Hi Annette,
So glad you stopped by the Disney Parks Moms Panel. We're a military family also (a blended family of six people total), so I completely understand the need to stay on budget. Disney does offer discounted park tickets for active duty and retired members of the military through the
Disney 4-Day Promotional Tickets, but there are no military-specific dining discounts.
Fear not! There are many ways to eat at the Walt Disney World Resort and stay on your budget. Here are a few of my personal ways to make sure everyone is happy but to make sure I'm on track while we visit the Disney Parks.
First, bring your own food. At the very least, bring your own snacks. There are many delivery services that will bring groceries (and other supplies) to your resort room door. One of my favorites is www.gardengrocer.com. Should you choose to go this route, you can eat breakfast in your room or even bring lunch along with you to the park you're visiting that day and just have a snack and dinner in the park. This will offer you a substantial savings from eating all your meals and snacks in the park all day.
Second, bring your own bottled water or just your own reusable water bottles. You can go up to any quick service restaurant and ask for a cup of ice water, free of charge. There are also water fountains located in all the parks.
Lastly, you can always share meals and snacks, especially if you don't have a huge appetite. I find that an entire sandwich or salad is usually too much for me, so rather than let the extra food go to waste, I'll split it with another member of my party. If one of us is still hungry when we're done, we can always split dessert when we're finished.
Annette, I hope my suggestions have helped you stay on budget while you visit the Walt Disney World Resort. Happy vacationing!!
Best Wishes,
Amy B.