Every part that you must know concerning the Disney Eating Plan 2024 plus easy methods to resolve if it’s value it.
Have you ever heard concerning the Eating Plan at Disney World and are questioning the way it works?
The Disney meal plan is principally a technique to “pre-pay” for eating earlier than your trip begins and is returning in 2024 after a three-year hiatus.
On this publish, I’ll share all the things that you must know concerning the Disney Eating Plan 2024 together with the fee, how the credit work, easy methods to resolve if the plans are best for you, and my insider suggestions for getting your cash’s value!
Needless to say the plans are definitely not for everybody on each journey, and whereas they appear sophisticated at first, are literally fairly straightforward to make use of when you get the grasp of it.
What’s The Disney Eating Plan?
The Disney Eating Plan has been round since 2005 and is a technique to make your Disney World trip extra inclusive.
You possibly can add the Eating Plan to a lodge reservation that you just e book with Disney, by means of your journey agent, or with DVC factors.
For every evening of your keep, you’ll get a set variety of eating plan “credit” you need to use to eat virtually anyplace at Walt Disney World, in addition to a refillable mug to make use of at your resort throughout your keep.
Learn on to find out how the credit work and the 2 totally different meal plans out there for 2024!
Who Can Use The Disney Eating Plan?
Disney Eating Plans can be utilized by company staying at any Walt Disney World resort lodge.
They will’t be bought by guests staying at any lodges that aren’t owned by Disney (“off-property” lodges) or locals visiting for the day.
The plan additionally have to be bought for each evening of your keep and for everybody staying in your room. Nonetheless, there are methods round this that I’ll clarify beneath.
Disney Eating Plan 2024 Value
There are presently two totally different meal plans: the Fast Service Eating Plan and the Disney Eating Plan.
The associated fee (together with tax) of the Disney Eating Plan 2024 for every evening of your keep is:
- Fast Service Eating Plan: $57.01/grownup and $23.83/little one
- Disney Eating Plan: $94.28/grownup and $26.69/little one
Here’s a chart that reveals the credit you’ll get with every plan and the fee per evening of your keep in 2024:
Disney Eating Plan 2024 Costs
Credit (per evening) | Value
(together with tax) |
|
Fast Service Eating Plan | 2 Fast Service Meals + 1 Snack | $57.01 (grownup)
$23.83 (little one) |
Disney Eating Plan | 1 Desk Service Meal + 1 Fast Service Meal + 1 Snack | $94.28 (grownup)
$26.69 (little one) |
Notice: Although tax is included in the price of the plan, suggestions on your server at Desk Service meals usually are not included.
Every plan features a Resort Refillable Mug (extra on these quickly). The youngsters’s costs are for teenagers ages 3 to 9. Children 10 and over are charged the grownup worth.
How Does The Disney Eating Plan Work?
Every of the eating plans contains credit that you need to use throughout Walt Disney World.
These credit are loaded on the Magic Bands (or MagicMobile cross in your telephone) of everybody in your social gathering as quickly as you check-in.
You need to use the credit at any level throughout your keep, from 6 am on check-in day till midnight on the day you take a look at.
You need to use them in any mixture at any time, reminiscent of utilizing three snack credit on the primary day, or two desk service credit on at some point and two fast service credit on the following day.
The sorts of Disney Eating Plan credit are:
- Snack Credit (most gadgets that aren’t a meal unto themselves fall into this class)
- Fast Service Meal Credit (i.e. meals at areas the place you order at a counter versus having a server)
- Desk Service Meal Credit (“Sit-down” meals – contains buffets, character meals, and signature eating)
Along with snack and meal credit, the meal plans at Disney embody a Resort Refillable Mug with limitless free refills for the following 14 days.
The mugs can be utilized at any Disney resort lodge for soda, espresso, tea, lemonade, and sizzling chocolate, however usually are not good for refills within the theme parks.
Soda machines are geared up with a chip reader that solely dispenses the drink right into a cup that’s activated for that date.
What’s Included within the Fast Service Eating Plan?
With the Fast Service Eating Plan, you’ll get two fast service credit per evening of your journey, one snack credit score per evening, and a resort refillable mug.
