My husband and I were talking about our trip to WDW (next year!) and we need to find ways to cut $. We would like to eat cereal in our room for breakfast, pack lunches, and go out for dinner. He said we could probably buy a cheap little refrigerator for the milk and lunchmeat etc....

Then I remembered reading something on here about a refrigerator swap. I used "search" and came up with several trip reports, but none specifically gave directions or a clear understanding how this is done.

We don't have anything booked yet, but will most like be there July 1st, 2009, and stay 12-14 days. We would like to stay at Pop Century. I know, I know, it's way early, but I like to plan ahead and see what our options are.

Please let me know if you know how these swaps work. :)

Just a suggestion, you might want to do a Google search on the term "Refrigerator Swap" as it is not a topic that has been discussed much in the past.

I've never personally participated but I believe (if it runs smoothly) that you'd pick up the fridge at bell services and return it there at the end of your stay.

I'd look at some of the larger (?) disney message board sites- they seem to run them.

I still can't believe that Disney lets people store a refrigerator in bell services.

You do know, of course, that all the moderates and deluxe resorts have a mini-fridge in the rooms? And I believe you can put in a fridge in the value rooms for a charge (I think it's $10 a day???).

While I am not sure if this is the point Dan was making but the thing is that you have to count the cost as to how much you are going to use a fridge vs how much you are going to save by having it. Is it worth the $10 a day for a few cold sodas or milk that you can pick up ala carte daily?

Is being a part of a fridge swap really worth your time and effort when you can just be enjoying your vacation instead of trying to coordinate getting a fridge from someone you dont know? Just does not sound like it is worth the hassle.

You do know, of course, that all the moderates and deluxe resorts have a mini-fridge in the rooms? And I believe you can put in a fridge in the value rooms for a charge (I think it's $10 a day???).

Yes, staying at a value though, to save $. Fridge cost for value could total $140 if we stay for 14 days & that's just too darn expensive.

While I am not sure if this is the point Dan was making but the thing is that you have to count the cost as to how much you are going to use a fridge vs how much you are going to save by having it. Is it worth the $10 a day for a few cold sodas or milk that you can pick up ala carte daily?

Is being a part of a fridge swap really worth your time and effort when you can just be enjoying your vacation instead of trying to coordinate getting a fridge from someone you dont know? Just does not sound like it is worth the hassle.

You've brought up some really good points GusMan.

My family consists of me and DH and two growing boys with enormous appetites. We figured we could save a lot of money by not eating breakfast and lunch in the parks (or resort food courts) Breakfasts could easily run $20-$30 a day (if eaten out) and lunch even higher, so even with the extra cost of the fridge, I believe we would save money in the long run. Then again, we are on vacation......so we might as well treat ourselves.

Maybe we'll just bring a cooler, and hope for the best. Beats the cost of a fridge, or co-ordinating a pick-up.

Thanks everyone for your replies! :)

We figured we could save a lot of money by not eating breakfast and lunch in the parks (or resort food courts) Breakfasts could easily run $20-$30 a day (if eaten out) and lunch even higher...
I can surely understand eating breakfast in the room as it is easy to do and it does save a lot of cash and time. However, unless you already planned on going back to the resort for some reason, you are using a lot of park time commuting back and forth. That is something to take into consideration.

If your boys are big eaters, have you considered the dining plan? It might foot the bill while controlling dining costs.

However, unless you already planned on going back to the resort for some reason, you are using a lot of park time commuting back and forth. That is something to take into consideration.

You are absolutely right. I have recently developed sun sensitivity issues, so I will need to leave the parks around 11 or so, and return around 3 or 4...or whenever that bright Florida sunshine is less intense....So we had planned to come back everyday, mid-day to eat/swim/relax in the room. But I just realized...I can do that myself while my family enjoys the parks...they really don't need to come back with me.

If your boys are big eaters, have you considered the dining plan? It might foot the bill while controlling dining costs.

I have. It just seems so expensive....and soooo much food. My husband and I aren't big eaters...never order appetizers or dessert, and knowing me, I would probaly gain 20 pounds, just trying to get my money's worth. :p Sick, huh?;)

My husband and I were talking about our trip to WDW (next year!) and we need to find ways to cut $. We would like to eat cereal in our room for breakfast, pack lunches, and go out for dinner. He said we could probably buy a cheap little refrigerator for the milk and lunchmeat etc....

Then I remembered reading something on here about a refrigerator swap. I used "search" and came up with several trip reports, but none specifically gave directions or a clear understanding how this is done.

We don't have anything booked yet, but will most like be there July 1st, 2009, and stay 12-14 days. We would like to stay at Pop Century. I know, I know, it's way early, but I like to plan ahead and see what our options are.

