Disney’s Dining Plan is a fun way to experience Walt Disney World. I’ve done it twice during a free promotion.
For those not aware, Disney typically offers 3 types of Dining Plans. There is a quick service, a standard, and a deluxe dining plan. For the purposes of this discussion, I’ll mention the most common: The Standard Dining Plan.
This plan includes 1 quick service meal with a drink, 1 table service meal with a drink, and 2 snack credits. This plan usually runs $78.01 per adult per night or $30.51 per child per night at a WDW resort hotel.
During this current pandemic, access to meal plans has become temporarily unavailable. With less capacity in restaurants and some, like BOMA, still closed, offering a plan isn’t currently feasible.
What does this mean for you? Well, it means you’re paying out of pocket for your meals.
When I am on a dining plan, I tend to choose the most expensive restaurants and the most expensive meals within those restaurants. When I pay out of pocket, the opposite is also true.
My purpose in writing this article is to give you my humble opinion on the best bang for your buck food options on Disney Property. For brevity, I’m sticking with my top 3 in each category.
Snacks
Who doesn’t love a Mickey Bar or a Dole Whip on a hot day in the parks? Snacks are a fun party of the Disney experience.
The problem with snacks is this; they get expensive quickly. For my family of 6, $36 buys us 6 Mickey Bars! For real!
When paying out of pocket, the best bets for snacks are as follows:
- Popcorn. It both smells and tastes delicious. You can purchase a cute tub on the first day in the parks and refill it for $2 in every park. That, my friends, is a sweet, sweet deal by Disney Standards.
Thing 4 and I purchased a Toy Story Alien popcorn bucket in Christmas Pajamas. He is so fun AND his mouth opened to give us easy access to popcorn whenever we got the craving.
At $25, the Alien was pricey. While he did make for a fun souvenir, the standard buckets run $10 or $12 and would work out just as well.
2. Bakery Treats at the various Starbucks park destinations. Trolly Cart Café in Hollywood Studios is my FAVORITE. From the carrot cake cookie to the “Butterfinger” cupcake, their offerings are to die for. Sidenote: did you know you can purchase discounted Starbucks gift cards and use them to purchase these delectable treats? I take some with me every time I got to Disney World.
3. The Kringla Bakeri Og Cafe in Norway. Yum, yum, yum! So many delicious options to choose from! The famous school bread is one that my family members swear by (to me it’s a bit dry but to each their own). At $4.49, this treat is potentially shareable (depends upon who you ask) and a great Disney value.
Quick Service
Don’t want to stop having fun to wait for a table? No problem! Walt Disney World hosts many delicious options for eating on the run. Some of them are a better deal than others!
- Sunshine Seasons in Epcot. So many great choices here! I love the variety and the fact that everyone in my family can find something they enjoy.
One of our favorites to share is the turkey sandwich on focaccia. It is HUGE. This sandwich and sides easily feed two people. At $12 to feed 2, this deal can’t be beaten.
2. Earl of Sandwich in Disney Springs. My mouth is watering right now thinking of this gem. For $7.99 you can get your hands on the most delicious Holiday Sandwich (think turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce etc). It is a sub and VERY filling. My husband won’t share, so I get my own and sometimes eat it all. You could split this, especially if eating sides. No trip with Walt Disney World is complete without sampling one of these.
On my last trip, I ran out of time. I actually purchased a sandwich at 8 pm, put it in the fridge at our place, and warmed it up for breakfast the next morning. I’m serious when I this is a non-negotiable meal for me.
3. Sandwiches, soups, salads and quiche at Les Halles Boulangerie-Patisserie.
I took my kids for dinner here once and spent substantially less than I would have at any other quick service. No entrée goes beyond the $8 range. Correction: the Nicoise is $9.75. Most things are much less. Want lobster bisque in a bread bowl? $5.75! Quiche perhaps? $6.50! This gem that is somewhat tucked back is awesome! Polish off your meal by sharing a box of Macarons and this experience has been deemed a success!
Table Service
Wanting to do a sit-down experience without breaking the bank? Here are my top 3 suggestions.
- Yak and Yeti in Animal Kingdom. Nestled in the heart of Asia in Animal Kingdom, the theming on this gem is fantastic. Set as the home of a wealthy landowner in Nepal, the restaurant is full of fascinating artifacts.
The food offerings are expansive and will appeal to any taste palette. Want a burger? They’ve got an amazing Kobe beef option. Into raw fish? I hear the Ahi Tuna Nachos are to die for!
What makes this a bargain is a fact that Yak and Yeti is part of Landry’s chain of restaurants. What this means for you is that you can use discount Landry’s gift cards to purchase your meal! If you are part of the Landry’s club, all your normal benefits, like priority seating, also apply here.
Note: You can also apply these same savings to dining at T Rex and Rainforest Café. I mention Yak and Yeti specifically because it is my favorite. Thing 4 is in love with Rainforest Café and would argue that it should have been my first choice.
2. Breakfast at Whispering Canyon Café. Can I just say, I love this restaurant! Located at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge Resort, just off the front lobby, this restaurant is a gold mine.
I highly recommend dining here for breakfast, particularly if it happens to be during the holiday season! This Christmas Tree in the Wilderness Lodge is breathtaking. The offerings are not only delicious but for Disney, the price point isn’t terrible. The country potatoes that come with the ham and cheese omelet and skillets are downright addictive.
What adds to the charm is the lively wait staff. Need more water? You may be treated to a rather LARGE refill. And you NEED to ask for ketchup. Just do it. You will not be disappointed.
3. Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater. Is this food my absolute favorite? No. Have I gone more than once? YES!
Sci-Fi Theming is so much fun! Imagine being in a 50’s automobile at a drive-in movie playing B rated Sci-Fi movie clips in a 45-minute reel.
Sci-Fi is a respite from the hustle and bustle. The darkness and the focus on silly old sci-fi movie clips make it a solid break for everyone.
My favorite thing on the menu is the fried pickles for sharing. You can’t go wrong here with a burger or turkey sandwich.
The offerings, while not fancy, will satisfy your crew and not cost you a small fortune.
Those are my Top 3 picks for Snacks, Quick Serve, and Table Service at Disney. You can eat out and not break the bank without a meal plan at Walt Disney World. What are your favorites?
Not heading to Disney for awhile? Recreate some of your favorite foods at home with this!