The first stop for the newly arrived family should be a grocery store—begging, ride-starved children be damned.

Stick with me. This isn't as crazy as it sounds.

Sure, it isn’t the magical start to your holiday that you and the family planned, but it’s a vital 45 minutes that will save hundreds of dollars over a one-week visit.

Three blocks southwest of the Disney Resort is the 24-hour Food For Less grocery store (corner of South Euclid Street and West Katella Avenue). Grab an $8 cab and ask the driver to wait the half-hour with the metre off while you stock up. The bare-bones selection carries enough staples to fill your hotel fridge.

Meal-plan on the flight down and you’ll never have to buy breakfast or lunch on the resort grounds—a savings of about $100 per day for a family of four. It’s healthier, too.

If you do decide to eat onsite, choose wisely. The frequency of hot dog and churro stands can hobble even the most iron guts, and some of the park restaurants charge you like the captive dream-maker you are.

But if you do tire of fridge food, eat here:

Bengal Barbecue

A small eatery in the middle of Adventureland, directly across from the Indiana Jones Adventure ride, that serves a variety of meats-on-a-stick. Four-dollar chicken, beef and vegetable skewers smothered in a wide variety of sauces are a nice break from the deep-fried ubiquity.

Rancho del Zocalo

A full-size Mexican restaurant in Frontierland, this spot is plugged almost as much for the reprieve from the maddening crowds as for the food.

Goofy’s Kitchen

Located in the Disneyland Hotel, Goofy’s Kitchen offers a typical breakfast buffet, but with character photo ops! The $30-per-plate fee is steep (and average), but takes care of photos with cuddly things early, freeing up more time on the grounds.

Cocina Cucamonga

Yes, another Mexican restaurant, but this one is in Disney’s California Adventure and sits on the edge of the Pacific Wharf. And it’s licensed, meaning your Carne asada—and shot nerves—can be washed down with a margarita.

ESPN Zone

One of the best spots in Downtown Disney to take the kids for dinner, with the restaurant’s second floor full of video games to keep short attention spans busy while mom and dad wait for dinner. For homesick hockey fans, some of the 120 televisions have satellite feeds from Canadian sports networks.

Napa Rose

One of the finest restaurants in Anaheim, featuring sophisticated California décor and a four-course tasting menu for $85. But the real value here is the few hours of respite from squeals, demands and tantrums. Oh yes: young kids are not recommended in the dining room.