There is a time for romanticism. Getting swept up in the wonderful world of vacation planning is one of my favorite ways to let myself dream of all of the amazing attraction and dining experiences and Epcot meals I’m going to have on my trip. It’s a beautiful game to play; setting lofty Fastpass+ goals (I’m talking about you, Flight of Passage).
Hearing the sweet sounds of a blaring early morning alarm 6 months prior to my trip to book hard-to-grab table service reservations are a huge part of the pre-vacation fun! Each little additional plan makes the countdown to arrival seem much shorter. It lets you enter into that blissful Disney mindset well in advance of your trip!
There is a time for realism. Walt Disney World vacations are expensive, and no matter how you slice it, you’re going to drop a serious chunk of change on your family’s coming vacation…but that’s not something you didn’t already know! I’m ALL about booking one or two special dinner reservations at table service restaurants during the course of a visit, but in between those big spends, I look for easy ways to save a little money whenever I can- especially on food!
Food cost is one of the ‘if’ factors that many families neglect to budget for accordingly when they visit Walt Disney World, so I’ve made it my personal mission to list a full day’s worth of eating for just $30 per person, per park, per day! If you like the sounds of dining on a budget, check the Deluxe Resorts version of the $30, 3 meals series! If you’ve been keeping up though, you’re ready to come with me as we eat our way around the world…for just $30 a day!
Breakfast
World Showcase itself doesn’t officially open until 11:00AM, and save for the Frozen attraction over in Norway, the rest of the ‘world’ doesn’t wake until long after rope drop. I’ll let you in on a little breakfast time secret that is hush-hush enough to almost guarantee you an authentic French breakfast…without standing in line at all! Les Halles Boulangerie-Patisserie is the bakery in the France Pavilion, and it opens with rope drop each and every day!
The patisserie serves up classic French breakfast items, and my pick for flavor and freshness is always the classic croissant. The buttery layered decadence is a fast and shockingly inexpensive way to start a day of exploring ($2.25). Oh, and if you can’t live without a morning caffeine kick like me, you can go ahead and order a cup of coffee too ($2.82) there’s always room in my budget for coffee!
Lunch
After a very Parisian breakfast, we’re going to head back to the good old U-S-of-A for a hearty and filling lunch like only Americans know how to make! This is definitely the biggest of the three meals for the day and filling up on the heaviest meal mid-day does two things: #1, it means you will be able to go longer, see more, and fit in more attractions before dinner and #2, since you’ll be eating dinner later, you’ll miss the crowds! Inside The Land Pavilion sits one of my favorite quick service restaurants inside the theme parks, Sunshine Seasons.
If you’ve ever been inside, you’ll know that they feature stations of seemingly every kind of cuisine from Asian-inspired to turkey sandwiches, and all of the bigger entrees are assembled after you order. Speaking of bigger entrees, opt for the 1/2 rotisserie chicken dish ($12.29).
The chicken you’ll get has been spinning in the house rotisserie for hours, and speaking from experience, the meat is always super tender and flavorful. If you’re not hungry after eating the half chicken, I understand, but the rice and beans that come served with the dish are tasty enough to make room for!
Dinner
For the record, I’ve never been able to finish the entire portion of chicken/rice/beans from Sunshine Seasons on my own, and I’d probably be ok to skip dinner entirely…but I promised 3 meals for under $30, so head on over to La Cantina de San Angel in the Mexico Pavilion for the final meal of the day. Both meals so far have been indulgences, and since I like to sneak in a serving of veggies or two at dinnertime (yes even on vacation!), my choice is the Ensalada Mexicana ($8.95).
Mixed green lettuce, shredded carrots, cabbage, pico de gallo, and a black bean and corn mixture combine to make this super fresh, always refreshing salad. The black beans and corn not only give the salad some substance, they add a great texture that contrasts perfectly with the cool crisp greens. I always like to take my salad over to the salsa station and load it up with as much of the complimentary stuff that I can fit in my bowl!
Dessert
Yes. I’m going there. Surprise! After breakfast, coffee, lunch, and dinner, there is still enough wiggle room left in the budget for a dessert! And not just any dessert, this is a famed Disney snack that has earned itself countless blog posts, online reviews, and Instagram posts in its honor…I’m talking about the oh-so-famous Norwegian School Bread ($3.49). Visit Kringla Bakery in the Norway Pavilion for your dessert and be sure to take a photo of it before you dive in to commemorate the experience!
After you’ve polished off every last bit of that famed schoolbread, it’s time to tally up our total spending for the day. With 3 meals, coffee, and dessert, the grand total for the day is…..$29.80, just under budget! With a little help, you can indeed travel to Walt Disney World and not go bankrupt, and we can help you plan a trip that will fit your budget and make your family’s dreams come true. Send me an email for a FREE quote for your family’s next Disney vacation!
Are you planning on booking a Disney vacation for you and your family? I’d love to help! You can find me over on Facebook, or contact me directly at msalerno@mickeytravels.com, or 800-308-6257
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