Fast Service credit can be utilized to dine at any Fast Service (aka counter service) restaurant at Disney World.
Get my picks for the very best fast service eating in every of the 4 theme parks in these posts!
A Fast Service credit score contains an entree and a beverage.
You will get virtually any beverage on the menu, together with alcoholic drinks.
With any fast service or desk service meal, these over 21 can choose a single-serving blended drink, wine, or beer as their beverage with the plan.
You could possibly select a specialty drink (reminiscent of a smoothie or milkshake) as your beverage as nicely.
And I’m completely happy to report that you’re not restricted to sure alcoholic drinks with the Eating Plan… something is honest sport so long as it doesn’t are available a memento cup or serve a couple of individual.
Should you don’t need a beverage (or simply wish to drink water) you’ll be able to normally substitute something that qualifies as a snack credit score on the menu on your drink. Most quick-service eating areas permit this substitution however your mileage could range.
You’ll additionally get one snack credit score per individual per evening and a refillable mug on the Fast Service Eating Plan.
What’s Included on the Disney Eating Plan?
With the usual Disney Eating Plan, you’ll get one fast service credit score and one desk service credit score per individual per evening of your journey.
Every desk service meal credit score contains an entree, beverage, and dessert.
This credit score was made extra versatile in 2017 by permitting company to decide on a salad or soup (if out there on the restaurant) instead of a dessert.
And as within the case with fast service meals, any single-serving drink on the menu that doesn’t are available a memento cup is honest sport – so go forward and order that $17 glass of wine!
You’re after all all the time allowed to order the rest from the menu that isn’t included within the eating plan and pay for the gadgets out-of-pocket. This may embody appetizers or add-ons to your entree.
With the Disney Eating Plan, you’ll additionally get one snack per individual per day and a refillable mug.
What concerning the Deluxe Disney Eating Plan?
Sadly, the Deluxe Eating Plan at Disney World didn’t return for 2024.
How Do I Get a Eating Plan for Free?
You’ll have heard of Disney’s wildly standard “Free Eating” promotion. For this supply, company pay the common, non-discounted price for his or her lodge keep and park tickets, however get one of many eating plans at no further value.
A free eating bundle normally requires reserving a minimal three-night keep and buying a minimal of 4-day “Park Hopper” tickets for everybody in your journey social gathering.
You possibly can learn all the things that you must find out about Disney free eating on this publish.
In case you are eager about reserving a free eating bundle, I strongly recommend getting a quote from Siera with Locations in Florida, my beneficial Disney journey agent. You received’t pay something further and he or she will help you with each side of planning your Disney trip!
Disney Eating Plan 2024 Eating places
The reply to “What eating places take the Disney Eating Plan?” is virtually each restaurant at Disney World.
Every year when the Eating Plan is launched, eating places are slowly added to the of people who settle for the plan. Nearly all eating institutions at Disney World take the Eating Plan.
Listed below are the exceptions I do know of that don’t take the Disney Eating Plan:
- Victoria & Albert’s, a advantageous eating restaurant on the Grand Floridian resort
- Tutto Gusto Wine Cellar in Epcot’s Italy pavilion
- La Cava de Tequila in Epcot’s Mexico pavilion
- Haagen-Dazs kiosk at Disney Springs
- Jock Lindsay’s Hangar Bar at Disney Springs
- Pizza Ponte at Disney Springs
- AMC Fork & Display screen in Disney Springs
- Pepe in Disney Springs
All over the place else within the theme parks, at Disney Springs, and at Disney-owned resorts will settle for your Disney Eating Plan credit.
Disney Eating Plan Two Desk Service Credit score Eating places
Some eating areas at Disney World require two desk service credit on the Disney Eating Plan.
