Walt Disney World has decided to start 2024 off with a BANG! They are offering FREE DINING to Disney+ subscribers! This is the first time Disney has offered Free Dining since before the pandemic closure in 2020. In fact, the Disney Dining Plan in its entirety has been missing since then as well. We already had the good news that the Disney Dining Plan was back for 2024, and can be booked with your Disney vacation for trips starting January 9, 2024. But Free Dining? I wasn’t sure we’d ever get Free Dining offers again, given all the price increases and other changes since Walt Disney World reopened after the pandemic. But at long last, Free Dining is BACK! (at least, for Disney+ subscribers!).
What is the Disney Dining Plan?
Let’s start here. Because it’s been years since the Disney Dining Plan was offered, many of you may not be familiar with the Disney Dining Plan. Basically, the Disney Dining Plan offers a way for resort guests to prepay for most of their meals during their trip as they pay for the rest of their vacation. Since your vacation balance is paid in full by the time you go on vacation, if you include the Disney Dining Plan, you’ve also already paid for most of your meals by the time you go as well. A lot of people like the security of knowing their meals are already paid for and they find it easier to control their spending during their vacation. After your resort and your park tickets, meals are easily the most expensive part of your Disney vacation. There are ways to save money on food on your Disney vacation, but that’s a topic for a different blog!
Is there only one Disney Dining Plan?
There are actually two different Disney Dining Plans. Both Disney Dining Plans are linked to your resort reservation. Whichever Disney Dining Plan you purchase, you are buying it for each person on your reservation staying in your room, and for the number of nights on your reservation. For example, if you are staying at Art of Animation for 4 nights, and you have two adults and two children ages 3-9 in your room, you would be purchasing 2 adult 4 night Dining Plans and 2 child 4 night Disney Dining Plans.
The Standard Disney Dining Plan includes:
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- One quick service meal per night
- One table service meal per night
- One snack or non-alcoholic beverage per night
- A refillable resort mug
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Important things to know about the Standard Disney Dining Plan:
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- Beverages are included with each meal
- Guests under 21 years of age may order non-alcoholic beverages; guests 21 years old or older may substitute beer, wine or cocktails
- Children ages 3-9 must order from the children’s menu where available
- Plans must be purchased for the entire length of stay and for the entire party (ages 3 and up).
- Meal credits expire at midnight on the day you checkout of your resort
- Meals are non-transferable between members of your party
- Resort refillable mugs are fillable at any self service beverage station at any of the Disney Resort Quick Service locations
- Resort refillable mugs cannot be refilled at beverage stations inside any of the theme parks
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What’s Included in Each Meal?
Quick Service Meal: Quick Service meal credits can be redeemed for breakfast, lunch or dinner at any Quick Service meal location. One Quick Service meal credit will entitle you to:
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- One entrée
- One non-alcoholic beverage (or alcoholic beverage, for guests 21 or older)
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Table Service Meal: Table Service meal credits can be redeemed for breakfast, lunch or dinner at any Table Service meal location.
At breakfast, one Table Service meal credit will entitle you to:
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- One entrée
- One non-alcoholic beverage (or alcoholic beverage, for guests 21 or older)
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OR
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- One Full Buffet (prix-fixe) or Family-Style Meal (prix-fixe)
- One non-alcoholic beverage (or alcoholic beverage, for guests 21 or older)
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At lunch or dinner, one Table Service meal credit will entitle you to:
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- One entrée
- One dessert
- One non-alcoholic beverage (or alcoholic beverage, for guests 21 or older)
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OR
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- One Full Buffet (if available) or Family-Style Meal
- One non-alcoholic beverage (or alcoholic beverage, for guests 21 or older)
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What Beverages are Included?
Alcoholic Beverages: Guests 21 or older may choose either one non-alcoholic beverage or one single serving mixed cocktail, beer or wine (where offered) as part of your meal.
