Disney Dining Plan, a Walt Disney World Meal Package

The Disney Dining Plan is a pre-paid meal plan option offered to Walt Disney World guests staying at a Disney Resort. It’s a convenient way for guests to budget for dining was part of the Disney vacation. The DDP is available as part of a Disney “Magic Your Way” vacation package.

MYW vacation packages combine a reservation at an official Walt Disney World hotel and theme-park tickets. Vacation packages can also add airfare, special Disney tours and experiences, and recreational activity. A MYW Vacation Package is required for a guests who wants to add on the Disney Dining Plan.

Note: The Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resorts, Shades of Green, and Downtown Disney hotels are not owned and operated by Disney, and can’t offer MYW packages or participate in the DDP.

The Disney Dining Plan, also called the DDP, is actually five different plans with different options. You choose a specific meal plan that provides a mix of meals per day, in different dining categories. These meals are translated into “credits” of different types, and you are given a total number of credits equal to your nights of stay.

These credits are then put on your Key to the World cards, which is your Disney Resort room keys loaded with information about your MYW theme park tickets and total DDP credits. Really, Key to the World cards act like a Walt Disney World charge card for hotel guests – they even offer charging privileges. You can simply carry one card instead of a separate room key, theme-park ticket, dining card, and credit card.

One of the benefits of the DDP is its flexibility. You can then use Disney Dining Plan credits during their Walt Disney World vacation in whatever way you choose. They’re good up to midnight of the day of check-out. Any credits left over expire after that time.

If you spend more credits than you have for a certain meal type, you have to pay for that meal or food “out of pocket” (OOP). But because Disney helps you keep track of your credits, and the meal package costs a set price, the DDP can be a budget-friendly option. Usually guests who spend OOP do so to cover breakfasts, special meals or extra snacks.

Note: All guests staying in the same room must be on the same DDP.

The DDP, called “Magic Your Way Plus ­­­­­____________” offers options to suit different budgets, traveling styles, and tastes. Each DDP describes the daily meal breakdown, although you can mix-and-match how they’re used. Quick-service (QS) meals are counter service or fast food meals, while table-service meals (TS) are sit-down restaurants.

Prices for the DDP are per night, tax included.

Disney’s Quick-Service Dining Plan: 2 QS meals and 2 snacks per person, per night. This plan includes 1 refillable Resort Mug per person. Note: In 2012, the Quick-Service DDP reduces the number of snacks per day to one, although it retains the 2011 pricing.

• 2010 Prices: $31.99 (adults and juniors), $9.99 (children)
• 2011 Prices: $34.99 (adults and juniors), $11.99 (children)
• 2012 Prices: $24.99 (adults and juniors), $11.99 (children)

Disney Dining Plan: 1 QS meal, 1 TS meal, and 1 snack per person, per night. No refillable Resort Mug. The DDP has two pricing seasons, regular and peak. Note: In 2012, this DDP adds 1 refillable Resort Mug per person.

• 2010 Prices: $41.99 (adults and juniors), $11.99 (children)
• 2010 Prices, Peak Season: $46.99 (adults and juniors), $12.99 (children)

2010 Peak Season Dates: 2/12/10 – 4/10/10, 6/04/10 – 8/14/10, and 12/17/10 – 12/31/10

• 2011 Prices: $45.99 (adults and juniors), $11.99 (children)
• 2011 Prices, Peak Season: $47.99 (adults and juniors), $12.99 (children)

2011 Peak Season Dates: 2/17/11 – /26/11, 3/11/11 – 4/30/11, 6/3/11 – 8/13/11, and 12/23/11 – 12/31/11

• 2012 Prices: $51.54 (adults and juniors), $15.02 (children)
• 2012 Prices, Peak Season: $53.54 (adults and juniors), $16.02 (children)

2012 Peak Season Dates: 2/15/12 – 2/25/12, 3/19/12 – 4/314/12, 6/1/12 – 8/4/12, and 12/22/112 – 12/31/12

Disney’s Deluxe Dining Plan: 3 QS or TS meals and 2 snacks per person, per night. This plan includes 1 refillable Resort Mug per person. Note: In 2012, the Deluxe DDP shifts to two-tiered prices for regular and peak season.

• 2010 Prices: $71.99 (adults and juniors), $20.99 (children)
• 2011 Prices: $78.99 (adults and juniors), $21.99 (children)
• 2011 Prices: $85.54 (adults and juniors), $23.79 (children)
• 211 Prices, Peak Season: $89.54 (adults and juniors), $25.79 (children)

2012 Peak Season Dates: 2/15/12 – 2/25/12, 3/19/12 – 4/314/12, 6/1/12 – 8/4/12, and 12/22/112 – 12/31/12

Disney’s Premium Dining Plan: 3 QS or TS meals and 2 snacks per person, per night. This plan includes 1 refillable Resort Mug per person.

• 2010 Prices: $164 (adults and juniors), $114 (children)
• 2011 Prices: $169 (adults and juniors), $119 (children)
• 2012 Prices: $179 (adults and juniors), $129 (children)

Note: The Premium Dining Plan offers the same dining as the Deluxe Dining Plan. But the Premium also includes unlimited access to recreational activities like golf, water activities, and tennis, and tickets to Cirque du Soleil’s La Nouba.

