Why You Should Bring Your Own Food to Disney World!
Вставка
- Опубліковано 31 лип 2024
- We’re always sharing money saving tips for your next Disney World vacation, but is one of simplest tips steering you wrong? We’re gonna dive into this surprisingly controversial savings hack today!
[Subscribe for more Disney Food Videos!]
bit.ly/1rqUGbh
[Join our Newsletter]
disneyfoodblog.com/the-disney-...
Want to support the channel? Check out our line of Disney Dining Travel Guides at DFBStore.com.
Purchase our DFB Disney themed t-shirts and more at teespring.com/stores/dfb-guide
Get tips, tricks, reviews, and budget advice at DisneyFoodBlog.com
[Social Links]
/ disneyfoodblog
/ disneyfoodblog
/ disneyfoodblog
Asian families have been doing this for decades. Once, we snuck in bacon sandwiches as light snacks in between meals to Disney World. When we went to sit down and eat them, we sat beside a Filipino family and on their table was a rice cooker pot and a Lock & Lock of adobo. It was wild. Our family ended up friends with that family by the end of the day.
As a man who is married to a Filipina, I have seen this on every trip I make. They take a banquet to every occasion. Good for the hunger, if not the waistline.......
lol a ricer cooker? 😂 I love it.
Omg I am filipino too! My aunt always sneaks a rice bag! And we would eat that with our meat!!,!,
MantaRayMoons yes we bring a portable rice cooker ☺️, if u see us with a rice cooker.. ignore it :)
Is power point easy to find? We could do hot pot during winter lol
I was amazed when I took my parents for afternoon tea at the Grand Floridian. I was worried there might not be much my father could eat as a diabetic but I put the info on the booking and reminded the server when we were seated. Within 5 minutes the chef came out and spoke to my father about what he likes and doesn’t like. When our afternoon tea arrived my father had a tailor made selection of low and no sugar desserts which he really appreciated.
That is incredible. The experience people with dietary needs get from Disney chefs is truly unmatched.
I’m so glad to hear that! I get such weird looks when I ask if places have sugar free desserts.....and for me, it is a migraine trigger so it’s very important for me to not accidentally eat sugar!
I'll have to remember this. My mom doesn't like to remember she's diabetic and will go for the sweets. But if we can get those no sugar options I'll be ecstatic.
Just keep in mind to look for aspartame or sucralose in so-called sugar-free desserts or drinks. These are bleached sugars and have been proven to cause cancer.
@@taurnguard good thinking... My mom gets headaches when eating something with those ingredients.
As an Orlando resident I've seen it all at theme parks. Going so frequently I always remember to bring my thermos and granola bars. My snack budget is for an occasional turkey leg and ice cream. The point of Disney is to enjoy the park, not to spend $100 a day which is very easy to do.
There is no shame in bringing your own snacks. I've seen a family at Universal with a backpack with a 2L Pepsi, bag of Doritos, and Lunchables for the kids and they were much happier than the family with kids screaming for ice cream. Come prepared to keep the experience pleasant.
Some people like my mom are terrified of rides and won’t go on so she enjoys the snack. Everyone’s Disney experience is not the same. Snack may be pointless to you but definitely not to everyone.
@@annies6566 Never said snacks are pointless, I'm just applauding the video for reminding people you could go to the park with snacks and save money for more memorable experiences.
I can remember going to Universal with my grandmother and she sat on benches 80% of the visit. The only ride we convinced her to go on was Jaws. That memory will stay with me forever. In my opinion don't spend money on snacks and try a nice sit down restaurant where you can eat true fine dining that Disney and other theme parks are known for. For Disney my Favorite time of year is the Food & Wine Festival, the only splurging event of the year!
Honestly, imo, the only time it’s acceptable to spend $100 or more on food or drinks at Disney is during the festivals at Epcot. If the purpose of that one particular trip to Disney is to try the drinks and foods, the price is worth it. But it’s absolutely not worth it to do multiple times.
