If you’re staying on-site at Disney World, almost everything is paid for before you even arrive – hotel, park tickets, airfare – but that leaves one main expense that you still have to think about: food.
As they always do, Disney came up with a solution for handling this when they created the Disney Dining Plan. This plan allows you to pre-pay for all of your dining so you don’t have to worry about it later and gives your vacation an “all-inclusive” feeling. Disney even offers the Disney Dining Plan for free during some promotions.
Here’s how you can figure out if the Disney Dining Plan makes sense for you.
Who can use it
The only people that can use the Disney Dining Plan are those who stay on-site at Disney World. This includes all of the hotels listed in the Hotel Filtering Tool except the Dolphin and Swan hotels.
What is included
When you’re using a Disney Dining Plan, you can use it toward these things:
- Table Service credits – used at participating Table Service restaurants, includes an entree, dessert and non-alcoholic beverage
- Counter Service credits – used at participating Counter Service restaurants, includes an entree, non-alcholic beverage (plus dessert if you’re eating lunch or dinner)
- Snack credits – used at many locations, including some food carts. Can be used toward everything from a bottle of water to cotton candy to an ice cream bar. For the most current list of snacks, see this DISBoard list of confirmed snacks.
- Refillable mugs – each dining plan includes a refillable mug for every guest who is 3 years old or older. You can use this mug to get free refills but only at your resort. These mugs would cost about $13 each if you purchased them on your own.
The restaurant search from DisneyFoodBlog.com lists all eating establishments in Walt Disney World and lets you know if they participate in the Disney Dining Plan.
Disney Dining Plan options
There are 3 main types of dining plans, each with different perks. The information below is per person per night (except for the refillable mug which is per person but each mug is used throughout the duration of your stay).
| Name | Counter Service credits | Table Service credits | Snack credits | Refillable mug included? (free refills, to be refilled only at your resort) | Adult Price for 2013 (ages 10+) | Child Price for 2013 (ages 3-9) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quick-Service Dining Plan | 2 | 0 | 1 | Yes | $37.58 | $14.32 |
| Regular Dining Plan | 1 | 1 | 1 | Yes | $55.59 | $17.16 |
| Deluxe Dining Plan | <-- 3 credits to be used for either of these --> | 2 | Yes | $99.97 | $26.84 | |
How to use your credits
Although your credits are per night of your stay, you can use them whenever you’d like until they run out. For instance, you may have the regular dining plan which gives you 1 Table Service credit and 1 Counter Service per day. You could decide to use 2 Table Service credits one day and 2 Counter Service credits the next. You could use all of your credits in one day. It’s up to you.
Disney Dining Plan vs. paying out of pocket
People have different ways of looking at using a dining plan. For some (like me), it’s about having a vacation that is stress-free where we aren’t worrying about money. For others, it’s purely a financial decision.
Create a list of what meals would cost you if you were paying out of pocket. Then see what the same meals cost if you have the Disney Dining Plan. Be sure to add 18% gratuity to the Disney Dining Plan figures (so if your strategy is to order the most expensive entree while using the Disney Dining Plan, remember that it increases your tip as well).
How do you get it free?
Of course, if you don’t have to pay for your Dining Plan then the calculations and comparisons don’t matter at all. Free food is awesome. Disney does “Free Dining” promotions periodically. Here’s the history of when they’ve been announced and for what dates they were valid. If I was betting money, I’d say there’s a pretty good chance of enjoying Free Dining from mid-August through mid-December.
