Is the Disney Dining Plan Worth It?

February 5, 2019

As you are planning your Walt Disney World Vacation, one of the things that you must decide is whether you want to include the Disney Dining Plan as a part of your package. But, is the Disney Dining Plan worth it?

The short answer to this question is, it depends on how you plan to eat on your vacation. If you know that you want to do several character meals or sit-down meals, then I highly recommend the Disney Dining Plan and possibly even the Deluxe Dining Plan. If you prefer to eat on the go, without any sit-down meals, then the Quick Service Dining Plan may be the way to go for you!

So, what is included with the dining plan? There are three options when looking at dining plans for your Walt Disney World vacation package.

Disney Quick Service Dining Plan

The Disney Quick Service Dining Plan consists of two Quick Service (QS) meals and two snacks, per person, per night of stay. Each person on the dining plan will also receive a refillable resort mug. A quick service meal consists of a meal ordered at a counter, or via the mobile app and includes one entrée and one beverage including specialty beverages such as a milkshake, hot chocolate, and coffee. For those over 21 years of age, alcoholic beverages are also included. The cost of this dining plan per night is approximately $52/adult and $24/child.

Disney Dining Plan

The Disney Dining Plan consists of one Table Service (sit-down) meal, one Quick Service meal and two snacks per person, per night of stay. There are over 50 table service restaurants and many only require one meal credit, including many character meals. There are also options that require two meal credits, known as Signature Dining. The table service meals also include your choice of dessert and beverage, alcoholic for those over 21 years of age or non-alcoholic. The cost of this dining plan per night of stay is approximately $75/adult and $28/child.

Disney Deluxe Dining Plan

The Deluxe Dining Plan consists of three meals and two snacks per person, per night of stay. It is important to note that there is no distinction between quick service and table service meals with this meal plan. Therefore, guests can choose to use these credits as they want. With the Deluxe plan, guests are also eligible to receive appetizer, entrée, and dessert with each table service meal. The cost of this dining plan per night of stay is approximately $116/adult and $44/child.

Another important thing to remember about any of the dining plans is that you are not restricted to using a certain number of meals each day. You will notice when you use the dining plans that there will be a total number of credits available on any receipts that you get. This is also available to view on the My Disney Experience app. If, for example, you want to go to breakfast at a character meal that is 1 table service credit, use a snack credit for lunch and have another table service meal for dinner, you are able to do so!

So, given this information, is the Disney Dining Plan worth it?

I mentioned above that it depends on how you plan to eat during your vacation. The dining plans are not the best option for everyone. If you are traveling alone or know that you prefer to get snacks throughout the day, then this may not be the option for you.

The biggest factor in my opinion is – do you want to eat any sit-down meals? When visiting Walt Disney World, one of the best dining options, in my opinion, is character dining, which is considered a table service meal. These meals allow you to dine and meet some of your favorite Disney characters without waiting in line. The average cost for one of these meals is approximately $50/adult, depending on the meal. The average quick-service meal with a drink is approximately $12-15/adult and the average snack is $4-5 each. This adds up quickly throughout the day, especially if you want to do more than one, or two, character meals throughout your vacation. If you want to grab some cold bottles of water, ice cream, iced coffee at Starbucks or Joffrey’s or some of the fabulous new treats that are available as part of Mickey’s Birthday Celebration, many of these count as snack credits! Just look for the purple and white symbol indicating that an item is a snack credit on the dining plan (see the picture below). Personally, I also like the convenience of having all of my food paid for ahead of time. It’s nice to just scan my MagicBand and not have to worry about anything except gratuity at the table service restaurants.

Check out just a few examples of snack credits below!

Any of the dining plans can also be used when taking advantage of the mobile ordering feature throughout Walt Disney World. Mobile ordering is one of the newer features on the My Disney Experience app and is very convenient when you are looking to grab a quick service meal. To use the meal plan, you simply order your food and the appropriate dining credits will be applied. A balance of credits will also be given.

Whether you are going alone, on an adults-only trip or the whole family, there is a meal plan that will work for you. For my family, the Disney Dining Plan is the perfect option. We like going to the character meals and will often use snack credits to get a quick breakfast on the go. If you are a foodie and enjoy exploring all the different dining options available, you may want to consider the Deluxe Dining Plan. This is also a good option if you would like to experience several signature dining restaurants since these meals require two dining credits each. This was a perfect option while on my honeymoon! The Quick Service Dining Plan is a good option if you still want to pre-pay for all of your food but prefer to eat on the go. There are so many great restaurants throughout Walt Disney World that are considered quick service and you will not be disappointed!

Ready to experience all the magic that the Disney Destinations have to offer? Let’s get started planning your next vacation! As an agent with Key to the World Travel, the official travel partner of Disney Addicts and Chip and Co., I can help you plan your trip to any Disney Destination and beyond! Contact me today at k.greer@keytotheworldtravel.com or fill out the quote request form below. Follow me on Facebook and Instagram too for all the latest news and planning tips.

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