Save Money and Time with Grocery Delivery

One of my favorite ways to save a little money (and time) is to have a few essential items delivered to my resort hotel. 

Grocery delivery has become extremely popular at the Disney resorts and the number of options has exploded. 

In this blog, I walk you through your options and some of my favorite items to order.

HOW TO ORDER GROCERIES

GROCERY DELIVERY SERVICES
Can you imagine ordering groceries from the comfort of your own home and having them arrive fresh at your vacation resort doorstep a couple of hours later? 

Well, I can imagine it…because I’ve done it!
I think it’s amazing that we live in a day and age where we can have this luxury. 

Anyone who ordered groceries sometime during the pandemic this past year can appreciate the time savings these grocery delivery services offer!

There are several delivery service options out there to make getting your groceries incredibly easy. You go online - anywhere from 60 days to 2 hours before your arrival time, create your order, schedule your delivery, and it is dropped off at bell services, where they have the capability to keep refrigerated items cold. 

Because of the popularity of grocery and package delivery, Disney has begun charging a $5 fee for any order that Bell Services handles. You can avoid the fee by selecting the delivery window to a time you know you will be at the resort and meeting the delivery in the lobby. 
CHECK DISNEY FOR CURRENT POLICY, as this seems to change all the time.

Other fees to compare and consider when choosing your delivery option:

• Shopping Fee
• Delivery Fee
• Minimum Order Costs
• Gratuity / Tip

GARDENGROCER.COM is a very popular delivery service.
“GardenGrocer.com has been serving visitors to the Central Florida area for over 15 years. Offering a dependable and friendly service, great prices, and a wide selection of over 5,000 of your favorite products.”

PROS:

• No minimum order and discounts are offered for early booking.
• You can reserve your order up to 60 days in advance which is nice to have fewer things to worry about as you approach your trip.

CONS:

• Limited products are available.

Similar services:

• Orlando Grocery Express - Orlando Grocery Express is a family-owned personal shopping business with a goal to make your vacation life easier and to do everything possible to ensure that each and every customer is completely satisfied with our service. 
• Dizzy Dolphin Delivery - Dizzy Dolphin Delivery provides customized grocery delivery services to guests at Central Florida Resort Hotels and Vacation Villas.
• Walmart Grocery Delivery - Walmart pickup & delivery is seriously a life-changer! You order whatever you need online and your local Walmart store does the shopping for you. You can choose either free curbside pickup or have them deliver right to your door. How easy it that?   
• FRESH via Amazon (different from PrimeNow) - Fresh is grocery shopping with a smile. We're your one stop for great deals on national favorites, plus new tastes, organic and ready-to-eat food, local finds, and the best of Amazon.
• WHOLE FOODS MARKET via Amazon (different from PrimeNow) - Get the same groceries available at your local Whole Foods Market. Fast grocery delivery and pickup (in select regions) for Prime members on orders with minimum purchase.

INSTACART 
“Instacart makes it easy to order from your favorite stores. A personal shopper will be assigned to shop and deliver your order to the resort. You can track your order’s progress and communicate with your shopper every step of the way using the Instacart app or website.”

This is my favorite option and my choice for my own trips - especially because of the numerous shopping locations and variety of items available.

I use it at home so it is really easy for me to just change the delivery address to the hotel. 

PROS:

• Instacart offers services for Publix, Whole Foods, Costco, and the local Liquor Store. 
• No minimum order.
• You can reserve your order a week or two in advance. 

CONS:

• Possible ‘busy time fee’ surcharge

​Similar services:

• WeGoShop - WeGoShop location is an independently owned and operated small business offering personalized grocery shopping and grocery delivery from your favorite local grocery store.
• Shipt - Shipt is an app that provides grocery and alcohol* delivery from your local store via a local community of reliable shoppers. Become a member, order from your phone or computer, and we'll bring your order straight to the location requested.

SHIPPING TO THE RESORT
You can ship a box to yourself at your Walt Disney World resort. 

If you need items from different places it may make the most sense to put what you need into a box and ship it to yourself before you go. 

PROS: 

• The benefit here is shipping only the quantities you need (a handful of granola bars instead of a full box)

CONS: 

• Everything is delivered to one central processing area, so be sure to leave plenty of time for it to get to your hotel before your trip. I would add 2-3 days to the expected delivery date to be safe.
• Disney does charge a $5 handling fee for every box processed (not per order).
• Additionally, you can only ship nonperishable items. You will still need any cold items to be delivered.