I'm taking m
It shocks me how many people (based on your survey) don’t even bring snacks to the park! I even bring snacks going to stores/short trips on normal, non vacation days just in case 😂
I think the people that do that are first timers and aren’t aware that u can bring food or just carry enough money that they don’t mind spending it on the expensive food and snacks or just don’t want to carry around food in their packs
Bringing food isn't allowed in some other parks like six flags etc. Once we packed burgers for six flags and when we got the entrance, they made us put it back in the car. So by the time we got to the car it had gone bad in the summer heat.
When we went when my kids were young, We packed an extra suitcase with snacks, fruit cups, cereal, and breakfast stuff, and then used the empty suitcase for souvenirs.
There are six people in my family and that made everything even more expensive. So on our first trip to Disney world we would leave the park around six and get our hands stamped (which we found exciting) and we would have a car picnic in the parking lot. We made our own sandwiches and got to have a fun time for dinner. Afterwards we would go back in the park for more rides and fireworks. Looking at it now, I know it was because my parents couldn’t really afford table service restaurants but i didn’t care. It was fun and memorable for me and I loved it.
For years we brought lunch for the five of us in a soft sided cooler that fit in the lockers. The train station next to the lockers used to have a few tables and chairs. No one ever used those. We would have lunch there with a view straight down Main Street. Best view in the Park.
As a kid my family and I would go a lot, all the kids had a snack bag and we all had the same amount of snacks. we visited all the parks in one day (Park Hopper) and having those snacks really helped out. Definitely recommend for parents who want to save money.
What a smart idea! You DEFINITELY need some good fuel to get you through a day of park hopping!
@@DFBGuide Great Video AJ ‼‼‼♥
We've been DVC members for years, and as the mother of four big eaters (plus me and my husband), I've got the food thing at WDW down. We go to Sam's in Orlando and load up the room for the week. Every day, breakfast before we take off to the parks; pack sandwiches/snacks/drinks for lunch picnics inside the parks, and then reservations at a nice sit down WDW restaurant for dinner. Honestly, this saves us HUNDREDS of dollars, but we still get the fun of eating "out" once a day. Good compromise for us. Of course we cheat and get drinks and special treats here and there, but packing food for the parks really helps keep us in budget.
That sounds awesome and an excellent compromise. May I ask how you store/chill the food for lunch? Do you get a locker?
@@katierowen3166 HI ~ we have a thermal backpack and ice the water to keep the bag cool. (My son is the poor pack mule who carries it all, but he's a big strong guy). Food stays nice and cool.
When my family went to planet Hollywood last year, I asked if a sandwich I wanted had blue cheese in it, and if I could get it without, given I’m allergic to blue cheese. The chief himself actually came out to tell me the sandwich I had had no blue cheese.
Yes! The Chefs at Disney World are SO helpful when it comes to special dietary needs.
😳 Typical PH... A blue cheese sandwich without any blue cheese in it! 🤣
The Pedialyte isn't just for kids in the Children's Centre. Perfect for an adult with a hangover, or not feeling 💯
A true staple before and after a day at Epcot for sure.
I use to do that when the kids were young. Now I just spend a ton of money 😂😂
Sometimes you just CAN'T resist those sweet, sweet Main Street scents! 🍭🍫
DFBGuide facts especially after watching all these amazing videos
Maikunt Izichi I’m sure you will be an awesome Disney dad one day. Don’t rush it😂😂
Last vacation I mortgaged one of my kidneys but sooo worth it!!🤪
hipo4eyes1 Same 😂😂 I act like I’m a millionaire at Disney. We got issues 😂
I usually bring a small snack - but just for emergencies (ie: in line for a ride and someone starts dying of hunger).
Emergency snacks are totally necessary for those long lines!
Yes! I bring emergency bottled drinks. Water is free in cups at QS but nothing beats having the water with you when you get dehydrated waiting in line.
Now that Mickey Bars pricing increased from 5$ to $7 bucks more snacks for the kids is a must, they will go through snacks especially waiting on rides like nothing!
