Offsite Dining while at Disney

[MemoryMakers2669]

Our trip this coming week is a super budget trip! Used points for our room, driving, taking lots of snacks, all our drinks, etc. We are eating Christmas breakfast and dinner out and then we have to go to 50s Prime Time for lunch one day.

The other dinners though we might go offsite to regular restaurants...like Olive Garden, Chili's, maybe even just get a pizza from somewhere.

Any ideas on places to go to, that are close?

 

[Swimnoid]

We like the Ale House at the corner of 535 and S Apopka Vineland Rd. Big menu, good prices, big portions. lots of TVs.

We also like Flippers Pizza in the Crossroads Shopping Center.

 

[racechick8293]

Smokey Bones at the corner of 535 and 192 is good. Also have some good deals if you sign up for the Bones card on their website- free appetizers, etc. I've also gotten a coupon on my receipt for $5 off $15 on next visit 90% of the times that I've gone to this particular Smokey Bones.

The Bahama Breeze is one of my favorites in the Disney area. On 192 near the 429 intersection. Very near to a SuperTarget. I would not recommend the Olive Garden in this shopping plaza though. There's also an Ale House across 192 from here.

The Columbia Restaurant in Celebration is excellent- not quite budget priced- but terrific for a moderately priced lunch. The Celebration Town Tavern is also good. The town of Celebration is worth seeing if you haven't ever been there.

Downtown Disney also has some good and reasonably inexpensive options- Earl of Sandwich is my favorite (and very cheap), but Portobello and Fulton's Crab House are good (a bit more expensive), as is Bongo's walk-up window.

I've head good things about Flippers Pizza- haven't tried it yet though.

 

[Shanna-like-Banana]

I would def be looking at resturant.com and check out the gift certificates for near by places to eat. You can take a sizeable amount of your bill.

A place we love to go is Sweet Tomatoes and Perkins is pretty cheap too.

Personally we LOVE LOVE LOVE Columbia, we used to live in FL so we've been to almost all of their locations more time than I could ever count.

If you go there, get the 1905 salad, a full order is I *think* $12, but it's plenty for 2 adult light eaters or an adult and child. Or you could do the half and half for $10, we always get half a Cuban and half 1905 salad. I can't even finish my plate. All their kids meals are less than $6 including a minute steak. Each person gets a healthy portion of fresh Cuban bread,and they do to go orders too.

 

[MemoryMakers2669]

restaurant.com hasn't had anything lately, I've been watching!

 

[Teresa Pitman]

We LOVE Sweet Tomatoes, good prices and it's all you can eat. If you go to their website, you can sign up and get printable coupons by email that save you even more. It's also very close to Downtown Disney.

Teresa

 

[Halle]

Our family loves Chevy's (Mexican/American cuisine) at the Crossroads. They give you salsa and warmed tortillas while you wait for your order.

 

[MemoryMakers2669]

We LOVE Sweet Tomatoes, good prices and it's all you can eat. If you go to their website, you can sign up and get printable coupons by email that save you even more. It's also very close to Downtown Disney.

Teresa

So the menu I saw, has the items that are on a buffett?

 

[Ali]

Had Flippers on Friday and it was good. We love MOES and went there twice this weekend. Gotta have the cup of queso.

There is a McDonalds and Taco Bell in the Crossroads plaza and Burger King and Pizza hut right down the street to the left as you exit Disney property.

If you get desperate, the HEss stations on property have sandwiches and hot dogs and normal gas station foods.

 

[MemoryMakers2669]

Hahaha on the Hess station! We aren't that cheap! But if I have to pay $35-40 to go to a Quick Service place onsite, I would rather go to something like Sweet Tomatoes or Perkins for the same money.

 

[Teresa Pitman]

So the menu I saw, has the items that are on a buffett?

Yes. When you go in, there is a long two-sided salad bar. The items listed on the website menu under "salads" are just the "prepared salads" that are part of the salad bar, but there's also different kinds of lettuce, spinach, all kinds of vegetables, chickpeas, and other salad toppings, plus salad dressing. It's wonderful!

You get your salad first, then pay for it and find a table. Then, past the cash register, you'll see three other buffets. One has baked sweet potatoes, baked white potatoes and various breads and biscuits (these change from time to time). Another has soups/stews/chilis (these also change from time to time). The final one is the dessert buffet, which will have some prepared desserts plus ice cream with a bunch of ice cream toppings. There's also a drink stand.

The food is excellent. If there was a Sweet Tomatoes where I live I would eat there every day.

Teresa

 

[Ali]

You know, the Whole foods isn't *too* far away and I love that self-serve area!

 

[mrsklamc]

I don't really remember the pizza at flippers (Jan 11) but the service was AWFUL. We called ahead and it was like 45 more minutes later than they said it would be ready.

Giordanos is must have pizza for us. (It is Chicago-style, so cheese stuffed. So appreciation may vary depending on how much you like cheese.)

 

[MELSMICE]

We like the Ale House at the corner of 535 and S Apopka Vineland Rd. Big menu, good prices, big portions. lots of TVs.

We also like Flippers Pizza in the Crossroads Shopping Center.

Another vote for the Ale House. Extremely reasonable, extensive menu. It's less expensive to eat there than the chains such as Olive Garden, Chili's, Applebees, etc. Much better food than Perkins & place like that also.

 

[ShariVT]

Giordanos is a must for us. They are on resturants.com.

 

[HM]

For really inexpensive, there is always Taco Bell nearby.

 

[hearts8701]

we enjoy walking the brick-lined streets of Celebration Town Center
Thai Thani Restaurant is a favorite of ours hot or mild servings are good size
Market Street Cafe is that serves breakfast is available all day great fish tacos too
Shannon’s of Celebration, an authentic Irish restaurant a perfect lakeside setting

 

[BadgerGirl84]

Another vote for the Ale House. Extremely reasonable, extensive menu. It's less expensive to eat there than the chains such as Olive Garden, Chili's, Applebees, etc. Much better food than Perkins & place like that also.

Another vote from me too. My husband and I love that place--ate there three times on our honeymoon. Great lunch specials, too! I think I got a HUGE order of fish and chips for $4.99 on our last visit. If you like chicken wings, try the Zingers Mountain Melt or something like that---garlic chicken-wing tasting tenders topped with fries, bacon, cheese, etc. SO GOOD.

Another one of our favorites is the Bonefish Grill.

 

[GinaBean]

I am with others that suggested Giordano's (great coupons from restaurant.com) and Sweet Tomatoes (with coupons).

 

[kellydizfan]

I found when we did that in 2009 it costs us more to eat off property than it did if we purchased the counter service dining plan. Between travel to and from, meals, shopping for food also - just a royal pain in the behind. I would look into the count service before eating off property.