Groceries and being on MYW dining Plan

[mommymeg]

I found that packing breakfast items and snacks were a great time/ money saver. We flew SW where checked bags are not charged a fee. I packed several boxes of cereal, crackers, juice boxes, granola bars and other various snacks to keep the kids occupied while standing in lines.

We also had 2 cases of water delivered from Costco. That also was a big help.

We bought milk at the gift shop...if I remember correctly it was about $2.50 for a half gallon.

Some days my husband just needed a hot breakfast, so he paid OOP. The kids were fine with having a pop-tart or a bowl of cereal as I was showering in the morning. I found that it saved time also and we were able to head to the parks first thing!

 

[DisneyMomma81]

The dining plan was way too much food for us last Oct. ~ I'd grab to two counter service breakfasts *which came with 2 drinks each (POP food court) that we'd eat while waiting for the bus. We'd use our table service usually for lunch and then use 2 more counter service meals for dinner or lunch if we had used our table service credit for dinner that day, I had DS down as a 10 year old, and they don't split up counter service credits (adults/kids), they're all lumped together so I mostly purchased adult counter service meals even though one of our party (DD) was a child. Plus we had our snack credit. We actually had 7 or 8 counter service credits left @ 10:50pm the night before we left (@ 5am!!) I went to the POP food court and asked what I could do ~ they let me get 3 snacks per credit, we came home with lots of Mickey rice crispie treats.

 

[mstinson14]

gardengrocer.com

 

[singnring]

OMG!!

I just looked @ gardengrocer.com for the first time.

I could never pay the prices they're charging for foods!

I am a sale shopper and those prices are grossly over-inflated!


The first time we were on the DDP, we loaded up a suitcase with all kinds of foods we thought we'd need.

What a waste! We were always so stuffed on the DDP that we almost had to force ourselves to eat our second meal each day!

We never touched any of the food we packed!

We have learned our lesson! If we're on the DDP, we take NOTHING extra!

When we aren't on the DDP, we take extras along whether we're driving or flying.

I figure I can buy things on sale at home before the trip, whereas, once down there, I am stuck paying whatever prices may be at the time.

 

[mjkacmom]

We used snack credits for muffins and ate them for breakfast. There is more than enough food on the dining plan, we have used it for the past five years and always have snacks left, especially when DD was younger. We use a lot of the snack credits for water. Pack a few apples or granola bars and you should be fine.

We ordered breakfast food and snacks from gardengrocer, and had 13 snacks left over! It was actually funny - I sent DH to get me a bagel with a snack credit, and he came back with an 8 pack of them! It's really a lot of food.

 

[tinkarooni]

The dining plan only provides 2 meals a day, a sit down which we are mostly using for dinnertime character meals and a counterservice meal. We also get a snack daily for each person but it is my understanding that they are for very basic snacks form the snack carts. If we eat breakfast in our room will use our counter service meal for lunch which would be a more expensive meal than breakfast. By doing this we will be getting more for our money with the dining plan. Also, as I mentioneed earlier if my kids want a snack at night before they go to bed, buying it at the food court will get expensive. I was thinking that I would only spend about $60.00 on groceries and maybe would get some water and juice boxes. For food I thought cereal, crackers, pretzels and peanut butter and that type of stuff. Maybe I'm going overkill ? Whats other peoples experience been who are on the dining plan plan in regard to buying additional groceries?

I will agree with others. I have been on the same dining plan as you several times and we are usually so stuffed we never ate hardly anything we brought. The first time we brought stuff and ended up taking it all back home. Now I take a box of granola bars, a package of those little boxes of cereals and a very small jar of Peanut butter. Last time we went in the fall we didn't even crack open the peanut butter. We have found it to really be more than we needed.

 

[Suz D]

We always bring breakfast food with us to save time and $ as others have stated. I pack whole wheat bagels and Nutella (which we only get to eat at Disney so it's special). DH and I split a bagel because as others have said, it's a lot of food on the dining plan. My daughter got burned out on the bagel/Nutella thing so I bring either Pop Tarts or Nutrigrain bars for her. Our youngest like instant oatmeal so we get free hot water from the food court and make the oatmeal packets in the room. I bring disposable bowls and silverware (we actually wash and reuse the silverware and pitch at the end of the trip).

We enjoy the Crystal Palace Character breakfast so we usually book that one day for about 10:30 in the morning and that is our lunch and then we don't eat again until late afternoon. You can easily split counter service meals at several places. At Cosmic Rays you can get 1/2 rotisserie chicken, ribs, mashed potatoes, green beans, drink and dessert. That very easily fills two people. At "The Land" at Epcot, you can get a wonderful salmon meal, asian food or rotisserie chicken plus drink & dessert which also are good for two people. We often will get a side salad using a snack credit to add to a meal that we are splitting. Almost every place that serves burgers has a double cheeseburger or hamburger with fries, drink and dessert. We order that for two people, cut the double burger in 1/2 and put lettuce, tomato, and pickles which is again plenty for two of us. At Cosmic Rays and Pecos Bills in MK they have a lovely condiment bar that has grilled onions and sauteed mushrooms which also are great on that split double cheeseburger.

In summary, I really would bring some breakfast foods (don't have them delivered) in your luggage. The extra room when you go home will be filled with your souvenirs.

I know that you have several TS meals planned, but I just want to put in a plug for the quick service dining plan. We did it for the first time on our last trip and absolutely LOVED it.

 

[lisam427]

We used snack credits for muffins and ate them for breakfast. There is more than enough food on the dining plan, we have used it for the past five years and always have snacks left, especially when DD was younger. We use a lot of the snack credits for water. Pack a few apples or granola bars and you should be fine.

when using the dining plan, we got bagels and cream cheese and juice for breakfast using snack credits. i have heard of people even getting cereal and milk with a snack credit. at the port orleans riverside food court they have a yogurt parfait that i got using my desert from the counter service meal and just put it in the fridge for the morning.

last year we packed a bunch of foodlast year while on the dining plan. we didnt eat anything we packed and ended up tossing some stuff out. they give you so much food. we r a family of big eaters and we were stuffed.

the only thing we did use is the bottled water we packed, i agree with the above poster, bring fruit and granola bars. if u had no dining then i could see bringing more. trust me even though you get 2 main meals, and a snack, you will be full.

 

[Priorityonecb]

We are "nibblers" until lunchtime so the dining plan worked perfect for us. I would use one snack credit for the Chip and Dale trail mix we all love on our way out to the buses each morning. As we each got a little hungry...or bored in lines...we'd eat a handful of the trail mix. So, one snack credit fed us all breakfast each day! Not to save money, that is just how we eat.

We were *never hungry with the dining plan, in fact quite the opposite. There were times we said "What? It's time to eat *again???"

 

[pudge the fish]

OMG!!

I just looked @ gardengrocer.com for the first time.

I could never pay the prices they're charging for foods!

I am a sale shopper and those prices are grossly over-inflated!


unless you shop at Walmart or Super target around here -and even then you have to watch - stuff is not cheap in central Florida.
these are a fair -about average cost of foods in Central Florida.
I am amazed at what others pay for food in different areas of the country-
I wish our prices were as low

Back to OP- I would have snacks available just in case
There have been times we've headed to Publix as we didn't exactly eat at filling places and other times we rolled out of places on the DP and couldn't eat another bite.
Depends on where you eat.