Sorry Disney, I Can't Eat On-site

[ElliBelle]

I signed up last week for the Sweet Tomato coupons and got some a few days later. One was a BOGO the other was a family of four can eat for $19.99 total. Love Sweet Tomatos and its not far from DTD its about 1 mile away. So it will not take much time out of our vacation to have diner and save a lot of money.
Last month I got an $10 coupon emailed to me from Bahama Breeze which we plan to use on our trip since there is one close to DTD. Just this morning on Restaraunt.com I got a $25 gift cert from House of Blues and it cost me $2.00.

We have been to Disney 16 times and very rarely eat onsite. The amount we save by eating off site pays for our rental car.

Oh another tip I would like to share. A cheap place to eat while visit MK is the Hess gas station by the Car Care center located on the main road leading to MK. We have eaten lunch the on many occasions. They have a nice cafe area inside with about 10 tables. You can get hot dogs 2/$1 a whole pizza for $8.00. they also serve chicken sandwiches, subs, a few mexican items. The last time we ate lunch there we got 4 hotdogs, two 20 oz soda, and a bag of combo's Total cost for 2 people was $7.35.

I'm sure this is a good tip for some but I don't eat like that at home and will not eat like that on vacation. No way on earth am I feeding my child at a gas station and considering it a meal. It's empty calories. If I had to eat like that anywhere I would seriously reconsider what is going on in my life and why I was spending money on vacations. For me this would be an indication that my priorities were seriously out of whack.

 

[lugnut33]

I'm sure this is a good tip for some but I don't eat like that at home and will not eat like that on vacation. No way on earth am I feeding my child at a gas station and considering it a meal. It's empty calories. If I had to eat like that anywhere I would seriously reconsider what is going on in my life and why I was spending money on vacations. For me this would be an indication that my priorities were seriously out of whack.

It's not like chicken tenders or cheeseburger are any better than a hotdog.

And, if you sit down at Le Cellier and have the cheddar cheese soup ($9), pretzel bread ("free"), Grilled Bone In Ribeye ($42), baked mac-n-cheese side ($7), Tinker Bell and Friend Punch (6.49), and Chocolate on Chocolate Whiskey Cake ($8) is that really that much more healthy than the Hess Gas Station hot dog? Not to mention you just spent $86 (gratuity included) on a meal.

 

[ElliBelle]

It's not like chicken tenders or cheeseburger are any better than a hotdog.

And, if you sit down at Le Cellier and have the cheddar cheese soup ($9), pretzel bread ("free"), Grilled Bone In Ribeye ($42), baked mac-n-cheese side ($7), Tinker Bell and Friend Punch (6.49), and Chocolate on Chocolate Whiskey Cake ($8) is that really that much more healthy than the Hess Gas Station hot dog? Not to mention you just spent $86 (gratuity included) on a meal.

Clearly we are very different people, with very different points of view. It takes all kinds.

 

[lugnut33]

With us it's not so much that it's expensive, it's that the food is often not very good and that Disney dining is a hassle. Sorry, I don't want to plan my ADR months ahead of time to wait at the crowded podium to eat sub-par food in a crowded restaurant. And Disney counter service has deteriorated big time with fewer places open and worse food.

Nowadays we order groceries and have most of our meals in our villa. Both the food and the ambiance are better that way.

I agree, I hated walking up to the podium and waiting for that darn pager to go off. I swear, sometimes the wait is 45 minutes.

And totally agree about counter service, although I was never really impressed in the first place. Like I said, Sunshine Season, Pecos Bills, and Flame Tree are still OK. Electric umbrella is hit and miss as is Cosmic Ray's.

 

[lugnut33]

Clearly we are very different people, with very different points of view. It takes all kinds.

For the money I save eating off-site for 10 days I could get a personal guide at WDW for half a day, that would allow me special entrance into all the attractions. I might even have enough left over for a personal meet and greet with Mickey.

Now that is what I'd spend my money on.

 

[ElliBelle]

For the money I save eating off-site for 10 days I could get a personal guide at WDW for half a day, that would allow me special entrance into all the attractions. I might even have enough left over for a personal meet and greet with Mickey.

Now that is what I'd spend my money on.

Your budget and how you allocate it is really none of my concern. You and I clearly cannot communicate when you insist on making unreasonable comparisons (Hess = Le Cellier now?). I hope you enjoy YOUR vacation the way YOU want it.

 

[Bob NC]

Your budget and how you allocate it is really none of my concern. You and I clearly cannot communicate when you insist on making unreasonable comparisons (Hess = Le Cellier now?). I hope you enjoy YOUR vacation the way YOU want it.

Obviously everything lugnut is posting IS your concern. Geez, give it a rest....

 

[twooley2]

I would like to add that I can see many sides to this and to each has their own reasoning. I can understand why someone would feel put off eatting onsite based on income limitations possibly and thus differing priorities. If a person is the type that does not have excess money they may choose to spend differently from someone who has more disposable income. This does not mean that the person with less money should be limited in not taking a vacation to Disney as a matter of fact someone may say they may feel wronged by Disney and thus go out of their way to right things in their mind. The either all or no on site dining mentality. What ones values often is perceived according to their values and thus often can stem from income and what it takes to get that income.

 

[smiths02]

I also wondered about the OP...why are you saying you won't eat onsite in the Disney Restaurant forum?

