Saving Money on Meals

[Marionnette]

Question: Where will you buy food at to cook with or are you shipping it to your hotel in advance?

I am hoping to do breakfast in-room too. Thinking about bringing some mini-bagels or muffins. Then planning to buy the refill drink mugs for morning coffee, assuming they have refillable coffee...

I'm planning on buying dinner at Pop or quick service somewhere since we are doing sit down character buffets for lunch 2 of the 4 days. Might not even need a big dinner, just buy a sub sandwich and split it up.

Coffee is included in the mug refills. If you are staying in a moderate or deluxe resort, there will also be a coffee maker in your room. Mousekeeping should replenish the complementary coffee pods on a daily basis.

If you are using the refillable mugs for coffee, you can also take your own bagels and English muffins to toast them in the food court toasters when you make your coffee run. There are even microwaves in the food court for your use if you have something else that needs to be warmed for your breakfast.

 

[writermommy6]

I think this is an awesome way to teach kids to make responsible money decisions. Something I would consider doing with my own. I'm surprised that you can cook a real meal for a family on a hot plate. We always get a condo so that we have access to a kitchen because even a kitchenette isn't efficient enough for us. Just curious, where are you going to keep the food that you are going to cook? Even mini fridges can't always hold what you need.

Thanks for the budget teaching ideas. I will definitely have to employ them for our next vacation.

 

[kugelette]

How did a thread about teaching the kids about budgeting their dining choices get turned into a "cooking in your room" discussion?

Did you just want to ?

The thread is titled "Saving Money on Meals". So I mentioned how we plan to save on meals as a suggestive alternative (we also routinely buy stuff like sandwich fixings, hard boiled eggs, cereal, etc for the room). Spending less out to eat gives you more flexibility in how you spend that dining out money. It really hasn't been a controversial discussion. If you want controversy, wander over to the Community board and talk about how it's okay to murder burglaring teenagers or say you want to spend a few grand on a purebred puppy.

 

[kugelette]

I think this is an awesome way to teach kids to make responsible money decisions. Something I would consider doing with my own. I'm surprised that you can cook a real meal for a family on a hot plate. We always get a condo so that we have access to a kitchen because even a kitchenette isn't efficient enough for us. Just curious, where are you going to keep the food that you are going to cook? Even mini fridges can't always hold what you need.

Thanks for the budget teaching ideas. I will definitely have to employ them for our next vacation.

In one of the apartments I rented, the only kitchen appliances they had were a hot plate and a toaster oven. I used to entertain large groups of people no problem (and even bake fresh bread every week!). We are a family of two (me and my little), so I don't think we'll have a problem storing what we need. I mentioned above, we usually take HB eggs, shaved meats, yogurt, etc with us (my son has food triggers for migraines so I am used to packing most of what he's going to eat). Even if you don't cook, it really does save so much money to bring food with you to eat.

Breakfast in the room for 5 days for a family of 4:

2 boxes of cereal - $8
2 quarts of milk - $6
fresh fruit - $10 (buy it uncut and it's cheaper and no fridge needed)
instant oatmeal (presuming you have a coffeemaker) - $3
HB eggs - $6
2 packages of bagels - $5
shelf-stable juice boxes/bottles/water - $5
flavored cream cheese - $3
cutlery/plates/napkins - $5
_________________
$51 or $2.55 per person per day, for a pretty decent continental breakfast


Compare it with breakfast at McDonalds for the same group:

$3.39 average (from menu offerings varying from $2 oatmeal to $5 breakfast bagel combo), comes out to $67.80. And it's McDonalds. Blech.

If you want to go to a sit-down place like Village Inn or Perkins, the average breakfast entree jumps to $7, unless you specifically choose really cheap menu items, and then you're still looking at $3-5 per person and only getting a slice of toast and a couple of eggs. And no juice or coffee. Now, it's not exactly a comparable breakfast, because $7 at Perkins will buy you a decent amount of hot food, but it's easy to see how the cost of one meal a day can contribute substantially to the cost spent. At $7/pp for breakfast, this family is spending $140.

