One of the best strategies I have found to plan an affordable Disney family vacation has been to try to save money on food, as that can be a big budget-buster if you are not careful.
Now having said that, I will admit to the fact that I find eating at Disney World to be one of the best attractions there. =) Still, there are definitely ways to save money on food in a variety of ways and still partake of lots of deliciousness too!
Tip #1 involves having a frig or mini-kitchen in your room. Many hotels near Walt Disney World offer mini-suites with a small kitchen in them, and in addition to having more space, the frig and microwave can be extremely useful. If you are staying on Disney property, even in the basic hotel rooms, you can request an in-room refrigerator. The few dollars per day that you will pay will be more than offset by your savings on food. We always use the frig to store milk, juice, water, and some easy breakfast basics. Bring or buy some cereal or bagels, and you have a healthy, inexpensive breakfast each morning. Plus it is a time-saver too, when trying to get to the parks bright and early each day. If you make it a habit to return to your room each afternoon, take the in-room meals a step further and get some easy lunch fixings too: you have now provided two meals per day for substantially less than what you would pay in the parks. Splurge on a nice dinner and you won’t feel deprived at all, and will in fact feel quite proud of how economical you are!
Tip #2 is to bring snacks with you. Simple trail mix, crackers, some fruit, all help provide a healthy, and cheaper alternative to lots of expensive snacks in the parks. Bring your own water as well: you will save a boat-load of money here too, plus you will always have water when you need it, which is important on those hot summer days in Florida! Refill when passing water fountains and you will be fine!
Tip #3: consider sharing meals, especially if you have young children. Disney does not have a problem if you want to split a table service meal, and many folks often divide a counter service meal between multiple kids, or parent/child. In our experience, Disney is extremely generous with food proportions, so much so that if we ate everything on our plates, we would be absolutely stuffed! Splitting meals saves dollars and also creates less waste, and that’s a good thing. Another option is to take the leftovers with you if portable, and put them in your…you guessed it!…in-room frig for lunch (or even breakfast lol!) the next day.
So there you have it! Three very easy ways to save a lot of money on food while at Disney World. If you are trying to plan an affordable Disney family vacation, consider any or all of these tips to help you eat healthfully…and inexpensively too!
Have a magical day!
Related posts:
- Saving Money on Food at Disney World and Still Eating Like Royalty
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- Affordable Disney Vacations Step by Step. Part Fourteen: 10 Easy Tips to Reduce Your Food Budget
- This Week’s Disney Chatter at Chip and Co.? Saving Money on Meals
- Epcot Food and Wine Festival: Tips for Eating Your Way Around the World
