Ordering groceries at Disney is one on my favorite ways to save a little bit on our Disney trips, and make it possible for us to go more often. Sometimes we just order breakfast so we’re ready and fueled before we leave the room for the day. Sometimes we plan only a couple meals out and order most of our food to eat in the room. We’ve tried 3 different grocery ordering options, Amazon, Magical Vacation Services, and Garden Grocers. In this post I will contrast and compare what I liked and didn’t like about each.
Know Before You Start
It’s important to know what your room has available for kitchen facilities before you think about ordering groceries for your trip. This is not as standard across Disney property as you might expect. All studio rooms (your basic hotel room type room) will have some amount of fridge space and a Keurig coffee maker. Some deluxe resorts will have a larger fridge, sink, or even a microwave in a studio room. Larger rooms at the deluxe resorts will often have a full kitchen set up. Microwaves may be available in the quick service restaurant at your hotel, or may be available by calling the front desk. But make sure you know what you have to work with so you’re not surprised when you get there.
Amazon Fresh
If Amazon Prime was not a staple in your house before the pandemic, it almost certainly has become one in the years following. Coming from rural midwest where the best in-store option for a lot of staples was America’s Smallest Walmart, Amazon feels like it opened up a world of options. (This is true–for most of my childhood the Walmart in our neighboring town was well known for being the smallest one ever built.) Amazon Fresh lets you order your groceries the same way you’d order anything else from Amazon, and have it delivered just as fast.
Pros:
–You’re probably already using Amazon, have an account, and know how the website works.
–All of the most popular brands are available.
–No time crunch–can order groceries to be delivered tomorrow. No need to plan ahead.
Cons:
–Some resorts accept Amazon deliveries into their parcel and shipping area rather than their bell services. If this is the case at your resort, the groceries will not be delivered to your room, and you may have to pay for them holding your package.
–Amazon is a giant company, and therefore customer service is impersonal and difficult to get a hold of.
–I find the prices to be higher on many normal items.
–Sometimes the Amazon website gets confused by what’s available on Amazon Fresh for me at home (almost nothing) and what’s available to have delivered to a Disney resort. I have had to reset orders multiple times before I had all of my items coming from the right part of the country.
Magical Vacation Services
There is no happier way to get groceries at Disney than Magical Vacation Services. This group is run by former cast members, they do the shopping for you, and it really feels like a concierge service. They have a very limited number of items listed for purchase on their site, but they also have an option where you send them your shopping list, and they do the shopping for you. They also have some fun extras, like the option to rent a wand for Universal’s Wizarding World of Harry Potter. And every delivery comes with a few special surprises. But this is a “you get what you pay for” thing. Grocery minimums plus delivery costs plus tips could add up to more than you wanted to spend.
Pros:
–Service is personal, friendly, and attentive. You will get text updates on your order the whole way through the process, including photos of pick up and delivery.
–Shopping is as simple as making your grocery list. They do the rest for you.
–Extra surprises add to the Disney Magic.
–Currently the only provider licensed to deliver alcohol to Disney resorts.
Cons:
–Need to schedule and plan ahead–have your order in 3 weeks in advance and reserve your delivery date.
–Extra costs and tips add up quickly
Garden Grocers
Every blog I have ever read recommends Garden Grocers for grocery delivery. For me this hits the line between Amazon and Magical Vacation Services. Ordering was similar to ordering from Amazon. I found their selection to be quite small, but I was still able to get most of what I was looking for. Ordering needed to be done a few days ahead, but I could still get delivery within a week of my trip. They communicated better than Amazon, but didn’t have the personalized feel of Magical Vacation Services. But they were easy to use, fuss free, and delivered promptly.
Pros:
–Easy to use, intuitive website
–Low minimum order amount
–Catered to delivery to resorts, which meant it was easy to make sure your groceries were going to the right place.
Cons:
–Small selection of options– you may not be able to get what you wanted if you’re picky about brands.
–High-ish delivery fee
Conclusion
In my experience, Garden Grocers and Magical Vacation Services were both more pleasant to use than Amazon Fresh. I greatly appreciated the ease and personal attention I got with Magical Vacation Services, but that service comes with a price tag. Garden Grocers was a great choice if you can be flexible about the items in your order, but may be frustrating if you’re hoping to get exactly what you’re used to at home.
For me, I’ll pay for Magical Vacation Services every time, the excellent level of service is completely worth the price of the service. But I also understand why Garden Grocers comes highly recommended for their ease of use.
Check out a Disney kitchen in our post about Riviera 1-bedroom resort rooms!
