So, who's cooking more in their villas these days?

[MDDisneyDevotee]

In the past we've really only cooked breakfast in our villa, but that's changing this time 'round for many of the reasons pp's have already mentioned. Also, though, we are fairly new members and are going more frequently than we used to and need to find ways to cut down on our expenses so we can continue to go several times a year. The main reason, though, is that we really just do not enjoy the food at most of the WDW cs and ts places. And it's particularly aggravating to pay exorbitantly high prices for food that's not that great.

For our trip in January we have only one ts meal planned and that's at California Grill to celebrate my birthday and my promotion. We may eat at Via Napoli again and we may eat at either Boma or Sanaa, but for the rest of our fourteen days there most of our dinners will be at the villa. We'll continue to make breakfasts at the villa and lunches will either be counter service or just snacks.

 

[JWG]

Our cooking has gone down some. We tried doing lunches and dinners and never wanted to leave whatever we were doing at the time or spend the time preparing.

We do breakfasts every day, that's our standard.
That may change again as dining reservations have gotten to be so out of hand.

 

[OKWMom]

Us too. During our November trip, we ate maybe two lunches in the parks and the rest of the meals I made in the villa. Like another poster, I thought I would miss the "convenience" of meals out, but we found it was easier to schedule our evening activities when we weren't dealing with ADRs.

We gradually moved from TS meals to cooking in, but the price/quality issue finally drove us to cook for ourselves. As I told my husband, I would rather save that $$$ for a good dinner out for us.

I planned ahead at home and by bringing the shrimp creole, spaghetti sauce and other items that I had prepared and frozen, I was able to cut down on the prep time. The biggest problem we had was getting housekeeping to bring enough dishwashing soap. That was such a pain my DH swears we are bringing some with us next year.

 

[bookwormde]

I am a little surprised no one has started a heat and serve prepared meal service for DVC members, since if you know what you are doing you can prep much better food at a much lower price.

bookwormde

 

[FindTheMickeys]

Shoot, other than one trip where we stayed in a Studio, we always eat breakfast and dinner in the room! It is a heck of a lot cheaper and a lot more relaxed!! Lunch is usually at a park if we are out but if it is a down day or a pool day, then lunch is also in the room... Easy meals like hot dogs with mac and cheese or salads.

 

[Lost in Neverland]

We are going in January and I am already planning what I am going to cook and freeze prior to leaving so I can just pop something into the oven to heat. I can not enjoy eating out every night with the cost of meals. Since my kids have gotten older it is nothing for a sit down meal to cost us $120-$150. That is my weeks grocery budget when not in WDW. I just can not justify to myself that it is ok to spend that on a meal every day. Once is fine but otherwise it is offsite or the villa.

 

[mom2t]

We prefer spending the money on our room and eating in. We will only eat out 4 times during our 8 night stay each person picked 1 place. It takes up too much time to eat meals at all those restaurants and the prices are way too high.

 

[LIFERBABE]

Well I am here now and The wave and Kona have both downgraded their crab cake appetizers.
The waves were ok but nowhere close to what they offered last stay. Kona crabcakes tasted like a omelet with green onions in it. More egg and barely tasted like crab. I sent it back

So 2 off the list.

My best meal was by far WPE and it's a counter service!

 

[Tiger926]

Well I am here now and The wave and Kona have both downgraded their crab cake appetizers.
The waves were ok but nowhere close to what they offered last stay. Kona crabcakes tasted like a omelet with green onions in it. More egg and barely tasted like crab. I sent it back

So 2 off the list.

My best meal was by far WPE and it's a counter service!

Sorry to hear that.

Kona Cafe is our fav TS, but we don't eat crab cakes (seafood allergies). We like their coconut chicken, steak, etc.

Hope you get some great meals over there at WDW! Tiger

 

[TLPL]

We have cut back our dining budget as well. We make breakfast in the studio and sometime dinner too, pasta and sauce is easy to make with the microwave oven. Just get one of those microwave cookware they advertise on TV.

 

[hbehrman]

As a family of 5, this is exactly why we bought into DVC to have a kitchen to cook and save some money (among the other benefits of membership). Even when we stayed at POR we ate breakfast in the room, except now we have other options than cold cereal. We eat lunch or late brunch at a CS or TS meal in the park that we visit (only visit 3 parks each 7 day vacation and do not park hop). Other than that we eat our own food (and liquor) that we either bring with us or purchase at the Millenia Mall BJ's and have dinner with relatives in Orlando.

 

[UConnJack]

Ever since they cut tip and appetizer from the dining plan, we have mostly cooked in our room. We still do maybe two dinners out and a few counter services when in the parks, but all breakfast, and most dinners are in the room. We also usually drive, and my wife owns a Dream Dinners franchise, so it is easy to bring a weeks worth of prepared dinners to make. Even in a studio, I have found there isn't much you can make with an electric covered skillet and a microwave. Also takes the pressure off of having to get ready and make it to dinner reservations every night.

