Dining in Disney World can be quite expensive. Water bottles cost $4, a turkey leg costs $12, and the classic Mickey's Kitchen Sink Sundae at Plaza Ice Cream Parlor costs a whopping $17. With ticket prices ranging from $108 to $489 per person, it's hard to go to Disney on a budget. That's why I'm here to guide you on how to Disney dine for dimes, and not for hundreds of dollars.
1. Eat breakfast before you go to the park
Do not think about skipping out on breakfast because you will walk about 30,000 steps in just ONE day of Disney! You need to make sure you eat a healthy and filling breakfast. Eat breakfast at home or at your hotel. Don't order room service: instead, go to the local Publix or Walmart to stock up on cereal, milk, and eggs. If you decide to dine in for breakfast at the park at the Be Our Guest restaurant, be prepared to pay $24 for scrambled eggs for one person. (Disclaimer: This is not an exaggeration. Look up the menu!)
2. Bring lunch, snacks, and water
As morning turns to the afternoon, your breakfast begins to wear off after about 10,000 steps of running around the park. The humidity and the sun do not make you feel much better either. It's time to eat lunch! My family always makes sandwiches and brings healthy snacks, like nuts and fruit. This will keep you satisfied until dinnertime.
3. Eat dinner at restaurants with one dollar sign!
On the Disney website and app, there is a list of all the Disney Restaurants. You can filter them by the park and by the price. Look for restaurants with one dollar sign ($) because these are the cheapest places to eat, so you get more for your money. At the Magic Kingdom, my family likes to eat at Cosmic Ray's Starlight Cafe, Columbia Harbour House, or Pinnochio Village Haus. These restaurants are counter service, but don't be fooled — the menus are quite extensive and have healthy options!
At Epcot, my family and I each choose a country and get take-out from that country. My mom, sister, and I usually get Udon noodles from Japan and my dad gets a turkey leg from America (even though it's $12, we stick by tradition). The counter service restaurants have beautiful atmospheres and comfortable seating, so don't worry about not getting the same experience as dine-in customers. Please don't go to sit-down Disney dining restaurants even though it can be quite tempting! Counter service will save so much money for families on a budget.
4. Treatyoself and get dessert!
How can you go to Disney and not get a Mickey ice cream or a Mickey pretzel? It's basically sacrilegious! Disney has the most delicious desserts, from churros to caramel popcorn. After a long day of burning calories nonstop, go ahead and splurge on that dessert you've been eyeing all day. You deserve it! You are on vacation after all.
By using my techniques, food for the day will cost well under $100 when it could cost hundreds eating every meal at Disney World. Be smart and save at Disney World by following my advice on Disney dining for dummies!
