Why You Should Buy the Disney Dining Plan
The Disney Dining Plan has finally returned to Disney theme parks!
Disney is now selling dining plans for vacations starting on January 9th, 2024.
I’m an evangelist for this vacation option, and I’m about to explain why.
Here’s why you should buy the Disney Dining Plan for your 2024 vacation!
What Is the Disney Dining Plan?
When you visit Walt Disney World, you want to relish your time spent there.
The last thing you need is to worry about your vacation budget the entire time.
The Disney Dining Plan allows you to solve that problem and thereby enhance your vacation.
When you order the Disney Dining Plan, you’ll pay for your meals before you leave on vacation.
You may wonder how that benefits you as a dollar now beats a dollar later, right?
Well, when you enter the Disney Bubble, you won’t stress about money because you’ve already paid for your meals in addition to your park tickets.
I speak from experience when I say that the difference in using the dining plan is dramatic.
In fact, when I don’t use the dining plan, I’m uncomfortable once the bill arrives.
When using the dining plan, I don’t pay. Instead, I exchange an entitlement for the meal.
Spending $50 or more on a meal feels like losing a Stitch t-shirt and a couple of Dole Whips.
Spending an entitlement feels like getting a great deal on an exceptional meal. It’s a world of difference in your perception of your vacation!
You can relax more and embrace all the joys of the Disney Bubble!
How Does the Disney Dining Plan Work?
The 2024 version of the dining plan comes in two forms.
The Disney Quick-Service Dining Plan provides everyone in the traveling party – ages 3 and up – with two daily entitlements each.
You may exchange these entitlements for meals at participating Quick Service Disney restaurants.
We’ve posted the full list of qualifying locations here. I can assure you that these are some of Disney’s best restaurants.
Disney empowers you to choose which meals you use with your entitlements.
After all, not everyone eats breakfast. Similarly, you may snack so much that you want to skip lunch or grab something light for dinner.
If that’s the case, you can pay out of pocket rather than use your daily dining plan credits.
They roll over throughout the length of your stay. So, there’s no onus on you to use both your credits each day. You’ll decide.
The Disney Dining Plan works similarly, albeit with one essential difference.
You’ll receive two entitlements per hotel room guest daily. You CAN use these credits to purchase two Quick Service meals daily.
That’s not the BEST use of your entitlements, though. You can exchange one daily credit for a Table Service restaurant meal.
As I discuss here, some of these meals cost upwards of $60 per person.
With the Disney Dining Plan, you pay one entitlement instead.
I can tell you from experience that exchanging an entitlement for a character meal feels like the deal of a lifetime!
What You Get with the Dining Plan
When I say “entitlement” or “dining credit,” you may wonder what that means.
With the Disney Quick-Service Dining Plan, your meal includes one entrée or combo meal plus one beverage.
Disney allows guests aged 21 and up to order an alcoholic beverage if so inclined.
You can order a single serving of:
- Beer or Cider
- Wine or Sangria
- Mixed Drinks and Specialty Cocktails
The selection of non-alcoholic beverages is also quite generous. In addition to soft drinks, you can order:
- Milkshakes
- Fresh Smoothies
- Premium Hot Chocolate
- Soda, Coffee or Tea
Milkshakes go shockingly well with French fries, if you didn’t know! Plus, kids will love ordering a free milkshake with their meal!
When you order at a Table Service restaurant, Disney throws in a dessert as well!
So, you can order an entrée, a prix-fixe meal, or a family-style meal with a Table Service credit. And your dining experience comes with dessert.
That’s a special bonus for the Table Service entitlements alone. You won’t get that with the Quick-Service option.
If a daily dessert matters to you, you should pick the Disney Dining Plan instead.
Of course, both plans include a snack credit. Disney is again generous with the qualifying options.
MickeyBlog’s Kristen Sabol has compiled a list of snack credit options. Here it is:
- Frozen ice cream novelty, popsicle or fruit bar
- 2 scoops of hand-scooped ice cream
- Popcorn scoop (single-serving box)
- Piece of whole fruit
- Single-serve bag of snacks
- 20-ounce bottle of Coca-Cola® products, including Dasani® water
- 20-ounce fountain soft drink
- Single-serve coffee, hot chocolate, hot tea, milk or juice
- Cup of soup
- Add on toppings or sauces (e.g., side of cheese dipping sauce)
You’ll get one of these per day. Plus, Disney includes a refillable mug to use at your resort for free fountain drinks!
Why You Should Buy the Disney Dining Plan
Let’s talk about the overall value of the package. When you buy either version of the dining plan, you’ll eat twice a day via the package.
In the process, you’ll enjoy the cost certainty for your meals, a rarity on any kind of vacation.
Disney will provide you with everything you need during your visit.
You’ll enjoy a full meal at many of Disney’s best restaurants.
The diverse menus ensure you’re not just eating burgers and chicken nuggets the whole time, either.
Disney knows that you may want a beer or a glass of wine with your meal. So, that’s included as well.
Also, you’ll want the occasional snack during your park visit. That’s a part of the package as well.
Once you’re at your Disney resort, you don’t need to worry about drinks.
Disney provides a refillable mug that you can use as much as you want.
The flexibility ensures that you’ll only buy the package that fits your vacation behavior, too.
If you’re a grab-and-go type, the Disney Quick-Service Dining Plan will suit your needs.
Those like me who prefer the occasional sit-down meal will opt for the Disney Dining Plan instead.
The value for this meal is incredible and could realistically save you a lot of money during your trip.
Dinner for two at ‘Ohana costs more than $130 after tax. The two of you can use your dining credits instead and feel like bargain hunters!
Simply stated, a dining plan purifies the Disney vacation experience. You don’t sweat the small stuff and simply enjoy yourself instead.
There’s a reason why so many people have been pleading for the dining plan’s return for the past few years.
Now that Disney has brought it back, you should take full advantage and buy it!
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