Common stores for the shipping option:

• Target
• Walmart
• Amazon
• Staples

LOCAL GROCERY PICK UP
If you prefer to do your own shopping, there are several ways to pop into a local grocery store and pick up your list yourself.

Driving to Disney World or renting a car? You’ll just need to carve a little time out of your vacation schedule to shop at one of the local stores.

Using a private car service or limo from the airport, like JMorris Travel’s preferred luxury transportation service? Request to add on a short grocery store stop on your way from the airport to the resort.

Alternatively, use a private car-share service like Lyft*, Uber, or Taxi. 

*Lyft is my preferred car service in the Orlando area - 

PROS: 

• You save on any processing fees in exchange for taking some of your time. 

CONS: 

• You’ll save delivery fees but may incur additional costs for the add-on stop or car-share service.

Common stores for the local grocery store pick up option:

• Speedway Gas Station (near the Boardwalk area)
• WholeFoods
• Publix
• Super Target
• Trader Joe’s

BRING YOUR OWN GROCERIES OR SHOP ON PROPERTY

My family’s very first trip to Disney was almost 20 years ago. Before shopping apps and delivery services were readily available like they are now, many families packed must-have groceries in their suitcases. Depending on your shopping list, this is still a viable option. 

And of course, if you are driving to Disney World, you can pack a cooler and bring your non-perishables in the car alongside the family. 

PROS: 

• You save on any processing & delivery fees.

CONS: 

• Depending on your airline, you may incur luggage fees for extra or overweight bags.

Lastly, depending on your resort, you can pick up a few items at your Resort Gift Shop...including my number one suggested grocery item.

WHAT SHOULD YOU ORDER?

BOTTLED WATER
DO NOT PAY DISNEY PRICES FOR BOTTLED WATER!!! 
OK, now that I’ve gotten that out of the way. Let me tell you how I really feel. LOL

Buying individual bottles of water in the theme parks will add up quickly! 

If nothing else the amount of money you will save on water will cover the delivery fee and then some. I fill the fridge with water bottles as soon as they arrive.  The rule in our family is you carry a bottle into the park and we put one more per person in the backpack. 

When we go back for our midday break we refresh the bottles and take another two each. I usually still end up buying a couple in the parks but with bottles of water running around $4 bringing 4 per person per day really helps. 

If you want to save even more or are not planning a midday break you can bring a cooler and rent a locker to avoid carrying them. It is important to note that hard-sided coolers and loose ice are not allowed, bring Ziploc bags so you can use the free ice from your ice machine at your resort.

Also, remember that any Counter Service or Snack place that has soda fountain drinks (not in a can or bottle) will give you a free glass of water.

BREAKFAST
On the go breakfast options are a terrific way to save both time and money. The first few hours in the morning are the least crowded and to take full advantage of that park time, we prefer to have a quick meal in the room or on the way to the bus stop.

Some of my family's favorites are oatmeal packets we can prepare with the water from the coffee machine, cereal and milk, granola bars, and fruit. We eat just enough to hold us over until we grab an early lunch.

SNACKS
Snacks (and extra snacks) in our park bag are a great way to avoid any meltdowns or issues due to ‘hanger’. 

Make sure you pick something that won't melt in the heat like goldfish or peanut butter crackers or will give you a little boost of protein-energy like jerky or trail mix.

SANDWICH ITEMS
If you are really on a budget and want to save even more you can order some items to make sandwiches. 

Bread, peanut butter and jelly or lunch meat will be much less expensive than Disney meals. I prefer the individual-sized peanut butter cups for ease of carrying into the parks. And most food courts also sell slices of fresh bread if you need this option for just one or two meals.

Remember hard-sided coolers and loose ice are not allowed, but you can pack a soft-sided cooler with ice packs or bags of ice and put it in a locker until you are ready to enjoy it.

BABY CARE ITEMS
Avoid packing bulky items like diapers and wipes, baby food, and formula - instead, have them delivered.
And believe it or not, it is also very common to order an inexpensive stroller or pack n play to use on your trip. You can ‘pay it forward’ and leave it at the front desk of your resort for another guest or coordinate a handoff on one of the many resorts Facebook groups. 

Important Disclaimer: The information on this page is believed to be accurate as of the date it was written. Please keep in mind that fees and service offerings change frequently. Please verify all terms and conditions of any purchases you make. 

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