Saving on food at Disney

[KellDy]

How do you save money when eating at the parks? I know the food is expensive and we are going to spend a bundle, but trying to find a few ways to save. We will be eating breakfast in our condo and taking drinks and snacks into the parks. We will most likely buy lunch and dinner in the parks. I'm looking for snacks that can be for lunch, but are less expensive than buying whole meals. We will do a few sit down dinners and may share some meals if possible.
Thanks!

 

[Tinker'n'Fun]

Share CS meals at places that serve large portions. Go to the Restaurant section and search, you will find many threads with the information and or go to the menu section on this board.

Plus, I know you said you are bringing snacks and I do recommend that but use them for bulking up meals. It is really hard to say no to popcorn and ice cream when all you see is person after person eating it.

I remember our first trip. We were poor but would not eat a lunch so the children could get a snack. My SIL who didn't have money problems refused to get her children an ice cream when all the others (we were a large family reunion) were eating them. We all offered to buy them but she refused and even said she would throw them out if we did. I will NEVER forget that look on their little faces, so it just goes that even if they have to share one or two each day, the snacks really are important. (well at least to this family).

I am sure you will get tons of help, really go over to the restaurant area and allears.com also.

Have fun planning!!!

 

[Robbi]

Avoid the character meals. The counter service restaurants have fries, etc that you can eat as snacks.
Here's a link to the menus at the resort and theme park menus. You can look at and decide if the snack foods meet your needs.
http://allears.net/menu/menus.htm

 

[Marionnette]

How do you save money when eating at the parks? I know the food is expensive and we are going to spend a bundle, but trying to find a few ways to save. We will be eating breakfast in our condo and taking drinks and snacks into the parks. We will most likely buy lunch and dinner in the parks. I'm looking for snacks that can be for lunch, but are less expensive than buying whole meals. We will do a few sit down dinners and may share some meals if possible.
Thanks!

Snacks for lunch? Maybe check the menus on allears.net to see if there's anything that can be used?

Offhand, I would suggest the pork rolls at Yak & Yeti counter service (AK), the Power Pack lunch at Rosie's in HS, the ham & cheese croissant in the Boulangerie Patisserie (Epcot) and the hummus and chips at Gaston's in the new Fantasyland Expansion (MK)

 

[POOHsie]

Even though the menu boards list selections as combos, you don't have to order that way. You can just get an entree. Saves maybe $2.00 off the combo price. You can also order sides separately. Let's say one of you gets the combo, another just an entree, and you share the side. Also, if a kid's meal comes with a toy, you don't have to buy the toy. Saves maybe $1.50. You can get filtered ice water at the counter for free, no need to buy expensive drinks. You can do this any time of the day, not just meal time. Saves bottled water expense. IMO, throughout the day the water fountains are fine, but others may not agree.

 

[peemagg]

This is what we do. We eat a large breakfast at our room (cereal and toast, and a piece of fruit), then have some fruit and granola bar for lunch, then have a early dinner. We have never gone hungry this way.

 

[tiggerificamanda]

How do you save money when eating at the parks? I know the food is expensive and we are going to spend a bundle, but trying to find a few ways to save. We will be eating breakfast in our condo and taking drinks and snacks into the parks. We will most likely buy lunch and dinner in the parks. I'm looking for snacks that can be for lunch, but are less expensive than buying whole meals. We will do a few sit down dinners and may share some meals if possible.
Thanks!

KellDy - we use the quick service meal plan. We share meals off of it and the last trip had enough meal credits left over to take our dinner home on the road! We had just enough snack credits left to get Mickey rice crispy treats to take back as souvenirs to friends and family!

It was a huge savings for us and we didn't have to worry about spending more money while were there. Even if it were not a savings, the prepaid convenience of it was well worth the investment!

And when I saw other people having to PAY for their food and I wasn't it was like, "Oh those poor people." I would hate to pay that for this meal! It was a positive experience for us, but many people do not like it. We drove, so we were able to pick up odds and ends at Walmart (Water, fruit, granola, etc...).

 

[Marionnette]

KellDy - we use the quick service meal plan. We share meals off of it and the last trip had enough meal credits left over to take our dinner home on the road! We had just enough snack credits left to get Mickey rice crispy treats to take back as souvenirs to friends and family!

It was a huge savings for us and we didn't have to worry about spending more money while were there. Even if it were not a savings, the prepaid convenience of it was well worth the investment!

And when I saw other people having to PAY for their food and I wasn't it was like, "Oh those poor people." I would hate to pay that for this meal! It was a positive experience for us, but many people do not like it. We drove, so we were able to pick up odds and ends at Walmart (Water, fruit, granola, etc...).

The OP cannot get the dining plans. She is staying offsite.

