Disney Dining Plans: Yay or Nay?

If you’ve been thinking of planning a Walt Disney World vacation, chances are you’ve heard about the different dining packages that Disney offers to guests.

Yay or Nay on the Disney dining plan is an important decision you’ll need to make when creating a Disney vacation package.

You may have heard mixed opinions on if the Disney dining plans are a “must have” or an “I’ll pass” for your vacation.

There is so much information out there about the dining plans… what they are, how to use them, how to make the most of them, how to MAXIMIZE them, where the best “deals” can be found, and more. It can be confusing and overwhelming trying to decide which one makes the most sense for your family.

My clients often ask if I feel like the dining plans are “worth it.” My answer is always … “that depends” …

“Worth it” means different things to different people.

• Will it save you money?
• Will it make things easier?
• Will it take away some of the stress of planning your vacation?

I go over all of this with my private clients, but if you are wondering which of the dining plans is right for your family, there are a few things you need to know.

If you’ve been thinking of planning a Walt Disney World vacation, chances are you’ve heard about the different dining packages that Disney offers to guests and wondering, “How do the Disney Dining Plans Work?”

You may have heard mixed opinions on if the dining plans are a “must have” or an “I’ll pass” for your vacation.

All of the details can seem a little confusing, but I can tell you that I recommend dining packages to the majority of my clients visiting Walt Disney World. For some, the focus is on maximizing every credit to save as much money as possible… for others, it’s all about the convenience of knowing that the cost of your meals is fixed and taken care of in advance.

Here are a few “need to know” facts about the Disney Dining Plans before you make your decision about which is right for you…

Nights… not days.

The number of “credits” you have to spend on dining is based on the number of nights you have reserved at your hotel. If you are staying for five nights and six days, you will have five sets of dining credits to use.

This can be confusing because most dining plan information talks about “# credits per day.” Just be aware that the total number of credits you have available is based on the number of nights included in your hotel reservation.

Four Choices…

Disney offers four different dining plans to fit different travel styles and budgets. Some families are all about the theme park attractions and don’t want to take time out for long meals… they would prefer to grab something quickly and keep on moving. Others appreciate the break once a day to sit down and relax! Still others know that Disney has some fantastic restaurant options and they want to relax and enjoy as many as possible.

The easiest way to understand these plans is by explaining what they have in common, and what is different.

All four plans include a refillable mug you can use to get unlimited drink refills at your resort food court and two snacks per day. Snacks include things such as popcorn, a scoop of ice cream, popsicle, or fruit bar, a bag of chips, cookie, coffee, hot chocolate, tea, milk, juice, or soda.

Where the plans differ is with how many, and what type of meal credits are included.

1. The Quick Service Dining Plan is ideal for those families who don’t want to spend time sitting in restaurants on their vacation or for those on a limited budget. This plan includes two counter service meals each day. Your meal will consist of an entrée and beverage (alcoholic beverages are included for those 21 and older).
2. The classic Disney Dining Plan is the most popular option. It’s a perfect mix of quick counter service meals and sit-down, table service meals. Each person in your travel party gets one quick service meal credit and one table service meal credit per night of your resort stay. Quick service meals include an entrée and beverage. Table service meals include an entrée, dessert, and drink. With both options, guests 21 and older can order an alcoholic beverage.
3. The newest dining plan, Disney Dining Plan Plus, was introduced in 2020 and offers two meal credits per person, per night of your stay. You can use the credits however you wish… counter service or table service.
4. And the Deluxe Dining Plan was designed for those families who want to try it all! This plan includes three meal credits per person, per night of your stay. Like the Disney Dining Plan Plus plan, you can use these credits however you wish… counter service or table service.

Spend your credits however you wish…

The dining plans are super flexible and easy to use. All of your credits are immediately available upon check-in, and you can spend them in any order you wish. They don’t expire until midnight on the day you check out of your resort.

Want to plan two table service meals in one day? No problem!

Want to use three snack credits in one day? Go for it!

It’s easy to track the number of credits you have available by using you’re my Disney Experience app or for your convenience, the number of remaining credits is always shown at the bottom of your receipt from any dining location.

Not all table service meals are created equal…

While most table service restaurants only require one credit per meal, there are a few that are considered “signature dining.” These include the more “fine dining establishments that feature award-winning menus curated by acclaimed chefs. If you are looking for a splurge or special occasion meal… a signature dining experience fits the bill perfectly!

Signature dining restaurants require two table service meal credits per person and include (for each guest) an appetizer, entrée, dessert, and beverage.

If you are planning to schedule signature dining restaurants during your vacation, be aware that the dress code for these restaurants is “resort casual.” Disney notes that the following are not allowed in signature restaurants: “tank tops, swimsuits or swimsuit cover-ups, hats for gentlemen, cutoffs, torn clothing of any kind or T-shirts with offensive language and/or graphics.”

Characters are included!

Dining with your favorite Disney characters is the highlight of the vacation for many guests! The good news is that your table service meals can be used for character dining locations. While most character dining locations only require one table service meal credit, Cinderella’s Royal Table inside of Cinderella Castle is considered a signature dining location and requires two credits per person.

Tips are not included.

Gratuities are not included in your table service credits. Your receipt will always show what your total cost would have been without the dining plan and you should tip accordingly. You’ll find a helpful calculation of various tipping percentages at the bottom of your receipt.

Gratuities can be charged to your in-room account, or you can leave cash if you prefer. Either way… be sure to tip your server!

No credits left behind…

Many guests find that they have several snack credits left over at the end of their vacation. If that happens to you, don’t leave them behind! There are plenty of pre-packaged treats available at bakeries and shops throughout Walt Disney World that can be purchased with a snack credit. Stock up on treats to bring back home with any remaining credits.

Making the most of your meal credits is an art form…

Often my clients will have more table service restaurants on their wish list than they have credits available. That’s no problem at all; you pay for the additional meals out of pocket… but deciding which ones to use your credits on requires a bit of strategy! I’m always happy to help my clients determine the best use of their dining credits to minimize their out-of-pocket costs.