Let’s not mince words here. Dining is HUGE at Walt Disney World. I mean, really, how often do you have to plan your summer vacation lunch while you’re putting up the Christmas tree? With over 100 restaurants spread out across the resort, chances are you’ll be dining at one of the mouse’s offerings during your stay, and a Disney dining plan is one way to pony up and possibly save a bit. Read on to find out which dining plan is right for you.

Do You Even Want a Disney Dining Plan?

The dining plans can be added to your Walt Disney World package, which includes tickets and a stay at a Disney owned and operated resort. If you’re an off-site guest or staying at a non-Disney resort on site, you don’t have to option to utilize the Walt Disney World dining plans.

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Be Our Guest Quick Service Lunch in Magic Kingdom

The dining plans, while not as much of a savings in recent years, can still save you a bit of green if you intend to patronize Disney dining establishments during your vacation. If you’re a lunch-packing, villa-cooking, meal-splitting kinda, off-site eating kinda crew, you’ll definitely save more money ditching the dining plan options. Even if you plan to indulge once or twice at a table service on vacation, paying out of pocket may be your best bet. However, if you’re planning to let Disney do the cooking during your entire stay, consider adding a plan to your package.

Quick Service Dining Plan

Don’t want to be tied down to table service reservations? This is the plan for you. Offering two quick service meals and one snack per night of your stay, in addition to a refillable resort mug, this plan is great for guests on the go. If you’re not big eaters, you can definitely save with this plan by splitting quick service meals. We’ve easily split meals at Sunshine Seasons in Epcot, Flametree Barbecue in Animal Kingdom and other restaurants. If you play it smart, you can easily get out of having to pay cash for any quick service meals during your stay.

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Landscape of Flavors at Disney’s Art of Animation

 

Get Park Wise: Quick service at the resort? Grab a bottled beverage (included in your credit) and save it for the room or parks and use your refillable mug to dine with instead.

 

Disney Dining Plan (aka Plus Dining Plan)

Whatever you call it, this plan is by far the most popular in the family of plans. You’ll receive one table service, one quick service and one snack per night of your stay, as well as that refillable mug. If you answer yes to the following two questions, I always recommend this plan:

Do you plan to reserve character dining? Character dining can take a big chunk out of your wallet. Not only are you looking at resort prices to start with, but then you add in the premium of characters. If your crew intends to partake in character meals, these are some of the restaurants where the cost of the meal can outweigh the cost of your table service credit, and you save a few bucks.

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Trail’s End at Fort Wilderness

Do the kids (3-9 years old) outnumber those 10+? If you’re outnumbered by kids 3-9, this dining plan can be a great option. The cost per night per child 3-9 is easily the cost of their table service bill, meaning the quick service and snack are “free.”

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Boardwalk Bakery at Disney’s Boardwalk

 

Get Park Wise: Cereal and other quick breakfast-type items can be purchased with snack credits! This will save a quick service credit for use later in the day.

Deluxe Dining Plan

This plan is for the eaters who want ultimate flexibility and the allure of having everything paid for prior to travel is more of a perk than savings because it is the highest of the three. Three meals (that can be used for table or quick options) and two snacks are on the menu per night, and you still get the ever popular refillable mug. If you’re looking to prepay most of your meals or are considering signature dining, dinner shows or Cinderella’s Royal Table (all two credit experiences), this plan has an abundance of credits for your use.

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Garden Grill at Epcot

All Plans

The number one caveat I give my guests regarding the plans: If you aren’t going to use each and every credit, skip it. You’ve prepaid, and if you leave any hanging, you’re losing money. If you find yourself with leftover credits, they do offer an exchange program. You can trade out meal credits for snack credits and snag some portables for the trip home. Still, I suggest planning for the credits you have and don’t leave any unused.

Which Disney dining plan, if any, works best for you?

 

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Jessica Ma'ilo
Jessica is a special education teacher by day and blogger and Fairy Godmother Travel agent by evening. When not supervising play dates or sleepovers, she can be found creating, sewing or singing. She loves hitting the Disney Parks, and she and her family escape to the World and Land as often as they can. She can be contacted at [email protected], and you can also check out her family blog, Magic, Memories, Mayhem.