Set aside the thrilling attractions and unforgettable character experiences; one of the most exciting things about holidays at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida is all the incredible places that you can choose to eat and drink throughout your time there. But with their popularity comes occasional long queues and higher prices. So if you’re thinking of staying at one of the Disney Resort Hotels.
As briefly explained above, Disney Dining Plans offer you great choice and flexibility when it comes to choosing where you want to eat and drink on holiday. They’re also the best option in terms of value for money, saving you up to 40% off the cost of individual meals by booking in advance.
Each plan works as a simple points system and it’s up to you how you use them, whether you don’t eat much one day or decide to go all out the next. Another great thing about them being based on a points system is that you don’t have to carry any cash around with you, which is always good when moving from Park to Park and means you don’t have to get as much exchanged.
There’s also no need to just stick to your Disney Resort Hotel; you can choose to eat at any of the other hotels, as well as all six Disney Parks and both Disney Springs and Disney’s BoardWalk too. There are over 100 different places to eat across the whole Resort, so you’ll never be short of somewhere new and exciting to try. Why not try a different country each night around Epcot? Or pick the best restaurant where you can meet your favourite Disney Character while you tuck into your meal. Dinner with Mickey, anyone?
The Disney Dining Plans are a simple and hassle-free option to manage all your dining needs when at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida; and they couldn’t be easier to use.
Once you’ve settled on and purchased the best plan to suit both your needs and your budget, your dining credits for all of your meal/snack allocations will be loaded onto your MagicBand. Then all you need to do is touch your MagicBand down on the magic points whenever you buy any food or drink at one of the 100+ restaurants available to you. Your waiter or server will then give you a receipt showing your updated meal balance and how many credits you have left. Don’t forget that if you don’t use all your allocation for one day, it just rolls on to the next.
These are self/counter service meals for those who enjoy casual dining and is great if you just want to grab a quick bite to eat in between the parks. There are loads of places to choose from, serving everything from soups and sandwiches to pizzas, grills and burgers.
These are for those with a little more time on their hands, either during the day or when winding down after an action-packed day at the parks. You can all sit together at the table and be served by the friendly waiting staff; whether you choose an American-style restaurant, award-winning gourmet fine-dining or even a character dining experience.
The Disney Dining Plans even cover when you just want a little something to keep you going until your next proper meal. You can grab anything from popcorn and ice cream to fresh fruit and soft drinks from any one of the Quick Service and snack carts from all across the resort.
After you’ve eaten at any of the waiter service restaurants, you’ll be brought a receipt that will detail how many credits you have used and how many you still have left to use.
If you do have any credits left over at the end of your holiday, the snack credits can be used at most of the Park shops and snack stops around the Resort to buy pre-packed snacks for the journey home. Failing that, the Mickey-shaped rice crispy treats available make excellent gifts for friends and family on your return.
If you do have any credits left over at the end of your holiday, the snack credits can be used at most of the Park shops and snack stops around the Resort to buy pre-packed snacks for the journey home. Failing that, the Mickey-shaped rice crispy treats available make excellent gifts for friends and family on your return.
Snacks are available to buy at quick service restaurants, shops around the Resort or snack cart locations. Look for the “Dining Plan” logo on the menus to know where you can pick up an easy snack. Here are just a few of the items available as snacks: ice cream, fudge, popcorn, coffee and tea, fruit, bottled juices, milk and water.
All the same dining locations are available to those staying off-site as well as within Walt Disney World Resort in Florida. To give some guidance, Disney have ranked all their restaurants and eateries with the following key:
This allows you plan your meals and budget accordingly.