I know no one cares but I’m so excited I’m going to my dream hotel in 2 months the contemporary I’ve been wanting to go for a long time I’m so excited and I’m going in 2 weeks I’m going to do dcp once i get older so I can be a hotel manager I love Disney omg
Oh wow that's so cool! Have a nice time.
Oh fun! We are doing my moms dream stay in Nov and staying at a Cabin.. It’s totally exciting to stay at your dream place. I hope you have fun.
I'm always happy for anyone getting to go to Disney. I hope you have as much fun as you can squeeze out of every minute.
I care.. ❤..
It's exciting when someone gets to go to Disney in the near future because we all know the feeling of excitement and anticipation- at least those of us who are huge disney fans.
Side note: Something we did that helped us feel that our trip was longer than it actually was from a mental standpoint.. we woke up at the crack of dawn (and we are NOT early morning people but made sure not to push the snooze and just made ourselves get up), then we arrived at rope drop (which is exciting in itself), then left at around noon to nap (even if not tired, still go back to hotel and lay down and close your eyes to rest), then we went back to the parks later that afternoon and stayed till closing. Because of this schedule, 1 day actually felt like 2 days because there was a bit of sleep in between, so it felt like it was another day after we awoke from our nap.
Edit: I just read my response, and all i really had to say was to suggest to "take a nap in the middle of the day"..
. .. some people make long stories short, but I make short stories long 🥴
have so much fun!
I have gone as far as to bring my own toaster to a hotel to make toast, bagels, toaster strudel ect. Breakfast is one thing I just don’t like spending money on.
Oh wow! That's definitely something we haven't thought of!
I bought a blender to make margaritas and pina colada's for the pool. Save a bunch of money.
DFBGuide Please don’t endorse this behavior. Irresponsible and selfish. Highly doubt the hotel would be ok with that. And pretty sure underwriters would never approve a liability insurance that allows for it either.
You dang, we clean up after ourselves, unplug it when we are done... there is no harm in this. I have been to hotels that have a communal gas and charcoal grills in the courtyard so that you can host visitors. These were not at Disney, but still. Leave things better than you found them, use common sense, and it’s fine.
Chelsey Parker, and imagine just one guest not taking care to do what you say you do. Imagine one spark and a fire at the property. I’m a business owner. I have strict codes, rules, laws I need to follow. My insurance goes way up if any of them are violated. Suggesting people bring their “toaster to a hotel” is extremely irresponsible. It’s a simple thing to understand.
Tip: If you are flying with snacks and they individually wrapped in mylar (fruit snacks, granola bars, etc.) keep them in the original box! If you take them out to save space, the airport security will need to wand check every single one...you will be that person holding up the entire security line
As Asian and a Filipino we do ALWAYS bring and pack our own food and buy something if we something we want or lack 😅
I love that you included gastric bypass in this!! I went for the first time after surgery in February 6 months post op, and was struggling to even get any info or if there was an reference to Gastric Bypass at all! Thanks!
The baby care centers are a life saver! Often the one or two changing tables in the bathrooms have long lines but the one in the baby care centers (which can also get busy) just feel so much more relaxing. And they clean them and have little covers you can put down and then dispose of...they are just nice little place where you can sit and rest. They also have tiny toilets (but not a lot of privacy) for toddlers.
This is why I love the Disney Dinning Plan. It’s already been budgeted once we’re at the parks & don’t have to give a second thought to eating. Just scan our magic band & continue our vacation. Yes, it would be pricy out of pocket but the freedom it brings is worth it for us.
I mean, you’re Disney Food Blog. You gotta know the food is part of the fun.
Even the Value Resorts have a chief that can make special meals. I have a granddaughter that is allergic to tomatoes and the chief at the hotel care out and made her a personal pizza with white sauce. I was grateful and she was thrilled. He also made a pizza for her twin sister just because he wanted to be fair to both girls.
As a kid, this was our BIG trick for park days! All the snacks with frozen water bottles & CapriSuns (to thaw throughout the day and stay hydrated in the heat). I will say now that we are older, we don’t find ourselves packing snacks anymore. Every family is different and I thank you guys for always sharing why a tip may or may not work for someone.
