inexpensive meal ideas?

[mhingher]

I have been to DisneyWorld so many times, but this time we're going on a strict budget. My husband and I will be going with 2 other couples who are also in the same boat. We're staying at the World of Movies, so I know it won't be hard to have cereal in the room in the am a few days, or bring some sandwiches in for lunch. Any other meal ideas?

 

[PrincessCandaceMarie]

Hello ~

If you have toast (under $1.00 at the resort), fruit ($3- $4 at the resort) and buy a sipper cup you can save money at breakfast, if you're at the MK, check out Pinocchio's Haus in FantasyLand and get the side of fries and top it off at the toppings bar, the fries are only .99 cents or .97 cents and that's a deal!

And don't forget you can share double hamburgers and order an extra bun for like .80 cents and then top it at the toppings bar at MK Cosmic Ray's....

Hope that helps you out a bit!

 

[Limmer]

Something my parents did for breakfast was ake a sandwich from croissants and the pre-cooked bacon (we had a grocery stop). They had that every morning and only bought coffee and tea from the food court (they had bought the mugs). They really liked it and have even taken to having those at home occasionally to remind them of the trip.

 

[tkyes]

The double burger is a good idea, a lot of people do that. Share all of your meals. Disney has no problem with people sharing and we always fill up sharing. You don't have to get french fries with a meal. They will let you eliminate the fries and take some money off for you. Bring a brita filtered water bottle or buy water bottles to bring with. Not drinking pop or buying water at the park is a huge money saver.

World of Movies? Is that off property or are you refering to All Star Movies?

 

[Kae]

If you are going to AK get their lunch deal coupon. You get a meal with drink & also one for another drink & snack.

Kae

 

[sugermouse]

Cosmic Rays located in the MK is an excellent choice, especially with the toppings bar. Excellent burgers and the best chicken sandwich in WDW.

 

[disneysteve]

Best tips?

Drink water - tap, not bottled. Its free. Amazing how much people blow on sodas and bottled water.

Share meals - the servings are huge. For 4 adults, you should not need more than 3 meals anywhere. At counter service, get some orders without fries. One order of fries easily serves 2-3 people.

Last month, we were 2 adults and 1 child. We averaged just over $20/person/day for all food, beverages and snacks. So it is possible to eat well on a budget.

 

[catheren]

Definitely do a grocery shop to save $$$. To save $$ buy bottled water, juice packs, snacks and breakfast items. If you don't have a refrig in your room -- pack a playmate hard cooler w. snacks, or your cosmetics. Then you have a cooler for your room. You can take these items into the park to save.

Remember lunches at sit-down restaurants are cheaper than dinner. Sharing or ordering soup and salad is a way to cut back. Olivia's at OKW and the Grand Floridian Cafe are relatively inexpensive sit-down restaurants.

Spoodles at the BW has a pizza window.

 

[TallyLassie]

Best tips?

Drink water - tap, not bottled. Its free. Amazing how much people blow on sodas and bottled water.

Make sure you specify "a cup of water". My husband ordered "water" at Mrs. Potts and of course got bottled - it was $2.50.

 

[AladdinsPrincess]

If you want to eat at some of the nicer restaurants, eat lunch there. Same food, but lower cost and you'll be full enough to not need to eat again (or if you are, you'll just need a snack an ice cream bar later in the evening).

 

[LauraAnn630]

We were on a strict budget on our first trip. We sent a box of food to our hotel 5 days before we arrived. We had a grocery stop. We thought we were going to have a microwave in our room but we didnt. We stayed at the All Star Music and ended up using the microwave at the food court a few times. We ate outside by the pool and in our room. It cost about 20.00 to send the box down. We did get a fridge in our room for 10.00 a day. We paid for everything in advance that we could. I called a few days before we left to make sure the box arrived. They said it did. When we got there they couldnt find it!! We panicked! They called a few minutes later and said they found it. Thank God! That box saved us a bundle. Some of the things we sent down:

cereal
easy mac
chips ect...
brownies
soup
condiments
coffee and maker
sugar & cream
2 bottles of alcohalic bevs
blender to make frozen drinks ( ice at hotel)
candy
paper products, plates, bowls, plasticwear, napkins
hand can opener
poptarts
crackers
rain covers (dollar store)
unbrellas
sports bottles (take your own drinks in the parks)
hand held battery operated fans (glad we did this)
little surprises for my boys ( they had a little something everyday so we didnt have to buy them something everyday in the parks)

I recommend a grocery stop! We paid $40.00 to take a cab back to the store because we didnt get everything we should of the first time. Have a good list of what you need. You can get:

lunch meats
bread
bagles
cream cheese
pop
milk
fruit
cheeses

We used the box to send items back home. The All Star resort took care of that for us. Cost $20.00 ish.

 

[WDW LOVR]

There are also a few sit down restaurants that are very good buffets that enable you to skip a meal completely.

Biergarten in Epcot. Have breakfast in your room and then Biergarten for the latest lunch seating they'll do. I think it's 3:30. It's almost the exact menu as dinner and cheaper too. If you eat there at 3:30 I guarantee you won't be hungry again that day.

The Trail's End Restaurant at Ft Wilderness for breakfast or lunch. Do it on the day you're going to MK, take the boat from MK to FW and have breakfast or Lunch. Both buffets are excellent and cheap for WDW. Either breakfast or lunch there will allow you to skip a meal that day. It is also a nice way to take a break from the MK in the middle of the day.

 

[Mama2jasminANDcaitie]

Our family of four ate a decent breakfast every day in the room

I brought several boxes of cereal and some muffins at our grocery stop, and then bought 2 milks at the food court every day. (seems like it was always about 2.50 or so) We took fruit snacks, granola bars and the like in a bag with us into the park to snack on.

Late afternoon (like after the parades about 4) we would stop in the parks for a counter "lunch". We liked Pecos Bill's at MK. The burgers were awesome.

Then we'd allow each of the kids to get a snack later in the evening about dinner time.. an ice-cream, some popcorn, something to tide them over until after the night time events. Then we went back to the room and either ate snacks I brought along or ordered a pizza. There are several places that deliver later in the evening.

I know its not the most healthy way to eat.. and Id never allow it at home. But after all. You are on vacation and it saved us a bundle!

 

[Stepharoonie!]

The cup of water is a very good idea....not too many people think to ask for water to drink. Almost everytime I ask for a cup of water or ice, they give me one of the LARGE cups. Woot!

If you eat off property, there's a CiCi's Pizza all you can eat pizza/soda buffet for $3.99 right down the road!

 

[disneysteve]

there's a CiCi's Pizza all you can eat pizza/soda buffet for $3.99 right down the road!

Where exactly is CiCi's? We always go to Flippers for pizza but so many people rave about CiCi's I figured we might give it a try next trip.

 

[myhandd]

CiCi's is a really cheap pizza buffet chain. As you can imagine for the price the pizza are not exactly thick, but amazingly they are pretty decent.

 

[flyingenie]

if you are swinging by Downtown Disney (which you should, because it's free!) definitely check out Earl of Sandwich- very high quality sandwiches for a very reasonable price ($5) To me, this place offered the best "bang for the buck" in all of my Disney dining experiences, both counter and table service.

 

[sbelyo]

Cosmic Ray's in the MK has the best chicken sandwiches.....