So, What Are Dining Plans?
Snacks:
- Most outdoor vendors and counter service restaurants offer a variety of single-serve snacks that qualify for this dining plan. A general rule of thumb is that if it is a sing-serve item $5 or less, then it is a snack, but you could always look it up on the MyDisney app.
Adult 1:
B ~ Main Street Bakery: Caramel Frappuchino (Veinti) / $6
L ~ Be Our Guest Restaurant: Braised Chicken (Coq au Vin Style) + Peach Bellini / $30
S ~ Plaza Ice Cream Parlor: Apple Blossom Sundae: / $7.49
D ~ Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn And Cafe: Southwest Salad with Chicken + Odwalla Strawberry Lemonade Slushy / $19
Adult 2:
B ~ Strawberry Creme Frappuchino (Veinti) / $6
L ~ Be Our Guest Restaurant: Tuna Nicoise Salad + Mimosa / $29
S ~ Plaza Ice Cream Parlor: Apple Blossom Sundae / $7.49
D ~ Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn And Cafe: Fajita Platter + Odwalla Strawberry Lemonade Slushy / $21
Teen:
B ~ Double Chocolaty Chip Creme Frappuchino (Veinti) / $6
L ~ Be Our Guest Restaurant: French Dip Sandwich + Adult Cold Fountain Beverage / $21.50
S ~ Plaza Ice Cream Parlor: Brownie Sundae / $7.49
D ~ Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn And Cafe: 1/3 Pound Angus Bacon Cheeseburger + Odwalla Strawberry Lemonade Slushy / $19.50
Child:
B ~ Vanilla Bean Creme Frappuchino (Grande) / $5.79
L ~ Be Our Guest Restaurant: Lumiere's De-Light + Nestle Chocolate Milk / $11
S ~ Plaza Ice Cream Parlor: Brownie Sundae / $7.49
D ~ Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn And Cafe: Cheeseburger + Chocolate Milk / $11.88
Total $ Spent Dining Plan: $191
Total Value of All Meals Purchased (not including the value of the resort mug): $216.63
Total Amount Saved: $25.63 (plus the value of 4 refillable mugs!)
The Disney Dining Plans are a set number of meals and snacks that guests who stay on-property can pay for a set price, per night of their stay. These are completely optional but can help you save money depending on how you use it. For example, buying the more expensive options at restaurants will actually be of better value to you and your family, as the expensive meals are worth more, but because you only pay a fixed price, you save money.
There are 4 types of dining plans to choose from, with a range of prices and what is included in each:
- Quick Service Dining Plan
- Disney Dining Plan
- Disney Dining Plan Plus
- Disney Deluxe Dining Plan
Although the Quick Service Dining Plan is the cheapest, it also comes with less than the other plans.
So what plan is best for you? Let's compare~
Disney's Quick Service Dining Plan: ($55/10+ - $26/3-9) ~ per night of stay
What the plan comes with: (per night)
- 2 Quick-Service Meals (alcoholic + non-alcoholic beverages included)
- 2 Snacks or Non-Alcoholic Beverages
- 1 Resort Refillable Mug (1 total)
Quick-Service Meals:
- These meals are normally sold at any restaurant with the 1 $ sign on the map. This normally means that, per adult, each entre is $14.99 or less. However, there are a couple restaurants that offer more expensive options, for the same Quick-Service Meal value. (listed below)
- These meals include an alcoholic beverage for guests 21 and older and non-alcoholic beverages for guests younger than that.
- Guests from the ages of 3-9 must order from the kid's menu at any restaurant that offers it.
Beverages:
Alcoholic:
- 1 Single-Serving beverage
- Ex: Beer, cider, wine, sangrias, mixed drinks + specialty cocktails
- The beverage must be purchased at the same venue as the meal
Non-Alcoholic Beverage:
- Includes Specialty Beverages (wherever sold)
- Allowed for guests ages 10+
- Ex: Artisanal Milkshakes, Fresh Smoothies, Premium Hot Chocolate, Soda, Coffee, + Tea
- The beverage must be purchased at the same venue as the meal
Snacks:
- Most outdoor vendors and counter service restaurants offer a variety of single-serve snacks that qualify for this dining plan. A general rule of thumb is that if it is a sing-serve item $5 or less, then it is a snack, but you could always look it up on the MyDisney app.