My gf eats gluten-free AND requires kosher food. Since very few of Disney’s kosher offerings were also gluten free, she mostly brought her own breakfasts and lunches; then for dinner she pre-ordered a kosher meal and worked out the gluten-free aspect with a guest service member.
One thing that was funny; we had dinner at Chefs de France and both the waiter and the chef were visibly distressed that they didn’t have much to offer her for dessert. They wound up bringing her a bowl of fresh berries with a little sugar sprinkled on top. It was very sweet of them!
Into the parks? Almost never. We often make breakfast in the morning, though, at the hotel room, and we definitely bring water into the park. I actually love getting breakfast in the parks, especially the nutella waffle sandwich! I might change my tune, though, next time I go to the parks because I'll be bringing a toddler. God only knows what he'll eat at that point, and we'll bring snacks for him. :)
Oooh... it's hard to say no to a good Nutella Waffle in the morning. You've got a point there!
Why save a Nutella waffle for breakfast? Have it midmorning or as a meal!!
We used to bring ziploc bags with goldfish and cheerios for my granddaughter when she was a toddler. It was great because toddlers can love something one minute then act like you are tying to poison them the next with some foods. lol. I loved it when she was that age though to watch her reactions of seeing everything in the parks.
We bring trail mix to get us through that last long ride line before we go to eat. A few snacks for the room to hold us over. We love micro popcorn for late night in the room. Portable and " fresh". 🍿 Thanks for the great vids AJ. Always my favorite way to start the day!
I watch all of these videos despite knowing I won't be able to go to Disney for years, over in Scotland but definitely wanting to plan a trip in the next few years after uni. Obsessed 🎉🎉❤️
On our Disneyland trip my dad got us a popcorn bucket to share as a family at the beginning of the trip. We also packed our own sandwiches during the day and had breakfast at the hotel every morning. It was great!
Funny story. Our son with cerebral palsy eats PB&J daily for lunch. Having not been to WDW for 10 years, we didn't know what to expect at the "store" (Saratoga Springs we stayed, first time). I found at our home store a half loaf of bread so i thought perfect. Bought a cheap thing of jelly and individual PB containers. Stuffed it in our backpack and I forgot to tell my other son the bread was in his backpack. Well, it was smooshed by the time we got to the hotel! Flying from WI in our 50s, we now can afford this kind of trip. I wouldn't do that again knowing I can buy a loaf of bread ($) at the "local store".
Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches with Go go squeeze and Welch’s fruit snacks
I love Uncrustable sandwiches! They can be kept frozen and will thaw out by lunchtime.
Especially with younger kids we always brought a few snacks. It's easy to even find fun Disney themed snack to bring which they're still excited for. Especially because for us it never failed that while waiting in line for a ride was when they wanted a snack.
Eating out is part of the experience for us. Having said that - Day 1 when we arrive at the resort is making an order from Amazon. Easy breakfast items. Quick energy items. Late-night snacks (chips, salsa, popcorn). Bottled water. We're set for quick snacks in our room if we don't want to head out or if it's late and options are limited but we want to much.
It always pays off in convenience and (to some extent) price. Even when we're leaving a 1/2case of bottled drinks on the table with a note to Mousekeeping offering them a drink on their break.
I have never been to the Disneyland/world in America and I love watching these videos just to see all the amazing things that are there!
Edit: I love your videos AJ and your voice is soo calming! If it were on an audiobook I would listen to it all the time xD
Make that the two of us! I live in an entirely different continent but I love binging DFB videos. It just makes me happy and I kinda feel like I'm there. Plus, AJ's voice is sooo calming.
Ratnasari Cenreng yeah I agree! I live in a different continent as well btw
Haha, well thanks! We appreciate your kind words! 🧡
We always bring food to resorts or into the parks. With little ones bringing snacks is a must. My big food saver if not on free dining is eating breakfast in the room (oatmeal, frozen breakfast sandwiches, etc..) One trip my mom made sandwiches for lunch everyday during our trip into the parks since we had a full kitchen at Saratoga Springs.
