What Do You Do About Meals??

[Johnnie Fedora]

Pasta with Prego rivals the quality of Tony's Town Square...we just put a stuffed "Lady and Tramp" on the table and I sing "This is the Night" for needed atmosphere. Also, it takes less time to prepare than waiting for your PS at the restaurant.

We pick easy prepare foods, shake and bake chops, prepared salad. Sams Club has some higher-end prepared foods that are different than we eat at home, but much less expensive than eating out all the time. In a week we eat out 3-4 meals.

Before buying DVC we decided that we could buy many more points if we cut other vacation costs. Meals out fall into that catagory. Besides, eating with three kids in a restaurant is like opening your wallet while riding Thunder Mountain Railroad.

 

[nezy]

Great analagy Johnnie!

One of the reasons we bought points was because we could save money by having a full kitchen and being able to enjoy relaxing meals in our vacation home. There are alot of very convenient food choices that are good, but without the fuss. Would I sometimes rather eat out-yes, and we do but not all the time--That is what the Disney Cruise is for!!

 

[mikesmom]

We always have breakfast in the room, and it's a big enough breakfast (omelets, sausages, bacon, bagels, fruit) that we're not too interested in lunch until 1 or 2 PM.

In a week's time we probably plan 2 sit down dinners out, which means there are probably 2 meals of leftovers to have in the room because of those huge portions at WDW retaurants. At least one other dinner in is pizza and big salads.

We make a grocery stop and get plenty of fruit, deli meats and cheeses, rolls, ice cream, chips, LOTS of fruit, bottled water and soda. I make deli-style sandwiches and wrap them tight and keep them in the fridge. Those sandwiches are sometimes supper, usually lunch if anyone is hungry, and are easy to replenish if the supply gets low. We travel (usually) with teenagers and it's best to have plenty of portable food (the fruit and sandwiches) for them to grab so they don't get into too much junk food in the parks. We have the sit down meals and usually pizza night scheduled. The rest of the time everyone pretty much makes their own schedule, so having the healthy food ready works great for us.

DH and I keep wine, cheese, French bread and fruit handy for late -night balcony sitting.

 

[jel0511]

Hey now wait a minute, the stove actually works!!!!! I should call my guide and complain, I never was told there was a working stove!!! Anyway, we only eat a few breakfasts in and that's about it. I'm on vacation, and I'm DEFINATELY not cooking. I love to cook, but not on vacation. I'm a stickler for my own pots and pans, I'll only cook with one brand, and I'm not dragging my whole set down. We're used to eating out, we go out at least once a week at home, so on vacation we go out every night. It's part of our whole experience. We stock the fridge with drinks and buy some snacks for late night. That's it. Once we ate lunch in the villa and it was nice, maybe I'll try it again!

 

[colleen costello]

From where do you all order these pizzas? We found a Pizza Hut and a Papa John's close by, near the Winn Dixie down the road from the Crossings. Any others I am missing? I am the queen of takeout! We'd happily eat pizza every night at WDW so let me know where the pizza places are!

 

[sgtdisney]

We have gone to Giordannos (sp?) a couple times. It is north of DTD on Apopka-Vineland road, which is the road where the entrance to DTD is.. There is a Tony Roma's and a Steak and Shake next door to it too.

 

[Ralph&Pam]

Giordanos also delivers.

Usually, there are just the two of us. Our children are grown and have sometimes accompanied us, but they usually keep to their own schedule. We do breakfast in the room, unless we happen to do a character breakfast. Lunch is leftovers back at the BWV or counter service at one of the parks. We are sometimes visiting different parks, so we treat this as an on-your-own meal (one of the advantages of having adult children). We will make PS for dinner approximately half the time. It's too expensive to eat big dinners every night, but we do enjoy the WDW dining experience. It's an important part of our vacations. Leftovers from these dinners will frequently be lunch on a subsequent day. On days when we do not eat dinner out, we'll have something simple in the room: leftovers, sandwiches we make ourselves, pizza. We almost always order pizza once each trip.

Ralph

 

[mikesmom]

We get frozen pizza on the shopping trip and put it in the oven (that wroks, too!!). Family loves Digiorno.

 

[lsutigger2]

As others have posted, if we drive I bring frozen meals that I've prepared at home - chili, stew, spaghetti, etc. Last Oct when we were at BCV - 1bdrm for 8 nights, we "cooked" - thawed the frozen things we had brought with us, most nights. We had other items we had picked up at the store once we arrived at WDW. This trip we are flying, and staying in a studio, and I'm not bringing much in the way of food. We'll stop at a store on the way in and have breakfast and snacks and maybe some sandwich fixins in the room. I do get tired of park food, but there are several restaurants that we haven't tried yet, so I guess I'll be forced to eat at them.

