Food you can make in a hotel room?

[bethwc101]

We are staying at a hotel for a few days, but are trying to save money by not eating out a ton in the parks. What are some simple foods we can make in the hotel and either take to the park or stop by the hotel to eat.
Edited to add. We will have to find where the closest microwaves in the hotel are and if they have any toaster ovens to see if it will be even worth it to bring some of these items.
My ideas already
fruit to cut up and bag,
smuckers pre made pbj
microwave breakfast sandwiches
assorted cookies
toaster strudles
eggo waffles

 

[DLgal]

Don't bring a toaster to a hotel. It's a major fire hazard and is usually something the hotel will not allow.

 

[maxiesmom]

Don't bring a toaster to a hotel. It's a major fire hazard and is usually something the hotel will not allow.

Nor will they allow a microwave. Some resorts have a few on hand to give out. Best to ask.

 

[kbender295]

Maybe it was our fridge but when we stayed at the WL a few years ago, the freezer portion really didn't work. We only had a fridge. It was great for milk for cereal, half and half, and yogurt. It was August so I thought I'd bring freezer pops but they never froze.

 

[bethwc101]

Don't bring a toaster to a hotel. It's a major fire hazard and is usually something the hotel will not allow.

Nor will they allow a microwave. Some resorts have a few on hand to give out. Best to ask.

Hmm.. I will have to call and verify. When we booked the hotel we asked and the CM didn't say it would be a problem. Just to make sure we unplug it when we leave for the day. And the DisneyParksMoms even talk about doing it.

 

[maxiesmom]

Hmm.. I will have to call and verify. When we booked the hotel we asked and the CM didn't say it would be a problem. Just to make sure we unplug it when we leave for the day. And the DisneyParksMoms even talk about doing it.

Yeah....the Disney Parks Moms are not the best source for facts. They are not even monitored by Disney for accuracy. They have been known to post stuff that is very wrong.

 

[DLgal]

Hmm.. I will have to call and verify. When we booked the hotel we asked and the CM didn't say it would be a problem. Just to make sure we unplug it when we leave for the day. And the DisneyParksMoms even talk about doing it.

The reservations CMs have no idea what they are talking about. Don't trust that particular piece of information.

I do know that SOME Disney resorts will give you a microwave for your room, if they have one available. But a toaster is a definite hotel no-no, pretty much across the board in the hotel industry. Anything with an exposed heating element is not permitted in hotel rooms, per fire marshals, unless there is a designated kitchen area, like in a DVC unit.

However, I think all the Disney hotels have toasters and microwaves for public use at their quick service locations.

 

[MilitaryMouse]

We bring ramen bowls/cup of noodle! Just use the coffee maker to heat up some water. It'd probably work with any of those "just add water" items - mac & cheese, cous cous, pad thai, etc

 

[theluckyrabbit]

One caution about cooking in hotel rooms: unless the room has a kitchen area or a space clearly designated for food preparation, any smells from cooking food can really travel to the neighboring rooms on your floor. Things made with hot water should be fine, but anything spicy, strong smelling, heated in a microwave (if allowed) will have suprising staying power and can travel easily through thin hotel walls and under connecting doors. Just bringing this up because my sister had a horrible episode of morning sickness brought on by her hotel neighbors who decided to cook spicy food in their room. This was a regular hotel, not a suite hotel with kitchenettes. Her room smelled all day, the whole floor smelled all day, even with her balcony door open. Management finally moved her to a different floor. The foods listed by the OP sound fine.
If the OP is staying at the GCH, I think other posters have said they've used the microwave at WWS to heat their own food.

 

[bethwc101]

I called and spoke with another CM about microwaves. The only info they could provide was there was one provided on every floor of the hotel for guests to use. So microwave foods are going to be an option. Hopefully we aren't too far down the hallway from it.

 

[jbh275]

What are some simple foods we can make in the hotel

Our go to is tuna fish sandwiches. Kids love them and you can pick up mayo and relish if you decide to bring them into the park with you.

 

[caribbeandream]

We made a stop at the local Target supermarket and purchased pre-made dinner size salads for the adults. (We ate these in our room, not in the parks.) We also had instant oatmeal and individual cups of yogurt and bananas for snacks in the afternoon when we went back for naps. We also pack deli meat sandwiches with baby carrots and grapes to take to the park.

 

[crystal1313]

Are you flying or driving to the parks? Reason being is if you are driving, you could make something at home and freeze it, then re-heat it in the room. Once I made a huge batch of spaghetti and froze it, then we had it for multiple meals in the hotel room using the microwave. Also the instant mac n cheese. This next trip, we are bringing the frozen breakfast sandwiches.

Once staying at the PPH, I swear our neighbors had a crock pot in their room. The entire floor smelled of the food they were cooking and I was shocked that Disney allowed that...or didn't do anything about it when the smell was so strong. Seems like a major fire hazard.

I don't know what hotel you are staying at, but I know for sure PPH has a microwave to use in the lobby near the coffee place and I *think* there was a toaster as well. We are staying at DLH this week and have read that each tower has a microwave in the lobby with the vending machines.

