Pack snacks or grocery stop?

[Mainebound]

This is kind of a weird question, but ... for those (esp. with children) who need to have snacks in your hotel room, do you ever pack them in your luggage, or do you buy them in Orlando? We usually do a grocery stop with towncar service, but this year we are staying at the Swan which I believe does not have rental fridges. Therefore, we will have only nonperishable items in our room (juice boxes, crackers, etc.). We will need to check our luggage anyway, so I'm thinking, why not just buy them before we go?? Any opinions?

 

[K and K's Mommy]

We are going to buy some stuff before we go, and then we can use the extra space for souvenirs! I am also thinking about a collapsible cooler or buying a cheap one because my daughter likes her milk first thing in the morning! But that would mean a grocery stop which I am not sure I want to do. You might also want to ask this on the tips board. I haven't been on that board in a while, but I will when it gets closer to our May vacation. They always have great ideas.

 

[tjmw2727]

I vote grocery stop! We will be at the Dolphin and unfortunately you are corect that they no longer offer a dorm fridge.

I like to stock up on cold items, snacks, cereal, bread and PB&J as well as drinks. Water, soda, juice and milk boxes don't need to be kept cold we just ice them as needed by keeping the ice bucket refreshed. Depending on other items we buy we sometimes get a styrafoam cooler at the grocery (btw $2-$5) to keep a few other things I may want cold. Even with leaving it behind at the resort its well worth the $$ IMHO.

TJ

 

[blanq]

I have read, on the transportation board I believe, that food should no longer be put in checked bags. Apparently, there are food items that can raise alarms while scanning. I don't know if there is truth to this, as I have never checked food. I do know that the airlines can be rough with your luggage, especially now that they do hand inspections. Food items could easily crush in soft sided luggage. I personally prefer the grocery stop. I always pack snack type items in our carry on luggage, for the plane and for us to have at the resort. Especially protein bars, which I like and prefer to buy on sale here in MN as they can be expensive. Everything else, we buy when we land in Orlando.

BTW, we have stayed at the Swan, and emptied the mini- bar fridge (all items stored neatly on top of the TV cabinet), and then we put them back into the fridge before we left. We were not charged for the use of the fridge, or for removing the items from it. We stored, juice, fruit, yogurt for our trip. This was in 12/01, so don't know if the Swan has other policies in effect currently that would prohibit you from doing the same.

 

[tjmw2727]

Originally posted by blanq
Isnip

BTW, we have stayed at the Swan, and emptied the mini- bar fridge (all items stored neatly on top of the TV cabinet), and then we put them back into the fridge before we left. We were not charged for the use of the fridge, or for removing the items from it. We stored, juice, fruit, yogurt for our trip. This was in 12/01, so don't know if the Swan has other policies in effect currently >>>
End Quote



Just FYI I was recently quoted a one time $25.00 fee to empty the minibar - hth.

TJ

 

[Mainebound]

Thanks guys, esp. for the tips about the Swan. A grocery stop it is!

 

[KIS]

I'm staying at the Dolphin in April. They have me down for renting a fridge. I just confirmed it yesterday.

I don't know what to make of that discrepancy.

KIS

 

[Alice28]

I did both on my trip last March....I also read the blurb about not packing food- I did and it wasn't a problem. I packed cereal, Pringles, cheese-crackers, trail mix, fruit snacks, candies, Nutri-grain bars, pop-tarts, etc. We rented a fridge at the Contemporary (split cost with my parents in adjoining room) and we bought milk, Go-Gurts, donuts, grapes, water and juice at the grocery store. We ate every breakfast in the room and had plenty of snacks to throw in the stroller every day. And then, of course, we pigged out on Disney food too!

 

[mommytotwo]

When I travel, I usually bring a bag of assorted snacks, just so that we can have it on the plane and in the car. We never know when we are going to get to the store and if there will be a delay in our flight so it's a safe bet.

 

[tjmw2727]

Originally posted by KIS
I'm staying at the Dolphin in April. They have me down for renting a fridge. I just confirmed it yesterday.

I don't know what to make of that discrepancy.

KIS

I just called to confirm my reservation at the Dolphin and deposit $ for next week and your right KIS. Evidently they were not offering them for a short time but the demand was such that they are now offering them again. (Either that or I got incorrect information the first time, who knows?)

FWIW the price I was quoted was $12.00 per day plus tax - that's even more than WDW resorts. I think I will stick with getting a styrafoam cooler at the grocery stop.

TJ

 

[Princess'Mom2]

Is it possible to UPS yourself a package to the resort you are staying? I was thinking of doing this a few days before we leave and put "hold for guest arrival on.....". I thought I could pack the non-perishable snacks and have them at the resort when I arrive -- doable?

