Saving on Dining

[goodferry]

Let's hear your best tip for saving on food expenses while in the world.

 

[oogieboogie]

Buy a double cheeseburger and add an extra bun for .79 cents. Voila instantly you have 2 hamburgers.

 

[DeDixie]

Share meals, we always eat more than we should at restaurants when we each order our own. We try to order to meals and have our DD share with us. This especially works well at counter service 'cause you don't feel weird doing it. Then later we get a special snack, if not you are just too full to enjoy the snack.
Order just appitizer and dessert.
Order water to drink.
Sometimes we will have a backwards dinner, usually once a trip and usually at MGM. We get ice cream for dinner, then have something back in the room (we're in a villa with a kitchen) or something from the food court at the hotel -- again we share.
Eat breakfast in the room. Instant Breakfast, cereal, granola, fruit, oatmeal, cereal bars, etc.
Use the meal deal at AK, and I think maybe MK.

 

[Aimeedyan]

Do two meals a day, instead of three. Eat small snacks to tide you over in between.

Split meals. The portions are usually really large, and you can't take leftovers anyways usually... I hate to see food wasted!

Dont order drinks and dessert and appetizers. THey add so much to a bill! Drink tap water, and grab a coke later on that you can drink on awhile. Or better, yet, stick with water in the parks. Desserts are wonderful at Disney, but expensive! Instead, have dessert later on as a snack someplace else. Portions are usually so big you dont need appetizers too.

Eat your big meal at lunch to save money, and a counter service or off property place for dinner

Dont be afraid to eat off property. While I love eating at the parks, or resorts, they usually are a bit higher priced. Nothing wrong with Chilis for dinner one night, or even Dennys!

Research all the menus ahead of time so you know what price range and such you're looking at... think ahead when planning your day as to where you might be at meal times and where you want to eat. So you dont waste time wandering to look at menus, and dont have to settle on something a bit more expensive because you didnt plan ahead...

 

[kadaten]

Move to Florida so you can buy the Disney Dining Experience membership 20% off most meals and beverages

 

[GreenEyes0205]

We bring a collapsable cooler with us instead of paying $12/day for a refrigerator. Before we leave, we buy 4 quarts of milk & freeze them. Refresh with ice each day & the milk stays mostly frozen, but just enough pours out to use. They work as ice packs.

We bring our own breakfast foods for in the room. I also make a goodie bag to take to the parks. I fill it with crackers, nuts, pretzels, cereal & some junk food. It cuts down on buying snacks all day at the parks.

We also bring our brita water bottles with us. When we want something different to drink other than water, we just take out the filter & pour in some crystal light.

 

[mad4themouse]

Instead of eating our large meal of the day at dinner time, we choose to do a late lunch (3 pm or so) and make it the large meal. The lunch menus are often the same as the dinner menus, with smaller portions and lower prices. We avoid the lunchtime crowds because it's an "off" time to be eating. Later, we have a light meal at dinner time or whenever we feel hungry.