Subsonic Radio

Does anybody have good food tips for streatching the budget in the parks? Like where's the best deal for breakfast etc.?

Disneyland park food is expensive wherever you go. There is an advantage of Disneyland being located in the city. There's plenty of places to eat in the area. Really, I'd leave Disneyland and walk over to IHOP or McDonald's if you're trying to save money.

We drive, so we always have our car with us. We go to Cracker Barrel and other off property eateries to save money. WDW has a lot of them right off property so you don't have to go far.

Cheap as I am I still like eating in the parks. The theming is great at a lot of the food joints.... However, don't waste time in the mornings on breakfast - that's when the lines are the shortest! I bring a box of cereal in the luggage and eat it at the hotel first and hit the parks when the open up.

Also, most places serve up meals big enough to split it seems. I found that if you split meals up 2 ways more or less that still gets you full, leaves room for snacks, and saves some dough. And I skip the sit-down meals, they are pricey, it takes a bit of time, etc. And I'm just not that kinda person anyways so that helps.

I think most motels/hotels in the area have continental breakfasts. I usually do that, or have an early breakfast at McDonalds. I don't recommend skipping breakfast if you can help it- it's good for you.

Or we eat a (late)hearty breakfast, skip lunch in favor of snacks and then dinner either in the park or...Dennys.

And yeah, the dishes, especially the pastas are big enough to share. A turkey leg is something I struggle to finish.

Lion Sleeps Tonight wrote:...or have an early breakfast at McDonalds. I don't recommend skipping breakfast if you can help it- it's good for you.

McDonalds and good for you?? Wha!?!



Anyway, we do breakfast in the room/on the go. Cereal, breakfast bars, granola barst, etc. Its cost effective, good start to the day with a good breakfast. If we have a mini-fridge in our room we do that for milk, if not we just buy the half-pint containers for cereal.

Lunch we used to CS at the parks and then off-site for dinner. This time we're going to try lunch at the room (sandwhiches, chips, etc.) and dinner in the parks. Cost wise we may come out the same or behind considering the cost of TS dining, but its convenient, lunch will be better for us than CS, and we'll have to take breaks with our infant anyway.

In the end, you just have to do what fits your style.

Split plate sounds like a good idea. Do all of the cafeteria style places split them for you, or do you need to do that at the table yourself?

JWG wrote:

Lion Sleeps Tonight wrote:...or have an early breakfast at McDonalds. I don't recommend skipping breakfast if you can help it- it's good for you.

McDonalds and good for you?? Wha!?!

Haha. What, you don't eat greasy sausage mcmuffins and oily hashbrowns everyday?

@disneylandmom: You can just ask the CMs for an extra plate. Usually the food is already prepared on one huge plate.

The last time we went we thought we would save money walking to some of the sit down places across the street. But when the bill came it seemed to be not that much less than we spent for counter service at the park. Plus we had the walk in the heat and the wait to get back in. So this time I think we'll just stay in the park or go to downtown disney counter service. I just had hoped there was some sort of secret I hadn't discovered yet. Split plate seems to be the way to go.

I don't know any current info on Disneyland, but my mum and I tend to split meals to save money. The portions, back in the day at least, were always sizable enough that we could order one meal and share it.

Also, many CS places don't mind if you get the kid's meals for yourself. After all, you could have a kid waiting for you at a table somewhere. They still have plenty of food, but are more inexpensive, especially if you don't split the adult meals.

Redd Rocket's Pizza Port in Tomorrowland. The "Count Down Chicken Fusilli" (in a kind of cream sauce with parmesan and basil, sun dried tomatoes, pretty good stuff) is $9 and can almost feed two adults by itself. Also split the "Far Out Focaccia Bread" with marinara dipping sauce ($5) and you've got two adults fed for $14, in the park, and it's not burgers and fries.

Just one thing we like to do there.

spaulo wrote:Redd Rocket's Pizza Port in Tomorrowland. The "Count Down Chicken Fusilli" (in a kind of cream sauce with parmesan and basil, sun dried tomatoes, pretty good stuff) is $9 and can almost feed two adults by itself. Also split the "Far Out Focaccia Bread" with marinara dipping sauce ($5) and you've got two adults fed for $14, in the park, and it's not burgers and fries.

Just one thing we like to do there.

::drools::

Time to plan my next trip to Disneyland!

Esmeralda wrote:

spaulo wrote:Redd Rocket's Pizza Port in Tomorrowland. The "Count Down Chicken Fusilli" (in a kind of cream sauce with parmesan and basil, sun dried tomatoes, pretty good stuff) is $9 and can almost feed two adults by itself. Also split the "Far Out Focaccia Bread" with marinara dipping sauce ($5) and you've got two adults fed for $14, in the park, and it's not burgers and fries.

Just one thing we like to do there.

::drools::

Time to plan my next trip to Disneyland!

Oh yes! the chicken fusili is my favorite dish at the restaurant, and it's a big portion. Comes with bread, I believe. Mmm.

spaulo wrote:Redd Rocket's Pizza Port in Tomorrowland. The "Count Down Chicken Fusilli" (in a kind of cream sauce with parmesan and basil, sun dried tomatoes, pretty good stuff) is $9 and can almost feed two adults by itself. Also split the "Far Out Focaccia Bread" with marinara dipping sauce ($5) and you've got two adults fed for $14, in the park, and it's not burgers and fries.

That sounds great I will try that out for sure.

Thanks for the ideas everyone they are great! I will definately use them.
You guys are great.