Cheap food in WDW

[Fantasmic]

Hi, my Boyfriend and I are thinking of going to WDW and need to eat on a budget, How much is an average meal in the parks, at one of the counter service places, like Cosmic Ray's or the like?
We need to work out how much we need for food money!!!

Also, we will be staying on site (AS Movies) How much is food there, do they do cheap breakfasts etc ?

It's a bit of a headache trying to budget all of this!!!

Thanks

[Strmchsr]

Look in Info Central for all of the dining info. You can specifically click here (http://www.intercot.com/infocentral/dining/menus/default.asp) for all menus with prices. Generally I count on about $10/person/meal for a counter service meal.

The resorts do have less expensive options such as pop tarts and fruit. If you're able to pack some breakfast stuff in a suitcase that would save you money. You might could also do a grocery ordering service and breakfast items.

[Tygger7]

Look in Info Central for all of the dining info. You can specifically click here (http://www.intercot.com/infocentral/dining/menus/default.asp) for all menus with prices. Generally I count on about $10/person/meal for a counter service meal.


I agree, $10 per person for a counter meal is about right. However, keep in mind that $10 will only get a combo meal and a pop. If you're only eating counter service meals, I'd definitely budget snack money too. I'd plan $30 per person, per day to cover lunch & dinner & snacks...AND bring breakfast stuff and other snacks to keep in my room. With all the walking, we find we're always hungry. Just my :twocents:

[WVDisneyFan]

My family often splits meals and drinks. The portions are very large. This way we can also save room for snacks such as popcorn for later in the day.

[jusandnew]

We eat breakfast in the room. Pack ceral and pastries and get a refrig for the room.I bring a coffeemaker for coffee and hotwater
As far as the parks my family of 4 spends $30per setting.I take cokes and snacks in our backpack , so we do not have to buy the drinks. Ice is free.
Lunch we go back to the room to rest and eat. We eat sandwiches.
In the park we order double cheeseburgers and extra buns and fries.We have the drinks.

We learn how to do this from making a lot of trips. We are annual pass holders and live 5 hours away.

:)

[DisneyFreak23]

Cheap and WDW dont often get in the same sentence.

i agree with everyone else, sharing portions, and smart thinking will often save you some $$$

[madenny]

It might be worth it to you to check out the Dinney Dining Plan. I love it because you can have one counter meal, 1 table meal and one snack or drink per day. I have it paid before the trip and don't have to worry about having anough money during the trip (gratuity is included). This way, you can try places you may not have tried and don't have to worry about cost of your entree. Good luck and have fun!

[TINKERBELL_82]

When I first moved to Florida, I spent my first 7days at WDW, all for under $500. I'll tell you how:

Hotel: We stayed at the Days Inn on International Drive. Our trip was in the off season- mid September, and our room was $29 a night. Not the best hotel ever, but then again we were only there to sleep.

Tickets: At the time, WDW was running a promotion called "Salute to the Armed Forces". Because I had a military ID, my 5 day park hopper was only $99!

Food: I carried most of my food and snacks into the park with me. I packed Tuna and Cracker kits for lunch, granola bars for breakfast, stuff like that, and froze bottled water. It probably cost me about $5.00 a day for those two meals. I would sometimes splurge on CS for dinner- roughly $10.

So there you have it!! If you are really concerned about your budget, consider taking 2 meals and your snacks into the park. You'll probably save more than $20, per person, per day. That's a lot of $$$!

[BigRedDad]

For saving money, the best thing to do is bring your own food. You can request one in the Value resorts I think. Stop at a grocery store to get bread, lunch meat, snacks, and breakfast items. Also, get the resort mugs for free refills. This will eliminate 50% of your meals. Then, you can budget a few sit down and counter service meals for dinner.

[locodemickey]

In the park we order double cheeseburgers and extra buns and fries.
:)

I think this is a little-known fact. They charged us .85 for the extra bun and you don't even notice the difference between a single and a double burger especially when you load up on the yummie sauteed mushrooms and onions at some of the CS restaurants!

[BronxTigger]

Don't buy any bottled water. The Counter Service places will give you free ice water, you just need to ask for it. The tap water isn't the best-tasting in the country, but with the ice it's so cold I don't really notice. To add variety, you can get Crystal Light packets for about $2 for 10 at Wal-Mart. Koolaid and Propel also have the single serving packets. You just add it to water and stir.

Note: it says to add it to a bottle of water and shake, but I tried to stir it into ice water with a straw at home and it worked just fine.

A bottle of water or soda costs about 2.50 at WDW, and since you have to stay hydrated this alone can save you a lot of money.

[Fantasmic]

Thanks for all the info, I am a bit of a WDW veteran, but never had to worry about money for food cause my Parents alwyas bought for me!!!

I wont have a car as I'm coming from the U.K.
How much is it to get a taxi or bus to say, a walgreens to buy some groceries

[JoDisney]

I do not know about taxi prices. Really you can do away with breakfast or lunch and just have two cs meals and a snack at Disney. Our kids like the rides so much that they want to do this because they want to go to rides. At the All Stars, if you prefer breakfast, eat it there at your resort. Go to the park and enjoy, and later on grab a snack. There is always good fruit, like bananas, grapes, apples, etc. When dinner time, at MK, go to the counter service, like Cosmic Rays or Pecos Bills, and use the toppings bars. They are nice. They have the same thing at the other parks.