Here’s a grasp checklist of eating places that require two desk service credit and the place they’re positioned:
- Cinderella’s Royal Desk – Magic Kingdom
- Be Our Visitor (dinner solely) – Magic Kingdom
- Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue – For Wilderness
- Disney’s Spirit of Aloha Dinner Present – Polynesian Resort
- The Hollywood Brown Derby – Hollywood Studios
- Tiffins – Animal Kingdom
- Le Cellier – Epcot
- Monsieur Paul – Epcot
- Akershus Royal Banquet Corridor – Epcot (new for 2024)
- Jiko – Animal Kingdom Lodge
- Flying Fish – Boardwalk Resort
- California Grill – Up to date Resort
- Citricos – Grand Floridian Resort
- Narcoossee’s – Grand Floridian Resort
- Yachtsman Steakhouse – Yacht Membership Resort
- Storybook Eating With Snow White – Wilderness Lodge (new for 2024)
- Morimoto Asia – Disney Springs
- Paddlefish – Disney Springs
- STK Orlando – Disney Springs
- The Boathouse – Disney Springs
Is The Disney Eating Plan value it?
In case you are like most folk visiting Walt Disney World, you could have a funds that that you must persist with on your trip.
Having a pre-paid eating plan included in a bundle is a method that can assist you keep inside your funds at Disney World.
Answering the query “Is the Disney Eating Plan value it?” requires taking a look at how you’d usually eat on trip.
For example, here’s a comparability of what it could value out-of-pocket vs. on the eating plan for a pattern day at Animal Kingdom:
Eating Plan | Out-of-Pocket Value | |
Breakfast – Resort Meals Court docket | 1 Snack + refillable mug | Pastry – $4.79 Espresso – $3.49 |
Lunch –Flame Tree Barbeque (Animal Kingdom) | 1 Fast Service Credit score | Sampler Meal – $18.89 Island Breeze– $16.50 |
Dinner – Tusker Home | 1 Desk Service Credit score | Grownup All-You-Care-to-Take pleasure in Meal – $63.42 (together with tax) Glass of Wine – $15.00 |
Whole Value | $94.28 | $122.09 |
With this pattern day, you’d save $28 in at some point for one individual on the eating plan.
Needless to say alcoholic drinks drive the out-of-pocket value up. However if you’d like an alcoholic drink together with your meals and that is the kind and amount of meals you’d doubtless eat on trip, then the eating plan could be a great match for you!
What made this present day a great worth on the plan was consuming a personality meal for dinner and alcoholic drinks at lunch and dinner.
Right here’s an instance of one other day at Epcot that wouldn’t be such a great deal on the Disney Meal Plan:
Eating Plan | Out-of-Pocket Value | |
Breakfast – Resort + Fountain View (Starbucks) | 1 Snack + refillable mug | Espresso Cake – $3.99 Espresso – $3.49 |
Lunch – Katsura Grill (Epcot) | 1 Fast Service Credit score | Teriyaki Hen – $13 Gentle Drink – $3.99 |
Dinner – Rose & Crown | 1 Desk Service Credit score | Unimaginable Scorching Pot– $23 Fountain Drink – $3.99 Heat Fruit Crumble – $7 |
Whole Value | $94.28 | $58.46 |
As we speak you’d lose $35.82 with the eating plan.
The principle cause is consuming at a few of the most reasonably priced eating places out-of-pocket and selecting comfortable drinks versus dear alcoholic drinks.
The eating plans are inclined to work out higher for some of us than others, relying on their fashion of vacationing and the place they like to eat.
Listed below are some elements that may show you how to reply the query is the Disney Eating Plan value it?
It’s best to think about using the Eating Plan when you:
- Wish to eat at a number of Character Meals or buffets (These are usually the costliest out-of-pocket and signify the very best worth of eating plan credit)
- Would take pleasure in an alcoholic drink with lunch and dinner most days
- Are visiting Epcot throughout a pageant to maximise snack credit (extra on this subsequent)
You would possibly wish to keep away from the Eating Plan when you:
- Are a lightweight eater (e.g. prefer to order an appetizer as your entrée)
- Wish to eat at a number of Signature Eating places
- Are vegetarian or vegan (Although if you wish to expertise a number of buffets/character meals or eat some fish the Eating Plan nonetheless makes a lot of sense)
- You don’t drink alcohol in any respect
Disney Eating Plan Suggestions & Methods
Listed below are my finest Disney Eating Plan suggestions and tips for profiting from the plans at Walt Disney World.
Tip #1: Share Credit & Use Them Nonetheless You Need
The second of my Disney Eating Plan suggestions is you don’t even have to make use of a credit score for each member of your social gathering each time you dine.
