Who really uses the kitchen in the 1BR villa?

[pouncingpluto]

We just used the fridge on this short trip, but I think we would *definitely* use it on a week-long trip (we haven't done one since becoming DVCers). We get tired of the expense and the large meals after a few days. I think we would definitely do easy things like spaghetti or a frozen pizza.

 

[Dreamfinder2]

We use it. OK, truthfully, I use it, because I'm a daddy that loves to cook. We always do breakfast, and depending on the time factor, sometimes it's the full treatment (I'm an early riser and have it ready when the rest of the fam struggles to their feet.)

I keep on hand snacks, sandwich fixins', and plenty of soft drinks. I have been known to do at least one full meal. Last Thanksgiving, I got a turkey and ham from the Cracker Barrel on 192, and did my own sides, and we had family over from Tampa. It was great (and we went out again that evening.)

So, yeah, we use it.

 

[thelobstershanty]

We ALWAYS use our kitchen. Well the refrigerator, anyway. Got to have some place to keep all our beverages cold!
The most cooking we usually do is coffee and english muffins or bagels in the AM. All meals, we eat out. We really like many of the WDW restaurants. To us, eating at the restaurants is a BIG part of vacation.

 

[jennymouse]

We've never used it for much other than quick breakfasts. But, our last trip over Thanksgiving was my 2yo DGD first time and she didn't do well at all in the restaurants. In San Angel Inn she even tossed her plate in the floor and broke it. It was bad. I really wished I had some groceries to cook that week. So, when we go back in July we're taking the old crock pot & stopping at the grocery store so we can cook simple dinners in the villa this trip. In Febuary when it's adults only, I'm not even going to go in the kitchen.

 

[crisi]

We've never used it for much other than quick breakfasts. But, our last trip over Thanksgiving was my 2yo DGD first time and she didn't do well at all in the restaurants. In San Angel Inn she even tossed her plate in the floor and broke it. It was bad. I really wished I had some groceries to cook that week. So, when we go back in July we're taking the old crock pot & stopping at the grocery store so we can cook simple dinners in the villa this trip. In Febuary when it's adults only, I'm not even going to go in the kitchen.

I just want to sympathize. Mine is six and I dreaded restaurants at two. She was actually fairly good at Disney - too wiped - but going into it we only had booked on reservation - afraid that anyone seated near us would be at the wrong end of thrown food. She is better now, although certainly not uet the little well mannered princess I would like to have at the table. Perhaps she will eventually learn to sit still, chew with her mouth closed, eat what is put in front of her without whining, and make interesting and appropriate dinner conversation.

 

[Sammie]

Same as everyone else, breakfast mostly.

We hardly ever use the oven. We use the microwave and refrigerator the most. Especially the frig.

Love having the option, no one in my family feels intimidated by it though. As in chained to the kitchen.

It fact we are all quite good in ignoring it.

 

[DonnaL]

We use it quite a lot actually.........breakfast mostly (we usually do one breakfast out) but, I usually take an insulated carryon with frozen stuff that I've already made at home so I don't actually cook an entire meal there....just reheat the meal I've already prepared. Stuff that freezes good.....spaghetti sauce with extra meatballs, frozen precooked ground meat for sloppy joes or tacos, precooked chicken (deboned and frozen) for use in several different recipes that take 10 minutes to throw together. So, I would say we also use it for maybe three meals besides breakfast and then snack stuff and beverages.

 

[eliza61]

We use ours mainly for breakfast, once we do our character breakfast we like to sleep in. We generally stay for 10 nights and I've yet to cook dinner. We do stock the frig with drinks.

 

[eliza61]

Perhaps she will eventually learn to sit still, chew with her mouth closed, eat what is put in front of her without whining, and make interesting and appropriate dinner conversation.

Good luck with that, my little princess is 16 and some times I still cringe.

 

[LIFERBABE]

We have 12 nights in a SSR 1 bdr coming up next week and I am ready!

I ordered brisket and ribs that we will freeze and take with us. We will make our sides while there.

My Ds's are picky, they don't eat alot of fried food, or hot dogs and they dont like alot of mixed up foods either.

They like simple foods like rice, noodles no sauce, chicken, ribs, pizza, oh and Hamburger helper.

We dont plan what days we will cook, if we are hanging out at the Resort we will either dine in or eat at Turf Club or AP. We also like to walk over to Bongo's and DQ for pizza.

When we are at the parks, we will eat there.

We are very casual on vacation. We don't like schedules or appointments. I wouldnt mind doing the DDP for a couple of days, but no way Im dining out that much for 12 nights.

We have been staying in studios mostly, so we rarely have a kitchen. I am looking forward to having and using it! Even in a studio, we grilled, and made simple meals in.

 

[Granny]

Perhaps she will eventually learn to sit still, chew with her mouth closed, eat what is put in front of her without whining, and make interesting and appropriate dinner conversation.

Whew....for a moment there I thought DW had come here to post about me!

 

[cobbler]

Well we have only had one trip home but we did cook breakfast a few mornings in our villas. We also had snacks.

I can see us using the kitchen quite a bit

 

[katedrew94]

We only use it for breakfast. And maybe to reheat some leftovers. I don't cook at home much, not gonna start on vacation.

 

[MinnieGi]

We use it!!