 

[tjmw2727]

Originally posted by Princess'Mom2
Is it possible to UPS yourself a package to the resort you are staying? I was thinking of doing this a few days before we leave and put "hold for guest arrival on.....". I thought I could pack the non-perishable snacks and have them at the resort when I arrive -- doable?

I have never done this but read many reports from people who have and had great experiences.

I inqured at the Dolphin and they were quite specific that it was no longer allowed. The corporate line was "due to security issues". The person did tell me that occasionally a box would arrive that needed to be kept cold but without instructions to do so resulting in spoilage in food or medicine. They also don't want to take responsibility for guests items before they arrive.

I don't know if the WDW Resorts are doing this as well - you may be best off to call your resort directly. If they say its fine be sure and get the CM's name. I personally wouldn't risk spending alot of $$ on food and items that may get rejected, lost or worse!!

For me the grocery stop is the only way to to!!

TJ

 

[lopey]

I'm staying at the Dolphin in April. When we stayed there in Feb 2003 I brought a foldable cooler. I put the ice in doubled ziplock bags and just replaced it each day at the ice machine. I brought snacks in my luggage and brought it to the parks everyday for a 10:00 snack ( a lot cheaper). I also stopped at the grocery store via a towncar service (it was well worth it).
Good Luck

 

[KIS]

When I booked the room, I booked the fridge. That was back in late July/early August, 2003. Since then no staff have called me to tell me it is not available nor did they state it was not available when I recently confirmed having a refridgerator.

Now I don't know what to think.

KIS

 

[tjmw2727]

Originally posted by KIS
When I booked the room, I booked the fridge. That was back in late July/early August, 2003. Since then no staff have called me to tell me it is not available nor did they state it was not available when I recently confirmed having a refridgerator.

Now I don't know what to think.

KIS

Perhaps you misunderstood - I was wrong about the Dolphin no longer offering a fridge. I posted that correction after calling to confirm my reservation and deposit. Sorry about the confusion.

I am sure that its a small dorm size fridge and they will charge you 12.00 plus tax per day.

TJ

 

[Epcotgal8]

We have rented a fridge in the past (not at the Swan though) and our last couple of trips we stopped at the grocery store to get some perishables and got a styrofoam cooler. As mentioned they are a lot cheaper than the fridge and we don't feel guilty leaving it behind. As for snacks I packed some (including cheez balls and Pringles that come in cans and they scanned fine at the airport) some Goldfish etc, and I was shocked that they were in as good a shape as they were when we got there. Not crushed at all. Then on the way home we used the space that the snacks had been in to pack souvenirs. It always amazes me that even when we haven't bought a ton of souvenirs how much more you have to pack on the way home vs. going there

 

[Mainebound]

Thanks again for the updated S/D info, everyone.

I LOVE the idea of leaving space for souvenirs -- with two little ones we always have lot of these to take home -- LOL!! -- so maybe bringing a few non-alarming-to-security-xray-machines snacks is a good idea after all!

 

[videogal1]

Originally posted by blanq
I have read, on the transportation board I believe, that food should no longer be put in checked bags. Apparently, there are food items that can raise alarms while scanning. I don't know if there is truth to this, as I have never checked food. I do know that the airlines can be rough with your luggage, especially now that they do hand inspections. Food items could easily crush in soft sided luggage. I personally prefer the grocery stop. I always pack snack type items in our carry on luggage, for the plane and for us to have at the resort. Especially protein bars, which I like and prefer to buy on sale here in MN as they can be expensive. Everything else, we buy when we land in Orlando.

I have to agree, although reluctantly...My POV? You wanna check my bags? Have a good look, airline security, at a dozen pair of my sassy fatties and fourteen cans of dog food.....One funny story...I packed 6 raw eggs in a cut-down carton (and slipped into a zip-loc bag for insurance against scrambled eggs) in my carry-on. American Airlines, in their infinite wisdom, took away my carry-on and stowed it as checked baggage. Imagine my surprise when I unpacked at the condo and found six unbroken eggs to make breakfast with. A real miracle.

 

[veruka]

We actually do both...pack and stop. We pack the crackers, dry stuff like cereal (with two hard plastic bowls and spoons) and snacks with a collapsable cooler, then still make a quick grocery stop for the perishables or heavy stuff like milk, fruit and yogurt, water, soda and any favorite libations. We pack our snacks in our carry on bag just because I don't want them to get crushed. Also, we used a tip we found on these boards a while back...pack everything in large zip lock bags to save space, then bring a bunch of extra smaller zip locks for the snacks throughout the day. It saves a ton of space in the carry on bag and does leave room for extra souveniers or (yuck) dirty laundry.

Can't imagine getting through a day in the parks without granola bars, Ritz crackers or raisins!