Now, everyone has their own vacation styles. I personally prefer to do more packed lunches and room breakfasts and then splurge on a character breakfast, rather than eat McDonalds or Perkins before heading into the park (or somewhere more expensive). I'm also more of a fan of teaching kids to budget through spending money, not necessities. I always resented the embarrassment of my parents discussing money in front of a server at a restaurant or telling me I couldn't order what I wanted because there was a $1-2 price difference - I'd rather wait and go when I can get what I want and not order something I may not even like just because it's cheaper. Not all people feel this way about dining, so you do what works for your family. My son is 7 and has worked hard to save for his Disney trip, and has over $100 saved thus far. He will probably make and save another $100 or so before we go. He understands that if he wants to do something at Disney (like the pirate cruise at our resort or the pirate makeover at the park), he has to pay for it out of pocket and has budgeted accordingly. He is a very careful spender and whenever he is considering a purchase, we do talk it through and make sure that that's really how he wants to spend it.

 

[Lewisc]

It's probably against fire code in rooms which don't have a cooktop/kitchenette. I'm personally okay with it regardless, but leave it up to others to decide if it falls within their comfort zone morally. Hot plates when supervised are not dangerous. I would not leave a hot plate or crock pot or other cooking device on or even plugged in when not being directly supervised (even when in the room). Use common sense, as in everything.

I'm not OK with guests who think it's OK to violate fire codes, violate hotel rules and risk the safety of other guests. I understand some guests like to eat some meals in their room to save money. There are many meal options which don't require cooking. Many more which only require a microwave oven. There are numerous places to stay which offer partial and full kitchens. People should be booking accommodations which accommodate their needs. Rent points and stay at a DVC property. Vacation homes. Timeshare resorts like WBC.

Common sense. OK Crock pots are designed to cook food all day, without needing any attention. Designed to cook without the need for anyone in the house. .

Hot plates are to be placed

on a stable, heat-resistant surface and in a well-ventilated area

. A hotel room offers neither. Hot plates are dangerous, even when watched, if they're not placed on the proper surface. After you cook the food where to do place the pot before it cools? Where are you going to wash your pot? Grease and food debris deposited in the tub isn't fair to the housekeeper or next guest.

Many restaurants have had to close temporarily due to a kitchen fire. Restaurants kitchens, to code, still have fires.

 

[Marionnette]

The thread is titled "Saving Money on Meals". So I mentioned how we plan to save on meals as a suggestive alternative (we also routinely buy stuff like sandwich fixings, hard boiled eggs, cereal, etc for the room). Spending less out to eat gives you more flexibility in how you spend that dining out money. It really hasn't been a controversial discussion. If you want controversy, wander over to the Community board and talk about how it's okay to murder burglaring teenagers or say you want to spend a few grand on a purebred puppy.

The official word is that hot plates are against the fire code.
http://disneyparksmomspanel.disney.go.com/questions.aspx?pgm=2&pid=45&cid=109&qid=218176

Q: What is included in the kitchenettes in the Finding Nemo Family Suites in Disney's Art of Animation Resort? Are there restrictions on hot plates or toaster oven use in the rooms?
- Asked by Mary on 3/30/2013
A: Hi Mary,

You are going to love the family suites at Art of Animation. My favorite amenity is the fact that each suite has two full bathrooms, but the kitchenette are a welcome touch as well. .

Each suite has a microwave, coffeemaker and small refrigerator. The kitchenettes include a supply of disposable glasses, cups, plates, knives, forks, spoons and bowls. You'll also find a corkscrew, bottle opener and other utensils.

Hot plates and toaster ovens are restricted by fire codes, but there are toasters available for guest use in the food court area.

I hope that answers your question. Please let me know if I can offer any other help. Enjoy your visit!

Wilma

If you really need to cook in the room, then either book a villa or cabin that has a full kitchen and leave the little fire hazard at home.

If you cannot afford the onsite accommodations that provide a full kitchen, then there are plenty of affordable offsite places that do.

The last thing that you should be doing is subjecting other vacationers to the potential risk that you are so willing to take by operating such an appliance in your room.

