Food Tips

Eating in the Park

Food can be one of your biggest expenses when visiting the Disney Resort. But with a little bit of planning, you can keep your family fed without breaking the bank!

Here are some tips that have been shared:

Timing! – You’ve heard the term “timing is everything”. Right? Well, as a passholder, you can time your visit to work around any food issues. Are you planning an early visit to the park? Eat a huge healthy breakfast before walking through the gates. This will save you money from getting hungry too early. Then you can enjoy a lunch purchased in the park or one that you’ve brought along with you. If you are going just around lunch time, again, my best tip is to eat lunch before leaving for the park or stop at your favorite lunch spot before entering the park. As is typical, you can purchase food outside of the park much more inexpensively than you can inside of the park.

Snacks – bring your own. Some suggestions are nuts (great protein), carrot/celery sticks, sugar snap peas, fruit, crackers and cheese (with a cold pack – please).

Water – Help cut down on the waste of disposable plastic bottles by bringing your own water in your own bottle! (and make it easier to carry that water around with a great sling!) On a hot day you are bound to run out of water. At any point that you decide to sit and eat food (or really any time) – ask for a cup of ice from any restaurant/food service counter. On a hot day, the water will melt fast enough for you to drink the water but still keep it cool enough to keep you cooled off! Of course, water fountains are always available for free refills (no guarentee on how cool that water will be).

Bring your own food – Officially, DL asks that you leave your soft-sided cooler in the lockers located outside of the park and that you eat in the picnic area outside of the park. However, if you let them know you have “food allergies” you may bring your food (that doesn’t need to be re-heated) into the park. It’s wisest to pick an out of the way area to consume your meal (ie., don’t use up valuable real estate at the outdoor tables nearest restaurants) – and no DL employee will hound you over it. I can’t imagine DL isn’t aware of the rising cost of everything these days. Surely, since you paid the money to get in there, they’ll let you slide if you’re respectfully eating your own food – off to the side.

If you still find you will be purchasing food in the park, here are some options to help you stay within your budget:

Restaurants/Counter Service:

• (DL) Bengal Barbeque - Skewered meats, & veggies $10 or less per person
• (DL) Plaza Inn – Fried chicken, pot roast, pastas, salads. All large enough for two! $10-20pp
• (DL) Redd Rocketts Pizza Port – Pastas & salads $10 pp
• (DL) Tomorrowland Terrace - Burgers, chicken and more (good vegetarian options) $10pp
• (DL) Royal Street Veranda – Soups in bread bowls (yummy!) $10pp (no passholder discount!)
• (DCA) Taste Pilot’s Grill – burgers, chicken, salads (good vegetarian options) $10pp

Tip: Passholders receive discounts at most restaurants and food service counters throughout the DL Resort – including Downtown Disney. The discounts are not good at snack carts.

Quick Carts:

• (DL& DCA) Turkey legs (enough to share for two or three!) $7
• (DL) Corn Dogs – cart outside of “Baby Care Center”) $5(approx)

Tip: If your appetite, sharing ability or budget just doesn’t allow for the purchase of a full meal, order the kids meal! You can only do this at ‘counter service’ facilities – restaurants will not allow this if you are over age.

For more tips and information about eating at the Disneyland Resort: MouseSavers.com