Travel Tip Tuesday

Today's travel tip is going to focus on helping you get the most bang for your buck when it comes to staying hydrated at Disney. I have already mentioned many times about how you can get a free cup of ice water or ice at any counter service window. The staff is always super friendly and more than willing to give you one, even if you don't buy anything else. So, with that being said, there is no reason NOT to stay hydrated. What about at meals though? Sometimes, people (like me) just want a cold soda to go with their meals. Is there a way to save money with a meal?

Of course there is! In the past few years Disney has changed a few of the restaurants to include a serve yourself beverage station. This of course means as many free refills as you want. So, buy a drink with your meal, and drink until you get your fill. Then, after your meal, take one "to go" in your cup, but don't fill it with ice. Then in a little while when you are thirsty from the hot sun, get a free cup of ice from a counter service restaurant and pour your soda over it. This option will only work if you have a stroller to put your drink in while you tour though. I wouldn't recommend carrying a drink all over the park all day :)

There still aren't tons of places that offer the serve yourself beverage stations, but there are a few. At Hollywood Studios, you can visit The Backlot Express which is located next to the Star Tours ride. If you are in Epcot, you have two options to choose from. The Electric Umbrella, which is located beside Innoventions East and Sunshine Seasons which is located inside The Land (this is my favorite counter service meal inside the theme parks due to the variety and fact that it allows us to save some money on our meals). If you are at Animal Kingdom, you can eat at Restaurantosaurus in Dinoland and drink (soda) to your hearts content. A side note about Restaurantosaurus is that the kids meals are served in a sand bucket so needless to say, we eat here often :). I can't think of any serve your own stations inside of Magic Kingdom, but hopefully they will come soon!

One final way my husband and I save on drinks when we can't get refills is to order a large cola with no ice and a cup of ice. This maximizes the amount of cola you get for your money, and allows you to be able to pour it over ice as you go. We are all about saving a buck or two whenever we can at Disney!