Trip on a Budget where do we EAT?

[disnenos4]

we are booked for a trip Nov 10th - 20th ~ last minute quick decision. My Uncle just purchased a condo at Windsor Palms and is renting it to us for the 10 days for a ridiculously low price.
Now I am scrambling to figure out where to eat, so we aren't looking at each other with the typical ~ where do you want to eat, I don't know where do you want to eat
It will be me, DH, and DS10 - we don't need anything fancy, we are more interested in seeing the parks than the inside of restaurants. I have tried to figure this out myself but everything focuses on places in the park. .. . we are planning on going to MK, AK, Hollywood studios, Universal and SeaWorld, the deal I made with DH is that we would not spend time in grocery stores or cooking/washing dishes. I will be probably getting stuff for breakfast and snacks at the condo, but we will be looking to eat out for Lunches/ Dinners again NOTHING fancy. .. .what would you suggest????

Forgot to add. . . I am trying to figure out how to keep him happy and out of the grocery store for around the same budget as I would if we WERE going to do meals at the condo (I know this is nearly impossible, but I am hoping we can get close)

 

[MSSANDRA]

Sounds like Counter Service meals might be the best choice for your family. Cost is much lower than table service and at this late date, ADRs might be hard to come by anyway. There are so many more choices for CS at WDW than most parks. Epcot has CS in most countries so you can sample all different kinds of foods. At MK we like Cosmic Rays, they have a rib and chicken platter big enough to share. Columbia House is also good there. At AK we like Flame Tree. Not crazy about the CS at DS but love Prime Time Cafe if you want one TS meals. Most resorts have food courts and you can take a park break and check out a resort or two and have lunch.

If you can hold out till you leave, LOTS of fast food or family style chains are near by! Carry snacks and water in the parks to save money if you want as well!

 

[Planogirl]

A good counterservice at IOA is Thunder Falls Terrace. You get a lot of food there.

I would suggest checking the prices at the Citywalk restaurants and eating lunch at your choice. They aren't all open at lunchtime but several are and it's a nice break from the parks. Since they are independent restaurants you would have to search for each restaurant.

At Seaworld, I generally just have a Shamu bar. I'm not a big fan of Seaworld's food so snacking is the way to go for me.

 

[ILoveDisney&Cruising]

If you are looking for places outside of the parks, we Giordanos!

You can also get a Giordano's $25 certificate at restaurant.com - often they have sales where you can get those certificates for $2-3. Then print and take it with you. For our family of 4 (2 teenage boys) we usually spend about $35 ... before using the $25 certificate.

There are 2 Giordanos locations about 5 minutes from Disney.

giordanos.com for menu

 

[Southernmiss]

The last time we went to Disney (2009) we stayed at Fort Wilderness Cabins. We are a family of 6.

I preplanned meals and brought the crockpot. We made 1 quick trip right after check in to Walmart to buy what was on the premade shopping list. It was one of the best ideas! We still talk about how well it saved us time, money and the "what/where do you want to eat" dilemma.

We ate breakfast at the cabin--easy stuff and brought a backpack of snacks and frozen water bottles (for cold water).

Before we left for the parks each morning, I dumped in the items for that day's late lunch into the crock pot (used the crock pot liner bags for easy clean up). We came back when we needed a break (about 1 or 2 p.m.), ate our one big meal of the day, rested and went back to the parks for the afternoon/evening where we bought a snack or shared counter service if we were hungry. Use paper plates/plastic cups and forks and viola no dishes!

 

[crazelion]

If going to Sea World I would for all you can eat band for 30. bucks for adults and I think 20.00 a child. Sea World do server breakfast too on all eat plan. That is 3 meals plus snacks and drinks. Did I mention that go though the line just drink or water.

I would do Ci Ci pizza one night for cheap meal. I would pick up coupons that lay around in Orlando with food coupons in that.

I would bring snacks with me too.

 

[HeatherC]

Sweet Tomatoes!

Also...you could order a takeout meal and appetizer to split from someplace like Carrabbas and pick it up on your way home. There are tons of restaurants on 192.

Takeout Chinese is also good for a couple meals.

Have a great time!

 

[bearloch]

there is also golden corral, little ceasers 5 dollar pizzas as well. Publix has great checken and subs too they will put the veggies for subs in a salad container so they wont get soggy!! also I would do a walmart run get some dinner foods that are fast and you can pic up disney stuff there too to save a buck later! have fun

 

[Kay1]

You'll be just off 192 so Google: i92 Kissimmee and you'll get lots of options including one site that offers a map that includes names of restaurants. Btw, I looked up Kissimmee restaurants on Trip Advisor and the number one restaurant is on 192 and it looks fantastic if you like Mexican.

Too, you'll be very close to Formosa Gardens which has lots of chain restaurants. You could always throw gift cards to these places in your grocery cart to ease the pain when the check comes.

