Here is the 2019 Walt Disney World Dining Plan facts and expert tips you need to know for your vacation.
Cost
- Disney’s Quick-Service Dining Plan
Cost: $52.49 per night ages 10 and up & $23.79 per night age 3 to 9 (No cost for kids under 3) - The Standard Disney Dining Plan
Cost: $75.49 per nights ages 10 and up & $27.98 per night ages 3 to 9 (No cost for kids under 3) - The Deluxe Dining Plan:
Cost: $116.25 per night ages 10 and up & $43.49 per night ages 3 to 9 (No cost for kids under 3)
What you get
- Quick Service Dining Plan:
2 Quick-Service Meals (These are also called Counter Service meals)
2 Snacks
One Resort Refillable Drink Mug good for unlimited drink refills at your resort for the duration of your stay. - The Standard Disney Dining Plan
1 Table-Service meal
1 Quick-Service meal
2 Snacks
One Resort Refillable Drink Mug good for unlimited drink refills at your resort for the duration of your stay. - The Deluxe Dining Plan
3 Table-Service or Quick-Service Credits (this is the only plan that allows you to redeem your Table-Service credit at a Quick-Service location)
2 Snacks
One Resort Refillable Drink Mug good for unlimited drink refills at your resort for the duration of your stay.
How much you need to spend
To break even on your cost of the Dining Dining plan, you need to budget the following amounts for each credit:
Adults
Table-Service – $46.20
Quick Service – $16.79
Snacks – $5.00 each
Children
Table-Service – $10.26
Quick Service – $6.19
Restaurants at Walt Disney World
There are 2 different types of restaurants at Walt Disney World.
Table-Service restaurants – also referred to as sit down restaurants, are meals where you sit down, order your food from a waitress and enjoy a relaxing hour or so away from the hustle and bustle of the park. They are often themed or offer an additional perk like characters. It is recommended that you make a reservation for these meals ahead of time. You must have Table-Service credits to use the dining plan here.
Quick-Service restaurants – also referred to as counter service restaurants, are restaurants where you walk up to the counter and order your food. You then sit at one of their nearby tables and dine. It can be compared to fast food restaurants, but the food is a lot better. You must have Quick-Service credits to use the dining plan here.
How does the Dining Plan work?
When you book your package, you select which dining plan you would like. The most popular choice is the Disney Dining Plan which gives you 1 Table-Service, 1 Quick-Service and 2 snacks per night of your stay. So if you stay 7 nights you will receive 7 Table-Service credits, 7 Quick-Service credits and 14 snacks per person at check-in. These credits are good through midnight on your departure date.
When you check in, the credits are issued to you at once. You can use them in any combination you choose. If you wanted to use 3 Table-Service credits in one day, you could. If you wanted to go eat around the World Showcase and use all 14 snack credits in one day, you could. It’s up to you how you use them and in what order.
When you dine at a restaurant, you will use your credits to pay. It will cover the cost of your meal in full no matter how expensive the entree was. It will also cover the cost of your non-alcoholic beverage and your dessert. If you have any questions or concerns before ordering, be sure to ask the server. They are happy to help! Just remember you will need to pay for the tip out of your own pocket. It is not included with the dining plan at most restaurants. (We usually bring cash to pay for the tip but you can charge it back to your room.)
Tips
1. Substitute Your Dessert For A Side – Not in the mood for a sweet treat? Ask the Cast Member if you can substitute the dessert for an extra side.
2. Use Child Quick-Service Credits For Adult Meals – You’ll notice on your receipts that Disney does not differentiate between adult and child Quick-Service credits. You can use your child’s Quick-Service credit to order an adult meal. We prefer the adult chicken nuggets over the children’s (surprisingly they are entirely different types of nuggets).
3. Use Your Snack Credits At The Gift Shops – Many of the gift shops carry a variety of pre-packaged snacks that are part of the Disney Dining Plan. Just look for the purple DDP icon next to the price. Make sure that you spend at least $4 on the snack to make it a good value. This is great for picking up snacks to take home too!
4. Get Bottled Drinks At Your Resort’s Quick-Service Location – Since the Dining Plan includes a refillable mug, use it for your beverage at your Resort’s Quick Service location and grab a bottled drink as the beverage with your meal. Stick it in the fridge in your room to have a cold drink later.
5. Exchange Your Credits – If you wish (I don’t recommend it), you can change 1 Quick-Service Credit for 3 Snack Credits. You will lose value by doing this, but if you just can’t eat another Quick-Service meal, this is a good way to get treats to take home. All 3 Snacks will have to be purchased in the same transaction.
Learn more about Walt Disney World Dining and get suggestions for where to eat, how to use the Disney Dining Plan and more.