I always pack healthyish snacks for the morning for the whole family and leave the afternoon to indulge on Disney’s amazing snacks. I think that’s the perfect balance for my family.
Since we live locally, we eat breakfast at home. Since part of the fun for us is to eat at WDW, we just work that into our budget as part of our visit. But many times our meals are separate from a Disney visit - we used to (i.e., before the coronavirus) love to eat at Boma at the Animal Kingdom Lodge and the Cape May Cafe at the Beach Club. Boy Oh Boy! do we miss going to those restaurants! As soon as the virus isn't a worry for folks who have preexisting conditions, we'll be back!
We bring general prepackaged snacks for our hotel room, to eat if we go back during the day.We eat all our meals at the hotels and parks.The refillable mugs are great to fill before you go to the parks in the morning.Buying the special Disney snacks is a huge part of our vacation.We look forward to that each time.
When I went last December, I brought some pop-tarts and prepackaged muffins from home for breakfast and made coffee in the room. Other than the cost savings, it also made for a calmer start to the day. Lunch and dinner I ate in the park, with some packaged snacks in my bag just in case.
I recommend bringing a couple granola bars and some snack pack and a refillable water bottle. You can get that water bottle refill at anywhere that has a soda fountain for free
😎👍 When we stay at our Wyndham Bonnet Creek resort, breakfast and afternoon snacks are fixed there but always take a frozen bottled water. While returning to a theme park from an afternoon pool break, we stop at nice, off-property restaurants using discounted gift cards or vouchers. On waterpark days, we take snacks along with water then fix and eat dinner at the Wyndham's lakeside barbecue grills.
Here's another saving tip, there's nothing that can stop you from ordering a kids menu in Disney except perhaps at table service restaurants (never went in any, its way out of my budget sorry I can't spend 30-40-50$ per meal + tips) I've ordered several kids meals in the different quick service restaurants, sometimes just ordering 2 kids meal can save money and you end up with even more than the adult portions.
It's good to know that the park allow us to bring outside food to the park, because I think another reason guests don't bring their own food is because they probably assumed no outside food or drinks are allowed. I've been to a few theme parks and entertainment venues that either ask the guests to return their food and/or drinks to the car or to toss them in the garbage before being allowed to enter.
Instead of cold packs in the cooler, freeze 8oz water bottles that are easy to move around in the cooler and will be cold refreshing water in the afternoon. Also no heavy cold packs to lug around; as the bottles are emptied the cooler gets lighter.
I usually do this!
I’m surprised how many people are surprised you can bring your own water! My sister, who has gone to the parks for years, was shocked when I pulled out my own bottle! I said, “hey, it’s either $5 for ONE BOTTLE, or $3 for a 24-pack!” She still sipped it like she was worried the Disney Police were going to throw her in Disney Jail! 🤣
My son and I just went this last week and I was afraid of the same thing 😂😂
Over time I learned to take my snacks and refillable water bottle, we take fruits and small sandwiches.... we always eat one time at any of the restaurants in the parks, we like to just seat and enjoy! Usually the hotel we pick has breakfast included so we do not worry about that...
Good tips.
Especially in Florida, hydrate, hydrate, hydrate.
Sunscreen, sunscreen, sunscreen.
We tend to eat a healthy light breakfast then arrive early at a restaurant for a larger mid day lunch, then take a nap, then relaunch and eat a light on the go evening snack.
We usually order food from grocery stores like light breakfast items such as fruit and bagels, plus snacks and drinks. We just don’t eat huge breakfasts and it’s easy to grab and go. But we enjoy eating out for lunch and dinner.
Agree, I've always brought my own snacks to save time! You'll be surprised how many extra things you can do in your day when you aren't waiting in line for food. Great vid AJ 😊
I always make oatmeal with a banana mashed into it with hot water from the coffee pot in hotel rooms! I just rinse it out well the night before and then fill those paper coffee cups with water and pour it in the back then dump in a packet of oatmeal and put it under the drip. Mash in a banana and pop on the top and you can take it to go. I have celiac disease so knowing I have something in my belly early on makes life easier. We then have lunch somewhere that we have researched as GF friendly (lunch is usually cheaper).
