Disney Dining – How to Eat Well, Control Spending, and Save Money on Your Disney World Vacation
March 21st, 2010 | 
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Once you have purchased Disney World park tickets, hotel rooms, airfare, and maybe a rental car, your next biggest expense will be food. Food is also the most controllable of all your vacation expenses. In this article I will explain how you can slash your food spending while still eating well.
If you are serious about saving money on your Disney World vacation, before leaving home you should establish a food budget and decide how much you are prepared to spend on food every day.
Don’t forget to include snacks and drinks in your plans as these small items can add up to a significant amount over a seven day vacation. If you don’t have some kind of a budget in mind, your food spending can easily get out of control.
In my opinion, it is important to have some idea on where and when you will be eating your meals. If you will be mostly eating fast food in the parks this is not so vital, but if you plan on eating at some of Disney World’s fine dining restaurants, some planning in the form of advance reservations is advisable and often necessary.
You should also decide if you plan on attending a character breakfast or dinner during your stay at Disney World. These expensive but fun activities add a treasure trove of happy memories to any Disney vacation. Here again, advance reservations are required.
If you want to take the guess work out of your food budget, consider buying a Disney vacation package that includes the Disney dining plan. The Disney dining plan is offered as either a basic or deluxe option.
The basic plan includes one counter service meal, one snack, and a table service meal each day.
The deluxe plan offers three meals a day at any kind of Disney restaurant, and in any combination you choose.
If you decide that the dining plan is for you, I recommend that you make reservations for table service restaurants in advance as the popular meal times fill up fast.
Free Ice Water
Ask for ice water instead of soda when ordering food from counter service restaurants. It’s free!
Sodas are expensive and in the Florida heat, water will quench your thirst better than soda and save you money.
The average soda in the parks cost around $2 and this adds up fast. If you are a family of four and drink two sodas each a day for seven days, you will spend over $100 dollars. Cost of Ice Water – Zero!
Ask For A Sandwich Instead Of The Meal Package
At counter service restaurants, the menus very often list only a price for a meal package which
usually includes French fries (chips to our UK friends), or potato chips (crisps in the UK) and a drink. This does not mean that you have to buy the whole meal.
Sandwiches and other items can be purchased separately but you have to ask. Disney does not volunteer this information. Savings can be $2 or more per sandwich when compared to buying the whole meal package!
If you buy the full meal package consider sharing. Portions at Disney World are large, one meal can satisfy two light eaters and cuts the cost in half.
Bringing Your Own Food Into The Parks
Bring power bars, chips, and candy that won’t melt to the parks with you. It’s amazing how those
little snacks you buy throughout the day add up.
Disney have a policy of not allowing outside food in the parks, but as long as you don’t try to bring in large coolers, glass bottles, alcohol, etc. they seldom enforce it. I have never had a problem.
Eat Your Main Meal At Lunch Time
If you want to enjoy a meal at one of Disney World’s premiere restaurants but are put off by the cost, consider eating your main meal at lunch time. The portions are a little smaller though still
substantial and the cost per meal is drastically reduced, sometimes by as much as half the dinner price.
Order Only Appetizers And Dessert
Another good way to try out high price Disney restaurants is to only order appetizers, desserts, and perhaps a cocktail or specialty coffee. This tactic allows you to sample the food and ambience without paying for the expensive entrees.
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Tags: Character Breakfast, Deluxe Plan, Disney World Vacation, Food Food, Leaving Home, Saving Money, Service Restaurants, Treasure Trove