Ways to Save Money at Disney

Ways to Save Money on Dining at Walt Disney World

Destinations in Florida and Disney Gal Travel Agent Dawn is back to give us all some great tips on how to save money on dining at Walt Disney World

Here are a few ways you can save on dining at Walt Disney World. There are plenty of discounts off property, but logistically that might be a problem for most, especially if you don’t have a vehicle. The first thing that comes to mind is;

·      Walt Disney World Passholder Program - Dining Discounts at Walt Disney World Resort Theme Parks. Enjoy dining discounts at various Disney restaurants. Reserve online or by calling (407) 407-939-3463. This discount is valid for the Passholder and up to 3 Guests. The locations at WDW that offer dining discounts are; Animal Kingdom, EPCOT, Hollywood Studios, Downtown Disney & the Boardwalk, plus some of the Moderate & Deluxe Disney Resort Restaurants.

·      Free Disney Dining offered at certain times of the year, generally slower non-peak periods like the FALL Season.

·      Also mention if you are an AAA member & see if that helps, it could possibly save you 10% to 15% per meal.

·      Tables in Wonderland - (TIW), offers Florida Residents, DVC members and Annual Passholders 20% off of all food and beverage purchases at the participating Disney restaurants. It is a membership program with annual fees and each card is good for up to 10 guests.  The card is valid for one year from the date of purchase. The price is $100.00 for an Annual/Seasonal Passholder, $50.00 for a second card. For a Florida Resident who is not an Annual/Seasonal Passholder, the cost is $125.00. It is $50.00 for lost/replacement cards. The TIW Card can be purchased at any Disney Guest Services location. You must be over 21 for TIW membership. Also, If you are dining at a Disney Resort with valet parking and are using your TIW card, they will waive the valet parking fee. You will incur an 18% gratuity added no matter the party size. The TIW discount is not available on holidays. Interested call- 407-566-5858

·      Florida Residents & Disney Visa members also receive special discounts at various Disney restaurants. Check out Disneyworld.go.com under special offers.

·      Restaurant.com is another way to save on dining

·      Costco.com

·      Groupon.com

There are also coupons available at Orlando welcome centers, tourist bureaus, gas stations, but most importantly online- just research in advance…….

*One important tip in planning your dining. Book 180 days out- especially at “Be our Guest” & some of the faves like Victoria & Albert’s & “Cindy’s Royal Table” & be patient, something might possibly open up. If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.*

ESPN Club Review

Down at the Boardwalk

Disney’s Boardwalk, located just behind the Disney Vacation Club Resort Boardwalk Inn, is one of our favorite places to just roam around.  It usually isn't that crowded, there’s a lot to do and the scenery is superb.  With ESPN Club, Kouzzina’s, Flying Fish and Big River Grille all on site, the variety of food choices rival Downtown Disney.  After a long day of traveling, we decided that dinner on our first night back at Walt Disney World would be at ESPN Club since we hadn't eaten there before.   It helped that it is literally a few minutes walking distance from Epcot and a great place to spend some time before catching IllumiNations.

Look! No wait!

Unless there’s a major sporting event going on, advanced reservations aren't needed.  We were seated within fifteen minutes of arriving.  A true sports fans would revel in the attention to detail put into creating the ultimate sports cave.  Every inch of the restaurant is peppered with sports memorabilia. There are televisions everywhere, including over every stall in the bathroom, ensuring no play is missed on a game watched here.   There’s even a desk in the center of the restaurant where ESPN shows are actually taped when special events occur in the Orlando area.  This is the sports bar of all sports bars, but at the same time, very family friendly, despite the absence of booster seats.  Since our entire family was dressed in Michigan Wolverines attire, most people thought we were there to watch a Michigan game.  Some fans we are! We had no clue about any Michigan games being televised that night and just responded "Go Blue!" to anyone who asked us about it.

Yummy chicken nuggets

We were all pretty hungry and ordered as soon as we sat down.   The foodie in me was curious about the Over/Under burger, while poor hubby just wanted to eat.  Mr. UberPicky, quickly scanned the menu and just ordered a plain burger and fries.  Considering the reputation of “extreme burgers” at this restaurant, I thought his order was a bit disrespectful to the chef and after seeing my jaw drop, he called the waitress back to our table and ordered the Tailgate Pulled Pork sandwich in addition to his bare burger.  Our children were happy to split a kid’s chicken nugget meal; one eating the chicken and the other enjoying the fries and fresh fruit salad.

Over/Under Burger

The Over/Under burger was pretty darn good.  Who would have thought about lobster salad and lettuce on a burger?  There was more than enough lobster justify the $19 price tag, a number noted on this trip since we weren't on the dining plan for the first time since creation.  The aussie peppercorn crust on the burger came across a bit more salty than I expected, even then I wished it had bacon, but I would definitely order it again.  The chicken nuggets were crispy, juicy and tasty.  The pulled pork was cooked to perfection, but my husband thought the sauce was a little overbearing.  The fries that accompanied everyone’s meal were great, too.  The sangria wasn't my favorite, but a long day traveling meant an adult beverage was sorely needed.  There wasn't an empty plate (or glass) on the table as when left.

