by: guide4wdw – Collin
5 Snacks Under $5 at Walt Disney World – Our Top Budget Friendly Snack Recommendations!
As many of you may already know, the food at Walt Disney World is just as important as the attractions for so many reasons. At the same time, it’s also no secret that dining at Disney can get expensive. As a result, today I’m sharing our top 5 snacks under $5 at Disney World.
Would you rather listen that read? Check out this weeks podcast where we cover this topic in greater depth!
Dining in the parks and on Disney property as a whole is all about knowing where to go, what to order, and how to make the most of every meal. This is especially true if you’re looking to save money. Some guests fall in the expensive dining preferences category while others are perfectly content eating at quick service locations or even quite possibly carrying their food with them into the parks (which I don’t necessarily recommend due to extra bags, etc.). When we travel to the parks, I like to think that we bridge the gap of both mindsets. It’s not out of the ordinary for us to eat one table service meal a day, but often times we’ll also skip a lunch or a dinner after a big table service meal earlier in the day. To us, a good meal can make all the difference in the flow of your day and how you feel throughout the day, especially during those hot summers that Florida has become synonymous with.
Obviously, when taking that mindset into consideration, we’re not necessarily the most frugal travelers, but at the same time we’re not spending hundreds of dollars a day on food simply because we’ve found ways to cut down on costs and only select the most expensive dining offerings for select occasions or one time per trip meals. Snacks fall into a similar frame of thought for us. In general, we don’t snack all that much in the parks, but we are notorious about picking up desserts at a bakery or late night ice-cream before heading back to our resort. I share that detail mostly because your idea of a snack could certainly differ from ours so it’s something you may want to be aware of along the way.
Over the years, we’ve come to recognize that often times a snack can help you bridge the gap between a table service breakfast and an early dinner, or any other combination of possibilities simply because we’ve learned the hard way. No matter what your strategy for touring the parks is, a snack at Disney doesn’t have to be a $7 Mickey Pretzel (yep, that’s right… they’re $7 now!). Snacks come in all shapes and sizes at Disney but knowing what snacks are best and which ones wont brake the bank can really help you out and more importantly help out your budget along the way.
1. Mickey Beignets ($4.49)
Believe it or not, beignets at Walt Disney World are still one of the little known hidden gems of the dining realm. For just $4.49, you can grab 3 beignets at Port Orleans French Quarter at the Floatworks dining location. These beignets are, without a doubt, one of the very best snacks on property regardless of the cost. Additionally, at less that $5 they’re a must-try treat for every Disney Parks guest.
You wont find beignets in the Florida theme parks, but the short bus ride or drive over to Port Orleans is well worth it to get the chance to try this budget friendly snack. While you’re there. consider trying a fried catfish Po’ Boy to complete the experience and to enjoy one of the best all around budget friendly meals on Disney property at one of the most underrated resorts around.
2. Mousse au Chocolat ($4.50)
While this is essentially fancy wording for chocolate mousse, there’s nothing ordinary about this dessert/snack option. This particular Mousse au Chocolate is only sold at one location in the parks over at the France Pavilion in Epcot. France’s Les Halles Boulangerie & Patisserie quick service location is the best little tucked away bakery in nearly all of the parks and resorts. On top of that, it features one of the most budget friendly and best tasting dessert menus in all of Epcot.
The Chocolate Mousse is certainly a highlight of the experience, but it’s also good to note that nearly half of their expansive dessert lineup costs less that $5 as well. So, if mousse isn’t your thing, you have a huge variety of other pastries all with a little bit of french flair.
3. Side of Chicken Fried Rice ($4.25)
If you’ve every been to Animal Kingdom, you likely know how unique the food can be at times. If you’re like me, you may not be the most adventurous eater and that doesn’t always play in your favor. However, Yak and Yeti Local Foods Cafe somewhat solves that problem with a simple snack that will keep you relatively full, and appeals to a fairly broad audience, fried rice. I know simply stating fried rice sounds like the opposite of a fun snack, but in all reality this isn’t your local Chinese take-out spot’s fried rice. Instead, Yak and Yeti adds a variety of flavor to the seemingly simple dish that really sets it apart. If you’ve never tried the Local Foods Cafe or the table service restaurant next door, I highly recommend it. Not only do you get a quick break from the typical food you can find in other parks, but you also get a budget friendly snack that can tie you over until your next meal.
4. Raspberry Lunch Box Tart ($3.29)
When this tasty treat was first announced as the details of theToy Story expansion slowly started to trickle out, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t hesitant of how good it would be. It looks like a glorified Pop Tart and in essence that is exactly what it is! Perhaps a better explanation is that it’s everything a Pop Tart should be… I know that sounds like a stretch but the Raspberry Lunch Box Tart at Woody’s Lunch Box is a killer snack or breakfast item that exceeds expectations. The soft pie crust-esque texture coupled with the perfect amount of sweet and fruity filling topped off with the near perfect amount of icing is a treat that will exceed your expectations. I expected to be disappointed by this one and it is, without a doubt, officially on my list of “must-try” snacks at Walt Disney World irrelevant of the price. Speaking of price, it’s only $3.29 and is the cheapest item on our list today! If you’ve not tried one of these, run… don’t walk… to Woody’s Lunch Box next time you’re at Walt Disney World.
5. Churros in Mexico ($4.50)
There’s a slight caveat to this one because these churros are far more budget friendly that churros other places in the parks. The churros at La Cantina de San Angel are $4.50 opposed to the $6.25 churros other places. It’s a huge difference but in all fairness it is a different style of churro and a far different presentation. In my opinion, the churros of the Mexico pavilion are the best churros around and at nearly two dollars cheaper that all the others it is well worth a stop by the outdoor quick service area for a quick snack as you make your way around Epcot.
The churros here typically come in a small basket with a caramel sauce on the side. The churros themselves are small thin strips that have been curved into an oval shape (which makes them far easier to dip) and you get a few of them in your basket. Additionally, the sauce seems to be a little better that the sauce you typically get in theme parks and it features a thinner consistency. It’s the perfect amount of sweet to add to the classic snack.
While this list could literally go on and list 20+ more items around Walt Disney World, I’ll stop myself at 5 offerings for today. However, your list doesn’t have to stop there! Be sure to add your top picks under $5 in the comments on your favorite social media platform and we’ll consider adding a few of them to our next list of snack recommendations. Above all else, remember that a simple meal can create a story that you’ll remember for years on end. I’m a firm proponent of the fact that the simplest of moments yield the most memorable of moments in the parks. If you’ve not experienced it for yourself quite yet, expect the unexpected and enjoy every moment of your Disney vacation.
Your Thoughts
As always, if you have thoughts, concerns, questions, or even some tips of your own to share, don’t hesitate to reach out to us on Facebook or your favorite social media platform. Give us a follow while you’re there, and we’ll keep the conversation going in the future. We’re not the largest Disney community, but we’re one that’s there and one that listens. Thanks for reading and have a wonderful day wherever you are!
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Last but certainly not least, if you’re starting the planning process, a great place to start are with some of our top planning articles! Looking for dining? Check out Disney World Dining Tips For 2018. Want to start with some more tips? 44 Excellent Disney World Tips for 2018 or Disney World Planning Guide and Tips For 2018 are a great place to begin! Looking to save money on tickets? Check out our friends over at The Official Ticket Center for great deals that even made it into our 2018 Discount Disney World Ticket selections and another great way to help us create more content through your contributions at no additional cost to you! You’ll probably even save money along the way.
