There’s a definite strategy to using the Disney World Dining Plans…so don’t just go in all willy-nilly!
If you want to actually get your money’s worth out of the Dining Plan, you’ll need to pay attention to the prices of the food and drinks you order. The higher the price, the more value you’re getting. And if you order certain menu items, you might be WASTING money!
Dining Plan Overview
If you’re unfamiliar with the Dining Plan, it’s an add-on for your Disney World vacation package that essentially allows you to pre-pay for your food. You pay a certain amount per night to get credits that you can use at most Disney World restaurants throughout your vacation.
The credits come in three types — table service, quick service, and snacks — and can only be redeemed for those specific items. (For example, you can’t use a snack credit to pay for your meal at a sit-down restaurant.) There are two Dining Plan types available currently.
The Quick Service Disney Dining Plan includes two quick-service meals and one snack per person per night, plus a refillable resort mug. Here’s a look at the pricing:
- $57.01 per night per adult (ages 10 and up)
- $23.83 per night per child (age 3-9)
The Basic Disney Dining Plan includes one table service meal, one quick service meal, and one snack per person per night, plus a refillable resort mug. The pricing looks like this:
- $94.28 per night per adult (ages 10 and up)
- $26.69 per night per child (age 3-9)
You must be staying at a Disney World hotel to add the Dining Plan to your vacation.
Click Here to See 10 Restaurants With Weird Dining Plan Rules!
Snack Mistakes on the Dining Plan
Okay now that we’ve got the basics, let’s talk about some big snack mistakes you can make with the Dining Plan! In order to get the best value for your snack credits, we generally recommend sticking to snacks that are worth $6 or more. Even better if you can get a snack that costs you $7 or $8!
But that means that those $2 and $3 snacks probably aren’t worth your time! What are some examples of this? Individual pieces of fruit like apples, bananas, or oranges often count as a snack credit and they cost $2.29 each. Things like basic cookies or bags of chips also typically fall into the “under $4” threshold.
You can also use your snack credits to get a refill on your popcorn buckets, but that’s not exactly a budget-conscious decision, as that typically costs $2.25. And as much as we love paying $1 to add a side of gravy or a cup of plastic cheese to our meals…don’t waste your credits on it! Just think, for a family of 4 on a 4-day vacation, buying cheaper snacks with snack credits could mean you miss out on $64 or more in Dining Plan value!
Quick Service Mistakes on the Dining Plan
When it comes to using those quick service credits, we recommend aiming for adult entrees that cost more than $12…preferably $13 or $14 each. That’ll get you more value!
Places like Columbia Harbour House, Satu’li Canteen, Regal Eagle Smokehouse, and Docking Bay 7 are all better value meals for your Dining Plan. However, ordering cheap entrees like pizzas or basic salads may not help you get the most for your money. And often, those two entrees don’t even come with sides!
For the most value at a quick service spot, pick a more expensive meal, make sure it has a side, and don’t forget to order your drink to go along with your credit! Let’s say you opt for the cheaper entrees and free ice waters with your meals, our famiy of 4 could be missing out on $124 or more in Dining plan value!
Table Service Mistakes on the Dining Plan
Finally, let’s talk about table service! Here, you’ll want to choose those restaurants that land firmly in the “more expensive, but not quite two credits” category.
Crystal Palace is a great option at Magic Kingdom because it’s both a character meal AND a buffet. Liberty Tree Tavern and The Diamond Horseshoe offer family-style options that get you a little more food for the cost, too.
At EPCOT, Garden Grill is a great choice for value, as well as Biergarten Restaurant. And if you want to visit Akershus, make sure to go for breakfast — it’s two credits for lunch and dinner!
Hollywood Studios offers good value at Hollywood & Vine and Roundup Rodeo BBQ, but The Hollywood Brown Derby Lounge is a two-credit spot that you might want to consider paying cash for instead.
And finally, at Animal Kingdom, we suggest using your credits for dining at Tusker House as opposed to Tiffins. They can be similar in price, depending on what you order, and Tusker House comes with a full buffet and characters. If our family of 4 misses out on $20 per value each during those table service meals, you could be losing $320 of value on your 4-day trip!
There you have it — those are some mistakes to avoid when using the Dining Plan in Disney World! We’ve got plenty of tips to share with you if you’re traveling soon, so stay tuned to AllEars.
5 People Who Shouldn’t Buy the Disney World Dining Plan — Click Here!
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Have you used the Dining Plan in Disney World? Tell us in the comments!
I read an excellent article about what it takes to come out ahead on the DDP. If a snack credit is assumed to be $6, then each quick service credit (on either plan) is worth about $25.50, and each table service credit is worth $62.78. Really the only way to consistently come out ahead is to have alcohol at every meal and eat at the most expensive one credit table service restaurants. You could reduce the amount needed for each meal by getting the most expensive snacks (I’ve read some people getting a sundae with all the fixings that usually cost extra for one snack credit).
But good luck to the families with tweens that have to pay adult prices for their small stomachs and can’t drink getting their money’s worth! It will be nearly impossible!
The purpose of the dining plan is to simplify food purchases by taking the money out of it. You ruin the simplicity, when you sharp shoot the price of what you’re getting to attempt to maximize the value. Get the food you want knowing that it’s covered and you’ll be happy.
As AP holders, we do the dining plan most of the time as it is convenient. Its value has gone down from when it first started but it is still convenient, especially for families buying a vacation package because it will be one less item to worry about.
Consider the plan a mix of money and convenience, and not just monetary value. That’s kind of like flying in a private jet versus a commercial jet. Yes the commercial jet is cheaper, but you give up the convenience of private.
The Disney Dining Plan became a rip-off for us the day our kids turned 10 years old…and were forced to pay the “adult” rate. Prior to that we always did well with it….before it went up to $95 per person per day smh.