ESPN Club is a good option if you’re in the area and don’t have advanced reservations for dinner.  Remember to tell the wait staff if you have allergies because we found out the hard way that the seafood and fries are fried in the same oil, and missed IllumiNations looking for a remedy to my husband’s swollen lips.  Despite his allergic reaction, we enjoyed our dinner and would encourage any sports fan to stop by, especially if they are at Disney World during a major sporting event. I am certain that would make for an unforgettable evening!

Lottie Ferguson, Honorary Gal
@CrunchyDisneyMa

Resorts vs. Rental Homes

For years, our family has been, Disney Purists.  We faithfully ride Magical Express, love the Disney Dining Plan, rely solely on Disney Transportation, and enjoy "coming home" to a different resort every trip. During our trip this month, we had the opportunity to stay with friends in a five bedroom, three bathroom, rental home in Davenport, Florida, about 25 minutes away from the parks.  We were a bit reluctant to accept the offer, since it felt like we were cheating on Mickey, but thought it would broaden our vacation view, since we’d sworn off staying anywhere other than “on-property” ten years ago.  Would we consider staying in a rental home again? Read on to find out.

Transportation
I cannot tell you how much we missed Magical Express.  Traveling with two children, ages 3 and 1, meant we had lots of stuff; three suitcases, two backpacks, two car seats and a stroller.  Magical Express allows you to drop off your luggage at your departure airport and not see it again until it was in your room.  Since car seats aren't needed (or allowed) on Disney transportation, this was the first time we had to drag ours along, and it wasn't fun.  After getting everything into our rental car, we did love having our own transportation to and from the parks.  Traffic and parking was not as bad as we expected and since we’re annual pass holders, parking was free.  Having a car is much easier than wrangling kids and strollers on a crowded Disney bus.  The euphoria of being our own drivers quickly withered away when we realized we’d have to return the car and drag all our stuff through a long line to an airport ticketing counter.  If there was a way to use Magical Express and have a rental car waiting at our Disney resort, I’d be the first person to sign up.

Try getting this shot from a Magical Express bus...much easier in your own car!

The Dos and Don'ts to a Magical Disney Dining Experience

Trying to figure out the ins and outs of Disney dining can be just as overwhelming as planning your actual Disney vacation.  By following these few simple Dos and Don’ts I can help you take the stress and worry out of planning your Disney dining! 

Week 1 Do and Don’t

Do Make Advanced Dining Reservations.

Don’t be afraid to try something new.

Do get a Disney Dining Plan

The Disney Dining Plan is an add-on to the Magic Your Way vacation packages, which include room and park tickets. The Disney Dining Plan is only available to those guests that will be staying at a Disney Property Resort. Not only can the Disney Dining Plan save you money, it can also take the guesswork out of having to budget for your dining once you arrive at Disney World. When you choose to add the Disney Dining Plan, you are essentially pre-paying for a certain number of meals and snacks. For each night of your stay, each guest over the age of three on your reservation gets an allocation of quick service meals, table service meals, and snacks, the number of which depends on which dining plan you choose. Disney offers three dining plan options: the Quick Service Dining Plan, which provides two quick service meals and one snack per person, as well as one resort refillable drink mug per person. The Basic Dining Plan gives you one quick service, one table service, one snack, and one resort refillable drink mug per person. Finally the Deluxe Dining Plan offers three meals (quick service or table service), two snacks, and one resort refillable drink mug per person. The Disney Dining Plan can end up saving you up to 25% on dining at Disney World. 

Don’t forget to leave enough travel time to get to your dining destination.

Whether you are eating at a restaurant that is in the park you are attending or you are traveling somewhere else within the Walt Disney World resort, make sure you leave yourself enough travel time. For example, if you are attending the Mickey’s Backyard BBQ dinner show at Disney’s Fort Wilderness, you are asked to arrive 30 minutes prior to show time. Not too bad, right?  However, once you arrive at the resort, there is a twenty-minute motor coach ride to the pavilion. So you would want to leave about 90 minutes early in order to arrive on time. If you are dining within the park you are attending that day, you want make sure you leave yourself enough time to walk to where ever it is that you are dining.

Be sure to check back next week to see what my next Disney Dining Do and Don’t will be!

Written by Meghan Blair, the "Disney Foodie" -- As a Florida Resident, Meghan combines her love of Disney and her love of food! She will give you the best restaurant and dining tips and suggestions to make your meals, just as magical as the rest of your vacation! Book your next vacation with Meghan by clicking this link.