Disney’s Platinum Dining Plan: 3 QS or TS meals and 2 snacks per person, per night. This plan includes 1 refillable Resort Mug per person.

• 2010 Prices: $220 (adults and juniors), $155 (children)
• 2011 Prices: $229 (adults and juniors), $160 (children)
• 2012 Prices: $239 (adults and juniors), $170 (children)

Note: The Platinum Dining Plan offers the same dining credits as the Deluxe Dining Plan and the Premium Dining Plan. Like the Premium, it includes unlimited access to recreational activities like golf, water activities, and tennis, and tickets to Cirque du Soleil’s La Nouba. The Platinum also includes luxury activities such as a fireworks cruise, a Richard Petty Ride-Along Experience, and reserved seating for Fantasmic! It is only available for MYW vacation packages at Disney Deluxe accommodations.

Notes about DDP Costs:

• Prices are in effect for the calendar year.
• There are two pricing tiers, adults and juniors (10 years and up) and children (3 – 9). Children under 3 don’t participate in the DDP; they may share food from an adult’s meal. Taxes are included. Gratuities aren’t.
• These prices are in addition to the rest of a selected Magic Your Way Vacation Package. The much higher prices for the Platinum and Premium Disney Dining Plan reflect the recreational opportunities and special activities.

For several years, Walt Disney World has offered “Free Dining” during its slower fall value season. “Free Dining” is part of a Magic Your Way vacation package, in which guests book a hotel room at an official Disney Resort and buy Magic Your Way tickets.

Free Dining has been announced for the following dates in 2010, 2011 and 2012 (knowing the history of Free Dining can be useful for trip-planning purposes):

2010 Dates: Oct. 1 – Oct. 7, Oct. 22 – Oct. 28, Nov. 12 – Nov. 18, Nov. 27 – Dec. 2, and Dec. 10 – Dec. 21, 2010.

2011 Dates: Jan. 1 – Jan. 5, Jan. – Jan. 13, Jan. 21 – Feb. 3, Feb. 11 – Feb. 17, Feb. 25 – March 3, May 27 – June 6, Aug. 19 – Sept. 29, Oct. 2 – 8, Oct. 23 – Nov. 4, Nov. 13 – 19, Nov. 27 – Dec. 3, Dec. 11 – 17

2012 Dates: Jan. 8 – 14, Jan. 22 – Feb. 4, Feb. 12 – 18, March 4 – 10 and March 25 – 31.

To qualify for Disney “Free Dining,” you have to pay full price for your vacation package. You can’t apply other discounts or group rates. In exchange, all guests in your room or on your vacation pages, 3 years and, receive free dining. Remember, kids under 3 stay free in the room, don’t need theme-park tickets, and don’t participate in the DDP. This offer, as with others, has limited availability.

• A QS credit includes combo-meal options. A buffet can be used as a TS credit.
• Guests with TS credits need to make Advance Dining Reservations to ensure they will be able to use their credits. Having DDP does not guarantee seating at a TS restaurant or at a guest’s first choice.
• Guests can save and combine 2 TS credits and use them for Signature Dining (upscale TS restaurants), Special Dining Events, room service, pizza delivery or Grand Gatherings events for groups.
• TS credits can be used for Disney Character Dining. Most Character Dining costs 1 credit, but Cinderella’s Royal Table costs 2 credits.
• QS credits can’t be combined and used as TS credits.
• Children have to order kids’ meals if they’re available.
• Snacks are single-serving sizes.
• Drinks included as part of the DDP are non-alcoholic.

For example, a family of four purchases the Basic Disney Dining Plan, just called the DDP, for a 4-night stay during the regular season. They have two adults and two children. EACH guest is given 1 QS, 1 TS, and 1 snack per night of their stay. So, the credit calculation looks like this for each person:

(1 QS x 4 nights) + (1 TS x 4 nights) + (1 snack x 4 nights) = 4 QS, 4 TS, and 4 snacks per person

As a group this family has 8 QS credits for adults and 8 for children, 8 TS for adults and 8 for children, and 16 snack credits. These can be used in any order throughout their stay.

Cost of this scenario in the DDP is (2 adult DDPs + 2 children’s DDPs):

• 2010 Cost for Family: $431.84, excluding gratuities or additional food/beverages
• 2011 Cost for Family: $463.84, excluding gratuities or additional food/beverages
• 2012 Cost for Family: $532.48, excluding gratuities or additional food/beverages

How the Family Might Use the DDP

• For example, the family might use snack credits to buy some breakfast foods.
• Or they might use a “day’s worth” of TS credits to enjoy a Character Breakfast, then pay OOP for lunch of dinner on that day.
• Or they might save up and use two day’s worth of TS credits to eat at a Signature Restaurant, the most expensive of Disney World restaurants, and pay out of pocket for another QS meals.
• Or the family might save some snack credits to buy goodies on their last day, as travel food or souvenirs.

If you’re interested in learning more about Walt Disney World Magic Your Way Vacation Packages, visit the Walt Disney World website or call 407/W-DISNEY. Disney Dining Plan brochures with more information are available in .PDF format.

Most Walt Disney World table-service restaurants, signature restaurants, character dining locations and dinner shows accept Advance Dining Reservations (ADRs). To make ADRs up to 180 days prior to arrival, visit Disney’s reservations online or call 407/WDW-DINE.