- Okay. Rachel.
- Yes.
- You worked where?
- At Walt Disney World.
- That's right! Yes, she did!
Okay. And where did you meet your husband?
- At Walt Disney World.
- Where, Rachel? Tell us!
- At Be Our Guest restaurant.
We were both working there.
- I mean, it's just— - Very romantic.
- Living my dream life.
Okay. So, what did you do at Walt Disney World?
- So, I did Food and Beverage Marketing and Public Relations.
Part of that was writing
for the Disney Parks Blog about food.
- Which is where all the people go
to learn all the food tricks.
- Yes.
- And we have the expert here.
Because food's a huge budget-buster in life,
let alone on your Disney trip.
It can be very expensive.
So, talk me through a few of your money saving tips
when you think about food in Disney.
- One of the biggest tips,
if you're going to be eating at a table service restaurant
which is what they call the sit-down restaurants,
lunch is often less expensive than dinner.
So, it's really great if you can do your big meal at lunch.
It's also great for traveling with small kids.
They get a break from the sun, a little bit more quiet.
So, it's really a great money saving tip.
- So good.
I feel like a pro, Rachel,
because we did this with Amelia.
We went to Cinderella's, the
what's it called?
- Cinderella's Royal Table.
- Royal Table during lunch, because someone said
the lunch menu is cheaper than the dinner menu,
and I was like, "Well, that's perfect,
because you're kind of paying an arm and leg for those.
And so we did—we did the lunch!
And you're exactly right. It worked out so well.
Okay. So, there's the sit-down restaurants,
and then there's the quick service.
- Quick service, yep.
- So, what are your favorite
quick service restaurants at Disney?
- Oh, my gosh.
So, my very favorite is the bakery
in the France pavilion at Epcot.
It is so good, and it's not that expensive!
- And the cinnamon rolls?
Is it the same as Gaston's?
- No.
- Oh, separate. Do tell!
Okay, keep going. - So, that's in Magic Kingdom,
I'm talking about the one in Epcot.
- Oh, Epcot. Okay.
- So, they have authentic French pastries
and baguettes and sandwiches and salads,
and it's pretty inexpensive.
You can get stuff for under $5.
- So good!
So, the character meals are really expensive,
and I'll say, we had hit or miss.
So, I'm wondering—a family that's on a super tight budget
and they don't have a lot of money to spend,
should they put their money there or somewhere else?
- You know what? At the end of the day,
you're in a beautiful park.
There are characters everywhere.
You don't have to do the character meals.
Take the pressure off of yourself.
You don't have to eat in the castle.
You don't have to do dining with Mickey.
You're going to see them other places,
so save some money.
- Yes, that's great. That's so good.
Okay. So, there's hidden dining gems all over Disney,
like the pastry place in Epcot.
Didn't know that.
Okay, what are some other great places
that people can eat?
- So, I love eating at the hotels.
You don't have to stay at the hotels to eat there,
so it's a great way to get the experience.
They're a little bit quieter than the parks.
But it's so great.
One of my favorite date nights with my husband
was actually going to the Polynesian.
We would get Dole Whips, and then, we'd sit on the beach
and watch Magic Kingdom fireworks,
and it cost us $10.
- So good. - Yeah, it was really great.
- That's fun. Eat dessert and watch the fireworks.
Okay. So, I love saving money.
You know that about me, Rachel.
So, what are other quick money saving tips food-wise
that you can think of?
- You can bring in bottles of water to fill
once you're in the park.
- You can also ask for water at
any of the counter service restaurants—
just a glass of water—so you don't have to buy the bottle.
- Ooh, that's good.
- [Rachel] So, that'll save you $3.
- Yes.
- So, you can't bring a cooler or anything like that,
but you can definitely pack some snacks.
If you have any food allergies, that's really great.
They do have a lot of allergy-friendly menus
throughout the park,
but it's just a really great way to keep the kids—
no one wants to be hangry at Disney World.
- That's true. That's true.
- So, keep snacks.
One of my other favorites, Via Napoli Ristorante e Pizzeria
I know you love it.
- Yes.
- So, they have amazing pizza.
They fly their flour and tomatoes in from Italy,
real deal pizza. - No way.
You can get a large pizza, big salad, and share.
And it'll feed a family of four or five.
- Yes. So good. - Amazing.
- Oh, I love it.
Rachel, so good.
I mean, seriously, the food part—it's a big deal!
And so, knowing these little gems and little, quick ways
to save money here or there helps tremendously.
So, thank you. Thanks for coming on.
- Yeah, absolutely! - Love it.
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