What I liked was how relaxed they could be as well. I have a nut allergy, but because of constant exposure as a child (my parents were a bit forgetful!) my reactions are relatively mild, or I can control them. So I've sometimes told staff in places I had a nut allergy, and they would flat out refuse to serve me most of the menu because of liability! At Disney and other spots in Orlando, I could tell them about my allergy, and then tell them not to worry... and they'd listen! :)
I always bring dry cereal to eat while standing in line waiting for the park to open and keep snacking on the cereal throughout the morning while in lines. When Extra Magic Hour is at 7am and we're leaving the hotel at 6am, nobody is hungry for breakfast that early anyways and we're in a hurry. It's easy to eat dry cereal while in line and walking around. I also always bring apple slices. Then we buy quick service meals in the parks for lunch and dinner.
I freeze my bottled water since it is usually hot in Florida. That way I can always have cold water while simultaneously keeping whatever I need chilled. The food and snacks are usually gone by dinner! Another option to save would be to eat lunch at the park...usually the least expensive option and keep the snacks for dinner.
We have also always frozen our bottled water. Such a great hack 👍🏻
if you have any credits left, even meal credits, you can break them down and use them in the gist shop for novelty candies to take home for gifts for friends
We stayed at the Fairfield Inn for their complimentary breakfast, packed our favorite snacks/drinks and splurged for dinner inside the parks, Disney Springs or resorts.
I’m using your videos to convince my family to go to Disney ❤️ this is part one thank you
My family did the grocery tactic when we went to Disney World this previous January, specifically for breakfast and snack items to save up there.
We bring granola bars and small snacks. We also cut up an apple or two every morning and bring those to go peanut butter cups. It’s a great small and healthy snack that multiple people can share while they are in line for a ride (pre covid). Oh and we also always brings a reusable water bottles and we typically fill them at the food court (with ice) on our way to the bus stop.
We always bring snacks & water into the parks: Beef Jerky, granola bars and PB& J. We also eat breakfast in our timeshare before entering the parks. We will usually eat dinner in the parks, usually or preferably at Disney Springs.
Always look forward to your videos 🥺🙏🏼
I bring snacks but I never end up eating the snacks. I ended up buying food because... Well. Wdw food!
Retweet for sure! 😅 Definitely hard to resist at times.
I've always brought some kind of snack and a water bottle.. though there's only so much you can pack in a suitcase if your flying.. but when we drive to California then we bring lots of food or hit up a Walmart for drinks and stuff
My husband and I eat oatmeal for breakfast at our resort hotel. Stopped taking snacks when the granddaughter was big enough to order her own snacks at the counter. Food and Wine festival is our favorite time to go. Party for the Senses was a big splurge for us. Headed to Disney in October!
I'll have to check what veggie options there are. I'm really glad more places are adding veggie options. As a vegetarian it sucks to go someplace and have little to no options. Glad this is changing. :)
We purchased a small cooler backpack and used those plastic ice packs (not bags of ice). We also packed chicken salad sandwiches, waters and plenty of snacks for the day. We had no problem with security at Disney or Universal. I will say you want a smaller sized cooler backpack so it can fit in the ride lockers.
this is my favourite channel, I enjoy watching your videos
Thanks so much for informing me about these options including plant-based food
We always bring gum, but leave snacks in our hotel since we usually just need a nice cold Disney snack/drink in the parks. We always eat breakfast before going to the parks, plan a quick-service or dine-in lunch in the parks, and try to leave before dinner.
We usually do the dining plan but with that not being an option right now this came at a very helpful time. October 24th can’t come soon enough !!!
i have food allergies so i ALWAYS bring at least a few safe snacks to get me thru the day, just in case. Can often find things, but it can sometimes be tricky... plus, we don't get out to either of the parks all that often, so things can change a lot between visits...