I mean I understand that it relates to dining, but if you don't like it or don't think that it is a good value, then don't do it. Why not put your Hess gas station and chick-fil-a tips the budget forum or something?

 

[lugnut33]

Your budget and how you allocate it is really none of my concern. You and I clearly cannot communicate when you insist on making unreasonable comparisons (Hess = Le Cellier now?). I hope you enjoy YOUR vacation the way YOU want it.

We cool right? I don't mind bantering back and forth with ya because it is indeed just an opinion.

I wasn't really comparing, I was just pointing out that eating a meal at Le Cellier isn't any healthier than eating that one (that Shelly F mentioned) at a gas station when you look at what is being eaten at Le Cellier. That Le Cellier meal must have 3000 calories and 150 grams of fat.... and it cost almost $90.

 

[Bob NC]

.... based on income limitations possibly....... spend differently from someone who has more disposable income. This does not mean that the person with less money should be limited...... often can stem from income and what it takes to get that income.

What in the world does income have to do with anything in this thread?

Are you saying that if I make 500K a year I like eating a $40 buffet made up of lukewarm food? LOL, that is just patently ridiculous.

Wow, just wow.

The lengths people will jump to hop on the high horse on the DIS never ceases to amaze me.

 

[lugnut33]

I also wondered about the OP...why are you saying you won't eat onsite in the Disney Restaurant forum?

I mean I understand that it relates to dining, but if you don't like it or don't think that it is a good value, then don't do it. Why not put your Hess gas station and chick-fil-a tips the budget forum or something?

Maybe because this thread really is about Disney restaurants being over-priced for the food you get?

As many people here have indicated, especially ones that have been visiting for a while, they no longer eat many table service meals at WDW due to the cost and quality. Of course, many have also indicated they don't mind the prices at WDW restaurants.

 

[MSLRAC]

I'm sure this is a good tip for some but I don't eat like that at home and will not eat like that on vacation. No way on earth am I feeding my child at a gas station and considering it a meal. It's empty calories. If I had to eat like that anywhere I would seriously reconsider what is going on in my life and why I was spending money on vacations. For me this would be an indication that my priorities were seriously out of whack.

The PP mentioned grabbing the equivalence of a CS meal at Hess NOT junk food that you try to pass off as a meal. Geez, stop being so holier than thou because it really it not needed.

Your budget and how you allocate it is really none of my concern. You and I clearly cannot communicate when you insist on making unreasonable comparisons (Hess = Le Cellier now?). I hope you enjoy YOUR vacation the way YOU want it.

So compare hot dogs to hot dogs...how is Casey's $4.79 hot dog any better than Hess' 2 for $1 hot dogs?

We don't do CS meals but if we did, I might just consider those Hess dogs since for our family, we'd be talking $38.32 verses $4 just for the hot dogs.

So although eating off site doesn't work for us, I can see why is does for others and I don't understand why you and some of the others that have posted on this thread are being so dang snotty about it.

 

[Bob NC]

So although eating off site doesn't work for us, I can see why is does for others and I don't understand why you and some of the others that have posted on this thread are being so dang snotty about it.

Because in their minds it somehow makes them a teensy bit better than everyone else.

 

[Swan4Me]

This trip we ate lunch at sit down places in the parks

Every night we ate either a pizza in the bar at the Swan or walked over to the fast food place in the Dolphin-or Fresh for a sandwhich or salad

Night time sit down restaurants at WDW is too expensive for us-not that we can not afford it by a long shot-i simply refuse to pay $35-40 for a meal that costs $18-20 at home

 

[wezee]

Two things I have to do every day at home is cook and drive. Two things I will not do on vac. is cook or drive. If that means I have to pay a little more for food I'm ok with that. Plus when on vac. we like to enjoy some wine with dinner and won't drive.

 

[smiths02]

Maybe because this thread really is about Disney restaurants being over-priced for the food you get?

As many people here have indicated, especially ones that have been visiting for a while, they no longer eat many table service meals at WDW due to the cost and quality. Of course, many have also indicated they don't mind the prices at WDW restaurants.

I understand...I am just guessing that you shouldn't be surprised by snarky comments b/c the people who read this subforum are mostly people who want to dine at Disney and/or people who think of dining as so much a part of their vacation that they are spending time on the internet obsessing over which restaurant and what to eat.

 

[MSLRAC]

I understand...I am just guessing that you shouldn't be surprised by snarky comments b/c the people who read this subforum are mostly people who want to dine at Disney and/or people who think of dining as so much a part of their vacation that they are spending time on the internet obsessing over which restaurant and what to eat.

The thing is there is no need to be snarky. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion and just because their opinion differs from your own does not give you the right be snarky.

I get the passion for Disney and all things Disney but sometimes, some Disers take that passion a bit too far and they start being Disney know-it-alls or bullies.

 

[lugnut33]

I understand...I am just guessing that you shouldn't be surprised by snarky comments b/c the people who read this subforum are mostly people who want to dine at Disney and/or people who think of dining as so much a part of their vacation that they are spending time on the internet obsessing over which restaurant and what to eat.

Nope, not surprised by the snarkiness.

I'm kinda over the obsessing part of dining at WDW.

 

[d-r]

There's a baseball team in Lansing called the lugnuts. Your user name always reminds me of them.