Where do you do your groceries?

[Greenfield1984]

We'll be staying at Windsor Hills in a few weeks and it's our first time staying off site so our first time grocery shopping in Orlando. I imagine prices are higher in general for groceries since it's a tourist spot but which stores do you find have the best prices overall?

Thanks for your input!

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

We do all of our shopping at either Walmart or Publix. Not only do we want decent prices, but we also want easy. Both of these locations generally allow us to get everything we want and need in one stop, allowing us to spend less time shopping and more time vacationing.

As a general rule, we find Publix to have better fresh fruit and veggies (both in selection and quality).

 

[Gr8t Fan]

We like Publix and Winn Dixie. We have a Winn Dixie loyalty card (which you sign up for at the store) and check the sales ads before our trip to figure out which store we'll do our major shop at.

 

[powellrj]

I enjoy shopping at Publix when we are in WDW. Avoid Goodings, not very clean and very expensive.

 

[kwdw]

Usually go to Publix, but I've been to Winn-Dixie (get the shoppers card) and Wal-Mart, too. Publix is the most like my grocery stores back home, I think that's why I like it. I find Wal-Marts and Super Target's lacking in selection in comparison.

 

[liljimmyt]

The Windsor Hills is pretty close to the Super Target on 192. They have a full grocery at that location that is actually one of the biggest grocery floorpads in the company, so they should have everything you would want there.

 

[bankr63]

We'll be staying at Windsor Hills in a few weeks and it's our first time staying off site so our first time grocery shopping in Orlando. I imagine prices are higher in general for groceries since it's a tourist spot but which stores do you find have the best prices overall?

Thanks for your input!

Since you are from our neck of the woods, I don't think prices will surprise you. By US standards I understand that prices are a bit high in Orlando, but by Canadian standards they (Publix or Winn-Dixie) aren't going to cause a heart attack. Publix is the higher end of the two chains mentioned, and is comparable to a Loblaws/Superstore (but with Beer and Wine!) with lots of convenience food, ready to go meals. I do find that Publix knows their area well and has products in smaller sizes appropriate for vacationers. Super Wal-Mart and Super-Target will often only have one size. We also really like the Gluten-Free labelling at Publix - they have a wide selection of healthy options for my Celiac DS.

Note that we stopped at a Publix in Columbia South Carolina on the drive home (had to bring back some Cheerwine!), and didn't think that the prices were any higher than Orlando however.

 

[Greenfield1984]

Thanks everyone! I looked up the current Publix flyer just to get an idea of pricing and it looks really similar to what groceries would cost here (just like bankr63 said) so I think we'll do our shopping there. I know any other time I've been in a Publix I've been happy with their layout/selection so we should be good there.

 

[Bkk40in2011]

Does anyone know if the Publix is close to W Bonnet Creek

 

[bankr63]

Does anyone know if the Publix is close to W Bonnet Creek

Because it is on-site there isn't really anything that is "close" to Bonnet Creek; you'll need to drive a bit (5-10 minutes). There are 4 options that are about equidistant from BC. The first 3 are along 192/Irlo Bronson at the Orange Lake Town Centre, Water Tower Shops in Celebration (Blake Blvd), Poinciana Place on Vineland, and the fourth is Regency Village on Vineland (near the Premium Outlets). I have shopped all but the Water Tower location and prefer the Regency Village store, but access can be difficult from BC if you don't know your way. Water Tower Shops might be your best bet on 192 near the intersection with I-Drive South. Celebration is a nice area, I would expect a top end store.

 

[Bkk40in2011]

Perfect thank you!

 

[Lilliputian]

I love the Super Target on 192. I always plan to start at Target and get anything that I can't find at the Publix across the street, but even though Publix is a "real" grocery store, they don't really have more than Target does. They do have water that we like. We're a little picky about water, and the water in jugs at Target doesn't appeal to us. We do buy our jugs at Publix (even though we get regular water bottles we like at Target), and then if the vacation is a longer one, we take the jugs up to the refill machine in the lobby of Publix. It's cheaper and tastes even better.

 

[Woodview]

As Lilliputian says

Buy a Gallon of water ( Maybe 2 x 1 gallons or more or a Five gallon ) use it

& bring back for Re Filling at the water machine at Both Publix & WaLMart saves having all those small bottles.

Cost is less than Half Price of a new gallon.

 

[BonnieA]

At Publix you can get a refill of a gallon of water for 30¢.

 

[greenclan67]

I stay at Orange lake and like the Public & Target right there but prefer driving out a little further to the Walmart in Clermont. Prices are better. The Target on my most recent trip in March on a Sunday night was completely cleaned out. No strawberries, grapes, beer. It was crazy how empty the shelves were.

 

[CyndiLooWho]

We normally shop at the Vineland Walmart, but it's ALWAYS a madhouse, esp on Saturdays / Sundays for the big check-ins at the condos. But it's no worse than Sat / Sun at Food Lion in the Outer Banks, or just about any place we've rented a beach house / condo in an area where everybody and their dog's uncle check in on the same two days. At least there is no 10 mph hour crawl for hours on the lone highway going through the Outer Banks.

 

[Goofy_Disney_Dad]

We shop at the Publix in Celebration when we are in Windsor Hills.