I'm not advocating breaking any rules or local laws, but food/drinks from home is an excellent way to get absolutely turn't in the magic kingdom.
My wife and I once did the late night MK hard ticketed event, and we started the night off with some brownies we brought from home.
Let me tell you: no lines, too late for little ones, 51F degrees outside, unlimited soda and snacks, with your brain somewhere in outer space...best way to do Disney after the age of 30.
We are not huge breakfast eaters so we like to bring easy on the go breakfast stuff. We also bring some single serving snacks they are great for when you get hungry and are waiting in line.
I always bring granola bars or other compact snack and sometimes a PBJ sandwich and water bottle. Snacking while waiting in a line, inconvenience of finding the right snack at the right time, waiting in food lines and cost are most of the reasons. Sometimes I buy snacks if it's right and convenient, and it's good to save money for the awesome but pricey sit down meals. It's all about cost and time priorities.
Last year when I did a big Disney trip while visiting family, we brought “smart” things in to the park so we could eat what ever Disney food we want: freeze dried fruit, peanuts/cashews, granola/protein bars- you know, light weight stuff that will curb that hunger while you wait in line, as well as fill some gaps you might miss from just eating dole whip and pretzels all day
It was also between 85-100 degrees everyday, so we wanted a more balanced eating (though you just can’t say no to those cupcakes)
My family has severe food allergies, I'm so glad you guys have a cheat sheet to help out families like ours 💕
Disney is great at dealing with food allergies. My son is allergic to eggs, dairy and soy. When we went a few years ago the chef always came out to the table to let us know what on the menu was safe and would make something just for him if there wasn't anything
100% we do this. Groceries, breakfast in hotel, snacks and drinks in the parks.
Then we done out or together as a family or something special in one of the parks.but 7 days of meals can add ip
We eat breakfast on our way to the park, and we bring either subs or wraps and chips for lunch. We also freeze water the night before, and being a bunch of snacks for kids some for us too lol that allows us to save up for a nice dinner in the parks.
We’re going in in early October!!! We’re so excited!!!
Have fun!
Good to know about the snack credit and coffee. We are planning a trip.. have never used the meal plan (never been to World) and r thinking about options.. now I know!
Me and my fiancé bring our own snacks,water and gatorade. But buy at least one or two snacks at the park and go out to eat later that night at Disney Springs
We always pack some food. The kid options can be limited so snacks are good to fill them up when they don’t finish their meal. We usually eat a light breakfast to get us out the door. And snack can really save you if your in a long line for a ride or meet and great. We still splurge on dining but we don’t do all 3 meals.
we always pack breakfast foods for a Disney trip and if we stay in a timeshare with a kitchen we buy groceries. Part of the Disney days we bring lunch in and the rest we buy lunch. Some days we go to a nice restaurant and other days we cook. Other trips we might only stay at Disney and get the meal plan in which case we eat our own breakfast before going to the parks....oh and bring a case of water
Thank you so much for mentioning Halal options! That's something I've been really worried about, so I'm glad I have some options
Last time we went, we stayed somewhere with a kitchen and planned to eat one meal at the park each day. We saved for gift cards to buy food those days.
We brought in snacks/lunch. We froze several meals and let them thaw and they were ready to just heat up when we got in.
We also brought “special snacks” that we wouldn’t normally have at home
My family's yearly Holiday tradition is eating Chipotle burritos in the parking lot before heading into the Very Merry Christmas Party at 4pm, then subsisting on free cookies and apple slices till we leave at midnight~ 10/10 best and cheapest way to do the Magic Kingdom
We bring food since the man as well as the kiddo are picky eaters and it saves us time and ofc, money. But, since watching your channel and then visiting your site, i had all the i info i needed to make a list of the things we had to have (or wanted to try, damn delicious footage). We made it in order by park, then by land, then narrowed it down to what rides or area its in just to save on our feet life and time. I honestly saved money thanks to the reviews from your site too! Some of it looked so beautiful too, like art.. but i knew better lol
I mean. its part of the experience to go to a themed disney restaurant
True but if you’re a passholder or go very often it’s definitely worth it to bring snacks because realistically you probably don’t do a sit down every time!