- Ex: Frozen ice cream, novelty bars, pretzel, milk, juice, hot chocolate, tea, fruit, 20 oz. soda, and water.
- *note that there are many snacks above $5 that will help you get your money's worth, listed below.
Refillable Resort Mug:
- While staying at the resort, there are self-serve stations with coffee, tea, hot chocolate, and other fountain beverages that are unlimited, and come with your dining plan purchase
- *note that the stations for refilling your mug are only located at the resorts, not in the parks.
- Guests who do not buy a meal plan can still by a mug for $19.99
So How do I "Make" Money?
Really, the dining plans are used so that your family can get the most out of Disney Park food, and choose to buy that instead of bringing PB+J sandwiches from home. However, without the right planning, you might actually be losing money. And that is not the goal!
So, I have created a menu for a family of 4 (3 Adults/1 Teen and 1 Child, age 7) going to the Magic Kingdom for a day:
- *note that there are many snacks above $5 that will help you get your money's worth, listed below.
Refillable Resort Mug:
- While staying at the resort, there are self-serve stations with coffee, tea, hot chocolate, and other fountain beverages that are unlimited, and come with your dining plan purchase
- *note that the stations for refilling your mug are only located at the resorts, not in the parks.
- Guests who do not buy a meal plan can still by a mug for $19.99
So How do I "Make" Money?
Really, the dining plans are used so that your family can get the most out of Disney Park food, and choose to buy that instead of bringing PB+J sandwiches from home. However, without the right planning, you might actually be losing money. And that is not the goal!
So, I have created a menu for a family of 4 (3 Adults/1 Teen and 1 Child, age 7) going to the Magic Kingdom for a day:
Adult 1:
B ~ Main Street Bakery: Caramel Frappuchino (Veinti) / $6
L ~ Be Our Guest Restaurant: Braised Chicken (Coq au Vin Style) + Peach Bellini / $30
S ~ Plaza Ice Cream Parlor: Apple Blossom Sundae: / $7.49
D ~ Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn And Cafe: Southwest Salad with Chicken + Odwalla Strawberry Lemonade Slushy / $19
Adult 2:
B ~ Strawberry Creme Frappuchino (Veinti) / $6
L ~ Be Our Guest Restaurant: Tuna Nicoise Salad + Mimosa / $29
S ~ Plaza Ice Cream Parlor: Apple Blossom Sundae / $7.49
D ~ Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn And Cafe: Fajita Platter + Odwalla Strawberry Lemonade Slushy / $21
Teen:
B ~ Double Chocolaty Chip Creme Frappuchino (Veinti) / $6
L ~ Be Our Guest Restaurant: French Dip Sandwich + Adult Cold Fountain Beverage / $21.50
S ~ Plaza Ice Cream Parlor: Brownie Sundae / $7.49
D ~ Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn And Cafe: 1/3 Pound Angus Bacon Cheeseburger + Odwalla Strawberry Lemonade Slushy / $19.50
Child:
B ~ Vanilla Bean Creme Frappuchino (Grande) / $5.79
L ~ Be Our Guest Restaurant: Lumiere's De-Light + Nestle Chocolate Milk / $11
S ~ Plaza Ice Cream Parlor: Brownie Sundae / $7.49
D ~ Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn And Cafe: Cheeseburger + Chocolate Milk / $11.88
Total $ Spent Dining Plan: $191
Total Value of All Meals Purchased (not including the value of the resort mug): $216.63
Total Amount Saved: $25.63 (plus the value of 4 refillable mugs!)
Personally, for my family of four, we probably would not benefit from buying the dining plan, but I do understand how convenient and (sometimes) money-saving it can be. Let's not forget that Disney can be about the food too!
*Meal and Snack credits for any Dining Plan can be rolled over to any day of vacation!
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