Who eats all meals and snacks at Disney World restaurants and Counter Service?

[diznee25]

I've been reading a thread on the Theme Park Statragy Board about budgeting for trips. When it comes to meals, most people/families will either eat a few meals in their hotel rooms and/or eat off site. (Away from Disney property.)

My husband and I eat every meal and all snacks within Disney World restaurants and couter service places. Are we the only ones?

I understand why many families chose to bring their own breakfast items, or eat off site. My question is just meant for a survey. So no bashing please!

Thanks for your reply,
Diznee25

 

[TDC Nala]

On some trips, when I am staying onsite without a car and not in a DVC resort, I will do this.

I've been known to only eat at Disney counter service on some trips. I don't like dining alone in full service restaurants.

I will more often than not skip breakfast or lunch, so if you mean all three meals every day, I don't fit into that category.

 

[Microcell]

We are budgeting for all WDW meals, but if we get a car we may go off site some or stop at wally world at least for breakfast food, just for the time factor. My kids are ready to eat upon waking, so I have to get them at least some juice and snackie at the very least while Dh and I get ready!

 

[Kae]

we normally always go off site to eat at Cafe tu tu tango, just because we love it. Last trip we Also went to Emeril's new Tchop Chop. But we do not go off site to save money. Most times we stay off site our first nite which is when we go to the off site places.

Kae

 

[Jordan's MOM]

We never go off site to eat. WE SOMETIMES will eat a granola bar or a snack in the room but as DS has gotten older we often skip breakfast and eat the rest of the day in the parks.


Jordan's mom

 

[peanutzmom]

We're from Florida and drive to WDW (so we have a car available for offsite dining), and to be honest, I don't think we have ever eaten offsite! Wait, I take that back -- on our honeymoon ten years ago we went to Capone's Dinner Show. It was the worst meal we've ever eaten. We stay at onsite resorts (value), and we do breakfast at the resort (sometimes a hot breakfast, sometimes just a danish), and either two counter service meals or one counter service at the parks and one sit-down meal in the parks/at the resorts. Maybe we're just used to paying more in general for restaurant meals after living in Florida our entire lives, but we don't find the prices of food at WDW to be *that* overpriced.

 

[disneydragon]

We don't eat off-site at all, so that would mean we eat all of our meals at a counter service or sit down restaurant within WDW.

 

[travellady]

We plan on eating all of our meals on-site same except for the day we take our side trip to Cape Canaveral. There are so many options, and so much variety, we have no desire to go off site. I can eat my way around the World at Epcot, snack my way through MK (can't get through main st. without hot dogs and ice cream), etc. I've never eaten at Tuskers so need to try this out. Also, the food offsite is often part of a chain found in Anywhere USA, I want to fully experience Disney when I'm at Disney.

As far as cost goes, it's much more expensive to eat in the Seattle area so we talk about how much cheaper things are at WDW. And, we vacation in Hawaii - talk about expensive!

 

[MosMom]

No, we eat on site. I do bring some snacks for the kids to keep them happy at meltdown moments. Those types of snacks aren't easy to find in the parks (bags of animal crackers, peanut butter & cracker sandwiches, fruit snacks, etc.). Bribe snacks.

 

[madalex]

We never eat off site. We almost never eat dinner at anything other than a sit-down restaurant. We rarely eat lunch at counter service restaurants. We eat breakfast from the concierge lounge, except when we have a character breakfast.

One of the main reasons we go to WDW is to be immersed in Disney. Why would I want to leave that for a meal when there are so many great dining options on site?

 

[skiwee1]

We always eat all of our meals at WDW. All of our dinners are nice sit downs that are either character meals or at restaurants at the resorts. Our favorites are Ohanas and Kona's and are must dos each trip. We also get counter service for lunch and grab snacks, waters, and drinks in the parks too throughout the day. Breakfasts too are always either a quickie at Captain Cooks, MK Bakery, or the one in Epcot. Some days we eat breakfast at Kona's. We never eat meals in the room unless it's room service! LOL! Most trips we do have our minivan but never use it. I can't see going off property in search of cheap food. I'm on vacation and do not not budget!!

 

[diznee25]

I will more often than not skip breakfast or lunch, so if you mean all three meals every day, I don't fit into that category.

I'm not talking about 3 square meals per day, because I know not everyone eats the same on vacation as they do back at home. For instance, when at WDW my husband and I eat 2 meals a day, plus snacks.
So yes, you do fit in the category!

Like other posters, we find it easy to eat on-site, because we don't rent a car. We admerse ourselves into the Disney way of life. Stay on-site, eat all meals within Disney property and use Disney transportation.

MosMom,

Interesting comment about kids snacks at WDW. I'm not a parent yet so I didn't realize Disney lacked in kiddy finger foods like the ones you mentioned.


Diznee25

 

[shellybaxter]

We've only been once before and are planning to go again the first week in May. Last trip we ate only on Disney property and only in sit down resturants. It was just DH and I and we didn't even go to many buffets (only Boma). This time we are taking Dniece 4 with us and will do more buffets (character meals) and many even some coutner service. I don't think we will ever eat off site if we are staying on site.

Shelly

 

[GoofeeToo]

We always eat lunch and dinner in the parks or one of the resorts. IMO breakfast is not done well at most places in WDW. We often eat breakfast in our room at Old Key West, which is easy since we have a full kitchen, and occasionally at Olivias at OKW or Trails End in the campground. The breakfast buffet at Trails End has to be the best food value in WDW.

 

[EeyoreJMH]

We usually end up eating all of our meals inside the WDW resort. We find it keeps the "magical" experience alive. On our recent trip in January we decided to wander offsite for a few meals and found we didn't like dealing with most of the area traffic. We have so many favorite WDW restaurants that we never run out during a trip.

That said, we did enjoy Macaroni Grille and the Market Street Grille (Celebration) on our last trip. We also tend to have breakfast in our room, since we're DVC members.

 

[connie254]

I don't use a rental car while I'm down at the World(that's MY vacation), so we eat all of our meals within the parks or at the hotel food court. I've taken down poptarts, and some other snacks to eat in the room and Crystal Light so we can have something to eat at night instead of what they have at the hotel.


So yes, there is someone else(actually three of us)

 

[k&a&c'smom]

We do not rent a car anymore, since it would just sit forlornly in the parking lot until we headed back to the airport! When the kids were smaller and the whole family would drive down, we would take snacks like Cheezits and Pop-Tarts, cereal, pop. At that time, we would eat a counter-service meal at lunch, and eat a few sit-down meals for dinner (all at WDW.)

Now, it's only DD(14) and me, so we eat at sit-down rest. for lunch and dinner, we don't bother with snacks as we are too full from the large portions, and only occasionally grab a bagel/danish for breakfast. As others have stated, there are so many good rest. at WDW, why bother to go looking for something off-site?!

 

[magicmouse2]

If we have a hire car we eat a few meals off site. My DH is very fond of New York China Buffet in LBV. I like the Ponderosa steakhouse. Last trip we stayed onsite without a hire car and DH was grumpy about not getting his chinese food. We arent keen on Nine Dragons restaurant in Epcot.

 

[Uncleromulus]

Other than a few meals in Celebration, we have always eaten BLD on-site.

 

[Leota]

We always eat onsite also - Haven't left the World yet - This trip, we will be venturing over to Universal/IOA & will eat on-site there. Food is always figured into our travel budget. All 3 of us consider it an integral part of our vacation

That said, I do stop to bring water, soda & some munchies for the room.