Prices of Garden Grocer vs. FW stores vs. having to go to walmart

[LarryJ]

We're booked for our Thanksgiving trip!!! Having just been there (and clearly having been hooked on all things Fort Wilderness) in May, it's still surprising to me that we're going back already, but that's the draw that the Fort had on us!

Anyway, on to my question of the moment:

We are traveling to the Fort on Thanksgiving Day. We will take a towncar service to get to WDW, which includes a 30 minute trip to Publix, but alas, Publix is closed on Thanksgiving. The towncar service we use will take us to the Walmart, but I really hate to go there. So, I'm wondering whether either Garden Grocer or the trading posts at FW are a good alternative for us. I know they both will be more expensive, but how much more expensive would they be than walmart? Also, if you had to choose one over the other, which would you choose?

The towncar service will take us to walmart on Thanksgiving, since Publix is closed, but I hate to spend too much time on arrival day at walmart....

Thanks for any replies!

Leslie

In 2000 and 2005 for our 30+ day trips to FW we used the Super WW on 192 and this last time the Super WW on 535 and think they are the best bets. As others have mentioned for some real basics, like bread, milk, etc. along with simple things like a forgotten tomato, the Meadows prices are fairly reasonable.

Larry

 

[ftwildernessguy]

In 2000 and 2005 for our 30+ day trips to FW we used the Super WW on 192 and this last time the Super WW on 535 and think they are the best bets. As others have mentioned for some real basics, like bread, milk, etc. along with simple things like a forgotten tomato, the Meadows prices are fairly reasonable.

Larry

I can't tell you how many times we've been 100 miles down the road and my wife has said "darn it, I forgot the tomato"

 

[ntsammy5]

I'll get this stuff at the Meadows rather than run off post for it.

You can take the boy out of the military but you can't take the military out of the boy. Would you drive your POV?

 

[polineedyan]

I found the prices for GC to be just fine. Maybe a little higher, but what I would expect to pay, considering the delivery and all. Worth it for the aquafina alone..and the cheetos, and the pop tarts, and the doritos, and the caffeine free pepsi..

 

[lklasing]

Thanks, everyone, for your thoughts! I'm still on the fence about what to do, so I thought I'd throw out a few more issues -

- Will Garden Grocer deliver alcohol (specifically wine)? If not, that's a deal breaker as we would have to buy it somewhere and having bought some at FW in May, and knowing the amount we would need , I'll have to go somewhere for it and if I have to go somewhere, then Garden Grocer doesn't seem to make any sense, right?

- What about wegoshop.com? That is somewhere that seems intriguing. I think they pass the alcohol test, but I'd love to hear some reviews of that one also.

- Finally, do you think either or both of these places will be willing to do a Thanksgiving Day delivery? It being Thanksgiving is what has put me in this position in the first place. Otherwise, I'd happily zip through Publix and be done with it.

Thanks again for everyone's thoughts!

Leslie

 

[2goofycampers]

I have heard they will buy alcohol but you have to contact them and fax them an ID to prove you're over 21.

 

[kiteri]

You can tell that I have WAY too much time on my hands to feed my Disney obsession...

I made a list of Garden Grocer versus Walmart prices using my local Walmart in PA. I don't know if the Florida Walmart jacks it's prices because of being in a tourist location or not, but...

Here is my food list for 4 breakfasts, 4 lunches, and 4 suppers for 4 people:

1 Loaf of Wonder Kids Bread
1 pound of assorted Oscar Meyer lunch meat
10 Oscar Meyer hotdogs with cheese in them
8 Holsum Hot Dog Buns
8 Holsum Hamburger Buns
32 oz. Heinz Ketchup
20 oz. French's Mustard
2.25 lb. Ground Beef
16 oz Kraft Italian Dressing
24 count Kraft Mozerella String Cheese (good for snacks and cubing into pasta salad)
20 oz Ham for meal and then for cubing leftovers into pasta salad
1 box Barilla Tricolor Rotini
5 boxes Macaroni & Cheese (Kraft of course)
1 can of Delmonte peas
1 12 oz can of Chicken of the Sea tuna
1 18 oz bag of Lay's potato chips
24 slice of Kraft yellow cheese
28 oz. Jif Peanut Butter
20 oz. Welch's Strawbery squeeze Jelly
12 ct Strawberry Poptarts
1 gallon Milk
1 25.5 oz box Honey Nut Cheerios
24 Eggs
32 oz Miracle whip
1 package Parkay stick margarine
5 lb. Russett potatoes
1 All free and clear laundry detergent
1 Ivory Dish liquid (also usable as hand soap)


It comes to $135 delivered from Garden Grocer (without the tip). From Wal-mart it is $94.97 cents (with tax). Remember that I priced all name brand items to get this. I didn't substitute any of the Great Value brand (which I find can be just as good as name brand). Throw in some Walmart bread at $1.00 a loaf instead of the Wonder bread at $2+, or buns at $1 a pack instead of the Holsum which were $2+ a pack alone and that savings will add up.