 

[mrsklamc]

I came to say Giordanos but I was beaten to it.

 

[Kellydelly]

http://www.millersalehouse.com/

Miller's Alehouse is a great, inexpensive restaurant

 

[dizluvah]

We like to hit Waffle house and steak n shake - inexpensive and we don't have them at home

 

[LovesTimone]

For the condo - I would get breakfast bars, cereal, milk, juice, Bread, lunch meat, cheese, fruit, chips, cookies and crackers. Bottled water ( freeze and take with you and you can refill in the parks just ask for a glass of ice water), soda, don't forget adult beverages nice to have a cocktail to relax at the end of the day and not have sticker shock

There are alot of coupon books around Orlando, pick them up.

For buffet style - Golden Corral, and CiCi, I don't think that you can beat the price anywhere, I know that there is a Chinese buffet place near there but can not think of the name for anything right now.

Little Caesar has 5 dollar pizzas, but check out Papa johns, and Pizza Hut, sometimes they have really good deals, ask what the deal is when you call.

In the parks - [U]Seaworld [/U]- not my favorite restaurants - I would eat a big breakfast and get a snack then have a early dinner.
Universal, IOA - This summer they did have a deal for about 20.00 ish dollars for all you can eat, all day and certain CS locations. DD and her boyfriend did this, not sure if it still offered but would not hurt to check into.
WDW - MK[/U] Cosmic Rays - has a 1/2 chicken dinner that is more than enough for 2 people to share, you could get 2 and split between the 3 of you. Really most of the counter service meal can be split.
Epcot The QS where Soarin is located is another great spot to share meals. The lands each have great QS, so that you are not stuck with just hamburger and fries.
DHS Not my favorite QS we normally only eat a snack here, I only place I could recommend would be SCi-
Fi really fun, the foods not fabulous, but middle of the road and its really fun oops did I say that already.
AK - Flame tree - large amount enough to share.
DTD Earl of Sandwich - great food and great price, Planet Hollywood - they have a really good appetizer combo add a house salad, DH and I split a salad and the appetizer and it was more than enough food we could not eat it all. Rainforest and T-Rex - check out there web site there is some kind of club and you get a discount off of the check, also my friend pick up some gift cards I think at restaurants.com for 10.00 for a 25.00 GC, she said she was only allow 1 per name, so she got one and one in her DH is name. Boardwalk- ESPN - pub grub and fair price, large portions, you can walk out the back of Epcot between France and England and across the bridge, to get to this.
Resorts - All of the resorts have Great QS locations, I would check out he menu here or over on allears, the portions for dinner seem very large to me and again you could share.

I hope that this helps, enjoy your trip.

 

[tripletots]

Sweet Tomatoes!

Also...you could order a takeout meal and appetizer to split from someplace like Carrabbas and pick it up on your way home. There are tons of restaurants on 192.

Takeout Chinese is also good for a couple meals.

Have a great time!

I'm going to second Sweet Tomatoes! If you sign up for their coupons they send them weekly.

Some of their coupons back in August were $7.99 dinners per person for up to 4 people or 19.99 family deal (2 adults and 2 children). Drinks are not included.

 

[shoney]

When we've stayed at timeshares, we often will get takeout from a restaurant. You could go into a place like Olive Garden (or the many chain restaurants around) and just order 2 meals instead of 3 and split. You save on tip and beverages that way!

Publix is a pretty nice super market. You could get a roast chicken and some already made sides instead of say Boston Market where it would be more money. I'm sure they have lots of prepared foods.

check of restaurant.com for discounts, too.

 

[disnenos4]

thank you so much for all the ideas, I guess I didn't realize there were going to be that many options right there (PHEW!) I was reading horror stories of the high prices in the "nicer" restaurants inside the parks and thought we were doomed!

 

[rigs32]

Go to allearsnet.com and read the WDW menus ahead of time. Their pricing is pretty up to date. That way at lunch time you can offer your family 2 or 3 choices from the menus that are affordable rather than going to the first place you see. Some of the larger items can be split.

 

[MinnieForMe]

We were at Windsor Hills in April and seriously almost any chain restaurant you can think of is within a 5-10 minute radius. You'll have no problem grabbing a quick and inexpensive meal. There is a also a Super Walmart nearby and right in the entrance of the store are prepaid meals -- pizza, fried chicken, etc.. It might save you a few dollars if you just want to grab a quick meal!

 

[KCMiller]

And consider getting kids meals at the CS places - I always do, and save a ton, and with grapes and carrots as my sides, I feel like I'm eating healthier, too.

KC

 

[Candace]

I got an email today from restaurant.com which said you can get $25 gift certificates for $2. Use the zipcode 32830 to search, and the promo code TOUCHDOWN when checking out. Have a great time!