Op back. Didn't think food and water in luggage was such a debatable topic.
Stitchlovestink- great replies by the way.
Well here is what I have decided to do. We will be staying at CSR and everyone says if staying here to get on the QSDP because the food is a bit expensive and will be eating alot at CSR. So, I think I will make everyone get up a bit early and march there butts up PM to eat breakfast. On the QSDP, for breakfast you get 2 drinks with your meal, so if we refill our mugs with caffeinated drinks (we did get up early) we can each have 2 bottles of water.
Then at each lunch or dinner there, refill those mugs and get another bottle of water for each of us. So for the 3 of us, I could end up getting more than a case of water.
I will probably still pack a few favorite snacks in the luggage.
How does that plan sound?
Thank you! I tried to choose my words carefully as I know from previous threads that this can be one Hot Topic!
Here's another tip I thought of that we used TONS of times. Any of the CS or anywhere that serves beverages (except for TS restaurants
) will give you a free disposable cup of ice water and you can get a lid for it too (except for AK, no lids there at all). Anyway, we take those great little tubes of powdered propel (they make them in tea, hawaiian punch, gatorade, crystal light, and others I'm sure) and add it to our FREE cup of ice water. The drink is 'freshly' cold.
Anyway, trust you me, those little tubes are way lighter to lug around the parks than bottles of water. And there are lots of low cal varities. So unless you are a huge plain water fan, this will work too. Sometimes if we just want a small drink, DD's and myself will share one. Just as a little refresher. Just thought I share that little trick w/ ya!
I see you plan on going back to your resort every day for lunch or dinnner. You may be surprised at how many 'cool' CS restaurants there are all over the property. I'd suggest giving some of them a try. We love some of them so much, they've become favorites just as much as TS restaurants. The other disadvantage of getting 2 water bottles so early is that they really aren't going to stay cold very long/well w/o ice or a cooler of some sort. Just some food for thought...
I always pack food when we go. However, I don't pack full water bottles. Instead I pack empty ones and we fill them from the tap or ask for FREE cups of ice water at WDW and then pour them into our bottles.
I generally pack:
Small boxes of dry cereal (buy milk at the hotel each morning or use snack credits (if still available on the present dining plan)).
Cup of Noodles (awesome for in between meals and kids that seem to have bottomless pits...bring a small coffeemaker to heat water).
Nuts, dried fruits, granola, trail mix (cheaper than buying snacks in the park, healthier and gives you a boost of energy when needed--not to mention doesn't matter if it gets squished in luggage).
Tea bags & coffee.
We generally like to eat lunch and dinner at the parks. But by having breakfast in our room we get to sleep in longer and save a ton of money. Also, we eliminate all those costly in-park snacks. The Cup O Noodles really help when you're at the hotel, kids have been swimming and are starving and it's not yet dinner time.
Until I read this, I had forgotten that I have once packed some of the sealed cereral bowls. They work fantabulously!!! All you need is a spoon and milk. Yay!! And I liked the easy mac bowls. Instead of doing the coffee maker thing (mine is too bulky to pack for such minimal use for me) we just heated ours up in the microwave in the food court.
Years ago, here on the Dis, I was criticized for bringing food in my suitcase. A fellow Disser said something to the effect that they'd be daggoned before they were eating out of a suitcase at WDW. Again different strokes... I figured 'Hey, I'm at WDW' suitcase full of food and all. And that was back before Gardengrocer and the like were around (or well publicized at least)!
Enjoy!
