Let’s be honest- one of the best parts of visiting Walt Disney World is all the FOOD! There. I said it. Who doesn’t love food?! Walt Disney World has so many great food options whether it be snacks, quick service or table service locations. There is so much to pick from and can be a hard choice to make. One choice that shouldn’t be hard is picking a Disney Dining Plan that is best for your family. When visiting Walt Disney World, a great perk is the ability to add a Disney Dining Plan to your vacation package, allowing you to pay for your meals in advance before you even arrive on your vacation. Think of it as an all-inclusive vacation where your food and drinks are already paid for. You just get to show up and have FUN!

What is the Disney Dining Plan and how does it work?
There are a couple of different options to pick from when adding a Dining Plan to your vacation package: Disney Quick Sevice Dining Plan, Disney Dining Plan, Disney Dining Plan Plus, and Disney Deluxe Dining Plan. For each night of your stay, each guest on the reservation will receive a specific number of Quick Service entitlements (think of it as a fast-food restaurant), table service (sit-down) meals, and snacks. The number of each is dependent on which of the dining plans you choose to purchase. Snacks include bottles of soda, fruit, or even an ice cream bar! All Disney Dining Plans come with 1 resort refillable mug per person. All Disney Resorts have a self-service soda fountain that can be found in the quick-service restaurant. This mug can only be used at the resorts and offers complimentary refills throughout your stay. You can fill the mugs with Coca-Cola products, tea, coffee, or hot chocolate.

The Quick Service Dining Plan Includes:
2 Quick Service Meals
2 Snacks
1 Resorts Refillable Mug

The Regular Disney Dining Plan Includes:
1 Table Service Meal
1 Quick Service Meal
2 Snacks
1 Resorts Refillable Mug

The Disney Dining Plan Plus Includes:
2 Meals (Can be a mix of either a Quick Service or Table Service meals)
2 Snacks
1 Resorts Refillable Mug

The Deluxe Disney Dining Plan Includes:
3 Meals (Can be a mix of any combination of Quick Service or Table Service Meals)
2 Snacks
1 Resorts Refillable Mug

It is important to remember that the Disney Dining Plans do not include gratuity. It is customary to leave a gratuity for your server for all table service restaurants including buffets. You can pay your gratuity using your Magic Band as a room charge, credit card, Disney gift card, or cash. An automatic gratuity of 18% will be added for parties of 6 or more.

Keeping Track of Meal Credits

 Your magic band that acts as your key to the world will also keep track of your meal credits. Your meal receipt from the meal purchase will also display the number of credits that remain on your room reservation. Keep in mind that it will show the total for all guests on the reservation and not per guest. Your credits can be redeemed at any time and in any order during your stay until your balance hits zero. Any unused credits will expire at midnight on the night that you check out.

Still confused about how the credits work? Let’s say you are checking in on January 1st and check out January 3rd. You have purchased the Disney Dining Plan. This means that you get 2 night’s worth of credits to use for your vacation. That means for one night, you receive 1 Table Service Meal, 1 Quick Service Meal, and 2 Snacks and another night you receive 1 Table Service Meal, 1 Quick Service Meal, and 2 Snacks for a total of 2 Table Service Meals, 2 Quick Service Meals, and 4 Snacks per person. You will get all of these credits the day that you check in and can use them as you wish. If you want to use both Quick Service Meals on one day and then your 2 Table Service Meals on the next day, you can do that too! The Dining Plans are flexible and are able to be used how you see fit and what works best within your schedule.

Cost of 2020 Disney Dining Plans:
(Price Per Night)
Quick Service Dining Plan: $55 per adult // $26 per child
Regular Dining Plan: $78.01 per adult // $30.51 per child
Dining Plan Plus: $94.60 per adult // $35.00 per child
Deluxe Dining Plan: $119 per adult // $47.50 per child

Are the Disney Dining Plans worth it?
You have to decide what is best for your family. If you think that you will eat the total amount per adult or child per day, then it may be worth it. Remember, coming to Walt Disney World won’t be cheap. 😊 It really depends on your family and how much you eat. You may consider getting the dining plan if you know that you will utilize more of the expensive options that are available to you at either a quick or table service location. If you are also looking for a way to pay as much in advance as possible and don’t want a large bill to pay at the end of your vacation, this may also be a great way to utilize the dining plan for your family. If you’re not a big eater and like to split meals, you may find the dining plan may not be best for you. It ultimately comes down to your personal preference and how you want to spend your money and where you want to eat when visiting Walt Disney World!

Still not sure if the Disney Dining Plan is right for you? Contact me and I can work with you to ensure you get the most for your money when planning your trip to Walt Disney World!

Love and Travel Dust,

Molly