We frogs are always looking for ways to save money at Disneyland and make the trip more affordable. (Saving green is kind of our thing!) If you are smart, you can really save money inside the parks, especially when buying food. Keep in mind that just like everywhere else in the country, food prices have gone up. But that doesn't stop us from trying to get the most for our money at Disneyland! We always looking to save money with the cheapest food at Disneyland or the most shareable items.
While theme parks are not known for having the most affordable food and treats, knowing where and how to find the cheapest Disneyland food and drink can help you stretch your budget and use that money for other valuable things. We will help you cut our costly extras and help you save money in the park.
You can also find some of the same foods for less money depending on where you buy them in the parks. Whaaat? For real! Let's get hoppin'!
Budget-Friendly Food at Disneyland
Many of the snacks and treats at Disneyland are under $10. You can find regular popcorn, ice cream, churros, cotton candy and even pineapple Dole Whip for between $5 and $10. You can also get unique treats such as a Tigger Tail in Critter Country. Other fresh treats made in the parks include fudge, decorated cake pops and marshmallow treats at Pooh Corner, Candy Palace, Bing Bong's Sweet Stuff and Trolley Treats.
Keep in mind that we've been seeing prices creep up over the past two years, so actual prices may vary. We have noticed that the menus take more time to update on the app. To see a more accurate price, pretend that you are mobile ordering (where available) to find the most recent price when budgeting for food.
The iconic Matterhorn Macaroon at Jolly Holiday Bakery Café is a weighty treat that is one of the least expensive foods in the parks!
There are bready treats for about $5.50 to $6, including a Mickey Mouse pretzel — a must-have treat for us. Did you know you can get the same Mickey pretzel at Refreshment Corner and Bayside Brews as at the pretzel carts but for less money? And don't froget that Magic Key and Disney Visa discounts apply at restaurant locations for even more savings. The garlic, herb and cheese Tiger Tail at Bengal Barbecue is about $4.79.
But the biggest new bread treat that's gone viral is the cheesy garlic pretzel bread at Edelweiss Snacks and Maurice's Treats. You can share it with a friend or keep it all to yourself.
Speaking of Edelweiss Snacks, the bratwurst is just over $10 but is a really filling on-the-go food. And Maurice's Treats is home to one of our favorite on-the-go sandwiches, the ham and cheese croissant at about $7. This gooey sandwich is definitely a bougie on a budget item! Both the brat and the croissant can replace a more expensive meal and save time too, served to be eaten on the go!
For an adventurous twist, bite into a bao from Tropical Hideaway in Adventureland. It's a favorite go-to spot to get a hearty snack that can be enjoyed for about $6.50.
But one of our favorite Disneyland foods under $6 is the Firefly at Refreshment Corner. This often secret menu item is one of the best on-the-go Disneyland foods. It comes in a bag and includes chili, cheese and jalapeños over spicy corn chips. I repeat ... all for under $6!
Healthy Treats
Some of the cheapest food at Disneyland is also the freshest! There are so many healthy snacks at Disneyland, and that makes it easier to make better dietary decisions too. Corn on the cob, cut fruit, pickles, apple chips, fresh pineapple spears, whole fruits and more are among the cheapest food at Disneyland. You can also get hummus and veggie cups at any of the fruit stands throughout the parks. We love the hummus trio with crisp veggies at Bengal Barbecue and Tropical Imports.
The dill pickle is one of our favorite low-calorie and low-cost snacks in the park. Many restaurants sell Power Packs. They include a Dannon Danimals smoothie, a mandarin orange, apple slices, carrots, crackers and a small beverage. Bargain snack for the win!
Protein
While it is easy to find treats and starches, protein is a little more challenging to find for a bargain. Our favorite spot for protein is the Bengal Barbecue in Adventureland. The skewers offer a less sugary, affordable snack that will give you some staying power. The Banyan beef skewer is hot and spicy, while the Bengal beef skewer is sweeter.
We also like the chicken skewer in a Polynesian sauce and the pork belly — they are all so tasty! You can get bacon-wrapped asparagus or a vegetable skewer (perfect for vegetarians!). The skewers are more of a snack than a meal. However, they will certainly fill you up more than cotton candy without the sugar spike (or the impending crash). Add more skewers to make it a meal. The hummus trio with fresh veggies is a shareable snack that is also healthy.
For breakfast, the in-park Starbucks locations such as Fiddler, Fifer & Practical and Market House offer breakfast sandwiches, egg bites and wraps just over and under $5, as well as other baked goods to start your park morning off with a full tummy. But one of the cheapest on-the-go breakfasts in the Disneyland parks is the breakfast chimichanga (a vegetarian option exists too) at about $6.99. You can find it at Ship to Shore Marketplace across from Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. Regular chimichangas are available all day.
You can see several of the foods we mention in our YouTube video on foods under $10 at Disneyland!
