Disney is expensive. You know if you have gone to this Florida or California wonderland or even attempted planning. On a recent trip, we saw many “Most Expensive Place On Earth” tee shirts.
There are many ways to save money. You can travel during the off-season, stay at a lesser hotel, etc. One significant way to save money is grocery delivery to Disney resorts. On a recent trip, we saved hundreds of dollars by shopping ahead.
You may be thinking, something else to plan? I’m overloaded with rides, Genie Plus, a Memory Maker, and dinner reservations!
No need to stress; read on for a complete guide to grocery delivery to Disney resorts, including what to buy.
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What Are The Benefits of Using Grocery Delivery to Disney Resorts?
Why have groceries delivered to Disney resorts? It saves money. A simple breakfast for a family of four can cost upwards of $60. Multiply that by five days, and that’s $300!
It also saves time if you are there for the rides; you likely want to be at the parks for rope drop, which sometimes is 8 am. Who wants to wake up even earlier to grab breakfast? Food in your hotel room is perfect to munch on while everyone prepares for the day. If you are running late, you can take some food to go.
Grocery delivery is also a great option if you are following a special diet or have someone in your party who is a picky eater. Many Disney restaurants have kid-friendly options, but it may be something other than something your little one eats.
How To Order Groceries To Disney Resorts
Four services deliver groceries to Disney resorts; Amazon Fresh, Walmart, Instacart, and Garden Grocer. Each service has pros and cons, but a few stand out enough to be called the best.
Garden Grocer Delivery To Disney Resorts
Garden Grocer has delivered groceries to Disney resorts for the past 15 years. They are under new management for 2022, but the service remains the same.
To place an order, you’ll need to create a free account. From there, you pick from thousands of food and toiletry items and put them in your cart. You can order up to 120 days before your trip.
Here’s why I wouldn’t use Garden Grocer. Unless you place an order for $250 or more, there is a $15 delivery fee. That’s pretty steep if you are only buying a small amount.
The company doesn’t seem to have as many open slots as Amazon Fresh or Walmart. If you are familiar with those grocery delivery services, it’s best to stick with them for simple ease of use.
Here’s when I WOULD use Garden Grocer. If I were placing a large order for a family which included perishables, wine, or diapers, I would use this service. Other services don’t sell wine, and the prices overall are reasonable, even for diapers.
Garden Grocer shines if you are ordering perishables. They insist the hotel will refrigerate all groceries appropriately until you get them. You do not need to be present for delivery, the delivery person will leave the groceries at the bell stand, and for a $6 fee, the bell staff will deliver them to your room.
If traveling during a high season, it’s best to order in advance to ensure you get what you want since Garden Grocer allows orders up to 120 days out. The earlier, the better.
Amazon Fresh Delivery To Disney Resorts
We’ve talked about how Amazon Fresh is the service we recommended for weekly shopping, and it’s also great for grocery delivery to Disney.
If you are a Prime member, Fresh is free to use. As long as you meet the $60 minimum, there is no delivery fee. They will include a tip to the driver calculated based on the order total. Drivers leave groceries with the bell stand. You do not need to be there to accept them.
We would use AmazonFresh to deliver groceries to Disney. There are lots of delivery times and dates available. If you want to decide last minute, this is perfect. It’s also great if you already know the system.
Here’s when we WOULDN’T USE AMAZON Fresh. We would not use this service if we were traveling during a holiday. They do not deliver on holidays and delivery times are in shorter supply, so it may be challenging to get one.
Walmart Delivery To Disney
The Kissimmee location, about eight miles from Disney World, participates in the Walmart Plus program. This program offers free delivery for $98 a year or $12.95 a month. It’s an excellent option for grocery delivery.
Here’s when to use Walmart Plus for Disney. Besides offering great prices on groceries, it also has thousands of products, so if you need toiletries or almost anything else this superstore sells, you can have it delivered. You do not need to be around to receive the order.
Like Amazon Fresh, I would not recommend this service during the high season since time slots are harder to secure.
Instacart to Disney World
Instacart does deliver to most Disney hotels. It may be a great option if you need something from a specific store. But we do not recommend this service for a Disney holiday.
Instacart has shoppers go to the store to complete your order. While there, they will contact you if an item is out or if they have any questions. This is not helpful if you are on a plane or unable to respond.
There are also many fees associated with Instacart orders (service, delivery, bag fees, tips, etc.), and they add up! If your goal is to save money, Instacart is not the best option. Walmart and Amazon Fresh have more competitive pricing.
What’s The BEST Way to Have Groceries Delivered To Disney Resorts
During the regular season, it’s a tie between Amazon Fresh and Walmart plus. Both have thousands of products, lots of time slots, and affordable prices. If you already use one of these services, use the same for this trip.
If you have a Prime membership, use Amazon Fresh. If you need toiletries or other miscellaneous items, use Walmart.
If you are traveling during the high season (Christmas Break, Easter, February, and Mid-Summer), check out Garden Grocer to ensure you get a delivery time that works for your itinerary.
What Groceries To Order For Disney
The most straightforward meal to buy groceries for is breakfast. It’s also great to purchase snacks for the park and afternoons in the hotel.
Here are the best groceries to order for Disney
BREAKFAST
- Muffins
- Juice boxes
- Shelf Stable Chocolate milk
- Bananas
- Apples
- Cereal
SNACKS
- Protein bars
- Trail mix
- Goldfish packages
- Chips
- Pretzels
MISC.
- Gallons of water
- Sunscreen
- Wine (Garden Grocer only)
Tips For Successful Grocery Delivery To Disney Resorts
- Use a service do not have items shipped. If you ship via FedEx, UPS, USPS, etc., hotels often put a surcharge on receiving and storing them. Fees are based on the size of the box and ADD up. A grocery delivery service will usually leave items with the bell stand. You only are charged if they deliver it to your room.
- Most times, you do not need to be present for the delivery.
- If you are ordering before arrival, in the comments section, place the verbiage FOR ARRIVING GUEST “NAME THE RESERVATION IS UNDER.” Having the bags labeled helps the bell understand that you are on your way. It’s beneficial if you face a plane delay and cannot check-in.
- Email the front desk to confirm all details. Rules constantly change in this day and age, so it’s best to have it all in writing. This way, if there are any charges, you can dispute them.
- Only order perishables if you will be there to receive them. You do not want spoiled food.
What Do You Think?
Are you traveling to see Mickey and Minnie soon? Will you use grocery delivery to Disney resorts? Let me know which and your favorite park snacks are in the comments below. I’d love to read it!
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