Disney World Food Prices + Ways You Can Save

Disney World food prices can give you sticker shock, but we’re here to help. In this post, we share what to expect and ways you can save!

Saving money at Disney World is a hot topic around here, and food is a significant expense on any vacation. Disney World food prices can be high, but you can have a fantastic vacation and enjoy delicious food without spending a fortune!

My perspective on Disney World food prices is a little different from others. Is the food at Disney World expensive? Yes, it can be. But so can the food at every other theme park, concert, attraction, and big event. I expect the food to be more expensive at any of those places. People act like Disney World food prices are shocking when, in reality, no one should be surprised by that.

We know food will be one of the main expenses, so let’s explore what you can expect and some ways to save. Before we dive in, let’s get two things out of the way. I always get questions about the dining plan and bringing food into the parks. Here are my thoughts.

Is The Disney Dining Plan Worth It?

I do not recommend the dining plan unless you do it for convenience. If saving money matters to you, there are better ways to do it. I’ve written many articles on ways to save money on food at Disney World. Taking advantage of kids’ meals and sharing meals will save you more than the dining plan. Some people do it for convenience, but it stresses us out. We like the flexibility of going to any quick service or snack location we want throughout the day, and if we want a nice table service meal, it’s easy enough to make a reservation on our own. Regarding pricing, you’ll be lucky to break even on the dining plan, and that’s only if you drink alcohol.

Can You Bring Food Into Disney?

Yes. You can bring food into Disney World, and Disney World has a very informative article that details what’s allowed and not allowed. This will save you money, but I won’t dive into that too much because that’s not the purpose of this post. Personally, we want all of the Disney snacks. I can eat store-bought snacks at home. So, as Disney adults, we don’t bother bringing anything into the parks. Bringing snacks for young children is a great idea! It saves money and helps to keep them occupied in long lines.

Disney World Food Prices

General Tso Chicken Salad At Connections Eatery – EPCOT

If you’re anything like me, the planning is part of the fun. As I discussed in my 4-step Disney plan, grab a notebook and jot down a rough plan for each day. Once you know where you’ll be each day of your trip, you can plan your meals. If you’re unfamiliar with the food options at each park, resort, and Disney Springs, the Walt Disney World website has virtually every menu posted online. You can review the menus and plan your meals to get a rough idea of how much you will spend.

What’s Your Dining Style?

We have a very relaxed eating plan at Disney World, allowing for spontaneity. However, having a dining reservation at Sanaa over at Animal Kingdom Lodge will determine where else we go that day. This just makes sense. Time is money at Disney World, and traveling from one place to another will consume much more time than you anticipate. This is another thing to be prepared for. Having a plan, even if it’s a loose plan, will save time, stress, and money.

Disney World Snacks

Snacking your way around the parks, resorts, and Disney Springs is not only super fun, it’s a great way to enjoy some of the most unique food at Disney World while saving money. This is especially true for the resorts since the food there often reflects the theming. For example, we love the Indian-style bread service at Sanaa Lounge inside Animal Kingdom Lodge. The bread service comes with various breads and sauces for just $22.00. Split between four people, it’s a unique and delicious midday snack. So, when you think of “snacks,” think outside the box and don’t limit yourself to only menu items listed as a snack.

FYI, I recently updated our Best Disney World Snacks and $5 Snacks At Walt Disney World posts.

Disney World snack prices range from $2.75 for a half-baguette with French butter and jam at Les Halles Boulangerie-Patisserie in Epcot to the Na’vi-sized Pretzel with beer cheese sauce for $11.49 at Pongu Pongu in Animal Kingdom.

Disney World Quick Service Food

Salad At Oasis Bar Disney's Polynesian Resort

Oasis Salad With Shrimp At Oasis Bar Bar & Grill – Disney’s Polynesian Resort

I’ve seen a lot of change at Disney World in the last 40 years, and the food has been the most significant and exciting change, in my opinion. I vividly remember the days when quick-service dining meant you were choosing from burgers, chicken strips, and corndogs. That is no longer the case. Quick service dining is where you will find some truly hidden gems and some of the best food on Disney property!

Quick-service restaurants are like a nice compromise. You can still rest and enjoy a relaxing meal without the hassle of a reservation and the expense of a table-service meal. Typically, you place your order, pick up your meal at a window, and then find seating, which is first-come, first-served. Some Disney World quick-service dining locations have absolutely beautiful atmospheres. Here are a few of our favorites.

You can make a meal out of snacks and quick-service food at Disney World without sacrificing a thing! Here are some recent posts focusing on quick service meals from our last trip in January 2024:

The food prices at Disney World quick-service locations range from $4.99 for the Baked Macaroni and Cheese at Eight Spoon Café in Animal Kingdom to $12.79 for a Cuban sandwich large enough to share at Backlot Express in Hollywood Studios—and higher.

Table Service Restaurants At Disney World

Sea of Cortez Shrimp Oysters Dockside Bar The BOATHOUSE Disney Springs

Sea of Cortez Shrimp + Oysters on the Half Shell At Dockside Bar (The BOATHOUSE) – Disney Springs

If I’m being honest, we don’t do many table service meals. These meals can be very expensive, and the focus of our trips (and my site) is to save money. We’ve had some fabulous table service meals, and we’ve had many that left us unsatisfied. That’s a tougher pill to swallow after spending $200+ on the meal. Having said that, a table service meal can be a wonderful experience. Here are a few tips to maximize both the experience and your money:

Choose a restaurant with great theming. The theming at some table service restaurants, like Steakhouse 71, is underwhelming, while others, like Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater in Hollywood Studios, are amazing. Sci-Fi is a more reasonably priced table service restaurant, and the air-conditioning is always kickin’! You can go wrong sitting outside The Boathouse at Dockside Bar (pictured above) or Three Bridges Bat and Grill.
Share meals. We share meals for two reasons. I’m passionate about food waste, and it saves money. We don’t want to pay for food we can’t eat, especially at a table service location where prices can be pretty high. Sometimes, they will charge you a small split plate charge, but we have never experienced that.

Planning our meals is one of the things we look forward to the most on any Disney trip. I spend months scouring menus and adding anything we want to try to our itinerary. Check the menus for almost every Disney restaurant online to find all of the Disney World food prices. Some smaller kiosk locations don’t have a menu posted, but 99.9% of Disney restaurants are there. Use the filters to narrow down your search. For example, if you’re looking for quick service dining at Epcot, you can narrow it down so that’s all you see in the results. It’s a great way to get the most accurate food prices, which will help you budget for your trip.

I hope this post helps prepare you for what to expect regarding Disney Food prices. You can also have a fantastic trip and eat delicious food without exceeding your budget!

Disney Trip Essentials
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