Without dining plan... looking for the best value dining and snacks

[Nana2Callie]

We've always done the dining plan and I know it doesn't work for all; it has worked for us. So now I'm trying to avoid sticker shock and looking for some of the best dining options for the value in the parks. Meals, QS and TS, as well as snacks. Thanks,

 

[The Foolish Mortal]

There really isn't anything inexpensive in the parks. It is, after all, a theme park with a captive audience. I've never used the dining plan and I have never paid an outrageous amount for any meal or snack. But I have also never walked away thinking I found a great deal. So just go with whatever food you like best. Alternatively, bring your own food to the park

 

[chris benton]

I doubt you'll have too much sticker shock. You'll probably just order less and throw less away. Many ppl suggest throwing the money you'd pay for the dining plan on a gift card, and order as usual, pay with the gift card. I've wished one of the DP's worked for us, but the money never really worked. We pay less out of pocket, and still eat like little piggies.

 

[familyS]

Many QS meals are large enough for 2. Check out the menus. For example, our family of 4 adults can be satisfied with 2 meals at Flame Tree BBQ in AK or sharing a couple desserts along with either a 1) sandwich and quiche or 2) a baguette and cheese plate at Boulangerie Patisserie les Halles in EPCOT.

 

[ENJDisneyFan]

The charcuterie board at baseline tap house is a great value for a snack. I’d also suggest ordering kids meals - I’d rather have the smaller portion and no waste, then get a snack later if still hungry. I hate wasting food!

 

[rwdavis2]

We've never found the DDP to be a savings. Just order what you want and you'll probably save money.

 

[browneyedgirl1683]

What's helped us is to do those calculators to figure out price. When you see it visualized like that it helps to understand what to expect.

 

[kanerf]

Depending on where you are staying you could do breakfast in the room and pack a lunch for the parks. Then just have to worry about dinner.

 

[olive]

Good values include:
Flame tree meals (to share)
Pizza at Via Napoli
Les Halles in Epcot
I will always happily have nutella waffles for lunch any day
Pecos Bill & its toppings bar
I also like apps for dinner sometimes

I also tend to do breakfasts in the room. I don't like wasting park time eating breakfast. Saving money is just a bonus. But we do yogurt drinks and granola bars typically.

 

[holden]

We do breakfast in our room.

Sometimes I just order a kids meal or appetizers if I'm not super hungry.

Avoid fixed price places if you want to save $ (family style meals, Be Our Guest, etc.).

 

[Brett Wyman]

If you can afford DDP paying out of pocket wont be an issue. Set that same money aside and pull from there. You may even come out ahead. We prefer DDP as well but for convenience, not to save money.

 

[TwoMisfits]

To summarize, Disney has pretty much gotten rid of some foods being "better value" than others...anything that was has had its price raise rapidly through the Covid period (as an example, see the eggrolls). To eat cheaper in parks, you might look at non-meat entree options b/c with cheaper ingredients, they do tend to have a cheaper overall price, but that will only hold if your party will actually eat them and they will actually fill up your party.

But, to really eat more cheaply, you will want to look to eat outside the parks, either in your room, by bringing lunch, by using Grubhub or other delivery hubs, etc...

 

[sandrews0608]

In the past we have done the deluxe dining plan and loved it (2 meals per day with one being a signature). We would either day a later breakfast or an early lunch. We would usually have items in the room to hold us over, so we will do the same on our next trip. I usually bring almonds and gf items for myself and granola bars for my daughter. We are planning on trying some of the places that wouldn't have been included in the dining plan such as the lounges. We are planning an ADR for Le Celier, but we are going to do the poutine and maple creme brule. I am sure we will do Baseline tap house and Jock Lindseys. We will share more than normal.

 

[Merlin's Magic]

You will have less sticker shock if you plan for the dining plan but don't use the dining plan.

On our last trip, we set aside the same budget as the dining plan. Before we left we looked over menus for our ADRs and decided some things we really wanted to try, estimating how much we would spend at each restaurant + snacks. It was actually less than what we thought, but we kept our budget where the DDP was. We also brought our own coffee from home (better than what you get at the parks/hotel) and breakfast snacks because we're all light eaters in the morning. Even with tips, a dessert party, some breakfast pastries, and food at the airport, we came in significantly under what Disney would have charged on a comparable dining plan. I don't drink alcohol much in the parks (I think I had one glass of wine), we don't want to eat dessert with every meal (making it a snack later in the day, when we had time to walk off lunch or dinner was better for us), and while we did get the reusable cups, in the parks we brought collapsible water bottles and refilled them at the stations instead of grabbing a soda between meals.

 

[mousehouse23]

Water in lieu of other drinks is better for you (especially in the heat) and can save you a bundle over the course of a trip.

Don't get me wrong: I love a good Coke on a hot Florida day. But at $4 a pop, I get my sweet tooth satisfied in other ways.

 

[1GoldenSun]

I haven't found the quick service food in the parks to be that much more expensive than eating out at home. I used to think it was overpriced but it seems to me that casual, counter-service restaurants in the "real world" have increased prices even faster than Disney has. My family of four can eat at Pecos Bill's for not much more than it costs us to eat at Chipotle at home. I can get a lobster roll at Columbia Harbor House/Tomorrowland Terrace for about what I pay for a sandwich at Panera. A burger and fries will cost you more than McDonald's, but not more than Burger 21. The $4 sodas are ridiculous, though. You can bring Crystal Light packets and make your own drinks if you don't like the Florida water.

 

[Blondie58]

We have had dining plan once. We get by cheaper without dining plan. We have protein bars, oatmeal, or bagels and PB for breakfast. We eat out lunch or dinner and have a snack for the other meal. We do split meals too as many offer nice size servings that are plentiful. We are from OH so WDW prices are only slightly more expensive than an Applebees or an Olive Garden. However, when at home we seldom eat out but cook at home to save $$$. Just not a lot of bargains at WDW.

 

[_19disnA]

The old dining plan included a regular and deluxe version back when we went in 2019. It changed to something else after that, but dining plans are currently not available due to covid. The regular plan we used included an adult beverage which worked out well for us. However, both of those depend on how you like to eat and how many TS meals you plan to eat daily and if you want to do any character meals (which tend to be expensive). Works for some, but not others. Not having access to dining plans really doesn't change the cost of the meals. With dining plans, you pay for all of your meals upfront at the beginning of your vacation. If you don't have the dining plan, you are simply paying individually for each meal.

Park dining as mentioned above is pricey since they have a captive audience with few other options. If you have a car, then eating at one of the many nearby restaurants off the Disney property will tend to be a more economical option.

 

[StaceyHSD]

The festival booths at EPCOT (the festivals are practically constant now) seem to have some good values, depending on what you like. Plus it’s basically small plates so you share and snack on a bunch of different things.

If you like fish and chips the Yorkshire County Fish Shop by the Rose & Crown is a good option. $11.49 at Yorkshire. The Rose & Crown fish and chips is $25. (The portion sizes are probably a bit different but still).

Spice Road Table seems like it might be another good option. Very nice setting on the water side of the Morocco pavilion. It’s all small plates so good for sharing a variety of different thing for a reasonable price. And, they don’t offer reservations so it’s strictly walk up which is nice.

 

[RanDIZ]

A good value for QS I like is at Yak n Yeti in AK. The Kobe burger is my go to.

One of the best values for TS that I experienced was at Chefs de France at EP. A Prix fixe menu for $55. App, entree, desert and glass of wine. Great price, food and service.