Although it might seem surprising, getting groceries at Walt Disney World Resort may very well be your best bet during a Disney vacation–and there are several reasons why, so hear us out! Perhaps you’ve never before considered using a grocery delivery service to deliver groceries directly to your Resort, or perhaps you’ve been a little curious about such services and would like to know more. Whether you’ve already thought of it or not, here we are presenting you with an extensive list of very good reasons for getting groceries delivered to you directly at Walt Disney World Resort.
Related: 9 Secrets to Having a Stress Free Walt Disney World Vacation
7. Limitations at Certain Dining Venues
Even though most of Disney’s beloved dining destinations have reopened despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, there are still some that have not. Furthermore, those that have opened are still keeping certain restrictions in place in regards to the number of advanced dining reservations that may be accepted at a given time, on a given day. Because these limitations could make it more difficult for you to experience the ultimate dining experience, it may very well save you a lot of headaches, stress, and time if you make grocery delivery your primary meal plan instead. Guests with Disney Park reservations can come and go throughout the day as they please, planning each mealtime and grocery delivery window so that the two coincide. Or they can make small meals in advance to have at the ready.
Related: 50 Favorites That Have Yet To Return Since Disney World’s Phased Reopening
6. Disney Dining Remains in Limbo
While we have already mentioned that many Disney restaurants throughout Walt Disney World have reopened, not everything has returned to pre-pandemic normalcy yet. Among those Park casualties are Disney’s various Dining Plans, which are still on hold at present. Disney Dining Plans work as pre-paid meal plans, and there are typically several different available options depending on what works best for a given group of Guests. A Disney Dining Plan means that you have various blocks of meals and snacks granted to you and your party to use throughout your trip, with Disney Dining Plans being accepted at most dining establishments throughout Walt Disney World Resort. Even though you pay the cost for Disney Dining upfront and well in advance, these plans end up saving you money (as opposed to if you were to pay out of pocket individually for each and every meal or snack in Disney restaurants).
Related: Disney Dining Plan – 6 Things You Need To Know Before You Buy
5. You Might Save Money
Going back to our previous point about paying out of pocket for food: Disney meals and snacks oftentimes come at an admittedly steep price. Even when we aren’t on vacation, we all know that the cost of eating out never comes cheap in comparison to eating in. And if you already paid for lodging at an accommodation that offers a full kitchen or kitchenette, then you probably would do well to try to save money on the cost of food. Seize the moment by utilizing the extra features that come with getting to cook onsite, or even having an abundance of well-stocked snacks and more nutritious food on-hand such as fresh produce. Perhaps you are staying for an extended vacation with larger groups of friends and family; if so, you could all benefit budget-wise by getting groceries delivered, then planning ahead for prepping your meals on-location in accordance with your grocery delivery window. Please do note that we are not suggesting that you never eat out at any Disney location. You are in Disney World after all, and there are definitely some Disney theme Park dining experiences that you will want to pursue in Disney restaurants. But still, you can cut the cost of unnecessary spending by having groceries on hand (and you don’t even have to do the grocery shopping yourself).
Related: 10 Money Saving Tips That’ll Help You Visit Walt Disney World More Often!
4. More Personalized Food Items
Don’t get us wrong; Disney Chefs are excellent at customizing food preparations in accordance with any special dietary needs or restrictions as they apply to a Guest’s unique specifications. Even so, nobody knows you and your family better than yourselves. That’s why some vacationers feel better preparing their own food than leaving it up to someone else to do so. It cuts out all the hassle of putting in an advanced dietary request, needing to draw up a laundry list of specifics on what you can and cannot have, or waiting around hungrily while your requested item gets prepared while all the others at your table are happily chomping away on their already-made meals. Even if you do not have special dietary requests, there are some things that you or someone in your group might want done in a unique way that only you can recognize. So in short, getting your own groceries and cooking on-location can free you up by allowing you to make what you want both when and how you want it.
Related: How to Eat At Walt Disney World If You Have Dietary Restrictions
3. Simple and Convenient
Utilizing grocery delivery services is fairly easy to do. And it’s also convenient! Here’s how it works: you order groceries from your selected grocer via their website’s online orders form (you must first create an account), and a personal shopper does all the shopping for you, delivering your items directly to your Resort and then placing them with bell service. The Cast Members in bell service also provide refrigeration as needed. Take note that you get to decide on your very own delivery window, so you will have some control over your ability to retrieve your grocery order from bell service.
2. Multiple Options
The primary and most popular grocery delivery service at Walt Disney World Resort is the renowned, locally owned Garden Grocer. However, many others have emerged throughout the years besides Garden Grocer, and now there’s a wide range of options to choose from. Some of the other notable grocery delivery services include: Kroger Grocery, Grocery Express, Shipt, Walmart Plus, and even Amazon‘s grocery delivery service called Amazon Fresh. There are others as well, and if you have an account with any of the aforementioned (or an alternate), you may rest assured that you can still benefit from their reliable delivery services even while on vacation at Walt Disney World Resort. And if you’re one of those rare Disney Guests who does just happen to have a car at your disposal, there’s nothing stopping you from driving directly to local grocery stores within the greater Orlando area to do your own grocery shopping (or even to order ahead for pickup in a grocery store) near your Disney Resort. But most Guests would understandably prefer not to sacrifice a single minute of vacation time at Walt Disney World Resort for such mundane endeavors, and that’s why having groceries delivered directly to your Disney Resort is your best bet.
1. Additional Food for Thought
As we mentioned previously, there are still many exceptional Disney dining experiences that you may want to opt for even if you are shifting some of your food intake to onsite cooking. These are, of course, those signature Disney must-dos that make it onto the list of many vacationers every year. And we fully encourage you to carry on with those plans. In fact, if you do a little in-room dining as well as some premium Disney meals, it may very well make you feel better about the splurge for the latter! Also note that while most Disney accommodations do offer refrigeration components along with microwaves, not all Resorts feature full-service kitchens or kitchenettes. These typically come hand-in-hand with stays in suites, villas, and select deluxe Resort rooms. This may be something you may want to consider if in-room cooking and Disney World grocery delivery is in the cards for you as you plan your next stay at a Disney World hotel or Resort.
Related: An Overview of Walt Disney World’s 11 Resort Villas
Having groceries delivered to your room is just one of the many ways to make mealtimes magical at Disney World. It’s a touch and taste of comfort in your enchanted home away from home!
