Thursday, September 24, 2009

Food Saving Tips for Walt Disney World



As you have probably already guessed, going to Disney World can get expensive. There is the tickets, hotel, souvenirs, and most importantly food. You could easily spend the same amount in food that you did on your hotel and theme park tickets. I have put together a list of different ideas and techniques to cut your food bill and still enjoy great meals.

When my husband I took our kids to Disney World the first time, I did a little research on what to expect and what to plan. The one thing that kept popping up was eating breakfast in our room. Everyone just kept saying that was the way to start your day and boy were they right. Not only does it save you money on breakfast, but it also saves you on time. I love to have the kids eat a bowl of cereal while I am getting ready and packing up for the day. We get out the door and to the parks a lot quicker and they are not sitting there asking me 20 times when are we going to leave. And it is so easy now to bring the cereal with you. I have found cereal in ready to use bowls at my local grocery store and I stock up on them before our trip. The only other things I need is spoons and milk. Luckily, most Disney Resorts have refrigerators in the rooms and you can purchase milk from the resort dining area or a local grocery store. If your resort does not have a refrigerator already in the room, you can ask for one at a minimal charge per day.

Another great money saving tip is to bring your own bottled water and snacks with you into the park. At one time Disney did not allow you to bring in your own food items, but they have since changed that rule. This is great if you don't want to spend a lot on just a bottle of water, it can really bust your budget. There are different companies such a Staples or Costco that will deliver your water to your resort for you. That is a great way to have it shipped if you are flying down. My family also likes to bring along the single serving packs of lemonade or Gatorade to add to the their water. And don't forget the snacks! All that walking can wear you out and you will need some kind of pick me up. Instead of spending a few dollars on a snack, you can bring in a bag of your favorite snack to eat. Depending on how long you are staying, it can save you around $20 per person for the week. Just remember that the Disney parks do not allow hard side coolers, glass containers, or alcholic beverages. They also do not allow straws in the Animal Kingdom Resort and Park for the safety of the animals. You can bring in a small collapsible cooler though to hold your water or even some sandwiches if you want.

Inexpensive meals are hard to find at the theme parks, but you can find some cheaper options for real food that will fill you up. An example of this would be Casey's Corner on Mainstreet in the Magic Kingdom. You can get a large hotdog and fries for around $6.00. Or if you are in Epcot at World Showcase, you can visit France and have a ham and cheese croissant for around $3.25.

There are many different options, just know that you don't have to pay for items you don't want. If you go to Casey's Corner and you just want a hotdog, then you can just get a hotdog. The counter-service menus often only list complete meals. The truth is you can order anything you want a la carte. You may save up to $2.00 on an item you might not want. This does only apply to adult meals though.

Another great idea is to share your meals. I know that the last Disney trip my family went on, my daughter did not eat a lot. She and I ended up sharing a lot of counter-service meals and saved a few dollars in the process.

The last money saving tip I have for today is the Disney Dining Plan. It is a prepaid plan that you can purchase when you have purchased a Magic Your Way Package. There are different dining plan options, but I am only going to list the first two since those are the best options for your money.

If you plan to take the park head on and don't have the time to sit and eat, you can purchase the quick service dining plan, which includes 2 quick service meals and 2 snacks per person, per package night, plus a resort refillable mug per person. Be sure to really check out the menu's at the counter-service area's. They have a lot more to offer then just a hamburger or chicken fingers. You can get some healthier options there also.

If you enjoy sitting down to eat a meal or if you plan on doing some character meals, then the Magic Your Way Package Plus Dining Plan is for you. You get 1 quick service meal, 1 table service meal, and 1 snack per package night. My family loves to have a nice dinner after spending our days in the park or even before we watch the fireworks. It is a nice down time to talk to each other and talk about the events of the day, because even though you are together all day there is so much going on that it is hard to really talk.

You don't have to be overwhelmed with planning your Disney World Vacation. There are many low cost ways of going, and I have only listed a few of them. I would love to help you plan your vacation and show you all the ways you can do it even if you are on a budget. My services do not cost you extra and may end up saving some money in the process.
jillsmagicaltravel.com

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