No expense adds up as quickly as food at Disneyland. When you can smell the popcorn, churros, and pastries all day long, it’s so easy to just keep grabbing little things and watch your cash dwindle from your pockets. There’s no way to totally escape the cost of dining at Disneyland, but there are some things you can do to save some money!
1. Bring a reusable water bottle or ask for cups.
Water bottles at Disneyland go for over $3. You’ll likely need a few per day to avoid getting dehydrated, so it’s really easy to spend a lot more than you intended on water alone! Bring a reusable water bottle (so long as it’s not glass) to keep in your bag. There are either water bottle refill stations or drinking fountains in every land in both parks.
If you don’t want to carry a bottle around, you can ask for a cup of water at any restaurant. It’s free, and though you can’t take it on any rides, it’s an easy way to stay refreshed as you roam around the parks.
2. If you can resist temptation – have a picnic!
So long as you don’t bring glassware or alcohol, Disneyland welcomes packed lunches or dinners. You can stash your food in the picnic area outside the gates, or in the lockers inside either park. If do you want to dine in the park, consider bringing snacks from home instead. You’ll definitely find cheaper snacks at your local Target or grocery store compared to what’s for sale inside the park.
3. Stick to quick service over table service.
Table service restaurants tend to be more expensive than quick service restaurants at Disneyland. But that doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice a cool dining experience! Several quick service restaurants around the parks have gorgeous scenery, décor, and/or entertainment, so you still feel like you’re dining in a magical restaurant:
- Docking Bay 7
- French Market Restaurant
- Hungry Bear Restaurant
- Jolly Holiday Bakery Café
- Pacific Wharf dining area
- Plaza Inn
- Rancho del Zocalo
- Red Rose Taverne
4. Try a kid’s meal.
If you’re not super hungry, try ordering a kid’s meal at your preferred quick service restaurant (note: the park is stricter with age limits at table service restaurants). Most of the quick service restaurant kid’s meals have similar entrees, just with smaller portions and/or fruit instead of fries. In my experience, these are usually plenty of food to feel full, and they cost less than their adult counterparts.
5. Share.
Most of Disneyland’s portions are really big and easy to share. One of my favorite meals is a split salad and sandwich from Uva Bar – it’s the perfect amount of food, and almost half the price of two entrees. Or if you’re ordering burgers or sandwiches, try sharing sides. Odds are, you won’t be able to finish everything anyway.
6. Use points!
Like I said in my previous money saver post, Disney is a popular gift card choice when redeeming airline, hotel, or credit card points. You can use a Disney gift card anywhere at the resort. And if you have a Disney Visa, you’ll also get 10% off select dining locations across the parks and Downtown Disney.
Food at Disney is my favorite thing sometimes about the whole trip!