How many dinners do you cook?

[mom2rb]

One of the reasons I bought DVC was the kitchen. I plan on having breakfast and dinner in the room almost every night. We will have a big lunch in the parks and then do pasta or other easy food at night. I have small children and it just seems easier.

 

[TammyNC]

We have not cooked any dinners in the room. We do usually have breakfast in the room and then eat a late lunch/early dinner in the park. Maybe a snack in the room, but no real cooking. I'm not going to say we never will because here lately I'm doing things that I never thought I'd be doing.

 

[HookdonWDW]

Add us to the list of those who have never cooked dinner in the room. We have made breakfast in the room, and grabbed a quick snack. We *may* try cooking a meal during our trip to HHI in June. But then again... there are so many different choices of where to eat...

 

[TheRustyScupper]

Meal Planning During Vacation Week:
. . . Breakfast: 2-3 times (full breakfast or quickie snack)
. . . Lunch: hardly ever
. . . Dinner: 1-2 times (includes usual last night)

Hey, we are on vacation!

 

[Tony-NJ]

like crisi - we thought the stove was for show only LOL. Hey - we're on vacation - no cooking for us!

 

[jmminarik]

Originally posted by Daydreamin
I think that this was driven by the fact that we hate paying the high prices for food that you can make better yourself at 1/3 to 1/2 the price you'd pay at the WDW restaurants. It helps that my husband loves to cook and considers this fun.

If I didn't know better, I'd think you were my wife.

We eat many meals in the room for these reasons. Depends on our schedule if it's lunch or dinner. We will eat in the parks if we're there and hungry, we'll usually split 1 appetizer, 1 entree and 1 dessert if we do sit down.

Real life doesn't always leave us time or the energy to make a whole meal at home and having the time on vacation to make a meal the right way or experiment IS a vacation for me. Of course, not having all of my toys in a villa is a little limiting, but that's where creativity comes in. Even paying the prices at goodings (and saving the time over going to where the locals shop) it's still much cheaper and quicker for me to cook than go to a sit down restaurant.

As to my cooking being better...well, I am biased but I cook to my tastes, not to average america's tastes. Garlic, olive oil, onions and hot pepper are food groups in my house. Actually living in Philadelphia means I have access to all sorts of wonderful restaurants and cuisines that are much better than the disney versions.

So, yes, we (I) cook a lot in the room.

-Joe

 

[MarkRG]

If you want to do it yourself, there are some good choices.

Now, I know I need to make a new map, as there are more than these, but it'll give you the basic idea.

The blue line on the top left is I-4.
Besides the ones shown, there is a Walmart Supercenter and others down 535 towards Kissimmee. Goodings, the first and most expensive grocer nearby is by where the Winn-Dixie box is pointing.

 

[GrammieMame]

Just got back from 9 nights at VWL and ended up going out more than we expected. One unexpected night was to go to the emergency room with a badly cut finger, the other was the first night we were there when we decided to change rooms and didnt want to unpack our stuff. Other than that, we ate out at O'Hana's, Trail's End pizza, Chef Mickey's and the Ft. Wilderness campfire. We actually like the low-key aspect of cooking something (very uncompicated) in the villa, then letting the kids go for an evening swim. We get tired of going out to restaurants every night, and a night in is a relief from the chaos of the parks. We always eat breakfast in, and about 2/3 of our lunches, since we are early to the parks and early to leave folks. All of this to say that I love my villa kitchen.

 

[crusoemom]

For our last trip we stayed 6 nights (9 people in 2br and studio).
We ate breakfast in the room every morning except the one at Cindy's.
We ate lunch mostly in the parks.

We ate 4 of the 6 dinners in the room.

Why? Well, it saved big bucks. We fed 9 of us for about $40 per meal, including beer and wine (those giant pans of frozen lasagna were great!).

More importantly, we had 2 3-year olds and a 6 year old.

We're headed for HHI in 2 weeks (just the 4 of us). We'll stay in a 1br precisely because I want a full kitchen. We will most likely cook 4 of the 6 nights again, even though the kids are a year older. They're just too tired to enjoy eating out at the end of a busy day, even at HHI where the pace is more relaxed.

 

[floridafam]

none

 

[Alice Sr.]

Zero - nada - none - ever

 

[Disney-Kim]

We stay in a studio and there are only 2 of us. So none !!

 

[JimC]

Generally stay in one bedroom for a week. Rarely do dinner in. Breakfast, yes. Lunch, depends - say 50/50.

 

[Uncleromulus]

Let's see---since 1992---NONE!!!

 

[pearljim]

We're on vacation - the closest we usually come is ordering pizza!

 

[zurgswife]

4 or 5 out of 7.....It really makes or breaks how much I go to disney....food is very expense at disney....

 

[SimplyMagical]

During our visits, we have never made dinner. However, we usually cook breakfast every morning. We enjoy trying all the restaurants for dinner.

 

[Richyams]

The pig's feet get made the first day, usually seven or eight plates, lasts a few days, I usually eat them at night, when we get back.

We usually cook one, possibly two dinners in our GV. Breakfast about half the time....I really love breakfast buffets. Have never been back for lunch.

Nachos at night, very often. I will make some pretty extravagant nachos depending on how many people are with us. I will also have a big supply appateisers(sp), poppers, chicken wings, cocktail dogs in those cute little blankets, and many more frozen hors douvres.

 

[jmatias]

I find this really interesting....the number of people who don't cook is greater than I thought.

For us, having the kitchen is one of the biggest benefits of DVC and our Marriotts.

Though they are getting better, our DSs were not the easiest at restaurants, especially after long days in the parks. Dinner in the room was way more enjoyable even with having to clean dishes.

And now, with a new DD ( 5 months) I'm sure we will be using the kitchen even more.

 

[McMouse Family]

Last year, when we were in BCV (Feb.) and VB (July), our family cooked most meals. We went shopping the first day, stocked up for the eight of us (had other family with), and worked together to prepare most meals. It was great! In fact, my brother-in-law and one of our sons went fishing in Vero, and caught a lot of red snapper, which we prepared for a delicious meal. (We're Emeril fans, so maybe we just like to cook!)