 

[TheDisney6]

Avoid the character meals. The counter service restaurants have fries, etc that you can eat as snacks.
Here's a link to the menus at the resort and theme park menus. You can look at and decide if the snack foods meet your needs.
http://allears.net/menu/menus.htm

Very helpful link. Thanks!

 

[FLLDYTRKR]

If concerned about the 'taste' of the water pick up some of the flavor packets from Wal-Mart--Crystal Light--Ice Tea--Wylers ect..to add as needed.

Take in some of the Smuckers PB&J sammies...(Just like the ones they serve in the park) for lunch. Cheese or Peanut Butter Crackers can be filling and don't take up much space.

 

[Robbi]

Very helpful link. Thanks!

You're welcome.

 

[tigger51276]

Last year I decided I was pretty much sick of Disney food. Most of it all taste the same to me so I decided since I was staying in a 2 bedroom villa at AKV to make most of our meals. I've always done breakfast in the room (cereal, bagel, toast, granola bars). For lunches I will even often toast a bagel and throw peanut butter on it and put it in a baggie for when I get hungry and then grab a snack to go with it. My friends husband had a car so we hit Walmart the day we got there.
For meals that I made and brought with us to the parks:
Hot dogs: pre boiled them and then packed them in tin foil. Brought rolls with us and smartfood/chips.
Microwave mac and cheese- premade it and put it in small thermos.
Pasta w/butter and/or sauce- premade and put in small thermos.
Subs
Bagel sandwiches
PBand Fluff and PB and J
Cold fried chicken from walmart
Ramen Noodle Cup of Soups
Bought a bunch of fruit (apples, bananas, grapes and oranges)
Also got a bunch of small pre cut fruit and veggie baggies.
I had a small soft sided cooler that attached to my stroller for the stuff that needed to be kept cold and then a backpack for the rest. It wasn't nearly as bad as I thought and really kept our food costs down. We did still do a few counter service and table service meals on top of it.

A great cheap and shareable snack is a funnel cake, they are huge and like $6 and 2 people can easily eat one.

 

[tigger51276]

Even if it were not a savings, the prepaid convenience of it was well worth the investment!

And when I saw other people having to PAY for their food and I wasn't it was like, "Oh those poor people." I would hate to pay that for this meal! It was a positive experience for us, but many people do not like it. We drove, so we were able to pick up odds and ends at Walmart (Water, fruit, granola, etc...).

The problem is you DID pay for it, you just paid for it up front instead of at the register! Not knocking the food plan, but everyone pays for it, even during "free dining" you are still paying for it because instead of a room discount they are giving you food, for some the cost of the meal plan works out to a better deal and for others it doesn't.

 

[3BoysRDisneyFreaks]

How do you save money when eating at the parks? I know the food is expensive and we are going to spend a bundle, but trying to find a few ways to save. We will be eating breakfast in our condo and taking drinks and snacks into the parks. We will most likely buy lunch and dinner in the parks. I'm looking for snacks that can be for lunch, but are less expensive than buying whole meals. We will do a few sit down dinners and may share some meals if possible.
Thanks!

The key to your post is that you are staying off site. I have a family of 6. We eat at condo for breakfast. We are at parks for rope drop. We eat an early park lunch. Split meals. We plan for 1 park treat per person per day and then we leave early afternoon for a swim break and dinner. Usually when we leave it is getting busy in the parks and since we were at rope drop we get a ton done. We eat dinner at condo or at an off site restaurant and then return to park.

 

[Judique]

Last year I decided I was pretty much sick of Disney food. Most of it all taste the same to me so I decided since I was staying in a 2 bedroom villa at AKV to make most of our meals. I've always done breakfast in the room (cereal, bagel, toast, granola bars). For lunches I will even often toast a bagel and throw peanut butter on it and put it in a baggie for when I get hungry and then grab a snack to go with it. My friends husband had a car so we hit Walmart the day we got there.
For meals that I made and brought with us to the parks:
Hot dogs: pre boiled them and then packed them in tin foil. Brought rolls with us and smartfood/chips.
Microwave mac and cheese- premade it and put it in small thermos.
Pasta w/butter and/or sauce- premade and put in small thermos.
Subs
Bagel sandwiches
PBand Fluff and PB and J
Cold fried chicken from walmart
Ramen Noodle Cup of Soups
Bought a bunch of fruit (apples, bananas, grapes and oranges)
Also got a bunch of small pre cut fruit and veggie baggies.
I had a small soft sided cooler that attached to my stroller for the stuff that needed to be kept cold and then a backpack for the rest. It wasn't nearly as bad as I thought and really kept our food costs down. We did still do a few counter service and table service meals on top of it.

