Save $ on food as AP holder tips?

[TeaForTulips]

I have been to Disney World many times, but always on one week vacations. A few months ago we moved to the Orlando area. Living 30 minutes away of course I got the annual pass!

Now I find we are spending too much money on food each weekend spending so much time in the parks. I do bring bottled water and snacks, but that only gets you so far.

Does anyone have any tips? I know about the TIW Card, but I don't find that being a huge savings for us if we have to eat at a sit down meal each time. It also doesn't seem convenient to pack a cooler due to the long trek back to the car.

Any tips, suggestions? Thanks!

 

[SnowWtch]

I don't know of a way to save on food in the parks with an AP discount or anything on a weekend. You can split meals or maybe go off-site and eat.

 

[brymolmom]

If it was me - I'd start (according to the budget I wanted to follow) to bring meals with me. WHen we have a car there my family LOVES to bring in sandwiches/subs/fruit/chocolate/chips and have at LEAST one meal out of our cooler during the day. It is exactly what we like - it is much cheaper - and you don't have to wait in lines.

Now that we don't use a stroller in the park - We rent a locker and just put it in there and grab it as needed.

 

[Marionnette]

I have been to Disney World many times, but always on one week vacations. A few months ago we moved to the Orlando area. Living 30 minutes away of course I got the annual pass!

Now I find we are spending too much money on food each weekend spending so much time in the parks. I do bring bottled water and snacks, but that only gets you so far.

Does anyone have any tips? I know about the TIW Card, but I don't find that being a huge savings for us if we have to eat at a sit down meal each time. It also doesn't seem convenient to pack a cooler due to the long trek back to the car.

Any tips, suggestions? Thanks!

You can book a "passholder plus dine package" when you make your room reservation. This isnt the same as asking to add the dining plan which would require the purchase of tickets. You can use it with the ap room discount but you pay the full amount for the dining part. Get the quick service plan and you wont have to worry about table service tips. Sell the mugs at a yard sale or ebay if you want to recover some of your costs. They make nice collectors pieces for people who arent lucky enough to make it to disney every year. It is a package so the cancellation and deposit rules apply.

 

[Jenny-momof3]

I would do as the PP suggested....put a soft sided cooler in a locker if you don't have a stroller with you.

On our last trip we didn't do the dining plan. My youngest was only 10 weeks so needed to nurse often still. We just kept a large soft sided cooler in the stroller and would pull it out whenever I would stop to nurse him. If the kids felt like eating their lunch or dinner then...fine. If not...they would eat it later.

I packed the cooler up each night for the following day. So easy and so much cheaper!

 

[feezle]

Do you find yourself dining in AK? If so, I would maybe take another look at TIW. Flame Tree, Pizzafari, and I forget which other CS are covered under TIW in AK. Even if you don't use the card every time you go, a couple meals at AK, and then a sit down meal a few times in a year should pay for the card.

Edit......I can't believe I just bumped a post from last year....that's what I get for using the search function.

 

[Dizneydaz]

We have AP to DLR and go quite often. And since we do we try to economize as much as possible.

Bringing items in the park was easier with a stroller but even without one I can do okay.

Here's what we do:

If we are going to get there around lunch time we will stop on the way and get a bite to eat. My favorite for that is Del Taco (sorry, none in Florida) They have pretty inexpensive Californian Mexican food (49 cent tacos, 49 or 99 cent burritos, etc.). The 2 of us can eat for only a few bucks.

I bring in my own Diet Coke, in cans, in my messenger bag (Baggalini). I will usually bring in a styrofoam cup and use that. And/or I will get free cups of ice water in the parks. DD11 usually brings in a water bottle and I bring along those flavor tubes for her to add. She can also add them to cups of water. I get them at WM where you can get boxes for about $1. I think they have 8 tubes in them. DD11 really likes the Hawaiian Punch green flavor (sugar free) and I even enjoy a nice Hawaiian Punch (original red) occassionally. Not buying drinks in the parks really saves $$.

We typically share meals if we eat in the parks. There's one restaurant that has fried chicken (1/2 a chicken) for about $13-14. With the sides it's more than enough for the 2 of us to eat.

When it's cold I bring tea bags with me and get free hot cups of water. Saves almost $3/cup.

I will typically pack some light snacks to take as well. Pretzels, cereal, candy, etc. works well.

We don't get a lot of snacks while in the parks (unless we have free DDP) but we will share those as well. One thing we do when we get ice cream is I will order a sundae (2 scoops) with one flavor for me and one for DD. Then (until just recently) I got the sauce(s) on the side. DD didn't used to like hot fudge or caramel. This way she can have her scoop of ice cream and I can have my sundae and only spend about $5.50 for both vs. $8 for 2 single scoops in waffle cones.

If we are leaving the parks around dinner time and want to eat before we get home, we will stop and get something on the way home. We typically don't do drive-thru before and after visiting the parks. Usually only one way.

Just noticed this was from last year-oh well, hopefully someone can use PP and my suggestions.