We’ve Got $25 at Hollywood Studios. Can We Snack on a Budget?
Sticking to a budget at Disney World can be tough.
With Disney prices increasing about once a year, your cold hard cash doesn’t go as far as it once did.
So, we’re starting a new series. We want to see whether we can take a reasonable amount of money and eat well at the parks.
We’ve got $25 in snack money at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Can we stay under budget and still dine like royalty?
The Rules
Our rules will be basic. We’ll take $25 in cash – remember cash? – so we don’t cheat and go over budget on our debit/credit card.
Also, let’s presume you’ll want to grab at least three snacks during your visit, maybe four, depending on how hungry/thirsty you are.
You can buy cheap snacks at any theme park, but that doesn’t make them tasty. We’re at Disney and want to have the best possible time.
In short, we want budget-friendly dining options that taste amazing.
Then, there’s the reason why we’re doing this. Food is the one thing you don’t keep from a Disney visit.
The merchandise you buy and the memories you make last indefinitely, but you won’t remember most of your snacks. That’s why we want to save on our snack/food budget as much as possible.
Let’s Start with a Morning Jolt
When you visit Hollywood Studios, you’ll probably follow the crowd in the morning. That means you’re heading to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge.
Many guests Rope Drop Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance or Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run.
(Joshua Sudock/Disney Parks)
Meanwhile, some Star Wars fans merely want to roam around Black Spire Outpost and enjoy the immersive theming.
All three groups share one commonality. You need some energy to start your thrilling day at Hollywood Studios. And that calls for coffee!
You don’t want to fight the crowds this early in the day, though.
While several coffee spots in Hollywood Studios will serve a decent cup of java, you should look off the beaten path a bit.
Head to Kat Saka’s Kettle, which most Disney fans consider a popcorn place.
Only the pros know the secret here. You can snag an amazing Joffrey’s Coffee snack while maintaining the Star Wars theme.
Grab your phone, start a Mobile Order, and choose Cold Brew Black Caf.
Since we’re at Star Wars Land, I can assure you this drink isn’t like any coffee you’ve had. It has Cocoa Puffs and cream cheese!
For this reason, the Cold Brew Black Caf tastes slightly sweet and totally delicious.
Disney has created a gorgeous-looking java mixed with cereal. We recommend stirring it for the best flavor.
In the process, you’ll unlock the hidden magic of the cream cheese and coffee flavors. It’s divine.
We can’t believe this snack costs $5.49 for a generously sized beverage, keeping us well under budget for the rest of the day.
Of course, you can order the Cold Brew Black Caf throughout the day. It’s ideal whenever you need a caffeine jolt with a tasty finish.
Snacking at Toy Story Land
Eventually, you’ll want something more filling. One of the best snacks at Hollywood Studios doubles as an entrée for many guests.
The portion size of this dish is perfect as a meal. If you’re looking for a shareable, it’s equally ideal because it’s almost too big as a snack for one!
Obviously, I’m talking about the Totchos at Woody’s Lunch Box, which are so good that there are probably folk songs written about them.
This order costs $9.99, making Totchos either a pricier snack or a cheaper entrée. You’ll be hard-pressed to find a better overall value at Disney.
You’re dining on something incredibly filling that doesn’t break the bank.
Seriously, when is the last time you paid under $10 for a hearty Disney snack that wasn’t at an EPCOT festival? Totchos are the Hollywood Studios answer to festival food.
Disney takes the standard Potato Barrels (aka tater tots) at Woody’s Lunch Box and shoves a mountain of them in a bowl.
Then, cast members add chili, cheese, and chips, making the snack like tater tot nachos…thus, the name of Totchos!
There’s another good reason to eat here, too. We love Woody’s Lunch Box’s location.
You’ll inevitably cross through this themed land multiple times during a Hollywood Studios visit.
So, Disney fans know that Totchos provide an ideal opportunity to meet friends and share a snack while waiting for a character greeting with Woody and Jessie.
We’ve also got a pro tip for Woody’s Lunch Box. You can order one of the inexpensive sandwiches here for $10 plus the Totchos for another $10.
When you split this with a friend, you each get half a sandwich and half an order of Totchos for about ten bucks per person!
Time for the Last Sweet Snack!
Okay, we’ve spent $15.48 of our $25 budget and eaten extraordinarily well.
Now, we want something sweet, as the Totchos drowned out that cream cheese flavor from this morning. What’s the solution? More cream cheese!
So, let’s head back to the front of the park and visit one of the most stylish buildings at Hollywood Studios.
Yes, we’re strolling to the Trolley Car Café!
You walk by this place more than any other part of the park since it’s halfway between the entrance and Center Stage on the corner of Sunset Boulevard.
Park fans know they can get their Starbucks fix here, but it also sells arguably the best dessert at Hollywood Studios.
Obviously, I mean the decadent Carrot Cake Whoopie Pie. This giant pastry slab looks like two carrot cakes with iced filling gluing them together.
The oversized cupcake costs a comically cheap $4.99, and it’s so big that you can barely fit it in your hand!
The filling is fairly thick and heavier on the cream cheese, so this one doesn’t make a mess.
Also, this snack’s moistness will blow your mind. You’ll even discover pineapple slices hidden within the cake, punctuating its flavor.
Due to its size, you may find that the Carrot Cake Whoopie Pie works better as a snack for two, which makes it a still-large snack that costs $2.50 each!
This Whoopie Pie can work as an inexpensive post-dinner dessert if you don’t grab a midday snack.
Final Thoughts
Okay, we’ve finished our day and can look back at how we performed on our mission.
Overall, we purchased three snacks: Cold Brew Black Caf, Totchos, and Carrot Cake Whoopie Pie.
We spent $5.49 at Kat Saka’s, $9.99 at Woody’s Lunch Box, and $4.99 at Trolley Car Care.
That’s a grand total of $20.47, so we didn’t just stay under budget!
We made it with more than $4.50 of our cash to spare while still eating three extraordinary snacks!
We were even able to order a guilt-free Starbucks tea on our way out of the park and still have a few pennies left! Remember pennies?
So, we have easily passed our first $25 snack test at Hollywood Studios and Walt Disney World. Stay tuned to see how we do at the other parks!