A great cheap and shareable snack is a funnel cake, they are huge and like $6 and 2 people can easily eat one.

Sounds like you've got this down to an art!

The meal plan has worked for us in the past, and I still will do it for 1 or 2 days, but not my entire vacation. (I understand the OP is offsite.)

This is simply because we are not focused on food so much.

So, ordering what will actually be eaten also comes into play. As a prior poster mentioned, you don't have to get the whole meal. Desserts can be shared. (Desserts aren't really necessary if you save them for snack time instead.)

Lots of things that you can carry are healthier for you and your family. Cut up fruit, and veggies. You can buy dips for your veggies and make them special. Cubed cheese and meat can also be a snack/meal. You could try making bento boxes and fill with things that you all like. It's fun when things are prepared and geared to being finger foods.

We used to split the bigger meals - Cosmic Rays ribs and chicken - not sure if they still have it. Most disney park fast food is just convenient and not really that special. But - if there is something you really like and look forward to at Disney - budget for it. Make it part of your experience.

 

[Riles_and_Gabe]

The key to your post is that you are staying off site. I have a family of 6. We eat at condo for breakfast. We are at parks for rope drop. We eat an early park lunch. Split meals. We plan for 1 park treat per person per day and then we leave early afternoon for a swim break and dinner. Usually when we leave it is getting busy in the parks and since we were at rope drop we get a ton done. We eat dinner at condo or at an off site restaurant and then return to park.

This is exactly how we handle it. We loved staying at the condo and by the time we were done with the day at the park, it was so nice to come back to the condo to relax and have dinner.

I also start watching Groupon a couple of months before the trip to see if there is anything that would work for us. One time Groupon was offering $5 off any Groupon and I was able to get one for a sub shop for $20 worth of food.

 

[Angie789]

Since you are off-site, check restaurant.com for deals on local restaurants (and check retailmenot for deals on restaurant.com! They frequently have codes that allow you to purchase the vouchers for 80% off.).

If I were in your position, I'd be sure everyone had a protein-filled meal for breakfast that would fuel them for a good stretch, buy snacks in Disney as needed and then either go out to a local restaurant or cook at home for dinner. Counter service meals at Disney are overpriced and the quality is just so-so.

 

[disneymarie]

How do you save money when eating at the parks? I know the food is expensive and we are going to spend a bundle, but trying to find a few ways to save. We will be eating breakfast in our condo and taking drinks and snacks into the parks. We will most likely buy lunch and dinner in the parks. I'm looking for snacks that can be for lunch, but are less expensive than buying whole meals. We will do a few sit down dinners and may share some meals if possible.
Thanks!

I found the steps your taking some of the best. By having a toaster cereal, some bread or English muffins you get out to the parks faster with something in the stomach. I take drinks to the park, snack packs or energy bars. One year I made few sandwiches, but found it takes a unique person to want to go that far. You need a collapsing cooler to travel with, ziplock bags, I saved condiment packages during the months prior. Just ham and turkey.

Our counter service I use the one called the starlight cafe is in. Can't remember the name over in Tomorrow land. Also the western one, my poor mind, in DTD Disney bakery you can split the sand which meals if you do not want to pack them, they are huge.

At Epcot we ate at the cafeteria like place, sunshine something, meals there are large enough for kids to split. Sandwiches or food in Norway is good price. Fish and chips at the stand by England was nice, along with the counter service at Chine is nice too.

Oh, Casey's at Main st has hug hotdog that the meal easily can be shared.

Just watch that buying groceries does not start adding up to what thrifty CS may be.

I take water, few cans of soda and the packets that flavor water for a change. If you can save on the drinks, is a huge savings. Ask for cups of water with your meal instead of a large cup of soda.

Have fun, enjoy a dole whip, Pinapple float, or snack at the bakery along the way too. Splurge on an icecream for the kids while at Animal kingdom. That is always the hottest park. Oh, I like the flaming BbQplace there too.great salads and meals.

The backlot or other counter service at HS is a good price too.

 

[bear_mom]

We share a lot of meals, both CS and TS meals.

Oftentimes at a CS place, one adult and two kids or two kids and one adult meal are enough for all 4 of us.

We allow one snack (ice cream) per day in the park. The rest of the snacks, I bring in. (my tip here: hungry kids = cranky kids so we tend to bring in extra snacks to keep the kids from being hungry. I am always amazed at how often they get hungry.....)

We bring in our own water bottles and refill them. I bring in water flavoring packs also.

Emily

 

[maxiesmom]

One trick we use is to order less than what we think we need. The portions are large, and we find we don't need to order as much food as we think we do. You can always go back for more if you are still hungry, but I have yet to find a place that will let us return food because we are full!