Please let me know if you know how these swaps work. :)

Considering the length of your stay, it would probably make sense for at least one adult in the party to get an Annual Pass. There may not be AP rates for the hotels (but worth looking for), but you can purchase the Disney Dining Experience card, which would give you a 20% discount on your table service meals, and that includes alcoholic beverages. Over the length of your stay, it would more than pay for itself. You could purchase a small dorm-room style frig for less than $140. If you don't have a car, you could contact one of the shopping services in the area, and they could buy one and deliver it to the hotel. A few years ago, I had placed an order (bottled water, cereal, etc.) with wegoshop, and when we got to the hotel, we realized that one of my nieces had left her sneakers at the hotel we stayed at before we flew down. I called the service, and she went to Wall-Mart and bought a pair and brought it to the hotel, at a reduced delivery charge. I've heard of people who just left the frig there, or you may want to ship it home. A lot better than running for ice every day to fill a cooler. I would have breakfast and sandwich stuff in the frig, and maybe bring a soft-sided cooler and ice packs and have the boys pack sandwiches to eat in the parks-that will save you quite a bit of money.

I have. It just seems so expensive....and soooo much food. My husband and I aren't big eaters...never order appetizers or dessert, and knowing me, I would probaly gain 20 pounds, just trying to get my money's worth. :p Sick, huh?;)
Well... I think the risk of weight gain is offset by all the walking. :)
But going off of what you said, its not that it is expensive, its just that it does not fit everyones dining habits. Its like this - if after some research (looking at menus and prices, etc...) you think that you and your family will not get at least your money out of it, then you are right - it will not be a good value or a good choice.

Also, being that you are planning on a trip that is longer than most, after a while I can see where you might want a break from eating so much - especially in the summer.

But going off of what you said, its not that it is expensive, its just that it does not fit everyones dining habits.

Well, when you consider that some families eat breakfast in their room, pack snacks and PBJ's for lunch, and then do fast food for dinner, I think a case could be made that $37.99 per day per person is indeed pretty expensive! But if, like me, you're already taking advantage of the many terrific sitdown restaurants in the World, then the money doesn't seem quite so large.

Considering the length of your stay, it would probably make sense for at least one adult in the party to get an Annual Pass. A few years ago, I had placed an order (bottled water, cereal, etc.) with wegoshop, and when we got to the hotel, we realized that one of my nieces had left her sneakers at the hotel we stayed at before we flew down. I called the service, and she went to Wall-Mart and bought a pair and brought it to the hotel, at a reduced delivery charge. .

Thanks for the great tips!:D

Well... I think the risk of weight gain is offset by all the walking. :) I like the way you think!!!:)




Well, when you consider that some families eat breakfast in their room, pack snacks and PBJ's for lunch, and then do fast food for dinner, I think a case could be made that $37.99 per day per person is indeed pretty expensive! But if, like me, you're already taking advantage of the many terrific sitdown restaurants in the World, then the money doesn't seem quite so large.

I see what you mean. It won't happen this coming trip, but on the following, I will probably be working full time again, and we can afford to eat at all the great table service places.:)

I think the idea of the fridge swap is good, I think it's a little too unpredictable. I was considering joining on for my next trip until I really started reading the threads on another board. Some examples of what I read about are: the guest arrived at their resort and the fridge never turned up, one person recieved a fridge that had been dropped (and as a result it didn't keep her child's milk safe to drink), person said they really had to spend some time to clean the fridge, another person used baby wipes to clean it because they didn't have any antibacterial wipes, and someone else said that their fridge had mildew growing in the box. :eek:

I'd rather go to the store and buy one of those five day coolers and use it during my trip. (Granted, if you are opening it all the time the ice doesn't really keep, so you may have to add more ice at some point during the trip. But it still seems to stay longer than a "regular" cooler.) That way, I could depend on it being there, and I wouldn't doubt if it was clean or not.:)

My family consists of me and DH and two growing boys with enormous appetites.

Maybe we'll just bring a cooler, and hope for the best. Beats the cost of a fridge, or co-ordinating a pick-up.

Seriously, do the cooler. You have 2 strapping young boys to do ice hauling duties! Also make sure you keep plenty of less perishable snacks and foods on hand. (Whole fruit in particular doesn't need to be refrigerated, and is a great snack) Have fun!

I don't know how to get info on the fridge swap. My question is, will you have a car to go buy a cooler and food? If so, buy a cheap cooler and all non-perishable food on the first stop. Then restock perishables with a trip to the store, maybe while you take your mid-day break. I like my milk to be fresh, so I would buy it at the food court or resort store as needed even if it was more money, cuz it would still be cheaper than eating the whole meal in the food court or parks.

I'd use a collapsable cooler or a cheap styrofoam cooler (Under $5) We buy the styrofoam coolers at Walmart for $3 along with sodas, snacks, and cereal. We pack the cooler with ice from the Hotel Ice machines. Keeps the milk and sodas inside cool all day long. We have our cereal with milk in the morning. Saves a lot on breakfast. At the end of our stay we just leave the cooler by the ice machines for someone else to use, or just leave it in the room. To be safe we store the cooler in the bathroom or bathtub, Just in case it breaks open!