Dining on a Budget! Help!

[Heather Felker]

This will be my first time to Disney as an adult, and would love some tips on the cheapest way to dine at Disney! We will be staying in a studio at AKV. Two adults, two kids. TIA!

 

[MaryLovesPoohBear]

If you can, we pack breakfast. Nothing fancy, but something that we can munch on while we get ready for the day.

We also carry snacks with us into the park. That way we aren't spending so much on food while we are there.

 

[Heather Felker]

Thanks for the tip!

 

[kymom99]

Will you have a car? Your roomshould gave a microwave so some simple groceries could save you a fortune.

 

[Heather Felker]

We will not have a car...

 

[Louie7080]

We eat one Disney meal a day, might be a sit down or might be counter service and my daughter usually get a Mickey bar or other snack sold by Disney, I myself forgo the snacks because I don't really like them much and try to eat healthy even when on vacation. I bring in the other food we eat and that includes hard boiled eggs, fresh fruit, dried fruit, cold cuts, cheese, nuts or nut bars, chips, gatorade.... I go to more extremes than most maybe to save on food so I carry a lot around with me while in the parks and get groceries either by a rental or uber/lyft. If we eat at a buffet I try to schedule it so that we will be on the very hungry side. Some say that this isn't a way to vacation, but we all have different budgets and priorities. I don't have a big budget and visiting the parks is a high priority.

 

[Heather Felker]

That was helpful, thanks!

 

[kymom99]

These are good ideas. These days its fairly easy to get food delivered to your room or to get a ride to a grocery. You shouldn't feel deprived if you plan one special meal a day. To me, counter service is special. Doesn't have to be table service. Get what you really want for that meal and enjoy it. Get some foods for the room for breakfast. To me it is much easier to just eat something simple while getting ready in the morning. Saves time and money. Take along a mid morning snack and eat a later lunch in the parks. Then maybe head back to the room for an afternoon break and eat something simple there as your dinner. Use your microwave to cook up something. Maybe buy a snack later at the parks or at Disney springs. You could budget for a nice dinner at a sit down restaurant, but personally, we can enjoy our trip just as much by skipping those. Just depends on how you feel about it. You can look at the menus on allears to get an idea about prices.

 

[happily single]

Always, always, always bring water/drinks into the park. I’ve used Garden Grocer and Amazon Now. There are also other delivery services. I like allears.net for menus/pricing to help me plan

 

[QueenIsabella]

If you're going in the summer--freeze your water bottles if possible. This works best if you freeze a couple inches of water in the bottom overnight, then top off with water in the morning.

I also bring snacks with me, even if it's not a super budget trip. Inevitably, one of my four kids gets hungry while we're standing in line. A package or two of peanut butter crackers is great to tide us over until the next planned meal/snack. You could also use dry cereal, granola bars, or trail mix. Believe me--hungry, cranky kids are no bargain!

 

[Klayfish]

Always, always, always bring water/drinks into the park. I’ve used Garden Grocer and Amazon Now. There are also other delivery services. I like allears.net for menus/pricing to help me plan

No need to bring water in with you. You can get filtered ice water for free at any QS place anywhere in WDW. It's a wonderful perk.

 

[Antaniasmom]

I thought about foregoing packing waters next time we go..however, having the convenience of being ANYWHERE in the park and being able to reach in your bag for a cold drink instead of having to stop what you're doing and search, is priceless! I'll just keep bringing large backpack w/ collapsible cooler, works like a charm for us.

 

[Marionnette]

I thought about foregoing packing waters next time we go..however, having the convenience of being ANYWHERE in the park and being able to reach in your bag for a cold drink instead of having to stop what you're doing and search, is priceless! I also heard you can bring a cooler with food/drinks and CM will store it for you at front of park. I'll just keep bringing large backpack w/ collapsible cooler, works like a charm for us.

There are lockers at the front of each park. You can rent one for a fee. The CMs will not store your cooler for you.

 

[Jen0630]

We do character dining for breakfast vs. dinner to save a little money. Speaking of which - we haven't done Chef Micky yet. Wondering if breakfast or brunch is better?

 

[Antaniasmom]

That was my mistake about cooler storage. Watched a bunch of youtube videos, I think maybe it was purchases that they would store for you. My bad

 

[kymom99]

There are lockers at the front of each park. You can rent one for a fee. The CMs will not store your cooler for you.

Yes and it's a long hike up to the front of the park to get those things. And coolers must be a certain size with no wheels. As hot as it gets, water won't stay cold very long, cooler or not. Cs water is very convenient.

 

[kymom99]

We do character dining for breakfast vs. dinner to save a little money. Speaking of which - we haven't done Chef Micky yet. Wondering if breakfast or brunch is better?

Make a reservation for late morning. Go to the park and ride some rides while it's still cooler and relatively less crowded. Then take the monorail over to chef mickeys for a late breakfast/early lunch.

 

[Marionnette]

Make a reservation for late morning. Go to the park and ride some rides while it's still cooler and relatively less crowded. Then take the monorail over to chef mickeys for a late breakfast/early lunch.

It's often faster to walk over to the CR from the MK. No pushing a stroller up the monorail ramp. No waiting for the monorail to arrive. No getting stuck between stations. It only takes about 10 minutes from park exit to CR entrance to walk.

 

[Klayfish]

Yes and it's a long hike up to the front of the park to get those things. And coolers must be a certain size with no wheels. As hot as it gets, water won't stay cold very long, cooler or not. Cs water is very convenient.

Yep, exactly. That's why we use a very large soft sided cooler bag and stick it in an umbrella stroller. We park it somewhere in stroller parking near where we plan to eat and leave it there. That way we don't have to hike back to the front of the park. We then grab QS water and we're all set. Easy peasy.

 

[Antaniasmom]

Yes and it's a long hike up to the front of the park to get those things. And coolers must be a certain size with no wheels. As hot as it gets, water won't stay cold very long, cooler or not. Cs water is very convenient.

Actually if you're brave like us, I have a large backpack and i put a velcroed lunch bag inside that fits 2 of those bottle grooved ice packs stacked. You can keep at least 6 bottles of water cold almost all day that way. I have done this 3 times in late June, works like a charm ☺ it's a little heavy but as day goes by its not bad...plus little more of a workout