For instance, one Desk Service credit score contains:
- One entree
- One dessert
- One beverage
Nonetheless, in case your partner needs a beverage and entree and also you need an appetizer and dessert, you two can basically “share” one Desk Service credit score and simply pay on your appetizer out-of-pocket.
This may actually show you how to get the total worth of the plan, save your credit for a Signature restaurant, and keep away from losing meals (a standard criticism concerning the plan).
To do that, simply inform your server that you just’d like to make use of one desk service credit score out of your eating plan and cost the appetizer to our room. You possibly can then scan your Magic Band for each functions and be in your method!
Tip #2 – Get the Disney Eating Plan With out Shopping for Park Tickets
The official line from Disney is that the Eating Plan have to be bought as a part of a bundle that features a minimal of two-day park tickets. Nonetheless, there are just a few exceptions to this rule.
The one we have now used most ceaselessly is that anybody staying in a room booked with Disney Trip Membership factors can add a Disney Eating Plan to their reservation with out additionally including park tickets.
Anybody can keep in a DVC room by “renting” factors from a DVC proprietor (take a look at my publish about easy methods to hire DVC factors to economize on deluxe lodging right here).
Members of the navy may add a eating plan to their resort keep with out having to purchase park tickets (which might be purchased at a steep low cost at a navy base or Shades of Inexperienced – thanks for this data, Peg!).
I’ve additionally been capable of name Disney and have them add a Eating Plan to a room-only reservation with out tickets, so long as the reservation was made instantly with Disney.
Should you booked a room-only reservation with a journey agent (get a free quote from my journey agent Siera right here), you’ll be able to have them add the Eating Plan with out having to buy park tickets.
Simply remember this can flip your room-only reservation right into a bundle, which has extra strict cancellation insurance policies.
Tip #3: Get the Eating Plan for Solely A part of Your Trip
A break up keep is whenever you break your trip up between two totally different resorts on two separate reservations.
Any Disney Eating Plan must be bought for each evening of your keep and for everybody in your room.
However this solely means you will need to have it for your entire reservation – you’ll be able to have it for the primary a part of a break up keep and never the second.
Should you don’t thoughts switching resorts as soon as throughout your keep, you’ll be able to hire DVC factors for a part of your trip and add the eating plan for that a part of your keep.
In case you are altering Disney resorts (what known as a “break up keep”) and get a refillable mug through the first a part of your trip, it is going to proceed to work for the second half. The mugs aren’t linked to a selected resort and can work for 14 days as soon as activated.
Notice: You possibly can add the eating Plan to a one-night reservation booked with DVC factors, however you’ll be able to now not add a eating plan to a one-night reservation booked by means of Disney (until it’s booked with a Passholder low cost). The minimal for including the eating plan whenever you e book with Disney is a two-night reservation.
Tip #4: Select Eating places That Maximize Your Credit
My subsequent Disney Eating Plan tip is to eat on the areas that provide the finest worth on your credit.
There are positively sure eating areas that provide the finest worth on the Disney Eating Plan. That mentioned, I might recommend that you just don’t let this truth drive your choices about the place to eat on trip.
If you wish to eat someplace however it isn’t essentially the very best worth on the plan as a result of the entrees are cheaper than different locations, then, by all means, eat there!
Total, you’ll get your cash’s value out of the Disney Eating Plan virtually anyplace you eat, so attempt to dine as when you weren’t certain by the plan.
You’ll get unbelievable worth if you’ll be able to get the eating plan totally free with Disney’s standard “Free Eating” promotion, which you’ll be able to learn all about on this publish.
Places through which the whole value of your Fast Service Meal is above $18 and Desk Service is above $55 provide the finest return in your funding on the Eating Plan.
