One of the most common questions I receive from clients when choosing their Walt Disney World vacation package is "What is the Dining Plan?" There are three dining plans to choose from - Quick Service, Basic Dining and Deluxe - and I will talk a little bit about each one.
What is a Dining Plan?
Dining plans are a pre-purchased add-on to a Walt Disney World vacation package. That means you must be a Disney resort guest to purchase the dining plan (one of the many benefits of staying at a Disney resort!). For each night of your trip, each guest on your reservation will receive an allotment of credits plus a refillable resort mug. These credits will be divided into three categories: quick-service, table service and snacks. The dining plan you choose determines how many credits in each category you receive. Your Magic Band will hold all of these credits so all you do is scan and go (aren't those things just so handy?).
Note: Everyone on your reservation must have the same dining plan and you must have it for every night of your trip. Children under 3 years of age can eat off your adult plate or you can purchase from the kids menu for them. You cannot purchase a dining plan for children under 3 years old. Children ages 3 to 9 years old on the dining plan must choose something from the kids menu when one is available.
Disney's Quick-Service Dining Plan
Each person 3 years of age and older gets the following per night on your reservation:
*Two Quick-Service Meals
*One Snack
*One refillable resort mug
2015 Cost: $41.99 per adult, per night (10 years and older), $16.03 per child, per night (ages 3 to 9)
Disney's Regular Dining Plan
Each person 3 years of age and older gets the following per night on your reservation:
*One Snack
*One Quick-Service Meal
*One Table-Service Meal
*One refillable resort mug
2015 Cost: $60.04 per adult, per night (10 years and older), $19.23 per child, per night (ages 3 to 9)
Disney's Deluxe Dining Plan
Each person 3 years of age and older gets the following per night on your reservation:
*Three Meals (any combination of table-service and quick-service)
*Two Snacks
*One refillable resort mug
2015 Cost: $109.53 per adult, per night (10 years and older), $29.86 per child, per night (ages 3 to 9)
What is included with a Quick-Service and Table-Service meal?
A quick-service meal includes an entree (or combo if available) and non-alcoholic beverage. If you are eating lunch or dinner you also get a dessert.
A table-service meal includes an entree, dessert and non-alcoholic beverage. On the Deluxe Dining Plan you also get an appetizer.
Snacks will be indicated on restaurant menus by this symbol:
How does it work?
For all three plans each category of credits will be pooled together at the beginning of your trip and you can use them as you choose. So if you want to use all your snacks on your first day no one will stop you, you just won't have any credits left for the rest of your trip. You can share any of your snack and quick-service credits with each other but you cannot share table-service credits.
Let's use a family of four as an example. This family will be at Disney World for 5 nights and purchased the Regular Dining Plan. The two kids are ages 5 and 11. The dining plan will cost them for their trip $996.75. They will have a total of 20 snack credits, 20 quick-service credits and 20 table-service credits.
What is not included with the Dining Plan?
All you will be responsible for is any alcohol or any tips at table-service restaurants.
Is the Dining Plan worth it?
That is a tricky question. For me and my husband we think of it simply as a way to be able to relax while on vacation and know that our food is paid for. We don't worry about if we are truly saving money as long as we think we aren't spending more to do the dining plan. If you are going to do a lot of character meals or buffets the dining plan will usually save you money. On the other hand if your family doesn't tend to eat a lot or you have small kids that you fear won't be able to sit through a table-service meal every day of your trip you may want to consider the Quick-Service plan.
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