| Booking Period | Free Dining Stay Dates |
|---|---|
| 7/12/2012 - 9/29/2012 | 9/30/2012 - 12/13/2012 |
| 3/5/2012 - 5/18/2012 | 8/25/2012 - 9/29/2012 |
| 8/3/2011 - 10/29/11 and 10/27/2011 - 12/17/2011 | 1/8/2012 - 3/31/2012 |
| 8/3/2011 - 10/29/2011 | 10/2/2011 - 12/17/2011 |
| 5/2/2011 - 8/27/2011 | 8/28/2011 - 9/24/2011 |
| 8/16/2010 - 12/20/2010 | 8/19/2011 - 9/29/2011 |
| 8/16/2010 - 12/20/2010 | 5/27/2011 - 6/2/2011 |
| 8/16/2010 - 12/20/2010 | 1/1/2011 - 3/3/2011 |
| 8/16/2010 - 12/20/2010 | 10/1/2010-12/21/2010 |
| 7/6/2010 - 8/14/2010 | 8/15/2010 -12/21/2010 |
| 5/3/2010 - 8/14/2010 | 8/15/2010 - 10/2/2010 |
| 7/27/2009 - 9/26/2009 | 9/27/2009 - 12/17/2009 |
| 3/30/2009 - 6/21/2009 and 6/10/09 - 7/26/09 | 8/16/2009 - 10/3/2009 |
When you book Free Dining, the level of your dining plan will be determined by which level of resort you have booked.
- If you book a value resort, you will get the Quick Service Dining Plan for free. You can upgrade to the next level of Dining Plan for $20/adult and $6/child per night.
- If you book any other level of resort, you will get the regular Dining Plan for free. You can upgrade to the Deluxe Dining Plan for about $38/adult and $12/child per night.
Note: as long as you arrive by the last day of the promotion, you can enjoy free dining during your whole stay.
Free Dining isn’t always the best option
Many people get caught up in thinking that Free Dining is better than any other promotion but that’s not necessarily true. For instance, there was a discount code for 30% off room rates running at the same time as the recent Free Dining promotion. Depending on the hotel and dining package, 30% could work out to be a much better deal.
See my analysis of free dining vs. room-only discounts.
Next steps
Determine how you will handle dining during your trip. Whatever you decide, be sure to get your Table Service reservations booked online or by calling 407-WDW-DINE.
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Questions about how the dining plan works? Comments? Leave it in the comment section.
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{ 71 comments (add yours) }
Have you ever booked a trip ahead of time thinking free dining might be available then call back in once it has been offered? I read a little about that somewhere and wondered if it is a save option of booking dates but getting free dining “if” it was offered.
Thanks,
Tina
Yes. I recommend doing it that way.
I’m thinking about booking in September. Would I go ahead and get the dining plan now or just make my reservations and get my tickets then wait to see if they offer the free dining? Or do i go ahead and get the dining plan now and have it adjusted once they announce the free dining? Also according to your chart above you listed that they usually announce free dining between March and May if you are staying in September….Is that correct?
Thanks!
I have been in this situation as I had previously booked dining in anticipation of the free dining plan. I was told that they need to “release” the earlier booking (not on the dining plan) and then re-book the dining. The problem with it is that when they release the booking(s), ANY operator can book those tickets, so if your operator isn’t fast enough, you will lose those bookings.
My family is planning for Thanksgiving 2013 (11/24-11/29).
Our travel agent said she has never seen the DDP offered FREE
during this week, as it is always blocked out. But, based on your
comment about arriving on the last day of the promotion – do you
think it will be offered during that time period? BTW, this site is
fabulous!!!
Typically, you’d have to check in by the Thursday or Friday before Thanksgiving (when the Free Dining wasn’t blocked out) to get it for free Thanksgiving Week.
My family normally shares meals when at Disney World. Would we be able to get a dining plan for two people and share the meals between four people? We figured we could buy tickets for just two of us under the disney package, but we were afraid that we might face problems from servers at sit-down restaurants. What do you think?
Hmmm. I think you technically could do it if your number of tickets = number of people with the Dining Plan. I think you’re right that the CMs would say something or think it’s strange that you’re sharing and only have 2 people on the plan. For you, it might just make more sense to pay out-of-pocket. Look into the Tables in Wonderland card which gives you a discount on food.
I believe you have to have it for the same number of people in your room reservations…. so if you have two rooms you could do this, but not if all four people are in the same room…. it would only work for quick serve only, as it states that you can’t use it for anyone not on the plan.
We are staying at the Wilderness Campground the first week
of Dec. Would the campgrounds be included in the free dining
promo?
The campground has never been included in the Free Dining promotion. It might be worth it to stay at a Value or Mod and get free dining, depending on your group (the more people, the more value you get from free dining).
The free dining is included if you stay in the cabins at the campground but not if you stay in your own camper.