A lot of the restaurants suck.. if you’re used to cooking at home and have a kitchen in your room you can make some pretty good stuff!
We often bring Disney recipes to Disney. Lighthouse Sandwiches, cold main-dish salads from the Crystal Palace or Biergarten or Chef Mickey's, etc. Or we just take sandwiches. We tend to eat lower fat and semi-vegetarian at home, meaning a pure Disney diet leads to upset tummies, so we focus on the Disney foods we most like. For us, Disney is only so-so when it comes to the healthy stuff, but they're great at decadent food.
It was easy to make peanut butter sandwiches and some fruit and cookies, this kept expenses down for when we wanted to eat in wdw . Great memories!!
the mcdonalds on wintergarden vinland was our go to place to save money on our 1st trip! lol!
I've done this, bought drinks that I kept cold in the refrigerator and snacks to both save on money moreover its cuts on time in the morning hours when you want to head out early to get in the parks.
We bring a bag of fun size mixed candy. With all the extra calories being burned running around the parks having a bite or two of candy is a great pick me up in between meals. My kids get a kick out of their mom carrying a bag of candy too, in RL I’m always the one saying no to the candy but on vacation I get bonus points.
One of those people with multiple allergies here! My biggest tip would probably be that if you're hesitant to talk to a chef at any of the table service restaurants, DON'T BE! It's a super easy, quick conversation, and it can get you some absolutely life-affirming results. Disney World was the first place I ever had french fries (Garden Grill), brownies (50's Prime Time), dinner rolls (Cinderella's Royal Table). It was the first place I ever ate leeks (they were in this Creamed Leek soup thing at the Rose and Crown, one of the best meals I ever had), seriously DO NOT feel bad about requesting a chef! If you're anything like me, it'll be no more awkward than giving the waiter The Spiel at any other restaurant, and will end you up with some lifelong food memories to show for it.
I’ve done both depending... but it’s harder then you think to have to will power to eat your own food, when you’re seeing so much yummy food that you don’t have, or can’t access at home. I personally am cheap when it comes to spending money on food so I always play buy cheap food.. splurge every once in awhile.. I make sure to only buy food when I am hungry... and not just bored/moment snacking that saved money too.. and I always bring my own water bottle
with up to 120 day reservations, we generally have our meals arranged. However we supplement with fruits and veggies, specific snacks the kids like (goldfish/yogurt/cheese/milk), american snacks we havent yet tried (from another country), wine/ciders/coolers (for the hotel room) and water.
We have always brought our own food. We do maybe one sit down meal the entire vacation and a few snacks.
I normally have lite breakfast in my hotel room and snacks for late nights. Other than that I eat at the parks or other restaurants. This can be costly so I add true food costs to my vacation budget. Part of my vacation fun is eating out. BUT I mostly traveling solo....if I had kids I think I would do as my parents did and pack lunches. 👍🏾
We usually go to the grocery store to purchase food for the time we are there. We will have one meal in the resort and a nice dinner meal in one of the parks. Snacks yes please, we buy disney gift cards throughout the year before our trip and those are used for souvenirs and snacks for the different parks. Now if we stay for a few days and no kids (our kids are 22 & 23) heck no, I am not cooking. The gift cards come in handy for sure and sometimes we have some leftover for our next trip.
As a local there is no reason not to take your own snacks/ lunch. I have packed a purse like cooler with an ice pack various times, a sub from wawa or Publix, fruits and some water always hit the spot.
We are going on a Disney vacation next year and I was thinking of bringing my own snacks because of zero waste and it will save my family and I some time. It’s better to eat a restaurant there than buy a snack any ways.
I don’t usually eat breakfast as I have to be gluten free and low dairy. As I am from the uk I don’t like to bring food from home but love to go to Erin McKennas on the first day to pick up bakery items for breakfast. I have no issues eating cupcakes for breakfast when I am on holiday and it feel like a treat o be able to get something straight from a bakery