A single serving alcoholic beverage includes items such as:
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- Beer or Cider
- Sangria or Wine
- Mixed Drinks and Specialty Cocktails
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Non-alcoholic Beverages: Guests 10 or older may choose a non-alcoholic beverage (including specialty beverages where offered) as part of their meal.
A single serving non-alcoholic beverage includes items such as:
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- Milkshakes
- Fresh Smoothies
- Premium Hot Chocolate
- Soda, Coffee or Tea
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What Counts as a “Snack”?
At most outdoor carts, Quick Service meal locations and select merchandise locations, snacks may include items like:
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- 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)
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What’s NOT Included?
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- Items served in a souvenir container (like popcorn or drinks)
- Products that are larger than a single serving (for example, a box of donuts or a jar of peanut butter
- Items that are considered merchandise (like bottle straps, glow cubes or bottle toppers)
- Special dining events offered at some Table Service restaurants
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More Magical Ways to use Table Service Meal Credits:
Character Meals: Table Service meal credits CAN be used for Character Dining. Character meals are usually buffet or family style meals and offer opportunities for your family to take photos and/or get autographs from various characters. Note: Disney PhotoPass photographers do NOT go around with the characters at Character meals, so plan on using your own camera or phone for all photo ops.
SOME Character Meals require TWO Table Service meals credits per diner, per meal. These include:
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- Fairytale Dining at Cinderella’s Castle
- Princess Storybook Dining at Akershus Royal Banquet Hall (at lunch and dinner only require two credits; breakfast is one credit)
- Story Book Dining at Artist Point with Snow White
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Fine/Signature Dining: Some of Walt Disney World restaurants offer more of a “fine dining” experience or are higher end than your average Table Service restaurant. Each meal at one of these restaurants will require TWO Table Service credits per diner, per meal. Each meal will include:
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- One entrée
- One dessert
- One non-alcoholic beverage (or alcoholic beverage, for guests 21 or older)
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Fine dining/Signature dining restaurants do have a dress code. Guests are expected to dress in attire that reflects the restaurant’s upscale and sophisticated aesthetic. No swimwear is allowed.
Many restaurants are considered “Signature”. Be sure to check before making your reservations so you are not surprised by the two meal credit requirements.
Here are just a few examples of Signature Dining Restaurants at Walt Disney World:
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- California Grill at Disney’s Contemporary Resort
- Citricos at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort
- Tiffin’s at Disney’s Animal Kingdom
- Flying Fish on Disney’s Boardwalk
- The BOATHOUSE at Disney Springs
- Jiko at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge
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Dinner at Be Our Guest Restaurant at the Magic Kingdom: Dining at Be Our Guest requires two Table Service meal credits for each meal.
Dinner Shows: Your party can enjoy family style meals along with live entertainment at a dinner show. Advanced reservations are required for any dinner show. Two Table Service meal credits will be redeemed for each person dining at a dinner show.
Pizza Pickup: You can stop by select Quick Service restaurants and pick up a “Pizza Meal”. Each Pizza Meal will use two Quick Service meal credits. A Pizza Meal includes:
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- 1 large pizza
- 2 single serving non-alcoholic beverages (or alcoholic beverages, where available, for guests 21 or older)
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Pizza Meals are available at the following Disney World Resorts:
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- Disney’s All-Star Movies Resort
- Disney’s All-Star Music Resort
- Disney’s All-Star Sports Resort
- Disney’s Art of Animation Resort
- Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort
- Disney’s Pop Century Resort
- Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – French Quarter
- Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – Riverside
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What Does the Standard Disney Dining Plan Cost?
The Standard Disney Dining Plan is $94.28 per adult, per day. For children ages 3 -9, the Standard Disney Dining Plan is $29.69 per day.
Note: Prices for the Standard Disney Dining Plan are subject to change at any time, as are the participating restaurants and Disney Dining Plan rules. Once you’ve purchased, you’re locked in, but until then–anything can happen.