 

[msdis]

Thanks! The guys are looking forward to grilling. Did they look convenient for use or in the way, more for show? And the pool tables sound great. We will go picnic like and use a couple tables. Thanks again.

 

[mbw12]

We have mainly stayed in studios, so we have only heated up leftovers or made sandwiches. We always eat breakfast in the room....cereal and milk. This year will be our first venture into staying at a two-bedroom. I don't really think that I will "cook", but my husband that is a breakfast fanatic will probably cook up eggs for breakfast everyday. Other than that, I think we will still eat dinners out at a sit down restaurant...and lunches, well, it just depends on the day.

 

[Aurora3]

I've only stayed once as a DVC member and that was for 11 days in an OKW 1 bdrm. I made a "2 out of 3" rule for myself and daughter: two out of three meals a day we ate at "home". This summer we're staying in a studio and I'll go back to what we used to do in a regular hotel room (only so much easier with a refrigerator, microwave and coffee pot): breakfast in (except 1 character meal), the rest of the meals out. This trip I will also be attending a convention and several meals are included in the registration. So my daughter and her 17 year old cousin who is looking after her will be eating on their own in the parks if I'm having a meal at the convention.

 

[nezy]

MSDIS-
You will need to pack up a little cooler or something to carry the food in to get to the grills. Also, a little table would help-I think there is a small one on the terrace/patio of each room. We did not use the grills, but it is nice to have. Also, don't forget the aluminum foil to cover the grill grating.

You may run the risk of other people at the pool offering to buy a burger, since there is not a snack bar here.

Enjoy!

 

[goofymom23]

WE eat Breakfast in some times, but we usually get an early lunch when we do that. Its vacation and we eat most every meal out.

 

[twinmomplus2]

We do use the Kitchen, Never to really cook, though. I have a very fussy eater, so If he has eaten nothing but french frys all day....we at night make him a frozen pizza or somthing similar. we keep lots of snacks and do eat our breakfast in the villa. I also have 2 year old twins, who do not eat very well in the parks it is usually to hot for them and to much to see for them to slow down and eat, So we do almost every night offer the little guys somthing we are sure they will eat, Like Mac and cheese, steamed veggies, and fresh fruit, just so I feel they have eaten a little somthing.

 

[ncligs]

Originally posted by colleen costello
From where do you all order these pizzas? We found a Pizza Hut and a Papa John's close by, near the Winn Dixie down the road from the Crossings. Any others I am missing? I am the queen of takeout! We'd happily eat pizza every night at WDW so let me know where the pizza places are!

Pizza deliveries at WDW

Pizza - Giordano's
12151 S Apopka-Vineland Rd
(407) 239-8900
Apopka-Vineland Rd delivered to OKW.


Domino's Pizza right near Crossroads
8542 Palm Parkway
Orlando, FL 32836
Phone: 407-239-1221

Pizza Hut-Lake Buena Vista
8699 Palm Pkwy
(407) 239-0205

Papa John's
5345 W Irlo Bronson Hwy
(407) 397-7272

Papa Johns
11989 S. Apopka Vineland Rd
Lake Buena Vista
407-477-7777
Delivers to ALL WDW Resorts except All Stars

 

[nezy]

Thanks ncligs, I have just printed your info of pizza places and added it to my travel file!

 

[panfan]

Thanks to everyone for all your ideas!! I see everyone really does use their villas differently!!

I think I will fall into the category of eating most meals out but using fridge for milk, drinks, snacks etc.
We will be there for only 5 days and do enjoy the WDW food!!
I have the grocery list of the BWV delivery--Would really like to avoid stopping on the way. Can anyone tell me what is available at screen door general store. Any frozen stuff. (veggies?)

thanks

 

[Disney Doll]

We do easy breakfasts(muffins, cereal,bacon and egg sandwiches) and snacks. No big meals. When I am on vacation, I like to eat out.

 

[msdis]

Great sales idea. I had actually teased Sis about selling hot freshly baked muffins on the boardwalk every am since that is what we have planned for breakfast daily. Hamburgers and hot dogs would be a great investment. HMMMMM.......a couple weeks of that and maybe we could afford to add on. LOL!
Thanks again for your help.