharlie]

Hi, have to say I'm with Wayne on the International Drive area but each to their own!

Are you going to have a car? There are plenty of nice places to eat around that area and if you sign up for their email club a couple of weeks before you go you may well get some vouchers for discounts when you are there.

* Miller's Alehouse - great meal - kids eat free on Tue and they have $5 pitchers of beer!

* CiCis pizza is dead cheap for a decent all you can eat pizza/pasta buffet

* Bahama Breeze is a big favourite of ours and it can work out expensive but you can make cheaper choices - great food and great atmosphere

* Olive Garden - we like it here. Just got an email for $5 off dinner entrees which would make it pretty good value with comp salad and breadsticks

* Golden Corral - if you are not a gourmet but just like decent food with a huge choice these are pretty good value

* Sweet Tomatoes is a great (fairly) healthy buffet that is really good value and very tasty

* Red Lobster - we like this restaurant which although not particularly cheap is good quality and usually delicious

That's it off the top of my head!

 

[queendisney]

as above for food and drink...there is so much down I-drive. Don't be totally put off with negative I-drive comments, sure there are some cheap end hotels down there but at the seaworld end of I-drive there are some nice hotels, the Peabody is one of them. Would I stay down I'drive? No..but only because I just can't NOT go to Disney. I am a Disney addict through and through and just LOVE the wdw resort and the Disney magic. Just remember that a lot of the hotels down I-drive back onto the I-4!

 

[l_mccafferty]

I've been to Orlando about 9 times now and stayed on I-Drive every time.
I'd definitely recommend south I Drive. We stayed in the Rosen Inn at Pointe Orlando this year and loved it. Will definitely be staying there again.

There are so many different restaurants on I Drive it is easy to find something to eat.
We always have our most expensive meals in Disney.

We've eaten in Cici's Pizza (buffet with pizza, pasta and salad) I believe it was $4.99 pp

Bahama Breeze - good food and cocktails, normally around $40-$50 dollars for the 2 of us

TGI Fridays - Portions are huge

Tony Roma's - You can find $5 vouchers off and other offers for this. We spent around $35-40 here

Then you have your pondarosa's and Sizzlers which always seem to get bad reviews but we like them!

McDonalds at Sand Lake Rd has a bigger selection of food, some gourmet stuff too!

Denny's - this was a hidden gem for us this time! We've been before but this time they have a value menu! I got my meal for $4! 2 chicken wraps, chips and a refillable drink!

Friendly's - Our first time here. Good varied menu but they also have a $12 sundae which is for 4 people! You get to pick 12 scoops of ice cream and toppings for it!

I cannot recommend the Rosen Inn at Pointe Orlando enough! They also have a bar/grill with food - really nice food!

If you have any questions, let me know

 

[martinrmn]

One of our favourite topics, food!

As a family of 3, 2 adults and 1 soon to be 12 year old son we love Bahama Breeze, great food great atmosphere. Worth a second visit. Tony Romas for steaks and ribs, never had a bad meal. Olive Garden, so much food so little time! We try to visit here at least twice. TGI's is okay but we see it more of a burger bar. Sweet Tomatoes is a big hit as well.
Breakfast we used to use Ponderosa but now prefer Sizzlers. This time in December we will try Dennys, Friendlys and IHOP.
I can also recommend Rosen Inn at Pointe Orlando. We have stayed here 4 times and always enjoyed it We try to combine this with a second week on site. In short I Drive has an abundance of restaurants catering to all tastes.
Good eating!!

 

[Magic Megadegs]

I have stayed on I drive 3 times and whilst it is not Disney it is very affordable and hence why we stayed. Favourites would be Olive Garden (full menu by branch online), Bahamas Breeze good but disappointing last visit, Cheesecake Factory, another chain but good food although a little pricey, a friend has recently come back raving about Padrinos Bistro a Cuban restaurant which appears to make the top 10 on trip adviser and if you google the menu it looks reasonable.

Remember to google for coupons and sometimes if you sign up to receive emails from the companies they mail you free appetiser type vouchers to be used within a week. There are a load of all you can eat type affairs that I have not personally tried but they work out very cheap, certainly cheaper than even the Quick Service at Disney x All the menus to the restaurants I've listed are available online if this helps.

We budget $100 per day for the four of us eating a buffet breakfast and dinner off site and a quick service and snack on site. we dont go fir the cheapest options either if thus gives a guide x Neither dh or I would generally drink alcohol so this helps reduce the cost x

 

[LeaversOnTour]

we always do a split stay. Stay on I drive for 2 weeks then Disney for 2 weeks. We love it :O)

We stay at the Sheraton Four points - the round tower one with the ball on the top.

We love being close to Universal and IOA you can walk it in 15 mins.

We eat at:

Chillis (2 course meal for 2 ppl $20) and they are not small portions.
Red Bamboo - amazing Thai restaurant bit pricey cost 2 of us nearly $100 but well worth it.
TGI's
Citywalk has some good restaurants - Bubba Gumps, NBA, Hard Rock
There are a few chinese buffets, indian buffets, pizza buffets.
Uno's was good when we went last time

There are a couple of English pubs as well. (although we have never eaten in the George and Dragon one)

We always go in Jan/Feb so its not that busy. They cater for just about every taste going. If you want it, it'll be there somewhere :O)

 

[dc1964]

Most of the restaurants have already been named and they are all great value. Millers Orlando Ale house, almost opposite the Rosen Inn is great value for food
and drink, plus watching sport on one of the dozens of tvs.
There is also Charleys steak house, voted one of the best in the US.. Fantastic steaks and service but a little pricier than the norm, well worth a visit though. .
It's all about opinion but I think I drive is the perfect location for access to the parks, a multitude of restaurants, I4 and the turnpike( for visiting other areas of Florida). Oh and the shopping malls are all close by. Certainly the lower end, below Sandlake is much smarter than the wet and wild end but there really is something for everyone.

 

[Kath2003]

I Drive suits us. We like having lots of restaurants within easy walking distance so we can all enjoy a few drinks with our meal. We like the regular buses if we want to go further afield. Personally the dining aspect of Disney is what puts me off staying onsite - I want a holiday where I don't have to stress about when I eat or where I eat, where I don't have to think about getting half way across Disney property and then back to my hotel room again etc. So I Drive works out perfectly for us.

We usually frequent the middle-of-the-road places like Tony Roma's, Olive Garden, Outback (a bit further away but an easy bus ride), Bahama Breeze (variable), Johnny Rockets, TGIs etc. Haven't done many buffets lately but they're all decent enough for what you pay. We also eat at City Walk at Universal too, which is a cheap and easy cab ride home.