What is the Disney Dining Plan?
If you’ve done some Disney World research, you may have come across the term, “Disney Dining Plan.” But what exactly is the Disney Dining Plan? And how does it work?
This post is going to dig into those details!
What is the Disney Dining Plan?
This Disney Dining Plan allows you to pay for most of your food ahead of your Disney World vacation. This means that by the time your trip arrives, the only thing you have to pay for is a few not included meals and any souvenirs or extra experience you may want to add to your trip.
In order to book the Disney Dining Plan, you need to have a Walt Disney World Vacation package that includes a Disney World Resort Hotel and Park tickets. You can also add it to a room only reservation if you’re an Annual Passholder or a Disney Vacation Club Member.
What does the Disney Dining Plan include?
There are two Dining Plan options.
Quick Service Option
This includes:
- 2 Quick Service meals per each night of your stay
- 1 snack/nonalcoholic beverage per night of your stay
- 1 Resort Refillable mug that you can fill at any resort quick service station (not in the parks)
Beverages are included with each meal (which can be an alcoholic or speciality beverages).
The price of the Quick Service Dining plan for 2025 is: $59.14 per adult per night
The price of the Quick Service Dining plan for 2026 is: $60.47 per adult per night
Dining Plan Option
This includes:
- 1 Quick Service meal per each night of your stay
- 1 Table Service meal per each night of your stay
- 1 snack/nonalcoholic beverage per night of your stay
- 1 Resort Refillable mug that you can fill at any resort quick service station (not in the parks)
Beverages are included with each meal (which can be an alcoholic beverage). Dessert is included in table service meals redeemed at lunch, brunch, or dinner.
The price of the Dining plan for 2025 is: $97.79 per adult per night
The price of the Dining plan for 2026 is: $98.59 per adult per night
How Does the Dining Plan Work?
Once you select a Dining Plan, you’ll receive credits, which are tied to your Magic Band and Disney World account. You’ll receive all of your credits at the start of your trip, so you can use them as you see fit throughout your vacation.
So if you’ve booked the standard Dining Plan and you’re staying for five nights, you’ll get 5 Quick Service Credits, 5 Table Service Credits, and 5 Snack Credits. You’ll get a receipt when you redeem one of your credits, which will tell you how many credits you have left.
You can redeem your credits at any participating Disney restaurant. Which isn’t every Disney restaurant, but it is most of them. When you go to pay, let the Cast Member you’re paying with know that you’re on the Disney Dining Plan.
If your plan has table service credits, you need an advanced dining reservation, which you can make 60 prior to your trip. If you want to dine at a more expensive table service restaurant, that will likely be two credits.
You can redeem your snack credits at most Quick Service and snack kiosk.
You have to use all of your credits on your trip and you don’t get a refund for unused credits.
If you want the Disney Dining Plan, you have to add it to your plan 48 hours before your trip or sooner. Once you’re inside that 48 hour window, you’re no longer able to add the Dining Plan to your vacation package.
It’s also worth noting, if you’re adding the Dining Plan to your package, you have to add it for everyone in your reservation. So, this is something everyone in your travel group needs to be on the same page about.
What’s not included?
Tips are not included in your standard Dining Plan. You also may notice that each plan only includes 2 meals per day, so that’s one meal a day that you’ll still need to account for.
You’ll also note that credits are distributed by night, not by day. So unless you have a very late arrival or very early departure, you’ll likely need to account for another day’s worth of meals.
And according to Disney, you also can’t use credits on “items that are more than a single serving (such as a box of doughnuts or a jar of peanut butter). Items that are served in a souvenir container (such as popcorn or drinks).
“Items considered to be merchandise (such as bottle toppers, glow cubes and bottle straps). Special dining events offered at certain Table-Service locations.”
Is the Disney Dining Plan Worth It?
Honestly, that’s going to depend on you, how you eat, and how you want to manage your money. If you want to see a post that goes into these pros and cons, you can check that out here.
What are your thoughts on the Disney Dining Plan?