We have already booked a trip (including dining) for
mid/late October. If the free dining option is announced, will our
TA be able to apply the discount to our reservation or is it only
valid if you book during the booking period?
Your TA can apply the discount. It’s important for you to have your reservation in place now so you can make dining reservations at the 6 month mark. On-site guests get to make them slightly earlier than the general public so it’s a nice advantage.
Hi Shannon! My family and I are planning to stay at a value resort during the last week in August 2013. We want to wait for the free dinning promotion. However, I don’t know if I should just book it without the meal plans and then add it on when the promotion comes along (if it does this year). I also wanted to know if the dinning promotion is provided for the general public. If not, where should I search for the code? Thank you for your help
Hi, Rosie -
Yes, book it now so you can make your dining reservations 6 months in advance (coming up soon!). When Free Dining is announced, you can call and just ask them to apply it to your reservation. I think the only resort that wasn’t included in last year’s promotion was Art of Animation. Not sure what it will be this year.
Value resorts usually only get the Quick Service plan for free but can upgrade to the higher level ones for a fee. Look for the Free Dining announcement sometime between March and May.
I stayed at Art of Animation in the little mermaid room last september and the disney dining plan was free (well the quick service was- we upgraded to the dining plan)!
I am wondering if you are pretty confident that the dining plan will be offered for the fall of 2013. I want to go down from 9/11 to 9/16 and the only way I can afford it is if the free dining plan is offered. Just hoping to get your opinion.
Yes! I’d look for the announcement between March and May. Go ahead and book your trip and apply the promotion after it’s announced.
I also have the Disney visa does that mean I may receive the offer earlier than people who do not have the card? And if I do book in advance and pay using the card how will they reimburse the price for the meal plan? Thanks this site is so helpful!
Yes – the promotions are usually available a few days early for Disney Visa cardholders. When you book, you can just pay a deposit and then pay the balance after Free Dining comes out.
We were gutted at the weekend when we found out we had missed the offer of the free dining – have had it in the past & now feel we can’t go without it . We’re hoping to go in October 2013 do you think it may be offered again this year for free ?
Many thanks & site is fab !
Yep! I assume it’ll be offered again. Book your trip and then apply the discount after it’s announced (probably between March and May).
I was wondering if it is possible to upgrade to the deluxe dining plan if you are staying at a value resort during the free dining promo.
Yes, you would just pay the difference!
Yea!!! Doing the happy dance
I was reading through your posts and you seem to suggest that people should book a disney trip before the free dining promotion is announced. I am wondering why you suggest this? I am looking into a Disney trip for 8/20/13 to 8/27/13 because I found good airfare for those dates. Based on history, these dates may or may not be included in the free dine promotion. It seems we are very close to an announced offer at this point. What do you suggest? Without the free dine offer, we willl likely hold off on Disney.
I suggest booking now so dining reservations can be made 180 days in advance. That’s important for the hard-to-get reservations, plus restaurants are particularly full during Free Dining. I wouldn’t book your flights until after Free Dining dates are announced.
How does one become aware of these free dining promotions? Is there an email list from Disney we need to get on? We are planning on a February 2013 visit to WDW so I figure I have plenty of time to see what emails come in and what promos they offer.
Hi, James -
Free Dining will not be offered during your dates. I recommend Mousesavers.com for keeping track of what’s new. She also sends a newsletter on the 15th of each month that’s very helpful.
Is it true that only a limited number of FD is offered? Is it a “first come” type of deal? We are booked for AoA in October 2013, is the FD offer good no matter which resort we stay at? Thanks!!
There is a limit and it may not be offered at AoA. Be prepared to switch if needed.
Hmmm… what about an early-mid Jan visit?
If I book my trip for October 20-26, 2013 but the dining plan is only offered until say October 15, will disney let me change my vaca dates so I can get the fd? Would I be charged a fee to change dates? I’m afraid to book before knowing the exact dates fd is offered.
Hi Ally,
Disney will let you modify or even cancel your reservation until 45 days beforehand without any fee. If you make a change after then you will lose your $200 downpayment.
Hi, my family and I are booking a trip for November 9th to the 16th 2013 we were wondering if you think the dining plan would be free then. Thanks for your help!!!
