- Walt Disney World dining can be pretty costly.
- That's what a number of former Walt Disney World cast members told Business Insider, when asked what their favorite park food was.
- Meals purchased in the Orlando theme park were more of an occasional treat for cast members, rather than a daily ritual.
- Still, a number of cast members who previously worked through the Disney College Program, had fond memories of their favorite park order, from frozen treats to French cuisine.
Walt Disney World's dining options don't have a reputation for being cheap.
John Quagliano, a former cast member who worked in the Magic Kingdom, told Business Insider that he steered clear of eating in the park for this reason.
A former participant in the Disney College Program, he began working at the park as a recent college grad who was considering graduate school. Spluring on food wasn't an option for him. He added that park guests should follow his example if they want to "save a crap ton of money."
"You can bring in your own food and snacks," Quagliano told Business Insider. "Most people don't realize that and, of course, the company doesn't advertise it. But you can physically bring in an entire cooler full of snacks, water, whatever you want, and not only can you bring it into the park, you can ask the company to store it for you. They'll take it, tag it, and store it in the back."
Quagliano has seen this firsthand. He worked on Main Street in the Magic Kingdom near a storage area where cast members would store guests' items.
"We'd be like, 'You know, we'll do you a favor. We'll put it in the back and store it,'" Quagliano said. "They'd seem to think we were doing them some big favor. In reality, we're just doing what the company lets us do."
Business Insider asked a number of cast members who previously participated in the Disney College Program at Walt Disney World to share their favorite park foods with us. A number of their responses reflected Quagliano's comments on the cost of food. But they still had fond memories of certain park treats and meals.
Here's a look at their favorite treats: