It’s a whole new world of vacationing these days with the ease of grocery delivery! Gone are the days of running grocery errands the second you arrive in Florida or relying solely on Disney food. It's only natural that you need to prep a Disney grocery list for your next trip.
There are so many grocery delivery services available in Orlando, and it seems that every time we turn around a new one is popping up. Some of the most popular grocery delivery services are:
- Walmart
- Amazon delivery Whole Foods or Fresh!
- UberEats
- Instacart
- Garden Grocer
If you want to know more read: How to Get Groceries Delivered to your Disney Resort
Why Bother with Groceries at Disney?
As much as we love Disney food, you may want a little reprieve through your trip. Sometimes the body just craves raw fruit or vegetables. Or what about the fact that breakfast options through the parks are pretty slim? Do you have kids? You know that they will pick at their expensive dinner saying that they’re not hungry but be practically dying of starvation when they get back to your room. Let’s not forget the power of snacks to keep the hangry monsters away midday! There are tons of reasons to have groceries in your room, and with the ease of delivery, there’s no reason to not be prepared!
Walt Disney World Resort “Kitchens”
While it’s commonplace for all hotels to have microwaves in the rooms, Disney World Resort hotels are unique, as most rooms do NOT have a microwave. Let’s just say it, Disney, that’s weird and very behind the times.
Disney does officially say that you can request a microwave in any resort, but that they are on a first-come, first serve basis. Basically, we don’t recommend things like microwave popcorn being your go-to snack! Of course, every Disney resort has a microwave in the dining area of the main building, but depending on which resort you are in and the building within that resort, that’s quite a hike that will probably not be worth it.
There are some resort rooms that come equipped with microwaves. We think it’s funny that Disney calls these “full kitchens”. A full Disney kitchen is one with a sink, a microwave, and at least 1 cupboard. All Disney Villas have a full kitchen, along with Art of Animation Suites, and Disney’s Riviera Resort studio rooms.
Disney Grocery Must Haves
WATER!!
Did you know that water is $3.50 a bottle in the parks?! Did you know you can pay that for a 12-pack? Whether you bring in a reusable water bottle that you plan to refill in the park or carry a backpack full of water bottles, just don’t pay for water in the parks!
**SIDENOTE**
You can always get free cups of ice water at any quick service location, or any location selling drinks. Just remember, it will taste like gator water…
Essentials
- Paper plates
- Paper bowls
- Silverware
- Travel coffee cups
- Ziplocs
- Garbage bags
Disney Park Snacks
Who knows where you’ll be when you get the snack attack? Maybe you’ll be in line for Avatar when you start feeling the hangry beast coming out. Be prepared with a back of snacks! You may not be you when you’re hungry, but this is NOT the time to grab a Snickers. That Florida heat is no joke, so anything with chocolate is an absolute no-go.
Good picks:
- Pretzels
- Nutella sandwiches (It’s scientifically proven that you can’t be grumpy with Nutella)
- Goldfish crackers (No kids with you? We won’t judge… They make Mickey versions, too!)
- Cheez-its
- Raisins
- Belvita Breakfast Biscuits (Wayyyyyy better alternative to granola bars because they don’t melt)
- Nuts
- Carrots
- Grapes
Disney Room snacks
When you’re home you generally don’t think of eating right before going to sleep, but there is something very “vacation” about eating a snack while watching late-night cable in bed. Go on, live your best life.
We recommend ditching the cookies and candy here because trust us, you will get all that in the park. Other things to avoid are super messy snacks like cheese doodles.
Good picks:
- Chips
- Fruit like bananas, apples, blueberries
- Trail mix
- Granola bars
- Bagged pre-popped popcorn
Breakfast
Disney is not the place to snag a quick breakfast. Sure, most table service restaurants have a breakfast option, but do you really want overpriced scrambled eggs everyday? When you’re in the parks you’ll notice that a lot of the quick service restaurants open a bit later than the park, so not much food there. There are limited options, so be sure to read our article on eating breakfast in the park.
Trust us, it is way better to just eat breakfast in your room! It’s cheap, easy, and faster so you can just enjoy your Disney day!
Good picks:
- Oatmeal: I cannot sing the praises of oatmeal loud enough! A basic instant oatmeal is the perfect resort breakfast because it is shelf stable, takes up limited room, is filling, and CHEAP!
Of course, that means you either need a microwave or access to very hot water. On my last trip to All-Star Movies, my room was just a short walk to the main building and I would just walk to fill my cups each morning. It worked out because the oatmeal would cook on the walk!
- Cereal: Did you know that you can buy quarts of shelf-stable milk? The trick is that once you open it you have to refrigerate it, but that small quart size is easy to fit in a resort fridge! We stock up on a few boxes of cereal and shelf-stable milk.
- Hard-boiled eggs: Are you looking to be a little healthier to offset the churros? You can buy boiled and peeled eggs. They come in a resealable bag that would absolutely fit in the resort fridge. A couple of eggs will fill your tank against hunger and load you up with vitamins and protein.
What To Do With Your Leftover Disney Groceries?
Got a little excited with the ease of grocery delivery? Don’t throw it away! You can give a little Pixie Dust to another family by stacking up the leftover food outside your resort door and that is the cue for another family to take it. We’ve even seen people Pixie Dust big items like strollers!
*NOTE*
Please DO NOT Pixie Dust alcohol! The heart is in the right place, and goodness knows that I would be ecstatic to get some free hard seltzers, but it is all around a bad idea. There is no way to ensure that someone 21 or older would be picking up the beverages. We do not want to place alcohol in the hands of minors, so please dispose of leftover alcohol properly.
I am a mother of three that has refused to grow up. Adulting is for the birds, so I go to Disney World every chance I get for that magical escape from reality. I believe that Haunted Mansion is the best ride in all of the Disney Parks, and I am fervently in team Happily Ever After for fireworks spectaculars, (sorry, not sorry, Enchanted). Finally, I hope I never grow tired of skipping down Main Street, USA, and my dream come true would be "friends with" the Fairy Godmother in my old age.