The Quick Service Disney Dining Plan includes:
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- Two quick service meals per night
- One snack or non-alcoholic beverage per night
- One refillable resort mug
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Important things to know about the Quick Service Disney Dining Plan:
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- Beverages are included with each meal
- Guests under 21 years of age may order non-alcoholic beverages; guests 21 years old or older may substitute beer, wine or cocktails
- Children ages 3-9 must order from the children’s menu where available
- Plans must be purchased for the entire length of stay and for the entire party (ages 3 and up).
- Meal credits expire at midnight on the day you checkout of your resort
- Meals are non-transferable between members of your party
- Resort refillable mugs are fillable at any self service beverage station at any of the Disney Resort Quick Service locations
- Resort refillable mugs cannot be refilled at beverage stations inside any of the theme parks
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What’s Included in Each Meal?
Quick Service Meal: Quick Service meal credits can be redeemed for breakfast, lunch or dinner at any Quick Service meal location. One Quick Service meal credit will entitle you to:
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- One entrée
- One non-alcoholic beverage (or alcoholic beverage, for guests 21 or older)
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What Beverages are Included?
Alcoholic Beverages: Guests 21 or older may choose either one non-alcoholic beverage or one single serving mixed cocktail, beer or wine (where offered) as part of your meal.
A single serving alcoholic beverage includes items such as:
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- Beer or Cider
- Sangria or Wine
- Mixed Drinks and Specialty Cocktails
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Non-alcoholic Beverages: Guests 10 or older may choose a non-alcoholic beverage (including specialty beverages where offered) as part of their meal.
A single serving non-alcoholic beverage includes items such as:
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- Milkshakes
- Fresh Smoothies
- Premium Hot Chocolate
- Soda, Coffee or Tea
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What Counts as a “Snack”?
At most outdoor carts, Quick Service meal locations and select merchandise locations, snacks may include items like:
-
-
- 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)
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What’s NOT Included?
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- Items served in a souvenir container (like popcorn or drinks)
- Products that are larger than a single serving (for example, a box of donuts or a jar of peanut butter
- Items that are considered merchandise (like bottle straps, glow cubes or bottle toppers)
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What Does the Quick Service Disney Dining Plan Cost?
The Quick Service Disney Dining Plan is $57.01 per adult, per day. For children ages 3 -9, the Quick Service Disney Dining Plan is $23.83 per day.
Note: Prices for the Quick Service Disney Dining Plan are subject to change at any time, as are the participating restaurants and Disney Dining Plan rules. Once you’ve purchased, you’re locked in, but until then–anything can happen.
Do the Disney Dining Plan credits come day by day?
Something to be aware of: all your Disney Dining Plan credits are available to you once you check in. You don’t have to use them each day if you don’t want to. Theoretically, if you like to eat table service meals for breakfast AND dinner, you could use all four table service meal credits in your first two days. Certain table service restaurants are considered “Signature” restaurants, and each meal there uses TWO table service meal credits. I have had clients that purchased 4 day Disney Dining Plans that used all their credits up in the first two days. I have also had clients that purchased 4 day Disney Dining Plans scrambling to use their snack credits up before they left for the airport.
Planning and Organization Required
Using the Disney Dining Plan does take some planning. If you are purchasing the Standard Disney Dining Plan, I highly recommend you make reservations for your Table Service meals before your trip. (Note: If you book your trip through me, I take care of this for you). If you don’t make reservations before your trip, you run the risk of not being able to get into the table service restaurants you want to. Having a table service credit on your Disney Dining Plan is NOT a guarantee that you can actually get a table at a table service restaurant of your choice. This is a common misconception and can be very disappointing and frustrating for hungry guests inside a theme park discovering there is no availability at any of the Table Service options at that theme park that night.
