Favorite Meals to make in villa

[nlenguyen]

For an upcoming trip we are thinking of doing some meals in our villa (3 nights studio, 2 nights 1 bedroom). Are there any meals that you have made in your villa that was good?
Family will be driving in so we are able to bring utensils and items needed to cook.
For the nights in the studio, we are thinking of bringing a crockpot and making meals that can cook while we are in the parks, things like chili or homemade Mac n cheese. Most of the ingredients will fit in the small fridge for the most part. We will need to buy some meats while we are there because I am not sure how long meat will last frozen in a cooler. One night once we move to the 1 bedroom, we are located at a resort with grills and would like to do steaks or bbq foods.

Let me know what recipes have worked out with your family when you make food in your villa.

 

[Disdreaming479]

I always rent a car in Orlando so we go to Sam’s club and buy foods that are already cooked or just need toasting. Example: frozen waffles w/ Nutella, fruits, veggie tray, frozen chicken nuggets. Also from the deli: sushi, chicken salad w/ crackers, charcuterie tray, rotisserie chicken. We always have adr for dinners but eat breakfast and lunch in the villa. When not in the parks, we’re usually resting or enjoying resort amenities so we haven’t actually cooked. We stay in 2 bedroom villas so wouldn’t be able to do this in a studio.

 

[Micca]

Unfortunately, small appliances such as crockpots, Instapot and hot plates are not allowed in Walt Disney World Resort rooms. But! Most of the Disney Vacation Club studios have a microwave, toaster, and mini fridge to help prepare meals.

Similar to disdreaming479 we mostly just warm up prepared foods. Maybe make a grilled cheese sandwich or re-heat some leftovers from TS.

 

[nlenguyen]

Unfortunately, small appliances such as crockpots, Instapot and hot plates are not allowed in Walt Disney World Resort rooms. But! Most of the Disney Vacation Club studios have a microwave, toaster, and mini fridge to help prepare meals.

Similar to disdreaming479 we mostly just warm up prepared foods. Maybe make a grilled cheese sandwich or re-heat some leftovers from TS.

I did not see anything online that says something about crockpots, instapot

 

[Micca]

I did not see anything online that says something about crockpots, instapot

I Googled "crockpots ok at DVC studio rooms" and the first paragraph of my post came up. It was from Plan Disney, Disney.go or some such.

 

[minniesfriend]

We were considering changing from a studio to a 1 BR so that we could use a crockpot/instapot for quick dinners. After researching, I also agree these small appliances are not allowed. (There are some blogs that say you may use them, including a PlanDisney response, but there are at least 2 others from PlanDisney, one from 2022, that say you may not use them).

Another heads up - You do not say which resort your studio is in, but it's important to know that some of them only have beverage coolers instead of refrigerators. (You refer to the small fridge and cooler so I'm not sure what you'll have - were you taking frozen meat in a cooler maybe?).

So, right now, we're sticking with the studio..... But we may do what you are doing - studio on the front end and then go to a 1 BR. If I do that, I will likely use Kroger delivery or run to Trader Joe's for some of their quick meals once we go to the 1 BR. I am bummed not to have the crockpot option, but I understand why.

Things I'm thinking of: salad kits with chicken nuggets, frozen pizza w salad, frittatas, tacos, sheet pan meals, stir fry and fried rice (frozen)

Good luck and have a great vacation!

 

[nlenguyen]

We were considering changing from a studio to a 1 BR so that we could use a crockpot/instapot for quick dinners. After researching, I also agree these small appliances are not allowed. (There are some blogs that say you may use them, including a PlanDisney response, but there are at least 2 others from PlanDisney, one from 2022, that say you may not use them).

Another heads up - You do not say which resort your studio is in, but it's important to know that some of them only have beverage coolers instead of refrigerators. (You refer to the small fridge and cooler so I'm not sure what you'll have - were you taking frozen meat in a cooler maybe?).