 

[robinb]

Hi everyone!
I have come up with an idea that hopefully will save us money on meals and help our DD 15 and DS 9 learn the value of money and how to budget! I have researched the area for fast food and sit down restaurants in the Disney area. Before we leave on our trip, the children will look at menus for various restaurants they like and see what we would be able to eat for a certain amount of money. Then they will choose the places we will eat at based on the information they found out during there research.
We will eat a couple of times in Disney, but not sure where yet. I think the children will enjoy working on this project and it will be something that they can work on over the summer! Our trip isn't until the first week of August and DH and I start back to work at our schools the following Monday, so they will have all summer to work on this! Hope it works!

So they will be choosing off-site restaurants? I think your heart is in the right place and I hope it works out for you, but I don't think I would allow my kids to choose everywhere we eat!

 

[abmitch01]

Outside the World, we eat at Soup Plantation/ Sweet tomatoes. Sign up for email coupons. often 3 people can eat for $20.

Does the Pop and All Stars have fridges?

 

[Plumeria9]

Question-how big are the refrigerators? Specifically at Port Orleans Riverside. Also, are there coffee makers in every room? I just spent the last four months, a few weekends a month, making my DD instant oatmeal w/ the hot water through the coffee maker. That would be a great timesaver and money saver for me if they have them. TIA!

 

[Marionnette]

Question-how big are the refrigerators? Specifically at Port Orleans Riverside. Also, are there coffee makers in every room? I just spent the last four months, a few weekends a month, making my DD instant oatmeal w/ the hot water through the coffee maker. That would be a great timesaver and money saver for me if they have them. TIA!

The fridges are the same size at all resorts except the DVC villas. They are about the size of a 2.5 cu ft. under-the-counter fridge.

The coffeemakers are pod-style, similar to Senseo coffeemakers. The temperature of the water should be okay for making your daughter's instant oatmeal.

 

[JeremyGNJ]

If you really want to teach your kids budgeting, and the value of money...

...stay off-site.

 

[TravelMommy]

bring your own water/beverages in approved (no glass) containers. This consistently saves us $10 or more per meal Please, please, please don't violate the fire codes, they are there for a reason.
Learning the value of having a budget is such a worthwhile skill! Have a great trip

 

[Plumeria9]

The fridges are the same size at all resorts except the DVC villas. They are about the size of a 2.5 cu ft. under-the-counter fridge.

The coffeemakers are pod-style, similar to Senseo coffeemakers. The temperature of the water should be okay for making your daughter's instant oatmeal.

Excellent info, thank you very much!

 

[Arich01]

I just wanted to share this pizza place we had last time: Giordano's! http://giordanos.com/location/lake-buena-vista-disney-area/

They deliver and were fantastic!!! We were trying to save some money on our last trip and I heard about this place here on the dis. It was just my fiance and myself at the time and we ordered a small stuffed pie, garlic knots, and some wings. I think we spent somewhere around $30 and had soooo much food... could have easily fed 4 adults.

We look forward to ordering from them next time, the pizza was that good!

 

[pryncess527]

If you really want to teach your kids budgeting, and the value of money...

...stay off-site.

Budgeting doesn't always mean taking the cheapest option possible.

 

[katybugsmom]

This is the route we are going.

I explained to my kids that we only have "x" amount(didn't give them an exact dollar) and that we could each get a meal and not eat it all and we can't take it with us and by doing this we get just the meal.

But if we share then we will get enough and no waste and we will save money and be able to get snacks/dessert.

Once they started seeing what dessert/snacks were out there the more they came around to the idea of sharing.

I think its great that you are teaching your kids to budget.

Thanks Supergoofy!

 

[katybugsmom]

I think its great that you are teaching your kids to budget money. We did this with our DD and she is great with money, and knows how to save it.

I would not cook in room, its just not safe..... for me to many what if's.

There are lots of options for breakfast, cereal & milk, breakfast bars, bagels, muffins, orange juice & fruit.

Snacks are a huge way to save, granola / cereal bars, chips or crackers - here I would suggest that you check out the dollar store and find some small container to put these in so they are not smashed up. Make sure that they fit in the back pack easily. Fresh fruit / veggies- apples, banana's, grapes, carrot and celery stick with individual dressing.

