Saving Money Tips while eating out?

[Ashleybs]

We'll be heading back to WDW in May and are on a very tight budget. I'd love for everyone to share their tips on saving money while eating inside the parks as well as at their other restaurants. Thanks for the tips in advance!!!

 

[Missytara]

I eat a hearty breakfast, a small snack for lunch and then eat a nice dinner. Some dinners, instead of getting an entree, I get soup, salad, and dessert. Comes out a lot less than purchasing an entree.

Split an entree - some of them are huge.

This past year, we had a kitchenette, so we purchased bagels and cream cheese at the resort for breakfast. I also brought instant oatmeal, which we would heat up water in the coffee pot.

I purchased 1.5 liter bottles of water at the store and then made up one for iced tea, one for juice, and one hydrate to go - with crystal lite to go. Didn't have to head to the food court all the time.

If you are close to the food court, get the refillable mugs.

Choose one special evening and go all out. The rest of the evenings, do something small. I.E. go to DTD, have a sandwich at Earl of Sandwich and get a dessert at Ghiradelli's. Or eat at Wolfgang Puck's Express.

 

[Ashleybs]

Thanks for the tips! We'll be staying at a resort that has a full kitchen so I know we'll be eating breakfast there.

Are you able to take food into the park such as sandwiches, etc?

What places inside the parks give you enough food that you can share?

 

[cbg1027]

Yes, you CAN take food in to the parks. I think there are restrictions on cooler sizes and types. I'm pretty sure you can't bring in glass bottles.

I find the appetizers are plenty of food as an entree most places. If I want 3 courses, I will order a salad/soup type of thing, and more substantial appetizer, and a dessert.

Sometimes I will order a full entree and try to split a dessert.

Other places I've split an appetizer, entree, and dessert with someone else. It was plenty of food and I got to sample 3 things.

Most of the CS locations are good portion sizes to me. A few places have large meals that could be split. You can usually see other guests with their food before you order anything.

A big money saver for me is bringing in my own water bottle. I refill it at the water fountains throughout the day. Then when I go back to the room at night I wash it to reuse the next day.

 

[TDC Nala]

Don't buy beverages. Besides water being available at TS restaurants for no extra charge, any counter service will give you a cup of ice water for free.

 

[shocker]

Thanks for the tips! We'll be staying at a resort that has a full kitchen so I know we'll be eating breakfast there.

Are you able to take food into the park such as sandwiches, etc?

What places inside the parks give you enough food that you can share?

Yep, its on WDW website (under dining FAQ) that you can bring in your own food. Sometimes we bring in the entire meal, sometimes we buy a sandwich and bring in the sides. We've brought in applesauce/pudding, chips, raisins, tuna/chicken salad cracker snack packs, crystal light stir in packets for the free cups of water, etc. etc. etc. I've stayed 10 days before and ate WDW food about 5 times the entire trip, no ADR stress whatsoever.

 

[2Tiggies]

Yes, you CAN take food in to the parks. I think there are restrictions on cooler sizes and types. I'm pretty sure you can't bring in glass bottles.

No glass containers/bottles and cooler has to be less than a certain size and not hard-sided. But seriously, who would want to drag around a big, hard shell cooler, loaded with heavy glass bottles anyway?!

 

[sweetdana]

LOTS OF GOLDFISH.. (dd5). But really bring all snacks with you. We bring our breakfast with us to the park, cause we leave the hotel early and eat within an hour of getting to the park. Bagels, pop tars, breakfast bars, dry cereal. All brought from home. Buy a refillable mug, and fill it up on your way to the park, reuse this all day with water, and if you eat at a TS get an additional refill before you leave to fill your cup up with. I get morning coffee out of room, and then pop to take to the park. This makes breakfast, drinks and snacks nearly free. (If you rent a car you could stop at a grocery store on the way, we do not so we pack it in our suit case it is fine. Things like coocie go packs, or pop tarts. I even brought juice boxes one time. This leaves lunch and dinner.

We opt for our big meal (mostly) to be lunch usually 11:00 - 12:00, and our dinner, about 1/2 the time is at the hotel as a QS, or a "nearly free" dinner. I almost always share with my dd when not on the dining plan, she picks what she wants (mostly) and we share, occationally she will share with hubby. She never eats her dinner anyway. She would rather have fruit by the foot and goldfish. We usually order delivered pizza 1 night and have extras from 1-2 more nights by ordering over. Occationally cold pizza for breakfast. If you have a car, buy an extra (or 2) pizza and keep them in the fridge. Also if you bring jelly and peanut butter with you, you can but a loaf of bread (at least some places like BCV you can) and have PB and Js for dinner. .. a whole family eats for like 5$. I used to bring the chefboyrdee pull the lid off dinners, but more recently she hasnt eaten them. .. But if you like them they are like 1$ and fit nicely in a suitcase. You could serve them with bread and butter from your loaf you bought

I think next time I come I will bring a box of pancake mix and make mickey pancakes one night for dinner too... It is something I do at home a bit, cause it is 1 thing she actually eats.

Most importantly is planning ahead, with what you have to $$ and when you will be doing what.

 

[growinupdisney]

You can save at least $20-$25 a day for a family of 4 just by bringing in you own drinks. like the OP said, We bring, water, juice boxes, etc. In the past we would buy drinks and end up throwing them away cause we got tired of holding them or needed to go in ride.. Never again. Also go on and look at the menus, I already know where we are going to eat at CS and how much its going to cost us (family of 5) a day. I always bring in snacks for everyone but we still have our favs we get in the parks. We never spend of $100 a day. We eat breakfast in the room, lunch and dinner at parks. We sometimes share meals just depends, but there almost always is food left over!