With two little ones it is very convenient to have the kitchen to make quick meals. We usually do a hot breakfast unless we have a character breakfast. Lunch is usually a table service in the parks and dinner is quite often in the villa. A quick dinner gives us more time to swim before the kiddies go to bed and then DH and I use the kitchen for our snacks. We love having the kitchen. DH actually loves to cook and does most of the vacation cooking.

 

[CRSNDSNY]

Just wondering with all this dining plan going on - who really uses the kitchen in the villa?
We'll have a kitchen, and maybe we will use it for breakfast. That way we can stay in our p.j.'s a little longer. We normally wake up very early at home.
So who uses their kitchen and how much?

We do!
We make coffee every morning.
It is great to reheat leftovers from restaurants.

And even on the DDP, we found it most cost effective to do our table service meals for dinner since those menu items are generally more expensive. That often leaves breakfast in our villa. The kitchen is great for making breakfast!

 

[6mouskateers]

We are planning to use it a bunch when we go in Sept.
Gotta have that coffee pot and I don't mind cooking eggs for breakfast. It's faster,easier, and IMHO more pleasant that going out for breakfast. I like having breakfast in my jammies. I will miss my newspaper, but I am sure I can find something there.

We always try to have a good breakfast, wind up having ice cream for lunch : (it is tradition) and then dinner is where ever we feel like it unless we made a reservation somewhere.

DH makes a yummy breakfast cassarole that fills everyone's tummies before we trek off to whatever we are doing that day.

Lots and lots of champagne in the refrig this coming trip for my parents 50th anniversary, and DD is having a b-day while we are there.

I have visions of steaks and salad and margaritas at least one night.

We will probably do a couple of special dinners out for these events. We plan to relax more and run around less on this trip. We are lucky enough to go a few times a year so we don't have the pressure to see and do everything in 5 days.

I really don't mind a little simple cooking while on vacation, especially if I don't have to do anything else.

Wishing everyone

 

[tomerin]

having the kitchen was great. i feel we not only saved time by being able to eat breakfast and get ready to go at the same time but we also saved money. we checked our breakfast bills from our WL trip and the total we spent only on breakfast was almost the entire total we spent on groceries for our entire trip.

the convience of having the fridge to store milk and drinks and snacks was a lifesaver. having 2 DS who are the lean mean eating machines they are enabled us to have ample supplies on hand to keep them happy. it seems like a very long walk from congress park to the gift shop on a hot summer night

also havng a freezer enabled us to freeze water bottles. on a hot summer day by the time you get to the parks and start walking around having that bottle of ice cold water is just great. not only to drink but just being abe to place that bottle on your neck feels so good

having a full kitchen was indeed on of the reasons we bought into DVC

 

[igitur]

Having a kitchen is a definite perk of being a DVC member in my book. If we ate breakfast, lunch and dinner out everyday of our trips, it would cost us a small fortune.

I find that what works well for us as a family with small kids is....leisurely morning with breakfast in the room, out to the parks, back to the room for a rest and light lunch and then a nice sit down dinner in the evening at a nicer restaurant. This lets us splurge a bit more on dinners.

Deb

 

[OurDogCisco]

Yes, we used the kitchen on our last trip. We were there for 10 days and the dining plan was not an option. One thing I did noticed that my dds (ages 4 and 7) did have more upset stomaches. We decided on that trip it was the kids meals. Lots of them aren't that healthy. Eating Hamburgers, pizza, chicken fingers, french fries for 10 days isn't really appetizing after a while. I finally did have to go out buy some broccoli & chicken and make a healthy meal for them. I really wished the restaurants had healthier food choices. So for our next trip I'm really going to ask for things on the side like vegetables and stuff. So, yes we do cook a few meals in. We do breakfast most mornings in. I made pancakes, french toast, eggs, bacon, etc... I just brought with me some prepackaged stuff. I have a spice wheel I bought at a camping store. It holds eight spices that I take with us all the time. We timeshare all our vacations. Since Disneyworld is more of a busier vacation we do find it harder to make meals in but we do. We usually do one or two dinners in. Maybe we'll do one lunch in but most the time we are usually at the park during lunch time.

P.S. I love to cook so it isn't really a chore for me. Also, I use a lot of meals from Rachel Ray 30 minute meals. They are very handy on vacations.

 

[jennymouse]

I just want to sympathize. Mine is six and I dreaded restaurants at two. She was actually fairly good at Disney - too wiped - but going into it we only had booked on reservation - afraid that anyone seated near us would be at the wrong end of thrown food. She is better now, although certainly not uet the little well mannered princess I would like to have at the table. Perhaps she will eventually learn to sit still, chew with her mouth closed, eat what is put in front of her without whining, and make interesting and appropriate dinner conversation.

My 11yo DGD has always been so well behaved everywhere we took her that I guess we became spoiled. This new DGD is totally the opposite! She's sweet and good most of the time and even does well in restaurants at home, but we never know when the next meltdown will come. I had our Thanksgiving dinner ADR for California Grill but I cancelled it and we ended up eating our TG dinner at Columbia House in MK! There was no way I was going to pay $250 for a meal we probably wouldn't get to finish and subject all the other guests to a possible tantrum!lol Once I cancelled all but our CP Pooh breakfast the vacation went much smoother.