Fairytale Journeys Travel

Disney World 101: Dining Plans

  Disney Dining Plans

With over 200 different places to eat on property, I’m not going to get into where to eat in this post, but we’re going to discuss how to eat! The Walt Disney Dining Plan way.

When you stay on property you have the option to purchase one of three different Walt Disney Dining Plans. One of the best parts of staying on property is that you get to book dining reservations for your entire stay 180 days from the day of check in. This gives you the best opportunity to grab some of those hard to get reservations.

There are three Walt Disney Dining Plans you can choose from:

  • Quick Service Dining Plan
  • Disney Dining Plan
  • Deluxe Dining Plan

When the dining plans are added onto a WDW package it is included for all guests ages 3+ for all nights of the dining plan.

Dining plan credits work like a bank, so you have a certain number of each credit and you can use them at any time during your trip from 7 am the morning of check in till 11:59 pm on the day of check out.

Before we outline what’s included in each dining plan, we need to discuss what is included in each meal!

Meals:

Quick Service Meal

Quick Service Meals are like fast casual restaurants. You will order at a kiosk and then you wait at a counter for your food or it will be delivered to your table. No tips required for this category of meals.

For each meal you will get an entree or complete combo meal and a choice of beverage (alcoholic options available for guests 21+)

Table Service Meal

Disney Dining Plan

Table Service meals are just as they sound, it will be served at your table. All of your character dining experiences fall into this category. Tips are expected at this category. There are some Table Service meals that will require two Table Service credits. Your FTJ Travel Advisor will alert you to these meals!

For each table meal you get an entree, a dessert (substitute your dessert for a fruit plate, side salad, or cup of soup), a non-alcoholic beverage (alcoholic options available for guests 21+) OR a full buffet.

The Table Service meals are where the Disney theming really shines! From character meals to being transported back in time to a drive in theatre… There are lots of fun options to choose from! Your FTJ Travel Advisor will make custom suggestions for you and your travel party.

Snacks

Disney Dining Plan snacks

I’m pretty sure we’ve discussed my love of ice cream before… did you know that all those ice creams qualify for snack credits?! Disney is really helping feed my ice cream habit! If you aren’t into sweet snacks, there are a lot of savory snack options too! Popcorn, pretzels, turkey legs, etc! Snacks are marked on menus with this logo:

Some other snacks are the Mickey Beignets posted at the top of the post or any sized drink from Starbucks or a delicious Lemon Tart from Les Halles Boulangerie and Patisserie in France (Epcot)

Disney Dining Plan

Refillable Resort Mug

Disney Refillable Mugs

Guests with any Dining Plan receive a complimentary refillable resort mug. Non-Dining plan guests can purchase these mugs for 18.99 each. Refillable mugs can be picked up at your resort food court or quick-service location and are good for the entire duration of your stay! Guests can refill their mugs at self-service beverage stations at the resorts with beverages including soda, coffee, iced or hot tea, hot chocolate, or water. Refillable mugs come in a variety of colors and you can even find special holiday designs depending on the time of year!

Note that these mugs are only available for refill at the resorts, not at the parks. However, I have lots of friends that like to bring the mugs with them to the parks and when they get to go drinks in the park, they will pour it into their refillable mugs to keep them cool longer!

Bonus: Your mug is an extra souvenir to take home with you!

Dining Plans

So now that we have gone over the parts of the dining plan, let’s talk about the different dining plans available. As mentioned above, you will be getting these credits, per person, per night of stay.

Disney Dining

Quick Service Dining Plan

If you are planning a budget trip or you want the freedom to grab and eat whenever you want, you want the Quick Service Dining plan! This plan gives you the most flexibility in terms of where and when you eat. The downside to this is that character meals aren’t included.

The Quick Service Dining Plan gives you:

  • 2 Quick Service Meals
  • 2 Snacks
  • Refillable Resort Mug

The 2020 Quick Service Dining Plan is $55 for adults (ages 10+) and $26 for children (ages 3-9).

Disney Dining Plan

This one is the most popular! If you are looking for the option to have both the convenience of Quick Service Meals and some Table Service meals with characters… You want the Disney Dining Plan!

The character meals are my preferred way to meet characters. Instead of standing around waiting in lines, you are stuffing your face while waiting for characters!

The Disney Dining Plan gives you:

  • 1 Table Service Meal
  • 1 Quick Service Meal
  • 2 Snacks
  • Refillable Resort Mug

The 2020 Disney Dining Plan is $78 for adults (ages 10+) and $30.50 for children (ages 3-9).

Deluxe Dining Plan

If you notice the first two plans only offer two meals a day. Many people find that to be enough and either share a breakfast or redeem a snack credit for breakfast. If you are looking to have 3 meals a day, you want the Deluxe Dining Plan!

The Deluxe Dining Plan comes with:

  • 3 Meals (Any combination of Quick Service or Table Service)
  • 2 Snacks
  • Refillable Resort Mug

The 2020 Deluxe Dining Plan is $119 for adults (ages 10+) and $47.50 for children (ages 3-9).

 

If your mouth is watering for some Disney Dining, make sure to reach out to one of our Fairytale Journeys Travel Advisors and let’s get started planning your journey!

Our services are always complimentary and that includes helping you navigate the 200+ restaurants on property and make suggestions and plans that suit your tastes!

 

 

 

Gina Parlsey – FTJ Travel Advisor

Email:ftjbygina@gmail.com

Website: https://ftjbygina.com

 

 

 

SUSANNE HAYS

My love for Disney began when I was a young girl, and my parents took me to Disney with my brothers for a boy scout trip. During High School, I attended Benjamin Russell in Alexander City, AL, where I was a majorette in the band. We were given the opportunity to perform at Magic Kingdom during one of their parades, which was a dream come true and such an honor to have been chosen. Walt Disney’s vision was to dream, believe, dare, and do. I think this is still true today!

I began my travel experience at another home-based travel agency, where I learned about the travel business. During this time, my love for Disney and the magical experience Disney offered became the focus of my travel business.

The many years of experience in sales and the importance of customer service, loyalty, and dedication for every client to have a magical experience is when Fairytale Journeys, LLC was created. For the past 20 years, my family and I have visited Walt Disney World, Disney Cruise Line, and Aulani. I enjoy helping others plan their magical vacations to WDW. I give each client the personal service that they should have. I ensure everything is taken care of for their magical vacation from the beginning of the reservations to the end. That’s why it’s so important to book with a travel agent so that you can receive a personal touch on your vacation.

I am here to help my clients with dining reservations, itineraries, travel arrangements, and most of all, dedication to making sure that each of my clients receives the best price for their magical vacation!

I have an undergraduate degree in Fashion Merchandising and a Masters’s Degree in Elementary Education. I am married to Steve Hays from Huntsville, AL, and we have two boys, Wilson and Garren Hays.

Graduate of College of Disney Knowledge
Universal Parks & Resorts Specialist

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