Meals and Saving Money?!?

[momfor4]

We are a family of 6. 4 kids ages 10-6 and 2 adults going to WDW in Nov. this year. We need to stay on a budget better when having meals and spending extra $$. Wondering what ADR we should get to be sure we have 1 sit down meal daily- only 4 park days. We did several character meals last time- Chef Mickeys, Cind. Table, Arheaus (epcot) and 1900 Park Fare. Any suggestions on a character meal we SHOULD do that we haven't done already?

We loved Whispering Canyon and are doing it for sure. Just not sure how we can not spend as much money on food but still have fun?! Any help would be appreciated.

Oh yea, we are driving and staying off-site and will have our car. Does anyone know how to get a AAA parking pass?

Thanks

 

[familyS]

Crystal Palace breakfast, and if you did the Park Fare dinner, try the breakfast with Alice and Mary Poppins this time

 

[MICKEYSFIRECOMPANY3]

Hi. My DH and I always make the trip to Crystal Palace. It's our favorite character meal at MK. The food is "fancy" enough for adults but there are lots of choices for kids too. You don't feel like you are eating kids food, or yet another hamburger. There is a carving station and different specialty items that change.

The cheese and salad choices are great. There is a ton of fresh cut fruit and jello. There is even a smaller buffet table just for kids with things that appeal to them There is an awesome dessert bar too. There is a variety of cobblers, cakes, brownies, and then an ice cream machine with cones .

Since it's all you can eat, we usually make a late lunch reservation or make an early dinner one. That way, we're not starving all day or night! The characters come to your table and stop for autographs and photos. Every table gets the chance to meet them and there is a big parade with the 100 acre woods sing along. All the kids can join in line and parade around while the adults wave their napkins.

Although we didn't have kids at the time we visited last, it was still our favorite place to eat. A lot of people were surprised that we didn't have kids with us, but how often do you get to eat and visit with Pooh and friends? They don't hover around your table trying to kick you out, unless you're really trying to stretch your welcome.

Lunch was $21 for adults and $12 for kids. Dinner was $28 for adults and $19 for kids. If you are going to do one fun lunch/dinner, I would do this one! Either way, there's so much to pick from we never leave hungry. I hope you have a great trip. We are going in September with our DS and have reservations for lunch planned. Can't wait!

PS- we stayed at the Poly last summer and when we got hungry we ate at Cpt. Cooks. Anyone can visit so if you're looking for a quick lunch/snack, hop on the monorail and check it out. The kids meal portions were enough for my husband and I. It saved us a few dollars here and there, and made for great snacks when we weren't hungry enough for a big meal.

 

[Evan&Kimberly]

Well I will offer my opinion, for this is all that I can do at the moment, I will be going to WDW for the first time this September, but If I had a budget to stick to and wanted to still have an enjoyable time with dinning, I would consider trying to eat Breakfast and Lunch for your TS'S this is less expensive and you will have the same Character interaction, places like Crystal Palace, 1900 Park Fare, Cape May, Tusker House, BOMA(no charaters),Crystal Palace is open for Lunch as well as Whispering Canyon, take in consideration that some of the TS"S may have different characters at breakfast,lunch,and dinner, like 1900 Park Fare, characters are not the same at breakfast and dinner, also Ohana is another place that you may want to try, Your family can then eat at a CS for dinner,you may also want to look at some of the dinner menus,at allears.net, Disney does have some places that are not to expensive to me like Kona,Spoodles,and It's another place I think in the Saratoga it might be called Turf Club Bar and Grill ,and places like Beaches and Cream, also since you will have a car you can eat off Disney property, this will save you a lot of money, and just another tip, to save money is visit your local dollar store before you leave home, they have all kind of Disney souviners,like light up yo yo's,ping pong paddles,stickers,puzzles,and glow sticks,I mean you have to check it out , figurines, little Disney kalidiscopes,I am here in Georgia so it may differ from store to store, well get these things without your children seeing them pack them away, and take a couple of you inside of the parks and then bring them out as little gifts,hey they wont know the difference, unless they are older, but even then , they will still like them, I am going to do this for my 2yr old, Well I hope this helps, all this knowledge and I have not even been to WDW yet

 

[MickeyNicki]

Cape May breakfast is awesome

 

[PrincessSuzanne]

Try breakfast at O'hana at the Polynesian resort, it is all you can eat, family style and the characters are Mickey, Pluto, Lilo, & Stitch. Most of the breakfasts are less expensive and most are buffets, we enjoy them better than dinner anyway.

As far as the AAA parking, you have to book a package with AAA to get one and they are non-transferrable.

Suzanne

 

[MICKEYSFIRECOMPANY3]

Hi, I forgot to mention that you can buy the AAA passes online at Ebay. I've never purchased one, but I've seen them sold there. We booked last year with AAA and gave our pass to my in-laws since we didn't rent a car. You still have to pay for parking if you are off site, but you can park in the "VIP" spaces. They do have some blackout dates.