There is always some table service restaurant somewhere on property where you can get in, but it may not be in the theme park or resort where you want to eat when you want to eat. Planning ahead sets you up for success. You can always make changes during your trip if you want to and if there is availability–but if you don’t make reservations before your trip, you definitely run the risk of not being able to dine where you want to dine.
Use them or lose them!
It is important to keep track of your Disney Dining Plan credits to make sure you don’t waste any or forget to use them. You’ve paid for these credits! The larger your party, the more difficult this can be–especially if you have older kids that you might split off from for meals. If this feels too complicated and you don’t want to have to pay attention or remember to use your credits, then the Disney Dining Plan is NOT for you. But with a little pre-planning, you can maximize the value of your Disney Dining Plan and not lose track of your credits. If you book your trip with me, I’m happy to help you with this.
How do you use the Dining Plan?
Using your Disney Dining Plan is super easy. In fact, most Table Service restaurant servers will ask you before you order if you are using the Disney Dining Plan. You’ll just present your Disney Resort ID (Magic Band, Magic Band+, Disney Magic Mobile Pass or Key to the World card) to your server or cashier.
If you are dining with another family or group that is also on the Disney dining plan, you’ll want to make sure your server knows which meals should be redeemed on which Disney Resort ID.
You can redeem your meals and snacks in any order during your stay, until the number of meals and snacks associated with your package has been depleted. All unused meals and snacks and the ability to use your Resort-refillable mug expire at midnight on your package reservation checkout date.
How to Keep Track of Your Disney Dining Plan Credits
Your Disney Dining Plan is linked electronically to your Resort reservation. You can check your Disney Dining Plan credits in one of three different ways:
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- Use your My Disney Experience app to view your remaining meals and snacks.
- Check your dining receipts. Each receipt will print your remaining meals and snacks as of the time on that receipt.
- You can ask at Guest Relations or your Resort Concierge to look up your remaining meals and snacks any time.
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What About Gratuities?
Gratuities are NOT included in the cost of your Disney Dining Plan, except for at Cinderella’s Royal Table and dinner shows.
An 18% gratuity will automatically be added to your bill for parties of six or larger.
You will need to provide an additional form of payment if you add a gratuity and haven’t provided a credit card at check in to charge incidentals and other charges to your room.
For guests traveling from outside the United States, a 20% gratuity based on the total pre-tax cost of the meal is standard for Table Service meals. Servers in the United States are generally paid a very small hourly rate and the majority of their income comes from guest paid gratuities. The last time the Disney Dining Plan was offered, Disney would print the cost of the meal on the receipt, along with suggested gratuity amounts to make it easy for the guests. I am assuming they will do something similar this time around.
But What About FREE DINING???
Ok, so now we’ve covered both available Disney Dining Plans, how they work and how much they cost. Periodically, Disney will run different “Free Dining” promotions where guests can get Free Dining by booking a particular type of full price reservation.
Currently, Disney is offering Free Dining for Disney+ subscribers. There are some important requirements to take advantage of this offer:
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- Guests much purchase a nondiscounted 4-night, 4-day Walt Disney Travel Company package that includes a room at a select Disney Resort hotel and a theme park ticket with a Park Hopper option
- Offer is valid for arrivals most nights between July 1, 2024 and September 30, 2024
- Packages purchased for select Disney Deluxe Villa Resort Hotels or Select Disney Deluxe Resort Hotels will include the Standard Disney Dining Plan
- Packages purchased for select Disney Moderate Resort Hotels or select Disney Value Resort Hotels will include the Quick Service Disney Dining Plan
- Offer is available for booking beginning January 3, 2024
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Is Free Dining a Good Deal?
Short answer? Sometimes. The key phrase to pay attention to is “NONDISCOUNTED package”. Another important phrase: “Theme park ticket with a Park Hopper option”. Keep in mind that if you are purchasing a four-night package, this means you are also purchasing a four day Park Hopper ticket–which is more expensive than the one park per day theme park ticket.
