Family Travel on a Budget: Finding Cheap Food at Disney World

 Yes, there are ways to buy cheap food at Disney World. No matter how big one’s family is, it is imperative to save money at Disney if you ever want to experience it without breaking the budget. And the way to start saving is to reduce your food costs with these tips.

The biggest thing that will help you save money at Disney World is having as much information as possible. Don’t be afraid to ask for tips from friends and family. Join a Disney planning Facebook group. Read all the blogs (and there are many) you can find.

While there has been a lot written (especially on this site) about this topic, it never hurts to know more! To help get your family to Disney World at an affordable price, check out these tried and true tips focused on finding cheap food at Disney World.

How to Find Cheap Food at Disney World

1. Bring in your own.

Many people don’t know you can bring in a small soft-sided cooler (think lunch box size). Fill it with bottled water, juice boxes, snacks, and even sandwiches for the kids. This is especially helpful if you are one of the millions of families who deal with food allergies. Disney World is really good about helping families who have to be conscious of ingredients, but the truth is if you can bring it from home it’s always safer. Spend your money on the fun food…like ice cream!

TravelingMomTip: Freeze the water and juice so it stays cold and acts as an ice pack for other food.

2. Hit the fruit stand.

One of my favorite places to stop for cheap food at Disney World is in Magic Kingdom. The fruit stand near Liberty Square is amazing! They have huge, beautiful pieces of whole fruit for really affordable prices. Some are as low as $1. As a bonus, it’s healthy!

TravelingMomTip: Look for GoGo Squeez throughout Disney Parks for an inexpensive, healthy snack. Or buy it at the grocery store and bring it in!

3. Eat off-site.

I LOVE staying on property at Disney World and eating on property too. I have been lucky to stay in some of the nicest hotels there. However, when you are traveling with a big  brood, renting a vacation home or condo or staying in a nearby hotel like the Wyndham Lake Buena Vista can save you thousands on lodging as well as on your food budget since you won’t be eating at a restaurant for every meal. Even if you are staying at a Walt Disney World Resort, think about heading off property for some meals to save some money. There are some great Chick fil A’s very close!

TravelingMomTip : I’ve been really impressed with the selection of vacation homes through Vacatia.com and with a Publix grocery store nearby you can actually have home cooked meals!

4. Have kids share adult meals.

The kids meals at Disney World are nutritious and delicious but they can really add up when you have to buy a bunch of them. Try to have two kids share one adult meal. They’re big enough! You can also buy a double hamburger and pay for an extra bun. Put one patty on each bun and voila…two burgers! TravelingMomTip : Head to Disney Springs’ Splitsville for some amazing pizza the whole family can share.

5. Bring treats from home.

One of my favorite ways to save money at Disney World is to do some pre-shopping at home for souvenirs and special treats for the kids. The Disney Store or even Target offers Disney branded things like t-shirts, socks, pajamas, water bottles and even Disney candy and other small tokens the kids will love. Sure, you could buy everyone a $5 cookie, or you could bring a dozen from home for the same amount. TravelingMomTip: Don’t want to pack it all? Look into have the Disney Store, Target or Amazon.com deliver directly to your hotel or condo. Or go to the Disney Outlet store near the resorts.

Want some more ways to find cheap food at Disney World? Check out this amazing post from Karen Locke, Roadtrip Planning TravelingMom, about all the things that are FREE at Disney World.