15 Ways to Save on Food at Disney World

Preparing a trip to Disney World can be overwhelming. The tickets and hotels can be quite expensive, but the food is one of the most significant expenses. For those who don’t feel that the Disney Dining Plan is a good fit, there are still ways to save on food at Disney World.

Eat a big breakfast.

You’ll be less likely to spend money in the parks if you eat a substantial breakfast. A simple snack or appetizer should hold you over until dinnertime.

Cook your food.

If you have a cabin at Fort Wilderness, you’ll have a full kitchen and a view of various wildlife. Other hotels offer suites with microwaves. Find out which rooms provide these before you book. You can buy microwave meals and still save money, or try cooking from scratch.

Order pizza.

There are no rules that you have to order the house pizza at any Disney hotel. Check online to find other pizza places in Kissimmee and order from there. You can store any leftovers in the fridge and reheat the pizza later.

Fill up on snacks.

Epcot is the ideal place to snack. You can try something new in each country. Buy one or two items in each section and share between everyone in the group. You’ll be full before you reach the end, often without spending much at all.

Ask for Disney cards.

If there is a birthday or another special event approaching before your trip, request Disney gift cards instead of other gifts. With even a few small cards, you’ll be able to save quite a bit.

Get a Landry’s card.

Landry’s has several different restaurant chains, including T-Rex, Yak & Yeti and the Rainforest Café in Disney World. If you sign up for the Landry’s Select Club®, you will pay $25, but that is credited back to you when you use the card for the first time. You’ll also be given an extra $25 if it’s your birthday month and you earn one point per dollar spent.

Order your groceries.

If you don’t have transportation to go shopping, you can use an online grocery service. Or try ordering from Amazon and having everything delivered. Your hotel will keep packages for you for up to two weeks before arrival.

Drink water.

A straightforward method of saving money is just to drink ice water at the restaurants you visit. Not only will water hydrate you better than sodas, but it is also free. For a family of four, you can easily save $10 per meal.

Skip dessert.

You will find that dessert is rarely necessary. Sit down restaurants will charge a nice fee for a sweet treat, so skip it. If you need something to finish a meal, stop by a quick service place and grab something small and cheap.

Take snacks with you.

There’s no reason you can’t bring some granola bars, fruit or even sandwiches with you into the parks. Small children will appreciate being able to eat straight away when they get hungry. Most children don’t do well waiting for food, have a granola bar on hand to give them.

Share food.

Many Disney portions are enormous. You can easily split them between a couple of people, mainly if one of those people is a child. Small kids will be able to fill up quickly from Mom or Dad’s plate, and you save yourself $7-10 for a kids’ meal.

Do character breakfasts, not dinners.

Breakfasts with characters are better because they allow you to spend less. Your child will still meet all the top characters for the location, but you don’t have to pay as much. Chef Mickey is one of the best-priced character breakfast options.

Stick to appetizers.

If you’re not very hungry, don’t order a big plate of something you won’t finish. Instead, order an appetizer. It should be enough food to keep you going until the next meal.

Save leftovers.

Take your leftovers with you. Most rooms have fridges now so that you can save your food for a midnight snack or even breakfast. Within the park, it’s easy to pull out the snacks a little later so your kids can eat while waiting for the parade or in line for a ride.

Celebrate something.

Is it your anniversary? A child’s birthday? If you’re celebrating, you can pick up a celebrate pin and enjoy some special recognition throughout the day. This attention may even include free dessert in some locations.
Disney World is never going to be cheap, but you can save quite a bit of money by planning ahead. These easy tips allow you to keep more money in your wallet, where it belongs.

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