So, right now, we're sticking with the studio..... But we may do what you are doing - studio on the front end and then go to a 1 BR. If I do that, I will likely use Kroger delivery or run to Trader Joe's for some of their quick meals once we go to the 1 BR. I am bummed not to have the crockpot option, but I understand why.

Things I'm thinking of: salad kits with chicken nuggets, frozen pizza w salad, frittatas, tacos, sheet pan meals, stir fry and fried rice (frozen)

Good luck and have a great vacation!

We will be at VDH and VGC. I did just ask member services about it to clarify. They said that with guest safety that guest are to avoid bringing own appliances. I guess there was someone that brought a microwave and it caught on fire and the building needed to evacuate. It does not explicitly say these are prohibited but it you are using them and management or housekeeping comes by, they could unplug them or take them out of the room. This will change our food strategy for sure. Wish I would have booked a 2 bedroom just to start, now party is all studios and one party gets a 1 bedroom for only 2 nights of the 5

 

[momof2gr8kids]

Could the family that's driving in bring some home cooked meals that are frozen that you could warm up in the microwave? If they pack all the frozen stuff together in a cooler and don't open, it will stay frozen for a few days, especially if you've got ice packs around it. We've done it on long camping trips.

Example - meatballs in sauce - make up uncle ben's rice in microwave to go with it. Taco meat can be frozen. Put over nachos in microwave, make tacos with tortillas. Can do the same with chicken. Chili. You can even bbq sausages at home, freeze them, warm up in microwave.

I'm lazy when we go camping now so at home when I make stuff I make a bit extra then throw in the freezer for heat and serve at camp. Or get dh to bbq sausages, souvlaki that are easy to heat up and avoid us having to bring the bbq camping too.

 

[we"reofftoneverland]

We bring a crockpot sometimes.

 

[nlenguyen]

We bring a crockpot sometimes.

Do they unplug it when you use it?

 

[we"reofftoneverland]

Do they unplug it when you use it?

No. We’ve never had an issue. This is also the first time I’ve read anywhere that we aren’t supposed to bring them. We also bring a small coffee grinder. And we also bring our own keurig. Actually we stopped bringing the keurig and started bringing the grinder and our own beans. We’ve thought about bringing an espresso machine, but too much of a pain. So we grind fresh coffee and use disneys coffee maker. So I guess we are really breaking the rules!

 

[Disdreaming479]

Do they unplug it when you use it?

Another idea would be to bring your favorite big skillet, utensils, and food storage and cook a big tray of meat. There are sides you can buy at big box store that can are packaged in metal pans to heat in oven.

 

[DonMacGregor]

I was under the impression that anything that had a heating element (crock pot, hot plate, etc.) that could be left on and unattended while the room was unoccupied was prohibited, but small appliances like coffee grinders, etc. were ok.

 

[Tigger's ally]

Does 3 Large Giordono's Deep Dish Pie's delivered count? Asking for a friend.

 

[Judique]

No. We’ve never had an issue. This is also the first time I’ve read anywhere that we aren’t supposed to bring them. We also bring a small coffee grinder. And we also bring our own keurig. Actually we stopped bringing the keurig and started bringing the grinder and our own beans. We’ve thought about bringing an espresso machine, but too much of a pain. So we grind fresh coffee and use disneys coffee maker. So I guess we are really breaking the rules!

I've brought my keurig or nespresso on many vacations but now that they have the keurig duo, I just bring my own pods. I used to travel (by car) with a small grinder and sometimes do pour over coffee. I've a carried a small french press also, but on one occasion, dropped it outside BLT and the glass shattered everywhere.

As far as a crock pot, no, I've never even cooked at home in one. We have one and my DD has used it for various things, but, my cooking style does not lend itself to a crock pot. I've been gifted three of them over the years and eventually they ended up brand new at the thrift shop.

