WDW food is expensive. There are ways to save. We almost always do the
DDP now but we did vacation there before that was an option and when money was tighter for our family. Here are a few of my favorite ways to save money
-Don't spend a lot of money on your travel days. If you are driving, pack food from home, plenty of snacks and drinks to last the trip. If you are flying, try to eat before you leave home and take snacks for the airport and for the flight.
-Mix bought food with brought food. On one of our early trips, we took chips, drinks and cookies from home and would go to the food court and just get sandwiches. We sometimes ate in the room and sometime in the food court.
-There is a mircowave in food courts. Feel free to use it. Pop corn from home is a cheap treat.
-Eat a good breakfast in the room. Easier if you drive or can do a grocery delivery. Pop tarts make kids poop out about ten and they are starving before lunch. Think cheap protein.... peanut butter on bagels, ham and cheese on bagels, pre-boiled eggs. If you drive.....take a regular cooler. If you fly, pack a soft sided one and keep filled with ice from the resort.
-Share food. There is no way our family of four needs four meals. Try two and add food as you need to.
-Drink H20! Take flavor packs to add in as you need or want.
-Carry in snacks if you need too. We no longer carry anything into the park but we certainly have before and it works fine. Pack in hard sided containers to avoid crushing.
We really like Rain Forrest Cafe and have never had bad food or bad service there. Our waitress at the AK one this year was soooooo sweet. Meals are really huge here so try ordering two or three and you can add desert if necessary.
Remember that if you were at home you would have to eat that week too so add that money into your budget. Look for other ways to cut your food budget at home in the weeks leading up to the trip. Try eating just out of your pantry stash for a week or two. Meals might be a little funny but I bet most people could do it. Brown bag it for lunch, avoid any eating out at home , or eat meatless for a week or two before you go.
Try not to worry soo much about saving money that you forget to enjoy what you eat!!