Groceries or no groceries?

[bouncingsquares]

DH and I are taking our first week long trip to WDW in three short weeks! This will be our fourth trip to WDW together, but the others have just been weekend trips, so I'm really unsure what to expect out of this one. We have budgeted for one QS and one TS meal for each day of our trip (and a snack, of course). I intended to bring granola bars or poptarts or some kind of on-the-go breakfast foods. This is what we've done in the past, but like I said, quick trips. I'm starting to think that maybe we should order groceries this time.

When we've stayed on-site in the past, we've made afternoon trips back to the hotel to rejuvenate. I suspect that with five days in the parks, we will definitely need rest time. I'm also somewhat worried that eating every meal in the parks will get old. So maybe I should just have some lunch foods on hand and count on doing that instead of eating QS meals in the parks?

And what about drinks? We are staying at AoA in a Little Mermaid room, and from what I've heard, getting a refillable mug would be very impractical for us due to the distance to the food court. Personally, I don't mind walking, and on the map it doesn't look that far, but maybe the map is deceiving? And maybe when I'm actually in the position of having to walk that distance to get a drink, I'll feel differently about it haha.

Another thing to consider is that we are flying Southwest, which gives us each two free checked bags. Neither of us will need more than one bag for our clothes, so we could theoretically bring as much as two suitcases full of snacks and drinks. Of course we couldn't bring anything that needs to be kept cold, but from what I've seen on Garden Grocer, everything seems to be around $2.00 more expensive there than it is here, and we wouldn't have to pay a delivery fee. We could definitely get more bang for our buck by bringing it with us.

It would be really nice to be able to just pick up a couple of cold things, but by the time we pay for a cab/Uber to the grocery store, we probably could have gotten way more groceries delivered.

Thoughts? Did you not order groceries and wish you did? Did you order groceries and wish you didn't?

Thanks in advance!

 

[LJSquishy]

We had some snacks shipped with Amazon Prime Pantry for a 9-night stay and I'd say it was not worth it. I think you should pack some foods if you have room in your suitcase but otherwise I wouldn't bother. What worked very well for us was to share a breakfast platter most mornings which was about $9, or we would each get a kid's breakfast meal and it was plenty of food. I also ordered quite a few kid's meals for other quick service meals and I was never hungry in between, not even for snacks or treats. We did pack some protein bars and made bags of trail mix to snack on because we're used to eating every few hours and would get a headache if we skipped meals or snacks (even if we didn't feel hungry).

You can also buy yogurt, cereal, milk jug (or tiny cartons), whole fruit, bread/bagels, peanut butter, jelly, etc at your resort gift shop which do cost more than a grocery store but less money than having groceries delivered.

 

[Marionnette]

DH and I are taking our first week long trip to WDW in three short weeks! This will be our fourth trip to WDW together, but the others have just been weekend trips, so I'm really unsure what to expect out of this one. We have budgeted for one QS and one TS meal for each day of our trip (and a snack, of course). I intended to bring granola bars or poptarts or some kind of on-the-go breakfast foods. This is what we've done in the past, but like I said, quick trips. I'm starting to think that maybe we should order groceries this time.

When we've stayed on-site in the past, we've made afternoon trips back to the hotel to rejuvenate. I suspect that with five days in the parks, we will definitely need rest time. I'm also somewhat worried that eating every meal in the parks will get old. So maybe I should just have some lunch foods on hand and count on doing that instead of eating QS meals in the parks?

And what about drinks? We are staying at AoA in a Little Mermaid room, and from what I've heard, getting a refillable mug would be very impractical for us due to the distance to the food court. Personally, I don't mind walking, and on the map it doesn't look that far, but maybe the map is deceiving? And maybe when I'm actually in the position of having to walk that distance to get a drink, I'll feel differently about it haha.

Another thing to consider is that we are flying Southwest, which gives us each two free checked bags. Neither of us will need more than one bag for our clothes, so we could theoretically bring as much as two suitcases full of snacks and drinks. Of course we couldn't bring anything that needs to be kept cold, but from what I've seen on Garden Grocer, everything seems to be around $2.00 more expensive there than it is here, and we wouldn't have to pay a delivery fee. We could definitely get more bang for our buck by bringing it with us.

It would be really nice to be able to just pick up a couple of cold things, but by the time we pay for a cab/Uber to the grocery store, we probably could have gotten way more groceries delivered.

Thoughts? Did you not order groceries and wish you did? Did you order groceries and wish you didn't?

Thanks in advance!

If you've already budgeted for the equivalent of the regular dining plan, I don't think that you'll need a whole lot of additional food. In the past, I've only brought breakfast foods with me when staying in a regular hotel room. When I stay in a DVC room, I make it a point to go grocery shopping in Florida so that I can pick up fresh fruits, coffee cream and adult beverages. I would never pack large volumes of liquid in my luggage for fear of leaks and the tremendous weight it adds. Even if you don't have a car, most resorts carry some adult beverages, fruit and dairy products in the gift shops and marketplaces.