With the new ability to split DDP across your stay, we may eat out a little more often, but will still mostly cook in the room.

 

[blondietink]

We bought into DVC and Sheraton Vistana Villages just so we could have a kitchen to save on meals while in Florida. Each visit we might eat at one or two CS places and maybe one character breakfast and pay OOP. This year since we have AP's we got a TIW card and used it at Crystal Palace, Flametree Barbeque and a couple other places. We will use it in April at Le Cellier and Akershus (I might cancel that one and go with Sci-Fi instead). I will say the prices have gone up quite a lot, but often we find that a CS meal is large enough that we can split between 2 of us.


We have done the free DDP for the last 2 years during their August promotion and then tacked on a DVC stay afterwards. We have always had dining credits left over that we could put in our referigerator and warm up in our DVC villa. Too bad DVC didn't offer a discount on the DDP as a perk, or TIW card.

 

[maburke]

I am a little surprised no one has started a heat and serve prepared meal service for DVC members, since if you know what you are doing you can prep much better food at a much lower price.

bookwormde

Are you talking about the meal assembly services, like Dinner Afare? We use them at home. On our last trip, which was two weeks instead of our usual one, and included two extra adult relatives, we decided to cut way back from our usual one TS per day. I brought some of those frozen meals (we drive, 8 hours) and it worked out great! They include everything, so you don't find yourself without the one spice you need, or have a lot of groceries left over.

I notice that there are similar franchises in Orlando. Dinner Afare has one in Winter Park, Super Suppers has one in Winter Springs. At home, they will assemble for you AND deliver! Has anyone here tried this from an Orlando-area place?

 

[DVC SSR Owner]

I can't stand Disney fried foods. We used to be locals. We always go to our old favorite places like China Jade buffet on I drive, Bahama Breeze, Orlando Ale House, and Publix pressed boars head sandwiches. Getting hungry. Plus, the food costs about one third of what Disney charges.

 

[UConnJack]

Are you talking about the meal assembly services, like Dinner Afare? We use them at home On our last trip, which was two weeks instead of our usual one, and included two extra adult relatives, we decided to cut way back from our usual one TS per day. I brought some of those frozen meals (we drive, 8 hours) and it worked out great! They include everything, so you don't find yourself without the one spice you need, or have a lot of groceries left over.

I notice that there are similar franchises in Orlando. Dinner Afare has one in Winter Park, Super Suppers has one in Winter Springs. At home, they will assemble for you AND deliver! Has anyone here tried this from an Orlando-area place?

As I mentioned, my wife owns a Dream Dinners up here in CT which is a also a meal assembly place (there used to be one in Orlando). Using these meal assembly places is great for DVC or any condo vacation. You still have to cook, but all the ingredients are included and ready to go.

 

[kritter]

As I mentioned, my wife owns a Dream Dinners up here in CT which is a also a meal assembly place (there used to be one in Orlando). Using these meal assembly places is great for DVC or any condo vacation. You still have to cook, but all the ingredients are included and ready to go.

Where in CT?? I live in CT!! TIA!!

 

[kritter]

We are going to be in a studio for the first time for two nights in April. We have always stayed in one/two bedrooms. But wanted to try out BLT for two nights before we head to SSR. Anyone have suggestions for two dinners I can fix in a studio??

 

[Yankeemouse]

Hello UCONN Jack and Kritter,

We're another CT family, recently purchased BLT and staying our first time in August

My husband and I were just talking about the pros / cons of eating in or the DDP. I didn't know you could buy the plan for less than days than your stay..where are the details on that?

I think its a great idea to purchase pre-made meals and either bring or ship them to your villa. I'd consider this since there will be 6 of us, which includes 4 teens from 15 - 19 years old. Oh and one vegan!

 

[Alexander]

Are you talking about the meal assembly services, like Dinner Afare? We use them at home. On our last trip, which was two weeks instead of our usual one, and included two extra adult relatives, we decided to cut way back from our usual one TS per day. I brought some of those frozen meals (we drive, 8 hours) and it worked out great! They include everything, so you don't find yourself without the one spice you need, or have a lot of groceries left over.

I notice that there are similar franchises in Orlando. Dinner Afare has one in Winter Park, Super Suppers has one in Winter Springs. At home, they will assemble for you AND deliver! Has anyone here tried this from an Orlando-area place?

I have been playing around on the Dinner Afare site for a couple of days. I would love to order the meals, but the only place for an address is the billing address. Obviously, if I'm in Florida, I don't want the food shipped to my home! I want meals at the resort.....Anybody use this service before? I submitted my question to them and am awaiting their response. Bringing the meals from home isn't an option since we are flying and they'll need to stay frozen.