I do have other things that I sometimes bring that maybe are on the Disboards naughty list so I won't share. Mostly these days I do coffee, cheese and biscotti for breakfast and mostly get prepared food and reheat as needed, with the occasional trip to a Disney restaurant, offsite, or a graze around the world at Epcot since there are so many choices there.

 

[zackiedawg]

95% of the time, the only food I 'cook' in the villas are omelettes or scrambled eggs, or re-heating leftovers. On some rare occasion, I've made quesadillas and burgers on the stovetop (when I go to a local grocery store for ground beef, chicken, tortillas, etc), though I miss Gooding's...there's a Winn Dixie not too far up the road from Crossroads, and a Publix just outside of AK Lodge. I've also cooked steaks, burgers, and hot dogs on the grills at the Fort Wildnerness Cabins - though I never really felt like doing that at any other resort that requires going out to a BBQ grill in a common area. It was much more convenient at the Cabins where you have your own grill right at your cabin.

 

[jo-jo]

Have you been in a bigger villa before? Our last trip, we brought an 8 inch frying pan from home. The frying pan that was in the villa was awful. Took more time to clean it than it took to cook scrambled eggs. I'm tempted to just add one to a walmart shopping list, but walmart seems to be out of the oddest things at times. Some years ago, when they were only having paper cups in the studio, I tried to order coffee mugs. There were out of stock. I complained there were no others to sub with?????? As it was, someone on DIS said to ask housekeeping. I did. I also got a few plates, bowls and silverware. At the time, we were spending a lot of time in the room and eating most meals there. For the two of us, it was no problem washing two or three items over and over again.

But anyway, back to the cooking, how long is your drive? Freezing food at home and heating in microwave sounds like a good plan.

 

[zackiedawg]

I bring some of my own supplies from home - my drive is around 3 hours. Generally, I don't bring frozen stuff as I worry about it not making it - the drive itself would be fine, but if the room isn't ready, it could sit for hours longer. So generally I stick to bringing coffee, sugar, buter, salt, pepper, creamer, soft drinks, tea, snacks, bread, and cheese. When I get there, I'll buy eggs, milk, and possibly other meal supplies at that time if I decide to do any cooking other than breakfast.

BTW - I've had trashed, scratched, nasty pans in the past - and called Housekeeping to request a replacement - they always comply. So far I haven't had to bring any of my own cookware or plateware...though I do always bring a nice, sharp thin serrated knife for meats and for slicing butter (the butter tends to get pretty cold and hard in the fridges there, and the knives they supply are dull, fat, and the serrated/cut edge is on the wrong side so trying to thin-slice butter is an exercise in futility).

 

[Judique]

I bring some of my own supplies from home - my drive is around 3 hours. Generally, I don't bring frozen stuff as I worry about it not making it - the drive itself would be fine, but if the room isn't ready, it could sit for hours longer. So generally I stick to bringing coffee, sugar, buter, salt, pepper, creamer, soft drinks, tea, snacks, bread, and cheese. When I get there, I'll buy eggs, milk, and possibly other meal supplies at that time if I decide to do any cooking other than breakfast.

BTW - I've had trashed, scratched, nasty pans in the past - and called Housekeeping to request a replacement - they always comply. So far I haven't had to bring any of my own cookware or plateware...though I do always bring a nice, sharp thin serrated knife for meats and for slicing butter (the butter tends to get pretty cold and hard in the fridges there, and the knives they supply are dull, fat, and the serrated/cut edge is on the wrong side so trying to thin-slice butter is an exercise in futility).

I've completely forgotten about food and went down a rabbit hole by clicking on your photo gallery. Thoroughly enjoyed many bird pictures and will go back to look at more after I find some dinner.

 

[zackiedawg]

Thank you. I've always been big on wildlife and bird photography, and we definitely have a lot of that down here especially this time of year. I head out every weekend to several local wetlands and shoot all the migrating birds plus the other reptiles and mammals and amphibians I come across. In fact, I'll be out shooting tomorrow!