Dining at Disney on a budget is a manageable feat when you are willing to forego some of the more traditional options. A lot of guests just opt for what is the easiest to set up and grab both when booking their trip and then while they are on vacation. Doing this can be slightly less than planning out all your meals at the resorts and park, but it does not allow for customization or any further savings that you could easily realize when dining on a budget.
To help keep the cost of your Disney vacation down use these tips to help you budget.
Opt For a Limited Meal Plan
A lot of the meal plans are pretty restrictive when it comes to when and where you can eat, and missing even one or two meals over the duration of your stay might mean you miss out on those paid meals entirely. Instead of choosing a full meal plan where every meal is covered, or even two out of three per day, opt for a limited plan that just provides for maybe one meal per day. Doing this gives you a lot of flexibility, the chance to choose the best priced meal offered on the plan and keeps you on budget overall.
Share Meals Family Style
Eating family style at Disney is not always possible when you are dining at one of the many restaurants. Some are a little more relaxed than others, but those dining rooms that require reserved seating are strict about every diner ordering for themselves. Opt for walk in restaurants or food stalls that you can order a meal from. Look for family style options like pizza, hamburger deals and baskets in order to share meals. This ensures that you only order what you know you can eat, saving money and reducing food waste.
Put Credit Card Rewards To Work
If you have been saving up credit card reward points, put those towards a special meal at Disney, either a character meal or one of the more expensive restaurants. Some credit cards offer you the ability to redeem for Disney gift cards that can then be used on property to pay for the meals that you have at the parks. This is a great way to splurge and enjoy a special meal without having to pay directly from your planned budget.
Pack Meals and Snacks
Unlike so many other theme parks, Disney is great about letting guests bring their own food and drinks into the park. Use this opportunity to pack a meal each day, along with some snacks. Snacks are a great way to eat on the go when everyone is having too much fun to stop, as well as a great way to tie kids over until you get off a ride and have the chance to sit down. A backpack, small cooler or lunch bags can easily fit lunch for an entire family and there are plenty of tables and picnic areas around the park to sit and eat up.
