Picking the Best Cheap Eats at Disney World
We all want to save money during a Disney vacation.
There’s a simple rule in place here: the more we stretch our vacation budget, the more Figment merch we can buy.
That Figment Lug bag will delight you for years, while you’ll forget about what you had for lunch by the time dinner rolls around.
So, the goal is to spend the least amount of your vacation budget on meals, right?
Let’s pick some of the best cheap eats at Walt Disney World.
Casey’s Corner
While I’ve heard the jokes all my life, I don’t actually know what’s in a hot dog, and I probably don’t wanna know, either.
What I can say is that if you hand me a hot dog and either a bottle of ketchup or mustard, I’ll be delighted and appreciative.
I could eat hot dogs every meal and never grow tired of them, although I’d also probably set some records for high cholesterol.
The point is that Casey’s Corner is one of my happy places at Walt Disney World.
While the prices for some of the more complex hot dogs have crept up lately, the basic Corn Dog Nuggets and All-Beef Hot Dog remain $10.79.
That’s a tough price to beat at Walt Disney World.
Connections Café & Eatery
This restaurant isn’t as fancy as some of the others on the list nor is it intended to be.
Disney rebuilt the entire spine of EPCOT to make it more accessible and convenient for guests.
As part of that strategy, Disney added a new restaurant and café in a part of the park you’re sure to walk past.
So, you can veer in here, eat a perfectly serviceable meal at a reasonable price, and then move along with your day.
Now, I’d argue that one of the hidden joys of EPCOT is its international cuisine.
For that reason, you’re sort of cheating yourself a bit by dining at Connections, a burgers and pizza place.
Still, the reality is that when you’re at a theme park, sometimes you just want the basics at a reasonable price.
That’s Connections Café & Eatery.
Columbia Harbour House
Most of the selections on today’s list fall under $15, at least before we include sides.
I’ve chosen to mention Columbia Harbour House even though it’s a tick over that threshold.
For instance, the New England Shrimp Boil currently costs $16.29, but it’s arguably a better value.
I say that because this meal includes a hearty combination of potatoes and corn boiled into the dish.
Also, you get delicious Parker House Rolls with your meal, which makes this closer to a Table Service offering at a fraction of the price.
The world-famous Lobster Rolls here only cost $16.99, which is all the more remarkable when you consider what just happened.
Orlando’s Red Lobster chain just priced itself into bankruptcy by selling lobster too cheaply.
At this price, Disney’s profit margin on Lobster Rolls is fractional. You’re getting a steal!
Dockside Diner
Everything I said about Casey’s Corner applies here as well.
The difference is that you’re not dining on Main Street, U.S.A., and you’re not getting a baseball theme. Both of those are losses to me.
Still, what you ARE getting is a quarter-pound hot dog for even cheaper at $10.29.
Also, the view around Dockside Diner is pretty great as well.
I never can shake the feeling that I’m at a mini-golf course here, but the lake surroundings are breathtaking.
Finally, in my experience, this place has some of the shortest lines at Walt Disney World.
Sure, that’s less of a factor in the Mobile Ordering era, but it’s something to keep in mind when you want something quick.
Flame Tree Barbecue
I recently introduced friends to the glory of Flame Tree Barbecue.
Throughout the meal, they kept circling back to two main points.
The first was that they couldn’t believe how flavorful the dishes were.
The second was that they would have paid MUCH more for those meals.
That’s the beauty of Flame Tree Barbecue. You’ll eat a full meal for as little as $11.79.
That’s the price of the tasty Smoked Pulled Pork Sandwich, which somehow also comes with Coleslaw and Signature Baked Beans.
That’s a full Disney meal for less than $12. And it tastes amazing!
Katsura Grill
I could list any number of World Showcase options here.
Central Florida residents all have their favorites, go-to meals that will fill their bellies without hurting their wallets.
There’s no wrong answer here, and I seriously considered a couple of the decadent but affordable snack options.
Ultimately, I’ve settled on Katsura Grill, which isn’t my personal favorite since I’m not a sushi fan.
Still, anyone who went to college or stayed in an apartment in their late teens/early 20s knows the deal.
Noodle meals are cheap and offer a surprising amount of protein.
At Katsura Grill, sushi and noodle dishes cost $12-$15.99 and will keep you full for hours afterward.
This is good value…although I prefer my food cooked.
Sunshine Seasons
Notably, the criticisms I have of a meal at Connections Eatery don’t apply to Sunshine Seasons.
I say this because The Land Pavilion’s Quick Service restaurant works a bit differently.
Brilliant Cast Members cultivate the food that comprises the ingredients of many dishes at Sunshine Seasons.
This might be the freshest meal I’ve ever eaten, and I say that as someone who grew up next door to a farm.
Remarkably, some of the entrees here cost just $9.99, which is the lowest price of anything on this list.
Disney saves money on the in-house preparations and passes that savings along to you.
Woody’s Lunch Box
In terms of pure bang for the buck, I’m devout in the belief that nothing tops Woody’s Lunch Box.
This place’s structure absolutely mystifies me. Smack dab in the middle of Toy Story Land, Disney hid this gem.
You see a kind of Counter Service shack that belies the jaw-dropping flavors available here.
The chefs at Woody’s Lunch Box chose inexpensive comfort food for the menu, and the results speak for themselves.
There’s a reason why this place is always packed! Everybody in Orlando knows how good this restaurant is.
Remarkably, the Grilled Three-Cheese Sandwich and “Totchos” cost less than $10.50 each.
At that price, you have plenty of room to splurge on one of the Lunch Box Tarts, Disney’s upscale answer to Pop-Tarts.
These are among the best desserts at Walt Disney World, and I don’t say that lightly.
Woody’s Lunch Box has turned into a place where I eat multiple times during a Disney vacation. It’s that good.
Bonus Suggestion: EPCOT Festivals
We all know the deal here. So, I won’t do a deep dive of menu suggestions.
Other MickeyBlog reporters will reveal all the best values at the EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival when it opens.
Instead, I’ll simply remind you of what you already know. Many festival dishes cost $10 or less.
Some of them provide you with more than enough sustenance to count as lunch or dinner.
Even better, at these prices, if you discover that you’re still hungry a few hours later, you can grab more.
A couple of EPCOT festival snacks cost the same as the Lobster Rolls I mentioned earlier and sometimes even less.
When you know which foods to choose, you’re actually eating substantially more for less money.
That’s exactly the kind of strategy that helps you eat cheap at Walt Disney World!
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