Drinks
The majority of the nonalcoholic drinks in the park are under $6. We save money and stay hydrated by drinking free water in the park. Most restaurants have free water upon request. But sometimes, we treat ourselves to a special treat. We love Dole Pineapple juice, flavored frozen lemonade, a Golden Horseshoe Ice Cream Float or some Starbucks. Both Market House and Fiddler, Fifer & Practical sell Starbucks. Most coffees, Frappuccinos, Refreshers, smoothies, espressos, teas and hot chocolates are all under $7.
But let's talk about water: Bring water from home to stay hydrated. Filling stations are a great way to save. When you need more water, you can get free ice water at restaurants with soda fountains. Restaurants with water filling stations or filtered water nearby (such as Galactic Grill) will give you cups of ice and have you fill your own cups with water. The best-tasting free water is at Alien Pizza Planet and Pym's test Kitchen.
When you need to purchase water, watch where you buy it. That convenient vending cart will have convenience store prices. Purchasing water at restaurants costs a little less for the same bottle, and you can apply discounts there.
Money-Saving Strategies
Sometimes, you have to get creative to make your indulgences less expensive. We are great sharers! At the Jolly Holiday Bakery Café, Lily and I often share the Jolly Holiday Combo — she eats the grilled cheese and I eat the tomato soup. We are both happy, and sharing brings our meals down to about $7 per person. BTW, the sandwiches at Jolly Holiday Bakery Café make for some of the most affordable meals in the park. (Soups and salads come in at a lower price point at Jolly Holiday Bakery Café). For dessert, it's the hefty, but affordable, Matterhorn Macaroon at $4.99 (it's gone up a lot in recent years!)
Other foods great for sharing are Mickey Beignets from Mint Julep Bar and the Cinnamon Crisps at Rancho del Zocalo (under $5). The Beignets are about $5.49 for three or $8.99 for six ... so it's worth getting more and sharing.
The latest food to go viral at Disneyland is the warm, gooey chocolate chip cookie from Harbour Galley. They come in packs of 6 (for $6.49) and 13 (for $12.49). They are not large cookies, but they are great for sharing. These babies are not available via mobile order, and do sell out early in the day, so get some milk for dipping.
We recently saved money by ordering our corndog from Stage Door Café a la carte, instead of with chips or fruit, to save some money. We have not had luck lately ordering it without the side at Little Red Wagon.
If you look at scooped ice cream prices at Gibson Girl or Clarabelle’s Hand-Scooped Ice Cream, you’ll see that a double scoop of ice cream is just $1 more than a single scoop. If you’re willing to share or divide the ice cream yourself, you can save a lot of money by getting double the ice cream for a fraction of the price! Add a third scoop for just 50 cents more than a double. That's a well-kept secret. You have to order in person since it's not on the menu. You can save a lot on ice cream if you order a double or triple and share as opposed to each person purchasing their own single scoops.
If you love drinking a refreshing Mint Julep in New Orleans Square, but one is never enough, there’s a way to get unlimited Mint Julep. Instead of ordering a single Mint Julep at the Mint Julep Bar, you can order your Mint Julep as part of your meal at Café Orleans or Blue Bayou. It’s refillable! Plus, if you haven’t finished your drink when it’s time to go, they’ll give you a to-go cup! Granted, you are probably pairing your drink with a more expensive table-service meal, but if you are going to eat there anyway, then that’s the time to get your Mint Julep fix. We recently had unlimited Mint Juleps as our included drinks at Blue Bayou with the Fantasmic! dining package.
FYI: The popular Monte Cristo Sandwich (which is cheaper at Café Orleans than the Monte Cristo at Blue Bayou) is normally large enough to share. However, it is now a half portion at Cafe Orleans. But it does now come with delicious garlic Pommes Frites, which you cannot order separately anymore (but can swap out as a side for other dishes). So keep that in mind and drink all the Mint Julep you can while people-watching and enjoying the views at Café Orleans. You won’t feel like you are depriving yourself of your favorite Disneyland treats!
Kids Meals
If you want a light meal, consider ordering a kids meal, even if you're not a kid. Kids meals also include a drink (can even be soda or small bottled water), a fruit (usually a clementine but sometimes applesauce) and a veggie snack (usually carrots) for $7-10. So if a smaller portion hits the spot, get a kids meal.
Another option for a smaller appetite is to get a side. At Smokejumpers Grill in the morning you can order just a side of bacon or a side of a fried egg (and more options) for just a few dollars.
Order in Person to Cut Out the Glow Cube/Souvenir Bowl
Many times Mobile Order automatically gives you a glow cube with a drink or a sundae in a Mickey hat bowl ... for a premium price! But you can order in person and ask to skip those souvenir items and save a lot of money. We recently asked for no glow cube for a nighttime slushy drink at Galactic Grill and it cut the price of the drink almost in half! We have collected so many glow cubes at Disneyland that now we just bring them back with us for future drinks to light up the night rather than paying a premium for them over and over again.
We hope you've enjoyed our look at the cheapest food at Disneyland. If you're pinching pennies, be sure to check out our post on free things to do at Disneyland. If you are visiting this summer, be sure to check out our tips for managing summer crowds and beating the heat (perhaps with one of the frozen treats mentioned above).
Related: How to Save Money at Disneyland
Hoppy planning!
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