Money Saver #4: Use the Disney Dining Plan

One of the best parts of any vacation is the food. And I love the food at Disney World. Hundreds of dining locations… thousands of menu items!

Before we get into the details of the Disney Dining Plan, let me give you the basics of food and dining at Disney World. This will help you on Guide #5 too.

Types of Dining Options

Disney offers four different ways to get your food.

Table-Service Restaurants: You go in, are seated, order from a menu and a server brings you your food — well, a few are buffets. This include all of these restaurant types as classified by Disney: Casual Dining, Themed Dining, Character Dining, Signature Dining, Special and Unique Dining and Dinner Shows. Whew! Lots of fancy words, but all the same basic concept.

Counter-Service Restaurants: You go in, order at a counter, pick up your food and take it to your table to eat it. It’s just your basic fast food restaurant. Disney calls these Counter Service and Quick Service.

Quick Bite: These are walk-up outdoor kiosks with outdoor seating. They serve primarily snacks and beverages.

Resort Shops: Every resort has a gift shop with a grocery section. You can buy soft drinks, chips, packaged pastries, milk, bread and a few other basics. The shops at DVC resorts and Fort Wilderness have many more groceries — cold cuts, canned soups, and much more. The food courts in the Value and Moderate Resorts also have a nice selection of packaged foods and fruit.

Dining Plan Basics

Every family has its own preferred way to eat on vacation. Some survive on snack foods and sandwiches. Others like burgers and pizza. Still others love to having breakfast, lunch and dinner at table-service restaurants.

And just about every family wants to dine with the Disney characters during their vacation.

A few years ago, Disney came up with a plan that is kind of a “happy medium.” It’s called the Disney Dining Plan. Some people say that it was a trick to get more people to eat at the table-service restaurants. I say that it doesn’t matter why! All I know is that if you love food, it can be a great deal.

The Disney Dining Plan includes the following items for each person staying in your Disney hotel room for each night of your stay:

• One counter-service meal, including entrée, dessert and beverage.
• One table-service meal, including entrée, dessert and beverage.
• One snack, such as soft drink, fruit, pastry or ice cream.

The cost is $40/day for anyone age 10 and older and $11/day for children age 3-9. There are some specific rules and restrictions. For example, you can’t use your credits at some restaurants. You have to pay extra for some items. And some meals take two credits. But overall, you’re getting a heck of a lot of food for the money.

For details, read the official Disney brochure.

Comparing Costs

Because you get so much food on the Dining Plan, it doesn’t really matter that only two meals are included. Here’s a sample of how you might use your credits on one day:

• Breakfast: Muffin from the resort food court or shop. Regular price: $2.50. Use your Snack Credit. (Use your refillable mug for coffee or a soft drink.)
• Lunch: Vegetarian pizza with salad, strawberry shortcake, and soft drink at Pinocchio Village Haus at the Magic Kingdom. Regular price: $15. Use your Counter-Service Credit.
• Dinner: Mediterranean seafood platter, apple crepes with ice cream at Restaurant Marrakesh, Morocco Pavilion at Epcot. Regular price: $55 including tip. Use your Table-Service Credit.

(By the way, you’ll be so full from this dinner that I’ll bet that you’ll be happy with just a muffin for breakfast the next day.)

Of course, I picked out the most expensive menu items at each restaurant for this example. But this day’s dining would cost about $72. Even with more moderate selections, it’s easy to see that $40 per day is significantly less expensive that paying cash!

New Quick-Service Dining Plan!

In 2009, Disney added another dining plan: Quick-Service Dining. It appears to be designed for guests staying at Value or Moderate Resorts (which typically includes me, by the way!).

What’s included for each person staying in your Disney hotel room for each night of your stay:

• Two counter-service meals, including entrée, dessert and beverage.
• Two snacks, such as pastries, chips, ice cream or bottled juice.
• Refillable mug that can be used at your resort food court or counter-service restaurant.

The cost is $30/day for adults and $9/day for children age 3-9. Your credits are good only at participating counter-service or quick-service locations. To be honest, the cost is about the same as what you would pay in cash. I’m still trying to think of a good reason to try it!

Is a Dining Plan Right for You?

Consider these questions:

• How much would you normally eat on vacation?
• Can you adjust your meal times or eating habits so that you’re content eating two meals and a snack instead of three normal meals each day?
• Would you be happy with smaller meals and dining at less expensive restaurants?

Just as a note, my personal preference is for less food. We use the Dining Plan only when it’s offered for free — which it has been during September for the last three years. That’s great for my husband. He loves table-service restaurants and trying new things.

Two footnotes! First, if you decide to add the Disney Dining Plan to your vacation package, reservations are essential. Check out Guide #11, Make Dining Reservations in Advance, on Page 24 in the upcoming Mouse Map Savings Guide.

Second, Disney offers more expensive dining plans and deluxe packages that include meals. I consider them convenience packages, rather than a way to save money. They are packed with so many features that it would very difficult, if not impossible, to get the full benefit of their sky-high price tag!