Nov27
Eating at Disneyland
I’ve come to the realization that eating in the park isn’t “that” expensive. When we sit down to eat in the park and buy two adult meals and two kids meals, the price is consistently around $30. I’ve been paying attention here in Phoenix to our recent eating-out expenses. Most places we eat at the bill is between $20 and $30 for basically the same thing - two adult meals and two kids meals. I’m talking about casual dining like Red Robin, Macaroni Grill, and even Chuck E Cheese which I would say is comparable to the quality food you get at places like the French Market, Rancho del Zocalo, and Redd Rockett’s Pizza Port.Â
The biggest difference are beverages. This is where the bill will creep up on you if you’re not careful. The kids meals come with drinks, but due to price, we usually only purchase one adult drink to share. Typically, this is a bottle of water that is easy to take with us and we don’t have to worry about it spilling in the stroller. Also, we avoid buying snacks with our meals. Almost all the cashiers have cookies, rice krispy treats or some sugary snack at their station. Heath concerns aside, these are expensive. Plus, don’t go for the souvenir cups if trying to save on cash.
We also avoid the temptation of the snack stands throughout the park. Buying a snack for everyone can easily be half the price of a full meal. Plus the crash after the sugar wears off is hard to deal with.
When we go in a few weeks, we are going to see exactly much we can avoid eating in the park. I think this is more experimental than necessity. How do you deal with eating in the parks?Â
Tags: Dining, Disney's California Adventure, Disneyland, Eating
Dave Dec 29th 2007 at 06:38 am 1
Eating at the park is one of my favorite things to do; Monte Cristos at The Blue Bayou, Fried Chicken at the Plaza Inn, and Chicken Strips at Stage Door the Golden Horseshoe. Rarely do I buy a beverage though; the food is what makes the experience special, not the Coca-Cola brand drink. So, I usually do water. About the only “snack” I indulge is a Tinkerbell Twist over at the Fantasia Freeze…if you are ever in a crash and burn mode, ready to keel over from exhaustion, try one of those, as the sour watermelon/sour apple twisted together will pick you right up. The popcorn is also pretty good at the park too, especially if you get a fresh batch. I once bought an apple at a Main Street cart…never again. $1.50 was pretty high for the low quality fruit that I received. So, I would echo your sentiments about staying away from the beverages and snacks if you want to save money. I also try to limit myself to food that is only available at the park; if it is something unique to Disneyland, you don’t feel so bad about paying a higher price.
Josh Jan 4th 2008 at 06:39 am 2
Thanks Dave. The tip about the food only available at the park is good. That means, don’t buy the McDonald’s french fries. You’ll pay more and they are the same as the McDonalds down the street.