If you’re an Annual Passholder, this is not a good deal for you. If you are a Florida resident, you most likely can get better Florida resident discounts than the dollar amount associated with the Disney Dining Plan you would get as part of this package. If you’re in the military, you can often get better discounts than Free Dining.
In fact, there are often better discounts available during the same period of time. Generally, if Disney is offering Free Dining in any capacity at all, it usually means they’re not as fully booked up for that time period as they would like to be. That’s why they’re offering Free Dining–to book more rooms and more tickets. It’s important to evaluate any other available discounts to determine if Free Dining is really a good value for your party.
If you are a Disney+ subscriber and you’d like to travel to Disney between July 1 and September 30 and would like to get a quote for this Free Dining offer, please contact me. At the same time, I can check for other available discounts for you. Disney is verifying Disney+ subscriber status and there are a couple of extra hoops to jump through to take advantage of this discount, but if this fits with your travel plans, Free Dining COULD save you money.
Bottom Line: Advantages and Disadvantages of the Disney Dining Plans
Advantages
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- You are able to prepay for the bulk of your meals before your vacation
- Eliminates the guesswork of how much you’ll spend on food during your vacation
- Reduces the amount of cash or credit you need to have on hand throughout your vacation
- Easy to use–as long as you have a credit card attached to your Resort reservation for incidentals and other charges to the room, you will not need to provide a form of payment for any of the meals on your Dining Plan. You’ll just use your Magic Band, Magic Band+, Key to the World card or Magic Mobile to access your Dining Plan credits. Any gratuities can be charged to your room.
- The My Disney Experience App shows your available meal credits.
- Accepted by most Disney Table Service, Quick Service and mobile cart locations throughout the Walt Disney World Resort
- Enables members of your traveling party to get meals and snacks without incurring out of pocket costs
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DISADVANTAGES
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- The Standard Dining Plan requires some planning ahead, to ensure you have reservations for Table Service restaurants during your trip.
- Can be challenging to make sure all your credits are used if you aren’t paying attention.
- May or may not be a good value for your family, depending on how your family chooses to eat while on vacation.
- Linked to the length of your Resort reservation. If you are staying for seven nights and want the Disney Dining Plan, you will be buying the Dining plan for all seven nights, for all members of your party staying in that room on that Resort reservation.
- Cannot mix the two different plans. You can either buy the Standard Disney Dining Plan OR the Quick Service Disney Dining Plan. You can’t buy the Quick Service Disney Dining Plan for the first five nights of your trip and the Standard Disney Dining Plan for the last two nights of your trip (unless you are changing Resorts and/or have a different Resort reservation for that last two nights.
- Requires more spending before your trip–you’ll need to have your entire trip–tickets, Resort AND dining all paid for prior to your trip.
- Gratuities are NOT included in your Disney Dining Plan purchase. For Table Service meals, you will need to either charge gratuities to your room, or provide another form of payment.
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Questions?
Hopefully, we’ve answered any questions you may have about either of the Disney Dining Plans and about the current Free Dining promotion. However, if you have any questions we haven’t answered, please comment below or email brooke@disneycastledreaming.com.
Work with an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner
One of the advantages of working with an authorized Disney Vacation Planner like me is that I can check on all the available discounts, if any, during the time you want to travel, and help you to get the best available deal based on your needs. Another advantage is that if new discounts become available later that could potentially save you money, and you haven’t yet paid your final balance, your Disney Vacation Planner can go in and apply those new discount for you. Remember, working with a Disney Vacation Planner doesn’t cost you anything–Disney pays their planners to serve their guests. The guests do not pay anything to work with a Disney Vacation Planner–and we can help in so many ways. If you’d like more information on this, or would like a no obligation quote, please contact me at Brooke@disneycastledreaming.com.
P.S. Making your Disney Vacation More Enjoyable: Advance Dining Reservations (ADRs)