Tips on how to keep food costs down? Staying w/o a car.

[Rapunzel29]

Anyone have any good tips on how to keep the food budget down a bit. We are on vacation and I know we will spend money here, but we are a family of 5 too, so things can get pricey. We also will not have a car and will stay at Royal Pacific. Love to hear your ideas!

 

[glocon]

How close is Pacific Bay to Universal? Is it near a store where you can pick up breakfast and lunch food? Or maybe breakfast in room, lunch at a counter service where maybe some of the kids can share, then dinner back in the room- maybe sandwiches and veggies with dip? Will you have a fridge or microwave in your room?

Eating in your room and sharing meals, as well as bringing snacks with you is a great money saving solution.

 

[mrsabbott]

Not having a car makes things a little tricky. Will your room have a fridge and microwave?

Assuming you are flying. I've read of people packing and bringing a suitcase of snacks with them. Said suitcase is then used to hold souvenirs on return flight. If that is not a possibility, there are grocery delivery services that will deliver to hotels. Snacks, sandwich fixings, etc..

We always bring snacks and our camelback a with us to the parks. Also, drinking water instead while eating out can add up to big savings.

 

[glocon]

Sorry- got to thinking. Are you staying onsite at Universal? At Portofino Bay or Royal Pacific?

If so, look into either renting a fridge for your stay, or maybe bringing a mini cooler/fridge with you. Eating muffins, cereal or breakfast bars with fruit in your room for breakfast can be a money saver. And snacks in your room for when you get back in the evening. Many of the portions served at the parks are enough for two also.

 

[AJ1983]

You could have a couple of pizzas delivered to your room and that could serve as breakfast (or a quick lunch at the park) the next day.

 

[glocon]

If you are staying at the Royal Pacific (or even if you are not), there is the breakfast buffet there where you can fill up for brunch, then eat an early dinner....

 

[damo]

Sorry- got to thinking. Are you staying onsite at Universal? At Portofino Bay or Royal Pacific?

If so, look into either renting a fridge for your stay, or maybe bringing a mini cooler/fridge with you. Eating muffins, cereal or breakfast bars with fruit in your room for breakfast can be a money saver. And snacks in your room for when you get back in the evening. Many of the portions served at the parks are enough for two also.

Ya, I'm thinking OP means one of those two onsite hotels.

Lots of ways to save on food. Firstly, there are many inexpensive options at Citywalk and the parks. You don't need to eat at the more expensive places.

Bring along things for breakfast and snacks.

Stop on the way from the airport and pickup stuff and keep it in a styrofoam cooler filled with ice.

Pizza can be found relatively cheaply at Sal's at Portofino or the Red Oven at Citywalk. Volcano Nachos are huge and cheap at Margaritaville.

 

[Disworldluv]

It is possible to ship a box of food, nonperishable, to your hotel. Breakfast, sandwich makings, drinks, powdered drinks, bread etc. These can be shipped UPS or similiar, to your hotel with your arrival date and ressie number on the outside of the box and this is put on hold until your arrive.

 

[snoopboop]

Have you looked into staying Club Level? It's a $100 per day upcharge, but for a family of 5 I think it would be MORE than worth it for the food. When we stayed Club Level in November, we were at Uni for 6 nights and I think we ate in a restaurant maybe 4 times TOTAL. All other meals were things we ate at Club Level!

 

[AJ1983]

Have you looked into staying Club Level? It's a $100 per day upcharge, but for a family of 5 I think it would be MORE than worth it for the food. When we stayed Club Level in November, we were at Uni for 6 nights and I think we ate in a restaurant maybe 4 times TOTAL. All other meals were things we ate at Club Level!

I'm intrigued..what sort of food was available?

 

[ChristaDeVil]

Might be worth a taxi drive to a Wal-Mart or Target to stock up on some snacks, breakfast pastries, sandwich items, etc. We typically take breakfast items to eat in the room or on the way out the door, snacks to throw in the backpack, and bottled water & sodas so that we aren't purchasing them in the parks or in the resort.

 

[RMulieri]

I'm intrigued..what sort of food was available?

PBI-At Portofino..Breakfast was Pastries ,bagels, toast, yogurt with fruit, Oatmeal with fixins, hardboiled eggs,cereals
Midday snacks - Terra chips, pretzels or goldfish crackers
evening appys-Assorted beers/wine, Cheese/veggies/fruit with crackers, a hot entree with side, salad, rolls/butter..The entree changed nightly.One night it was pork loin/apples with mashed potatoes

 

[Rapunzel29]

I'm sorry I meant Royal Pacific in Universal. I fixed it. Good ideas! I was thinking of shipping down a box before we went.

 

[kuhltiffany]

I always do a garden grocer order and have it delivered to the hotel whenever we don't have a car. Perfect for breakfast stuff, water, fruit, snacks, etc.

 

[macraven]

i used tony hinds, private car service, from the airport to hotel.

he allows a free 30 minute stop at publix, walmart, or one of your choosing.

i always pick up a case of water, some soda and few snacks for my stay.


for what i pay for a case of water, $5.25, it is worth it when the bottled water is $2.50 at the parks.
i'll get water cups at the eateries in the park but mainly use the bottled water while i am at the hotel.