Listed below are a few of the finest areas for getting the total worth out of the plan:
Fast Service
- Flame Tree Barbecue (Animal Kindgom)
- Sunshine Seasons (Epcot)
- Tangierine Cafe (Epcot)
- La Cantine de San Angel (Epcot)
- Be Our Visitor – Breakfast/Lunch (Magic Kingdom)
- Columbia Harbor Home (Magic Kingdom)
- Peco’s Invoice Tall Story Inn & Cafe (Magic Kingdom)
- Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Cafe (Magic Kindgom)
- Panorama of Flavors – Lunch/Dinner (Artwork of Animation Resort)
- Pepper Market – Lunch/Dinner (Coronado Springs Resort)
- Wolfgang Puck Specific (Disney Springs)
- The Well mannered Pig (Disney Springs)
Desk Service
- Fantasmic Eating Bundle (Hollywood Studios)
- Cooks de France – Dinner (Epcot)
- Tutto Italia -Dinner (Epcot)
- Crystal Palace – Dinner (Magic Kingdom)
- Boma – Dinner (Animal Kingdom Lodge)
- Cape Could Cafe – Dinner (Seaside Membership Resort)
- Chef Mickey’s – Dinner (Up to date Resort)
- ‘Ohana – Dinner (Polynesian Resort)
- Whispering Canyon Cafe – Dinner (Wilderness Lodge)
Signature Eating places
- California Grill (Up to date Resort)
- Narcoossee’s (Grand Floridian Resort)
- Yachtsman Steakhouse (Yacht Membership Resort)
- Cinderella’s Royal Desk – Dinner (Magic Kingdom)
- The Boathouse (Disney Springs)
The most effective use of Fast Service and Desk Service credit on the Disney Eating Plan are usually for lunch and dinner.
It is rather laborious to get good worth out of your credit for breakfast.
I might recommend consuming a lightweight breakfast in your room (take a look at easy methods to get groceries delivered to resort totally free on this publish) or paying for breakfast out of pocket at your resort.
Tip #5: Use Snack Credit Correctly
Snack credit could seem to be a throwaway addition, but when used correctly, they actually can enhance the worth of your Eating Plan.
Each member of your social gathering will get two snack credit per day as a part of each Disney Eating Plan!
I estimate the worth of a snack credit score to be round $5. If I need a snack and it’s lower than $5, I normally pay out of pocket for it, even when I’m on the Eating Plan.
Should you occur to be visiting Disney World throughout one of many Epcot festivals, you will get unbelievable worth out of your snack credit.
Most non-alcoholic drinks and meals gadgets out there on the Market Cubicles are “snack credit score eligible”.
A few of these gadgets are within the $7-$10 vary which may double the worth of your snack credit score.
Final go to we had eight snack credit that we used to make a meal of consuming our method round Meals & Wine Competition.
It was a lot enjoyable and we obtained an unbelievable worth out of the snack credit (get all of my Meals and Wine Competition suggestions on this publish).
If you need somebody that can assist you decide the very best eating places AND make all your eating reservations for you (for free of charge to you), then I strongly recommend that you just get a free quote from my professional Disney journey agent Siera at Locations in Florida!
Disney Eating Plan Tip #6: Get Alcohol, Appetizers, and Extra
Regardless that Desk Service credit embody solely an entree, dessert, and a beverage, there are situations the place you will get far more utilizing the Disney Eating Plan.
And now you can get a specialty drink OR single-serving alcoholic beverage with each meal on the Disney Eating Plans!
I’m completely happy to report that just about ANY alcoholic drink is included within the Eating Plan.
For instance, you will get a top-shelf Patron Lime Margarita from La Cantina de San Angel in Epcot that may value $16 out-of-pocket as your drink with a Fast Service credit score!
If you’ll get an grownup beverage with lunch and dinner anyway, the Eating Plan makes it very reasonably priced to take action.
Listed below are different methods to get extra with the Eating Plan:
Get an Appetizer with the Prix Fixe Dinner Menu at Cooks de France
One other nice use of 1 Desk Service credit score is the Prix Fixe menu at Cooks de France in Epcot’s France Pavillion.
You get to decide on an appetizer, entree, and dessert from a set menu and all are included together with your one desk service credit score.
Although this restaurant generally will get spotty critiques, I believe the meals is great (although not very adventurous), the ambiance vigorous, and the servers useful and keen to speak about their nation and delicacies.
Get a Cheese Plate as An Appetizer at A number of Signature Eating places
Signature Eating places are the high-end eating institutions at Disney and all require two Desk Service credit.
Nonetheless, a number of eating places embody their Cheese Plate as one among their choices for dessert, which implies you’ll be able to order it as a part of the eating plan.
