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We meet again! This time we're talking about one of my favorite things...besides Disney World! Food at Disney World!. This is something people ask me about A LOT. There are so many different options at Disney World...family budget friendly food to world class dining! Almost anything you want, you'll be able to EAT it at Disney World!
The Disney Dining Plan....do it or don't do it? First let me give you a rundown of how it works.
Option 1: Magic Your Way Package Plus Dining Plan
Walt Disney World's Magic Your Way Package Plus Dining. It’s available only to guests who stay at Disney hotels and resorts, including Disney Vacation Club properties. It works like this: For each night of your Magic Your Way package, you’ll pay an additional $56 per adult and $17 per child between the ages of 3 and 9.
Tip: Every so often, during off-peak months such as January or September, Disney offers the Dining Plan as a free add-on. This can be a compelling reason to visit during a slower time of year. For each night of your stay, you are entitled to a day on the dining plan, including:
- One table-service meal including appetizer, entrée, dessert, and a non-alcoholic beverage. Kids 3 to 9 must choose off the children’s menu. A child under 3 can share from an adult’s plate for free. Note: Since 2008, the gratuity is no longer included in the dining plan
- One quick-service meal including entrée, dessert, and a non-alcoholic beverage
- One snack, such as ice cream, popcorn, fruit, or a non-alcoholic beverage such as juice, soft drink, or coffee
Guests can use the meals and snack in any order and in any amount throughout the package stay. Usage is tracked electronically, and the server or cashier can provide a receipt showing the remaining balance.
Ok, So with the above Disney Dining Plans..I didn't write that in my own words. Basically because its a little hard to explain.
While this plan is great for some people, I'll tell you why we won't be going that route! This a great thing to do if your family plans on having a sit down meal at a Disney Restaurant every single day. I don't know about you but I love the fact that Disney does allow you to bring your own food in a soft cooler into the park. You can pack snacks for all throughout the day! That will save a little bit of money right there. One of my favorite things about Disney when it comes to dining is being spontaneous! There are a few places I almost always hit up when I'm at Disney but part of the fun is not knowing. Maybe you'll have breakfast at your hotel and a quick service lunch at Pinocchio's Tavern. Instead of Dinner maybe you'll sit down with a hot dog or some popcorn and ice cream while you wait for the parade and fireworks to start at MK. The possibilities are endless and there are over 300 eateries in Disney World. That doesn't include food service carts set up throughout the parks!
A lot of families decide they want to do the dining plan and use one of their meal credits for a character dining meal. For Example, say you want to use your Dinner credit at Cinderella's castle to meet the princesses! You're more than welcome to do that! But, keep in mind, some places (Especially those with Character Dining) you will use TWO Dinner credits instead of one! You have to pay attention to these things. Make sure you always check your receipts!
We opt not do do the dining plan for our own personal reasons but this may be perfect for some families out there...so give it a shot if it's for you!
With that in mind, let's talk Character dining/special reservations. Disney Dining Reservations BOOK UP VERY QUICKLY. I can't emphasize that enough. Character dining and sought after restaurants in particular! PLEASE NOTE that you can start making dining reservations up to 180 days in advance! If you know you want to have Dinner at Cinderella's Castle, or you've just been dying to try out the new "Be Our Guest Restaurant" I cannot stress the importance of booking these right around the 180 day mark! These places will book up quickly and I wouldn't wait! Do your research, and find out what you want to do and where you want to go and Book it! Set up an account on Disney's website..even if you haven't booked your hotel reservations yet. If you are in that 180 day mark you can make reservations at any Disney Restaurant or Character Meal. The character meals however, usually require you to pay up front and are pretty pricey. Keep that in mind when making reservations! Also, make sure you view the Disney Calendar to see a detailed schedule of what Events are going on that day and night. If you make reservations at Cinderella's castle at 9:00 but had your heart set on watching the Main Street Electrical Parade, then re-think when you want to make your reservation. There are so many cool options and Character Meals at Disney World. I will post links at the bottom of the page!
If you have any questions regarding food at Disney World..please feel free to ask!
I would like to add-The Hubs and I did the Spirit of Aloha Dinner Show at the Polynesian resort! We really enjoyed the show and the food! It was expensive but we would do it again!There were two nightly shows. We went to the later show and when they brought out our Dessert, we were able to see the fireworks at the Magic Kingdom! Perfect :)
For Dining Plan Info Here
List of Disney Restaurants Here
For Character Dining Experiences Here
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