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Category Archives: Best Disney Food
Disney Food for Less – How to save money while at WDW
Planning, Budgeting, and Saving for Walt Disney World Vacations are a way of life at the Chip and Co Household. I am constantly looking for ways to save some extra money so I can make yet another trip to our home away from home.
Each time we go to Disney World we learn some type of new tip and trick to saving money at the parks. While many of these tips work if you are not on the Disney Dining Plan there are still some options for you if you are an avid DDP user. So lets take a look at my ways to help you save money while at WDW.
- First thing I want to mention is water. Did you know you can get water at all Quick Service locations for free? You just walk up there and ask them for a cup of ice water. It is a Florida State law now so save your snack credits/money and just drink water. Bring Mio Water Enhancers to flavor up your water or even Crystal Light packets are small enough to fit in your pockets.
- We all love Kona Cafe. I for one fell in love with Tonga Toast. But did you know just downstairs in the Polynesian Resort at Captain Cooks you can get Tonga Toast for a lot less. Great to grab when you are in a hurry. The menu is pretty limited and there is no Kona Coffee but still if you didn’t want to do the full table service sit down meal just do the Quick Service alternative.
Magic Kingdom Snack Attack – So Many Snacks, So Little Time!
Disney World is known for many things, one of those being their FOOD – they have consistently served up a huge variety of freshly prepared food that uses the best ingredients, oh, and it also TASTES great too! But there is more to Disney Dining than just breakfast, lunch and dinner! There are all those hours in-between meals, that can (and should!) be spent sampling some of the many great snacks that WDW has to offer, and the Magic Kingdom’s snack offering are (in my opinion) some of the best out there!
There are SO MANY places to get snacks at the Magic Kingdom that I could write a whole book about it! Hmm…there’s an idea…but for now, if you want a full list of where you can get your grub on while in the Magic Kingdom, Click Here!
And of course, with the opening of the New Fantasyland comes even more treats and snacks! Those worth trying include the pork shanks and cinnamon rolls at Gaston’s Tavern, and the caramel popcorn available at Big Top Treats!
So where should you go when you find yourself in the Magic Kingdom with an empty rumbling stomach? Well personally, I prefer these snack spots:
Main Street Bakery – located right on Main Street, this is a popular spot largely because of the amazing smells that are usually wafting out of it – cakes, danish, cupcakes, brownies, muffins, turnovers, croissants, plus many more amazing smelling (and equally as delicious tasting!) treats are available here. It’s a great place to grab a quick breakfast, as they serve assorted pastries as well as breakfast sandwiches, fruit, juices, and coffee. The line tends to be pretty long, but it usually moves pretty quickly and before you know it you are enjoying your treats (plural, because who can pick just one?). Beginning early this summer, the Bakery will also feature Starbucks drinks and treats, an added bonus for those coffee lovers out there!
Which Disney Character Meal Is Right For Me?
Disney Character Meals allow you to combine the best of two worlds – character interaction, and FOOD! They are great for those of all ages, and are a perfect way to meet multiple characters at one time!
Character meals are a staple of Disney World vacationing, and I highly recommend you try at least one during your trip. There are usually a variety of characters (between 3 and 5) and they move from table to table and give autographs and hugs and pose for pictures with you. It’s great fun, and will definitely make the adults feel like kids again!
There are a lot of character meal options to choose from at Walt Disney World, so trying to figure out which one(s) to make reservations for can be quite the task. But fear not, as I am about to break it down for you.
Questions to ask yourself when picking your character meals:
Where Will I Be? You’ll want to try and pick your character meals based on which Park you will be visiting on that particular day. For example, if you are planning a day at the Magic Kingdom, you would probably want to pick a character meal in the Park (like Crystal Palace or Cinderella’s Royal Table), or a meal at a closeby Resort on the monorail line, like 1900 Park Fare at the Grand Floridian Resort, or Chef Mickey’s at the Contemporary Resort, or the Lilo and Stitch Best Friends Breakfast at ‘Ohana at Disney’s Polynesian Resort. Knowing which meals are available at the Park you’ll be spending the day in, or at the surrounding Resort Hotels can be a huge timesaver! Otherwise, you will be spending most of your day traveling to get to your character meal, which can definitely take some of the magic out of the experience
Top Five Reasons Why WDW Is The Perfect Adult Vacation Spot
There are many people out there who think of Walt Disney World as a place for kids and families, and it is true that they do cater largely to that crowd. BUT, that isn’t all they do – they work hard to make WDW a place where those of all ages can go to have fun. Personally, I love WDW even more as an adult than I did as a kid, and in case you are on the fence, here are my top 5 reasons why you should give WDW a try for your next adult vacation:
1. It’s Truly a “World” of it’s own – It’s a place where you can forget your stress and cares, and enjoy the rides, sites and characters that are around every corner at WDW. It will make you feel like a kid, and it’s truly one of the best places to have fun and enjoy yourselves!
2. The FOOD – At a lot of other theme parks, the food options range from deep fried chicken fingers and fries to ice cream and hamburgers, without a lot of variety or healthy options readily available. Disney takes Park cuisine to a whole new level – they really do have it all. There are plenty of counter service restaurants around the Parks, where you will find the standard burgers/fries/chicken, but where they also have more unique items like BBQ ribs, salads, sandwiches, soups, paninis, and delicious desserts. If you’re in the mood to relax and enjoy a sit down meal, then there are tons of sit down restaurants that range from casual to fancy with dress codes, and offer fresh seafood, delicious steaks, and plenty of other options. And if you’re more into the “all you can eat” type of cuisine, Disney has some really delicious buffets, some of which are character meals, where you can enjoy a buffet and get the chance to meet and greet your favorite characters all at the same time! We like using Disney Dining for all of our Food News & Reviews!
Hungry? Check Out These “Contemporary Resort” Dining Options
Walt Disney World offers a huge variety of dining options, from snack stands to full 5 course meals with wine pairings and everything in between! Figuring out where to eat can be a difficult decision, and there are a lot of factors to consider. Disney’s Contemporary Resort offers many delicious dining choices, and it’s just a short monorail ride away from the Magic Kingdom, making it the perfect place to go for a meal and a chance to relax and unwind after a long day of rides and fun at MK.
The Contemporary Resort is one of WDW’s Deluxe Resorts, which means it can be pricy to stay at, but it also means that it has more to offer it’s guests, especially when it comes to food!
If you’re looking for a quick bite to eat, you can can head over to Contempo Cafe, the Resort’s Counter Service eatery offering the standard omelettes/breakfast platters for breakfast, an assortment of cold and hot sandwiches and salads for lunch, and flatbreads and pastas for dinner. They also offer a variety of ‘grab n’go’ items as well as assorted beverages and a kid’s menu.