The cheese plate is normally implausible and dear (some upwards of $20) and you may have it served earlier than your meal as an appetizer.
One member of your social gathering must quit their dessert entitlement, however most folk share desserts anyway in order that doubtless received’t cramp your fashion an excessive amount of.
Get Most popular Seating with the Fantasmic Eating Bundle
The most effective makes use of of 1 Desk Service credit score is the Fantasmic Eating Bundle at Mama Melrose’s in Hollywood Studios.
Not solely do you get most popular seating to the Fantasmic present for the night (the not-to-be-missed nighttime present on the Studios), however you’ll additionally get your selection of an entree, dessert, and beverage.
The trade-off is that you just’ll eat at an off-peak time (lunch or an early dinner). You may as well get a Fantasmic Bundle at Hollywood & Vine (for 1 credit score) and The Hollywood Brown Derby (for two credit).
Tip #7: Children Beneath Three Eat for Free at Sure Eating places
You’ll have seen that the kids’s eating plan is for teenagers ages 3 to 9. What about one and two-year-olds who appear to eat their weight in meals every day, you say?
Properly, you’ll both should buy meals for them out of pocket or dine at eating places the place they’ll eat totally free.
Disney’s coverage is that children underneath three can eat off of their mother and father’ plates at any buffet.
This contains the entire character meals and some other buffet reminiscent of Boma (Animal Kingdom Lodge) and Biergarten (Epcot). They usually don’t bodily should eat off of your plate, you will get them their very own plate of meals at no cost.
Even higher, at any all-you-care-to-enjoy desk service meal (such because the Backyard Grill, Cinderella’s Royal Desk, Topplino’s Terrace, and Akershus Royal Banquet Corridor), youngsters underneath three can get a youngsters’ meal off of the menu completely totally free.
I used to be actually stunned once I realized about this a couple of 12 months in the past and it influenced the place we determined to eat with our daughter when she was nonetheless within the under-three crowd.
Tip #8: Take Benefit of the Eating Plan’s Flexibility
The primary of my Disney Eating Plan suggestions is that the plans are far more versatile than they sound.
The credit you obtain for every member of your social gathering are literally pooled collectively and can be utilized in any mixture on any day of your journey.
For instance, you’ll be able to eat solely Fast Service meals on at some point and the following day use two Desk Service credit to take pleasure in dinner at one among Disney’s implausible Signature eating places.
Plus your credit are good from the time you examine into your resort (which we frequently do as quickly as we arrive, as early as 8 am) till midnight on the day you take a look at.
This implies you’ll be able to stretch your 5 nights of the eating plan into 6 days when you use your credit correctly.
My Experiences with the Disney Eating Plan
For my part, the eating plans usually are not for everybody on each journey.
They make essentially the most sense for company who plan on consuming a number of Character Meals or buffets, have massive eaters of their social gathering (assume teenage boys), and those that don’t thoughts being nailed right down to a schedule.
However, it doesn’t work as nicely for gentle eaters, those that desire Signature eating places, or those that prefer to be spontaneous and never be held to hard-and-fast plans for his or her eating.
My husband and I have taken benefit of a Disney Eating Plan on many events and I believe it’s actually enjoyable.
I like the liberty to decide on any entree on the menu with out worrying about how costly it’s (in any other case I can’t shake the internal cheapskate, even on trip).
Disney Eating Plan Suggestions & Methods Abstract
To summarize, the Disney Eating Plan is only one technique to expertise the wonderful eating choices at Walt Disney World.
And when you’re capable of get it totally free (learn my publish concerning the standard free eating supply), it’s an particularly cheap technique to check out totally different eating places.
If need assist planning a trip with or with out the eating plan, I recommend getting a from my professional Disney journey agent, Siera with Locations in Florida.
She will help you discover the proper resort, e book your eating reservations, and extra, all at no further value to you!
I hope this publish helped you perceive the fundamentals of the Disney Eating Plan and the way it works throughout a Disney World trip.
Any questions concerning the Disney Eating Plan 2024? Be part of the dialogue in my free non-public Fb group for my Disney-only web site, The Price range Mouse!