[jusandnew]

If you want to save money stay off the site get a hotel with microwave, refrig and contintal breakfast. The breakfast is provided and stop by the store and get things to cook in the microwave . Bring drinks and snacks in the park. We spend $150 for 5 days with a family of 4 when we eat in the park at dinner time only.

If you have kids go by Walmart or somewhere and buy toys or other things. If they want someting you have it already.We buy the glow in the dark necklaces from dollar store , so they can wear them in the park.

My teenage kids do not mind this.

[Strmchsr]

It might be worth it to you to check out the Dinney Dining Plan. I have it paid before the trip and don't have to worry about having anough money during the trip (gratuity is included).

My guess is they're planning for 2008 and the DDP is a good bit different - tips are no longer included and, if I saw correctly, appetizers are no longer included with the TS. Not quite as good of a deal any longer.

[Kairi_7378]

All of the suggestions to bring your own breakfast food are great. If you pack carefully, you can bring lots of food to the World. We even managed to bring a bottle of champagne on our anniversary trip!
Plan on splitting some CS meals. Some places that have portions large enough to share include the combo meals at Flame Tree BBQ and Tangerine Cafe. The portions here are huge!

[scootch713]

Share meals and bring protein bars/snacks..... you can do it and survive. :)

[disneynarula]

We also discovered that it was sometimes cheaper to split a large TS meal rather than get two CS meals.

[Fantasmic]

Well we're all booked.

It would be a bit hard to pack cereal bars cause we're coming from the UK.

I'm sure we'll be ok, I will still get my weekly wages whilst i'm there which will do for food (I get approx $300 per week)

jusandnew :- I don't have Kids, so there's no expedature there!!!

Ooo I'm so excited!

[disneyfan328]

Ok, I have been compiling tips and here are the ones that in addition to the ones listed I will be using

1.) since your staying on site use the food court - you can buy 2 pieces of bread and the little thingys of peanut butter for less than 2.00 The jelly is usually with the condiments (ketchup ect) and is usually free so you can make pbj's

2.) share cs meals most of them are huge and big enough to share - for instance the double cheeseburger and extra bun or cosmic ray's chickn/ribs - its like 10-12 dollars but can EASILY feed 2 There is also a 1/2 rotissere chicken meal with mashed potatoes and veggies for around 8.00 again plenty to split and share.

3.) I believe it is in either in epcot or at pecos bills at MK but there may be other places to do this as well. Find a place that has a free fixins bar. Order a bun (.60) and a side of bacon 1.00 use the fixins bar and heap on the lettuce and tomoato ect (you can even make a small side salad too!!) and you have a great blt sandwhich and side for less than 3.00(you may have to pay for dressing so I added another dollar?)

4.) If you are not a big eater or have different taste than BF get a kids meal. **also on a side note. If you do go anywhere to get kids meals (for the kids or yourself) you CAN ask for them without the plastic container that some of them come in (somewhere in MGM comes to mind that they came with a plastic souvenir box.) you can get it without that for 1.50 less. From what I was told any CS place that has these boxes it can be ordered without and save the 1.50

One more note - Ordering the kids meal for an adult only works at CS places, NOT sit down or TS restaurants.

5.) don't pay for things you don't want - ALMOST all of the CS places have combo meals on the menu. They do NOT list things separetley, HOWEVER anything pretty much can be ordred al la carte - for instance if you are bringing your own water or snacks, just order a burger - no fries no drink don't pay for things you don't really want just becuse its not on the menu that way.

6.) check around before you buy ~ there are lots of places with sandwhiches, but my research has told me that you can get ham and cheese croissants at the boulangerie patisserie in France for only 3.50 I don't think thats too bad for a meal. you can get a piece of fruit for 1.00 or if you are brining your own snacks you are good to go. Just look around, check out the menus and have a rough idea of what or where you think you'll eat and try not to impulse buy which leads me to my next tip

7.) Disney scents are soooo inticing - you can smell things baking and fresh popcorn ect just about everywhere. If you are a sucker for things like this (Like I am) try telling yourself that is all a mirage - These scents are pumped into the air by Disney - :secret: - most of these things are prepared in underground kitchens ect and are brought up to the shops to sell therefore what you are smelling is not really there. (Check out the popcorn carts) up near the top there is a silver disk that is where that wonderful aroma is coming from. It doesn't always work (I am a sucker for baked goods), but its just more of a fun tip!!! They do this in the lobby at the contemporary too - its smells like cookies in there but they really aren't there.

8.) If you have a frig in your room and your hotel/resort has a food court and a general store - buying Milk is usually cheaper at the general store rather than the food court.
also you stated cereal bars hard to transport from UK? Why? Can't you just pack them in suitcase?

Have a wonderful time. Depending on when you are going it may be too hot to eat much so that may help as well!!!