Add to that the fact that Garden Grocery may not deliver on Thanksgiving, and you have a substantial savings, plus a necessity to shop somewhere that is open. Walmart might be the winner.

 

[2goofycampers]

Add a few coupons in for more $ savings.

 

[ntsammy5]

You can tell that I have WAY too much time on my hands to feed my Disney obsession

Color me impressed!

 

[Tent Camping Mom]

You can tell that I have WAY too much time on my hands to feed my Disney obsession...

I made a list of Garden Grocer versus Walmart prices using my local Walmart in PA.

We must be related, this is something I would do.

 

[kiteri]

I may be new... but I do feel like I fit in... all us OCD campers here! hehehehe

I need to do something while I sit around with my thumbs up my *!@ waiting for Disney to post the hours for January 09 so I can't think my ADR's to death!

 

[Mary2e]

I placed my order from garden grocer for 7 days worth of breakfast, 1 or 2 dinners, and 3 or 4 lunches and it came to just over $200 with free delivery for 2 people.

I purchased a lot of fresh fruit/melons, as well as steaks, chops, & chicken for some lunches and dinners. There are frozen veggies, fresh potatoes, and macaroni salad as well. I figured we would grill all the meat at one time and serve it for lunch cold. We'd have the steaks on the night we grill up the chicken Our breakfasts consist of fresh fruit, cottage cheese, and english muffins or cereal.

There are few snacks in there, as well as alot of water.

The reason we went with GG rather than go shopping at a local supermarket is to save time. Some items are the same prices I can get at home, and some are more expensive. Olive oil was ridiculously priced, and I purchased a tupperware sippy cup and filled it to bring.

I figured the time wasted looking for stuff and then the extra money I'd spend on impulse purchases would cover the extra paid to GG I'm not that organized, and there is no way I'd enter a supermarket and stick to a list, if I even made as detailed a list as I made for GG.

My husband and I reviewed the GG order, by meal, and now we know in advance what we're eating

 

[I'm The Candyman!]

When I go on vacation, I can't cook and shop for groceries. I don't want a home away from home. I want to enjoy my time. When we camped at the Fort several years ago, we had breakfast every day at the Golden Corral outside of WDW. It was cheap, filling and good. Then we went to the parks on a full stomach. Would generally skip lunch and just have a snack. Then we'd have dinner wherever we wanted, on property or off.

Of course I'm talking about 2 people. I'd imagine if you are there with your family, you must do things differently.

 

[Mary2e]

I generally don't cook and don't want to cook on vacation either.

But, we're going in July. Past experience has taught us that we will use our resort facilities during the day, every day. Having a cabin with a full kitchen allows us to hang out at FW and have food available if we want it.

So, we decided to stock the larder with quick and easy food that is cooked all in one sitting so we don't have to go looking for food when we'd rather be doing something else.

If it were not the summer, I doubt I would stock much more than some breakfast items and some snacks.

 

[des1954]

IMHO, if GG delivers on Thanksgiving day...use them!! Publix is closed on Thanksgiving & I'm not sure if Winn Dixie will be open. Given the fact that WM will probably be the ONLY grocer open Thksgvg day, they will be SUPER crowded with shoppers. WM is notorious for having only half the cashiers they need, so check-out will be your biggest problem. Would it be possible for you to forgo groceries for Thursday & buy just what you need for Tkgvg day & breakfast the next morning at Meadow or Settlement & have GG deliver on Friday? As we all know, going to ANY store the day after thanksgiving would be akin to suicide!!

 

[kaguilbeau]

Our local Wal-Mart has Thanksgiving Day special which is a small starter for the Black Friday sales. I wouldn't pick Wal-Mart on Thanksgiving Day.

A few years ago we flew in on Thanksgiving Day and had the towncar service stop at a convenience store. We were staying in a moderate so basically just grabbed water, soda, chips, dip, bread, ham & cheese.