$30 Dollars, 3 Disney Meals – Deluxe Resorts
The purpose of the “$30 Dollars, 3 Disney Meals” article series is to give you, a soon-to-be Disney vacationer, 3 in-Park meal options that equal $30 (or less) per person, per day, while fitting this important list of criteria: they have to be filling, they have to be good, and they have to come in under budget.
So far, we’ve taken you to Magic Kingdom, Epcot, and Hollywood Studios where we highlighted some fantastically cost-effective meals that will succeed in keeping your family full and fueled for a full day of attractions and entertainment…until now!
$30, 3 Disney Meals
A family I’m very close with is heading to Walt Disney World this fall for Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party, Epcot’s International Food and Wine Festival, and to enjoy the full lineup of limited edition menu items that are becoming available for the fall season, and they are in the final few weeks of prep before their arrival!
They are SO excited to try out the “under $30” meal day at Epcot, and they’ve been badgering me for more budget-friendly suggestions. Those lucky ducks are staying at the Polynesian, so in honor of their (and your!) upcoming vacation, here is how you can eat for $30 a day at the Deluxe Resorts!
Breakfast
Since the Polynesian is my friends’ go-to Resort, it’s only right that the most important meal of the day comes straight from the islands! The famed Tonga Toast is widely believed to be only available at table service restaurants and clocks in at a hefty $16.00 + price tag.
There are a few existing opinions that claim the Tonga Toast to be ‘better’ or ‘different’ at the different locations, but in my experience, they all feature the sweet and rich banana filling, are fried to golden-brown perfection, and are topped off with a generous coating of sugar.
Head to Capt.Cooks– the quick serve restaurant in the main lobby- and you can pick up the Disney-famous breakfast for only $8.49! As if the Tonga Toast itself isn’t large enough to keep you full until at least late afternoon, the choice of side (bacon or sausage) puts the gargantuan breakfast over the top! It’s one of the best Disney meals!
Lunch 
You can absolutely spend your entire day at the Polynesian and still clock your Disney meals under the $30 per day quota, but extending the reach of possible dining options to other Resorts not only lets guests of other Resorts in on the action, but can also turn an off day of your vacation into a Resort-hopping adventure for you and your family! My pick for lunch is the Portobello Salad from Geyser Point Bar and Grill ($9.99).
This vegetarian-friendly option is packed with veggies and is exactly what my body needs after a decadent breakfast. Packed with zucchini, roasted red peppers, Portobello mushrooms, and tomatoes, the salad is served atop a bed of mixed ancient grains that provide a chewy, earthy texture and flavor contrast to the tenderly roasted veggies that make up the rest of the dish.
TIP: Take your salad to the nearby Geyser Point Bar and pair it with one of their signature cocktails, or order it as a quick and easy lunch option to enjoy while sitting poolside!
Dinner
As the sun begins to set on Walt Disney World Resort on a non-Park day of your vacation, your thoughts start to wander and you’ll catch yourself wondering what you should do for the evening that lies ahead. Of course, on the days you’re visiting the Parks you’ll be busy from rope drop to park close.
Spending a day- or even an evening- outside Park gates with no plans will send your thoughts into a tailspin. I’ve got two important nighttime staples covered so you won’t have to think about a thing: dinner and fireworks! For the final meal of the day, head to the Contemporary.
Make your way up to the monorail level and head to the Contempo Café! This quick-serve spot is known for offering views of the monorail as it passes through the Resort, and whenever I find myself there without dinner plans, my first and only choice is the chicken dinner ($10.99) that comes with seared chicken breast, rice, and a side of seasonal veggies.
This is one of the Disney meals that checks off all of the important boxes- taste and size, and even gets bonus points for its waistline-friendly ingredients! Being that you’re at the Contemporary already, make a night of it and head out to the fireworks viewing deck for a one-of-a-kind view of Happily Ever After!
Now that we’ve eaten a full day’s worth of meals- although for me, I would have called it a day at the Tonga Toast- it’s time to do the math and find out if I’ve kept my word and stayed within the self-inflicted $30 parameter. After doing some very quick mental math (read: pulling up the calculator app) the grand total for a full day’s worth of meals is…drumroll please… $29.47!
So, we want to know if you plan to dine with price in mind! Which of these meals will you try when you visit? My friends who requested some Resort food options can’t wait to surprise their kids with post-dinner fireworks viewing, and we want to know if you plan to do the same, so leave us a comment below!
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Special thanks to Maria Salerno for writing this article: Hiya pal! I am a NYC-based writer thrilled to be part of your Disney vacation planning! I’m a WDW Annual Passholder, so you can find me in the parks regularly throughout the year. In addition to being a Disney Parks loving girl, I’m also a Disney toy and merchandise collector, a runDisney enthusiast, and Disney music and movie aficionado. You can follow me on Instagram: NYCtoAP and find me on YouTube: NYCtoAP. Thanks for reading, hope to see ya real soon!