 

[Donnainnj]

We will also be there in Nov. This is the first trip for our the 7 1/2 month old, so I am not sure how he will be traveling.(he is usually good at restaurants at home) Becasue of this I decided not to do the dining plan and to try and keep the budget a little lower. It would really bother me to pay the higher prices if I don't get to finish my meal. We are doing mostly TS lunches. We have lunch reservations at, Liberty Tree Tavern(have done this before and really enjoyed it), Tusker House (new buffet, no characters), Chefs De France(another one we did for the first time last year for dinner and really enjoyed), Sci Fi (the older kids favorite), Kona Cafe(have always enjoyed dinner there in the past), and the Plaza Restaurant(never been). You may want to check out the menus with priceing and selection. As of right now we aren't doing any character meals this trip, but I may add one, again not sure how the baby will do.
On the AAA parking pass I believe you only get it if you book a package with AAA travel.
Good Luck and enjoy your trip, Donna

 

[GatorLady]

I would consider trying to eat Breakfast and Lunch for your TS'S this is less expensive and you will have the same Character interaction

I think this is a good idea to save some money. I would also suggest (like a previous poster) the 'Ohana character breakfast. Not only did we enjoy the characters and the food, but the best part, since you have a large family is the fact that they bring the food to you. Buffet's can be a lot of work when you have to worry about kids and character timing. Family style is much more relaxing! Hope you have a wonderful trip!

 

[SGMCO]

I would check into getting the DDP.
Adults: $37.99 per night
Kids 10 years and younger: $8.99
this will get you 1 TS, 1 CS and 1 snack per person.
This is nice because you know how much things will cost.
Sorry, didn't see that you are staying offsite.

 

[pat fan]

Crystal Palace would be my suggestion for a character meal. We do this every trip and love it each time. I would also suggest having your sit down meal be at lunch. Pretty much the same food, only cheaper. For our CP bkfst, we get the last (or as close as we can) bkfst. seating and that is our main meal of the day. We just grab some fruit or cereal bars for brkfst, do EE at MK and then hit CP for brunch.

JMO, but I have never been able to justify the DDP. We can do it cheaper OOP. Do you bring anything or would you consider Garden Grocer? We get water (a HUGE $$ saver!) and bkfst items like cereal & bagels, bread, p.b. & jelly,paper products/plasticware and some snacks delivered. This way between the refillable mugs and the bkfst items, our OOP bkfst cost is only a couple dollars for some fruit & milk. A lunch or dinner at the hotel is sandwiches and chips or pretzels that we purchased (maybe once or twice a trip) prior. I don't consider the food I bought/brought an extra expense because we aren't home to buy groceries so it's actually cheaper to buy a few things at Garden Grocer to stretch or WDW budget than to buy a whole weeks groceries at home.

Also, don't be afraid to order off the kids menu. That's a big saver, as is sharing a meal or getting the double burger with an extra bun.

Good luck!

 

[Claire&TheBoys]

I would check into getting the DDP.
Adults: $37.99 per night
Kids 10 years and younger: $8.99
this will get you 1 TS, 1 CS and 1 snack per person.
This is nice because you know how much things will cost.

They can't do the DDP - they are staying off-site.

OP, I would recommend booking late-lunch ADRs. It's cheaper than dinner and you still get the experience of the Disney restaurants. When my husband and I honeymooned in Orlando 11.5 years ago, that's what we did. We ate breakfast at our condo, went to the parks mid-morning and made a reservation when we walked in (ahh, the days when you could make same-day reservations!). We tried to eat around 2:00 or so. Then we'd snack the rest of the day and grab some fast food on our way back to the condo.

For a sit-down buffet breakfast, you might consider Tusker House at AK. It's been getting good reviews here on the DIS. It's a character meal with Donald, Daisy, Mickey and ?Minnie? (maybe Goofy? not sure). We'll be there 3 weeks from tomorrow and I'll know for sure!

 

[rcraw45425]

I would check into getting the DDP.
Adults: $37.99 per night
Kids 10 years and younger: $8.99
this will get you 1 TS, 1 CS and 1 snack per person.
This is nice because you know how much things will cost.

I think they are staying offsite. To save money with younger children you can always share your entrées with them or split adult entrées between them. Our girls do this a lot, split a steak and just order an extra side or get an appetizer too. Unless it's an AYCE type meal Disney is gracious about it, some places will even split and plate in the kitchen for you.

 

[ChelleinNC]

Disney considers 10 year olds "Adults" when it comes to dining, keep that in mind if you do a buffet or family-style all you can eat meal. The 10yr old will be charged the adult price.

and a correction to the PP who mentioned the DDP, while it doesn't apply to the OP since they're staying offsite, DDP for kids is age 9 and under.

 

[disneypolybride2008]

I would recommend eating at buffets like Garden Grill in Epcot, or the Biergarten in Germany, Crystal Palace, Chef Mickey's (whichever meal you didnt already try). That way you know how much the costs will be ahead of time. Whispering Canyon Cafe has a cheap breakfast skillet (10.99) and the lunch one is much cheaper than the dinner one.

 

[PrincessSuzanne]

Hi, I forgot to mention that you can buy the AAA passes online at Ebay. I've never purchased one, but I've seen them sold there. We booked last year with AAA and gave our pass to my in-laws since we didn't rent a car. You still have to pay for parking if you are off site, but you can park in the "VIP" spaces. They do have some blackout dates.

You know that is illegal. Those vouchers are non-transferrable, just like Disney park tickets, they are only good for the person they are given to. Why would you want to pay for something that is free anyway? Just book your trip through AAA and do the honest thing.

This is one reason prices are raised and certain privileges are taken away, is because of abuse of the system.

Suzanne

 

[marciemouse]

Consider having your TS buffet character breakfasts as late as possible...more like brunch. Then snack through until an early CS dinner. (Also helps avoid peak dinner crowds!)

Another money saver: drink water instead of soda. That alone can save you $10+ at each meal. Florida water doesn't taste the best, but it's safe to drink and free!