When you’re vacationing at Walt Disney World, you have seemingly endless options for food, beverages and dining themes. Choosing what and where to eat can be the hardest part of your trip, especially when you’re trying to please family members with different tastes.

A dining plan can add convenience to your busy Disney days

Photo courtesy of Walt Disney World

When you’re vacationing at Walt Disney World, you have seemingly endless options for food, beverages and dining themes. Choosing what and where to eat can be the hardest part of your trip, especially when you’re trying to please family members with different tastes. To simplify the experience of dining at Disney, many agents suggest their clients buy a dining plan. Disney dining plans are options available exclusively to guests of select Disney World hotels who purchase Magic Your Way Vacation Packages. The plans enable you to prepay for all of your meals, which makes things a lot more convenient while you’re in the parks or at your hotel. You can choose a plan that fits your family’s needs, and you’ll have restaurant options ranging from fun character meals to quick and easy diners to romantic dinners for two. It doesn’t get any easier than a Disney dining plan!

If you have a dining plan, you present your Magic Band, which you wear on your wrist, to your server or cashier. The band electronically monitors your party’s allocated meals. You can track your meals on a receipt that your server will provide you, which displays your remaining meal balance. You redeem your meals in any order throughout your package stay until each person’s meal total is complete.

Before choosing your meal plan, first select your resort, the number of nights you are staying and how many days you plan on spending in the parks. Also think about how often you’ll want to eat on property. And make sure you understand Disney dining plan language. Here are some useful definitions:

Photo courtesy of Walt Disney World

– Quick service: a walk-up counter, serving items such as burgers, chicken tenders and fresh sandwiches.
– Table Service: a sit-down restaurant with a server. You usually need a reservation in order to get a table. Gratuities are not included in your dining plan.
– Dinner Show: dinner is usually served during a show such as a Luau. These shows do require reservations and have servers. You can combine two table service credits for a dinner show.
– Snack: a credit of $4.95 to use towards specially-marked snacks; some are inside bakeries, at shops and on push carts in the parks.
– Refillable Resort Mug: a cool, reusable mug to use at your resort, not in the parks. You are able to refill it with coffee, tea, hot cocoa and sodas during the duration of your dining plan.

The first dining plan choice is the Magic Your Way Package Plus Quick Service Dining. This option can be added on to a Disney resort package. Everyone in your party will receive credits for one free refillable resort mug, one snack credit and two quick-service credits for each night of stay. This is a great option for families who are always on the go. By having this option, families can quickly stop for a bite to eat in the park before hitting up the next attraction.

The Disney Plus Dining Plan is available with a resort package and allows everyone in your party to receive credits for one free refillable resort mug, one snack credit, one quick service credit and one table service credit for every night of stay. This is perfect if you are looking for something quick and convenient during the day. Then after a long day at the parks, it’s nice to be able to have a reservation at a sit-down restaurant to rest and fill up before heading back out to the resort or park for the night.

Photo courtesy of Walt Disney World

In the Disney Deluxe Dining Plan, everyone in your party will receive credits for one free refillable resort mug, two snack credits and three meal credits that can be used for your choice of either quick service or table service. This one is a step up from the plus dining plan. It’s a smart idea if you are looking to spend all day in the park or resort because all three meals will already be paid for.

The Disney Premium Dining Plan allows everyone in your party to receive credits for one free refillable resort mug, two snack credits, three meal credits that can be used for a choice of either quick service or table service (except at breakfast). The plan also includes a pass for preferred fireworks viewing at Magic Kingdom and Epcot. Sounds like a win-win! This option can be added to any resort package.

Disney Platinum Dining Plan is only available if you are staying at a deluxe resort or deluxe villa. You will get a fireworks cruise, one spa treatment, turndown service and the meal plan. Everyone in your party will receive credits for one free refillable resort mug, two snack credits, three meal credits that can be used for your choice of either quick service or table service. You will also receive a pass for preferred fireworks viewing at Magic Kingdom and Epcot.

Having a dining plan doesn’t mean you won’t need reservations. It’s a good idea to call as early as possible, especially for the character meals and the very popular restaurants. You can make reservations up to 180 days in advance! Simply call (407) WDW-DINE or (407) 939-3463.

If you would like to find out more about Disney dining plans, just call or email me, Jody Clair. I am happy to help make your vacation magical with my free services.