Think about your past trips and whether heading back to your room at lunch time was typical of your touring style. And then ask whether you're capable of waiting until you get back to your resort in order to eat. If not, then forget about bringing lunch foods. Otherwise, you'll just be bringing those foods back in your luggage. Having breakfast stuff with you means that you can grab something quick while getting ready for your day in the park and then hit the ground running. I would also plan at least one QS or TS breakfast just to get a break from a cold breakfast every day. Pop Tarts and granola bars lose their appeal pretty quickly when you're looking at them every morning!

 

[bouncingsquares]

If you've already budgeted for the equivalent of the regular dining plan, I don't think that you'll need a whole lot of additional food. In the past, I've only brought breakfast foods with me when staying in a regular hotel room. When I stay in a DVC room, I make it a point to go grocery shopping in Florida so that I can pick up fresh fruits, coffee cream and adult beverages. I would never pack large volumes of liquid in my luggage for fear of leaks and the tremendous weight it adds. Even if you don't have a car, most resorts carry some adult beverages, fruit and dairy products in the gift shops and marketplaces.

Think about your past trips and whether heading back to your room at lunch time was typical of your touring style. And then ask whether you're capable of waiting until you get back to your resort in order to eat. If not, then forget about bringing lunch foods. Otherwise, you'll just be bringing those foods back in your luggage. Having breakfast stuff with you means that you can grab something quick while getting ready for your day in the park and then hit the ground running. I would also plan at least one QS or TS breakfast just to get a break from a cold breakfast every day. Pop Tarts and granola bars lose their appeal pretty quickly when you're looking at them every morning!

Yeah, if we were staying in a room that had a kitchen, I would absolutely be picking up fresh foods, but since we aren't, it just doesn't seem to really be worth it. I also don't think I'd pack any drinks in my luggage. My mom was telling me about how she packed a bottle of champagne on her honeymoon and it broke in her suitcase, so they had to wash all their clothes as soon as they got there. No thanks.

Typically we went back a little later than lunchtime, I think. I'm not sure that we'd want to wait to get back to the resort to eat, especially if the lines are particularly short or something. It could be a huge time waster if we went back at the wrong time of day, you know? We also have breakfast ADRs at Crystal Palace on Sunday and then at Kona on Wednesday, so hopefully that will break up the monotony of Pop Tarts and granola bars! Thank you for helping me to think it through a little better!

 

[bouncingsquares]

We had some snacks shipped with Amazon Prime Pantry for a 9-night stay and I'd say it was not worth it. I think you should pack some foods if you have room in your suitcase but otherwise I wouldn't bother. What worked very well for us was to share a breakfast platter most mornings which was about $9, or we would each get a kid's breakfast meal and it was plenty of food. I also ordered quite a few kid's meals for other quick service meals and I was never hungry in between, not even for snacks or treats. We did pack some protein bars and made bags of trail mix to snack on because we're used to eating every few hours and would get a headache if we skipped meals or snacks (even if we didn't feel hungry).

You can also buy yogurt, cereal, milk jug (or tiny cartons), whole fruit, bread/bagels, peanut butter, jelly, etc at your resort gift shop which do cost more than a grocery store but less money than having groceries delivered.

Hmm, I didn't even think about Prime Pantry. That might be something for me to consider for drinks since it would be $5.99 vs $14 for grocery delivery, and no minimum purchase.

They allowed you to purchase a kid's meal as an adult? Or did you have kids with you? I have never tried, but I always assumed they wouldn't let you have it if you didn't have a kid with you.

 

[Marionnette]

Hmm, I didn't even think about Prime Pantry. That might be something for me to consider for drinks since it would be $5.99 vs $14 for grocery delivery, and no minimum purchase.

They allowed you to purchase a kid's meal as an adult? Or did you have kids with you? I have never tried, but I always assumed they wouldn't let you have it if you didn't have a kid with you.

I've bought kids meals at QS locations more than once without a problem. I'm not sure that the same would work in TS locations. Usually a kid's QS breakfast is more than enough food for me.

 

[LJSquishy]

Hmm, I didn't even think about Prime Pantry. That might be something for me to consider for drinks since it would be $5.99 vs $14 for grocery delivery, and no minimum purchase.

They allowed you to purchase a kid's meal as an adult? Or did you have kids with you? I have never tried, but I always assumed they wouldn't let you have it if you didn't have a kid with you.

Yes, we purchased tons of kids meals at many quick service locations (The Mara @ AKL, Columbia Harbour House, Harambe Market, literally all over!) and we don't even have kids...we went as 2 adults (and traveled with 2 other adults) and not once were we questioned. We just ordered what we wanted and were on our way. My least favorite kid meal was the chicken skewers at Harambe Market...it wasn't much food, but was fine. Most kid portion sizes are just perfect for normal adults and a few places have giant kid portions. Plus the kid meals come with a small water, milk, or juice so I'd usually get water but a few times got milk or juice and kept it in the fridge for my husband to have in the morning. It worked out very well for us. We shared a table service entree a couple of times as well on days where we weren't as hungry or if we were saving room for dessert but most of the time we each ordered our own entree. We did buy the refillable mugs for our resort and used them enough to save money on drinks but looking back, I would skip them next time since we drink lots of water and really didn't need a bunch of soda!

