Food tips
Get an alcoholic drink with every meal
Since alcoholic drinks and specialty drinks are now included with a Table Service credit, there is no way to maximize your money than ordering an adult beverage with every meal.
Contactless Payment is the fastest, most hygienic way to pay at Disney World
Every booth, kiosk, Quick Service restaurant, and store accepts mobile payment.
Eat off property.
Living 6 minutes outside Disney property has allowed me to truly experience all the non-Disney restaurants around the area and I must say, some are pretty darn good. If you’re looking to just spend a day at Outback Steakhouse and the Premium Outlets or just want to get a milkshake from Chick Fil A, you’ll find everything you’ll ever think of just minutes off property. My advice, if you have a car is to go to Yard House. This is easily my favorite chain restaurant outside of Disney. Plus, White Castle and Portillo’s are coming soon!
Research meal prices ahead of time.
If you know you’re on a budget, it’s best to always check out the restaurant menu prices before you go. This way you can plan accordingly based on your budget. Because worst case, if a meal is too expensive, just go off-property.
Brace yourself for food costs.
Disney is expensive. All I can say is that you must brace yourself for sticker shock. $5 pretzels and $11 turkey legs are the norm. So brace yourself and budget to the best of your ability. Or better, since you’re on vacation, splurge a little. You deserve it!
Download the My Disney Experience app.
This app allows you to make dining reservations, secure fast passes, check ride wait times and so much more, all from the palm of your hands. If you don’t have it yet, download it for free asap!
Don’t worry about dress code.
You’re at the parks all day, Disney gets it. That’s why it’s usually 99% fine to eat in the same clothes you’ve been wearing all day. So yes, shorts are totally fine, especially during the month of July. The only exceptions are for fine dining restaurants which enforce a stricter dress code.
Dropped your ice cream or pretzel on the nasty ground? Ask and get a free replacement.
Ah, the magic of Disney. They got you covered. Just tell a cast member and they’ll hook you up.
Running an hour late for your dining reservation, make sure you have a good excuse.
Let’s say you’re a hour late for your reservation at ‘Ohana. When checking in, tell the hostess about the reason why you’re late (no details left out) and they may seat you. This totally depends on you and the hostess. So all I can say is smile and be as honest as possible. But honestly, if you’re can’t make your reservation you should try to get there at least within 15-20 minutes of your reservation time.
Cancel your dining reservations 24 hours in advance before your meal.
Nowadays in order to reserve a table at any disney restaurant you have to leave your credit card on file. Back in the olden days you could reserve as many places as you want and not show up with penalty. Now you’ll be charged $10 per person for any missed reservations. It happened to me and it sucked. So with that being said, only reserve a restaurant that you really know you’ll want to eat at.