4. Share a meal during table service

This suggestion will not be for everyone, as some customers are uncomfortable with the idea of telling the waiter that a single entrée will be shared. You should get past that discomfort if you want to save money, though. The portions at Disney theme parks are decidedly…American. In fact, we dined with a British friend at T-REX during our last visit. Part of the conversation involved portion sizes, as he could not believe the amount of protein American meals provide.

Simply stated, a lot of foods provided by Disney are excessive. Now, I am a charter member of the Gluttony Is Good Club, but even I feel this way about some of the meals I’ve seen at Disney Theme Parks. I’m not even talking about the Kitchen Sink at Beaches & Cream, either. Most Disney entrees are big enough for two people, and that means two good options exist for people trying to save money. The first is to share the meal. If the idea of that makes you uncomfortable, option two is the leftovers box. You can reheat dinner to make a second meal out of it.

Note that this option is only viable if you have no further plans at the park after the meal. Also note that sharing a meal is not allowed at buffets for obvious reasons. Since most character meals are buffets, this strategy won’t work with most of them.

5. Determine your potential discounts in advance

Are you a Disney Annual Pass owner? What about AARP or AAA? Are you a member of the Disney Vacation Club? Do you own a Disney Visa card? Do you subscribe to Tables in Wonderland? All of these memberships would entitle the user to a discount at eligible Disney restaurants. Similarly, a lot of non-Disney restaurants provide similar discounts in order to entice customers away from eating at the theme park. Consider all of your potential discounts. A bit of research in this area may uncover a much better deal at some restaurants.

If you are going to Walt Disney World, also consider the Disney Dining Plan if you are staying at a Disney property. You can find more details about maximizing your food dollars in this manner in an article I wrote earlier this year.

6. Planning goes a long way

Plan before you go. Learn every manner through which you can save a few dollars on each meal. Each discount may not sound like much in isolation, but if you find a way to save $25 a meal for a six day trip, that’s $300 you have saved. Preparation wins the battle every time when it comes to Disney park visits.  Advance Dinner Reservations can be made six months in advance for Walt Disney World, and you should do so if you plan to eat any table service meals at the parks. They fill up remarkably fast. In fact, Be Our Guest is already sold out for every night of our visit next May.

Once you have a tentative plan and reservations for your trip, utilize an online meal calculator to determine whether or not the Disney Dining Plan will save you money. If you want to compare Tables in Wonderland with the Disney Dining Plan, this site offers a useful spreadsheet. Note that you are required to create an account to use this particular app, but it is free of charge. There are several other useful Disney meal calculators available online if you want to sample them. A simple Google search will reveal many options.

If you use these six strategies to extend your food budget, you can either save money on your trip or, if you are like me, you can feel a bit less guilty spending that money on Disney souvenirs.