 

[msmama]

I travel with my son and I. I've never ordered groceries, but I do usually take bagels for breakfast (and small packages of peanut butter). I'll always toss in some granola bars, too, but more often than not, they come back with me. They're more for when someone starts to get "hangry" in the parks.

I find the sandwiches at the resorts to be very large, so often if I get a sandwich, I'll have more the next day as well. We often buy the biggest fruit bowl they have and then split it (works because I get the melon and pineapple he doesn't like, he eats the strawberries and grapes). I know lots of people order cases of water, but the florida tap water and reusable water bottle works just fine for us. Aside from that, I might buy my son an apple juice or two (which he drinks watered down over the course of several days).

I looked into prime pantry for an upcoming trip but they didn't have anything that worked for me.

I often eat kids meals, too at QS (never tried it at Table Service, but wouldn't be eating TS if we both wanted kids meals, probably).

For me, it's always worked out to maybe spend a little more to buy certain things at the Resort (fruit, drinks) rather than get a whole lot more than I don't actually need!

 

[Crystal824]

We always order groceries because we need diapers and wipes right now. It is just easier to get them there. We also get breakfast food, snacks, soft drinks, and water, as well. We take water and soft drinks into the parks. When we get QS meals, we almost never order drinks as we bring a cooler into the parks. We stayed at AoA last year, the Little Mermaid rooms are the furthest from the food court. I didn't think they were as far as some people state. You will have to go through the food court area to get to the buses so you can fill your mug up coming and going quite easily.

 

[bouncingsquares]

I travel with my son and I. I've never ordered groceries, but I do usually take bagels for breakfast (and small packages of peanut butter). I'll always toss in some granola bars, too, but more often than not, they come back with me. They're more for when someone starts to get "hangry" in the parks.

I find the sandwiches at the resorts to be very large, so often if I get a sandwich, I'll have more the next day as well. We often buy the biggest fruit bowl they have and then split it (works because I get the melon and pineapple he doesn't like, he eats the strawberries and grapes). I know lots of people order cases of water, but the florida tap water and reusable water bottle works just fine for us. Aside from that, I might buy my son an apple juice or two (which he drinks watered down over the course of several days).

I looked into prime pantry for an upcoming trip but they didn't have anything that worked for me.

I often eat kids meals, too at QS (never tried it at Table Service, but wouldn't be eating TS if we both wanted kids meals, probably).

For me, it's always worked out to maybe spend a little more to buy certain things at the Resort (fruit, drinks) rather than get a whole lot more than I don't actually need!

Haha, the granola bars have definitely come in handy for our hangry moments in the parks too.

I am not a big eater, so if you say the sandwiches are large, I will most likely have leftovers for the next day as well. The news that I can order a kids meal is really awesome for me because I always end up throwing food away in the parks, and it's so frustrating! We also have filtered water bottles that we never leave home without, so we'll definitely be set with water. However, we are not the type of people who would be satisfied drinking water for an entire week either. xD It sounds like we will be fine doing things just the way we planned and maybe picking up some fruit and drinks at the resort. Thanks!

 

[hollypoast]

I usually pack cereal and some small snacks for in the room in my suitcase in Tupperware Modular Mates. Then we buy milk at the gift shop. It saves us money but more than that everyone can eat in the room while others get ready, etc. No one has to wait to eat breakfast because its available in the room.

 

[Jaime4004]

We ordered groceries for our family for 8 days and would definitely do it again with kids. But for just DH and I, I wouldn't bother...

 

[scrapquitler]

What we typically actually eat, snack wise in the room is granola bars or peanut butter crackers, some candy (twizzlers, life savers and gum) and fruit. I usually pack some apples and oranges in my carry on bag, the rest of it I throw in a plastic container in the checked bag.

I generally order a kids meal about half the time when we eat counter service meals. That's usually plenty for me.

 

[wendow]

We usually stay onsite for 7-9 nights and there are 6 of us. I always pack an entire suitcase full of snacks (we fly SWA also). That almost empty suitcase holds souvenirs on the way home It works great. I do buy a few items at the resort store...such as hard-boiled eggs (or raw if we have a kitchen), cheese, lunch meat, milk, etc. While those items are higher than the grocery store, it is cheaper for us to do that than buy everything at an also marked up price plus delivery fees.

Our snack suitcase has shelf-stable almond milk, bagels, breads that i make up in advance (like banana nut), granola bars, trail mix, cookies, crackers, beef jerky, dried fruit, pb packets, jelly packets, mustard packets, etc.