 

[theluckyrabbit]

... Once staying at the PPH, I swear our neighbors had a crock pot in their room. The entire floor smelled of the food they were cooking and I was shocked that Disney allowed that...or didn't do anything about it when the smell was so strong. Seems like a major fire hazard...

It is a fire hazard, therefore usually isn't allowed in most hotels that don't have kitchens. Usually, if housekeeping finds a cooking appliance in an empty room, they will unplug it. And the guest will return to a mess of spoiled food. It is always best to check with the hotel first before bringing any cooking appliances and using them in the room. And your story Is a good example that cooking in a hotel room isn't always a considerate thing to do -- it can affect the entire floor, not just your room and your neighbors!

 

[CruiseTraveler7]

It's a great way to save some money, especially if you are a big family. However, microwaves and toasters are not allowed and the smell of cooking will affect the neighboring rooms. Someone mentioned noodles, but noodles have a very strong smell that will travel to the other rooms, and is not even pleasant when it's in your room. Luckily you do have a small fridge which will help you keep milk, yogurt and cheese from going bad. Unfortunately, nothing in the hotel room will help you even boil eggs, so you will have to eat a lot of cold sandwiches or cans with beans, corn, tuna, peas, patte, vegetables and fruits so you always have some vitamins. Nuts and seeds are always a good snack and keep you full longer than a bag of chips will. I recommend a lot of salads with cheese, seeds and nuts, lots of fruit, tuna salads with corn, milk and cereal, cold wholewheat sandwiches etc.

 

[starry_solo]

For sandwiches, I suggest going to Earl of Sandwich at DTD. One sandwich can feed 2 people
Bring chips and canned soda (ice at hotel or free ice water at place)

For breakfast, do something simple like oatmeal or cereal. There should be a mini fridge to hold milk and juice in.

As a PP said, there is a microwave and toaster at PPH hotel at the lounge area on the first floor (it's now a table service or to go). I don't recall seeing the same on the first floor of DLH or GCH....wait? Where the vending machines are on the first floor of frontier tower (?) - the tower that's farthest away from main DLH, there is a microwave there too.

There is actually a breakfast dish called just add egg that you can microwave too

 

[crystal1313]

For sandwiches, I suggest going to Earl of Sandwich at DTD. One sandwich can feed 2 people
Bring chips and canned soda (ice at hotel or free ice water at place)

For breakfast, do something simple like oatmeal or cereal. There should be a mini fridge to hold milk and juice in.

As a PP said, there is a microwave and toaster at PPH hotel at the lounge area on the first floor (it's now a table service or to go). I don't recall seeing the same on the first floor of DLH or GCH....wait? Where the vending machines are on the first floor of frontier tower (?) - the tower that's farthest away from main DLH, there is a microwave there too.

There is actually a breakfast dish called just add egg that you can microwave too

Just stayed in frontier tower and yes, there was a microwave in the vending machine area in the lobby. We used it

 

[Ladyandthepuppies]

Aldi sells ready-to-eat quinoa cups that don’t need to be refrigerated. They come with a flavor mix-in. They’re pretty tasty and perfect for trips!

 

[moreisgood]

My kids are on medications that make them ravenous around midnight, so I'm very good at having real food available in hotel rooms. Cereal and milk, Poptarts, granola bars and just granola, oatmeal packets, yogurt, and Belvita bars are all easy choices. With bread or crackers, we make peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, and we often take tuna fish sandwiches into the parks. In many places in the world, hotel rooms are equipped with a water boiler, in addition to a coffee maker. You can buy a plastic water boiler for $10 that has a large lid opening. So anything that needs hot water can be cooked in there, and I have used it to reheat cans of soup, make the microwave Kraft Mac and Cheese, and ramen noodles (the regular packs will cook in there too.) With a piece of tin foil, I can wrap up restaurant leftovers, and put them in the water boiler, with a little water, and steam them warm. I usually set up the water boiler in the bathroom, so the exhaust fan takes away any steam or odors. If the water boiler doesn't fit to come home, then I just leave it. And we usually pack most of the food from home too, so we have room for souvenirs on the trip back home.

 

[poptart90]

We packed a toaster to the GCH a few times. No issue. Always left it out and unplugged. However, I only ever toasted bread (toaster muffin, bagel, etc.) nothing that would create a smell and I always watched over it carefully so that nothing burned - burned toast smell can last forever! It was a huge help getting out the door for EMH when it started at 7:00am. I was able to prepare something warm for the kids to eat while they rode in the stroller over to the gate: bagel w/ butter, muffin w/ honey, etc. Something warm and easy to eat on the go helped us make the most of our early mornings. And we'd make the same for a snack later in the day after time at the pool. I second the suggestions for cup o' noodles or other "just add hot water" cups of Mac n Cheese, rice, etc. Most hotels have a coffee maker. The GCH has a Keurig in every room, so hot water is fast and easy.