I would have some microwave options in the room, pop corn, or those noodle bowls work well for something hot to eat and do not need to be refrigerated.

You also might want to check out local coupons for restaurants, groupon, amazon local, Pizza and Chinese take out or buffet. Also sign up at different restaurant for their email, and normally you will get a coupon for free appetizer, plus any other coupon or promotion that they might have.

Outside DTD there is a Perkins, they have mammoth muffins, you can get breakfast very reasonable with good portions and choose a muffin for your bread, and save it for later for a snack or breakfast the next day.

Also you might want to do early dinner in the parks before the dinner menu takes affect at the TS restaurant's. For CS you can share meals, you might want to check out some of the Resort Food court choices were you can make your own pasta and salad. Planet Hollywood, T- REX, Rain Forest , Raglan Road has great appetizers with large portions so.... you might want to order a few and maybe a couple of side salads and share. We did this in January, for 3 people, We order 2 side salads, and the large appetizer plate it was more than enough for us. One a girls trip there were 4 adults, We order a entrée salad and a appetizer plate, and this was more than enough food for all 4 of us.

Let us know how they do with this project.

Great suggestions! Our DD loves mac and cheese so she can microwave one of the cups you buy in packs of four. We plan on asking for ice water everywhere we go. I'll take Mio to add flavor to it!

 

[katybugsmom]

We always look over the menus. not so much to pinch pennies but really who wants to go on vacation and have a bad meal. LOL
Besides it's fun.

Not sure if you will have transportation or not but here are some tips that work well for my family.

1) We are huge breakfast eaters. I've found that the days we eat a good breakfast we spend way less on snacking and junk. if you have a car, right outside of DTD is Shoneys,
I-hop and Denny's. Last year Ihop had a breakfast 2 eggs, 2 pancakes, 2 bacon and coffe for 4 bucks. I have 2 young men in my family, all 6 footers football players. everyone had big breakfast's under 25 bucks.

2) Beware of the "split meal" thing. Now as I said I have/had teenage sons, which means they will eat any thing that's not nailed down with some ketchup. We've never had a meal where we could split and everyone would be satisfied. I have had meals that were more than enough for one but unfortunately not enough for two.
So what usually happens is that we either have to buy sides and extras or two hours later some one wants a snack. Not much of a savings.


Now I'm going to also add a plea not to cook in the room. Unfortunately we got a room that some one decided to make saurkrat and hot dogs in. It stank to high heaven, we did get a whif when we first checked in but figured "we'll just open the balcony door" get some fresh air. well after one night we had to go and get a new room. the smell was in the rug and the drapery. Uggg.

Look at it this way, do you cook in your bedroom at home? there is a reason why stoves have exhaust fans. food smells get into linens and drapery.

We were never planning on taking a hot plate. Another member that commented on my thread said they were going to take one. I'm only taking a small coffee pot for me!
I'll keep my eye open for great deals at restaurants outside the park too!

 

[katybugsmom]

I think this is an awesome way to teach kids to make responsible money decisions. Something I would consider doing with my own. I'm surprised that you can cook a real meal for a family on a hot plate. We always get a condo so that we have access to a kitchen because even a kitchenette isn't efficient enough for us. Just curious, where are you going to keep the food that you are going to cook? Even mini fridges can't always hold what you need.

Thanks for the budget teaching ideas. I will definitely have to employ them for our next vacation.

We aren't the ones cooking-I started the thread, but someone else commented they were taking the hot plate. I wouldn't want to cook in the room personally, but to each his own!

 

[katybugsmom]

So they will be choosing off-site restaurants? I think your heart is in the right place and I hope it works out for you, but I don't think I would allow my kids to choose everywhere we eat!

Don't worry! My kids are not going to choose McDonalds for every meal! DH and I happen to be older parents-we came from the generation where you sit down and eat a meal at the table together and I cook dinner each night. They want to eat meals that they can sit down and enjoy, so I trust they will make the right selections for our family!