Julie
We are planning a trip to WDW November 16 through 25th, we love the dining plan and already have the reservations with our friends through their DVC member points. Will we still qualify for the free dining?
I have booked a trip for first week in Dec. at value resort and paid for dining plan but I am a pass holder so I did not buy a package with tickets so my question is.. If free dining is offered during my stay will I still be eligible for it? I sure would love it if I was!
Hi Pam,
Free dining plans typically require that you purchase a package from Disney including park tickets.
Hi we are a group of 12 and are looking to book Disney from October 24-November 3rd 2013. Rumours have us very worried that the Disney Free Dining will not be offered due to other promotions etc, have you heard anything about this? Is there any truth to it? If the FDP is not offered then we will not be going this year what would you recommend we do?
Hi Scubabare,
Disney will let you cancel without a penalty up to 45 days before your trip. I would recommend booking your trip now and make your dining reservations. If Disney ends up having free dining during those dates then you can have it applied at that time. If Disney does not offer it then you can cancel the trip. Disney should be announcing the Free Dining (if they are having it) no later than early June. This should give you plenty of time if you need to cancel the reservation.
I just booked my Disney Trip for September 7-12. I took your advice and booked in advance to my dinner reservations early. The agent flat out told me that the FREE Dining plan would not be offered this year because Disney is doing so well and is booking up fast. Has anyone else heard this? I have been for the last 6 years and always got it.
Hi Brian,
I was told by a Disney agent that they don’t have any insiders information about upcoming promotions. I did speak to my friend and travel agent who told me that it was coming shortly. It seems logical to me since their last promotion is ending mi-August. This will be our first Disney vacation and I am counting on the free dining plan… so I will keep my fingers crossed. In preparation, I have booked some dining.. you can do so by simply creating an accound on Disney.com
Yeah I already made all of my dinner reservations. I am also keeping my fingers crossed.
Hi! I was wondering… we are planning a trip in Sept. and a friend of mine had heard that the Disney Dining would probably run in Sept this year. We actually have reserved a condo off property but were going to do some of the character meals for our girls. There are 5 in our family but the youngest will be 2 while we are there so she is technically free anyway. I was thinking of maybe splitting our trip up and staying part time at a resort (probably a value) and part time at the condo to get the free dining to use for our character meals. would this make sense price wise? I know it SOUNDS like a huge hassle, moving our things around but if it saves money I’m all for it! haha. thanks for any input!!
Free Dining at the Values is usually for the Quick Service Dining Plan only. You can pay to upgrade but you may not end up saving money by doing it that eat.
ok…thanks!
We will be going on our first Disney trip this year during September 15-21, 2013. Have they released any special offers or free dining during that time?
so if i book a trip to disney nov 23-27 will i get free dining?
Hi. We are already booked at POR in a preferred room. Thinking now I would rather have a standard or a Royal Guest room. I am afraid to make any changes before they put out a room only discount or free dining because I know they have only inluded certain rooms. What are your thoughts?
When you call to have a discount applied to your room, they are basically rebooking you anyway. I’d wait until a discount is announced and then you can make a room switch when you call about the promotion.
Hi Shannon,
We are planning our first ever Disney trip in early October. A friend forwarded your info on the free dining. If I book a trip now and they offer free dining in a month, can I really have my plan changed to get the dining package for free? What if they don’t offer it, can I cancel my vacation altogether without a penalty?
Julie
Hi Shannon,
We are planning to take our 3rd Disney vacation in March of 2014…we took one in March of 2012 and got the free dining plan. My question is when will be able to start looking at prices for 2014 and when do you feel they might release the dates for the free meal plan for 2014.
Thank you,
~Tammy~
we are looking to book our trip for Nov 4th-11th 2013 so do I add the dining package when booking or wait add it after they announce the promo? Also I might have mis read this but did you say that if you stay at a value resort ( we are trying to art and animantion resort) you automaticy get free dining? if you this needs to be corrected because that was not an option for us once i added it the price went up dramaticly….thanks!
Disney just released the the dates for the free fall dining plan. Booking to the general public is May 9th. The dates are only from Sept.2 – Sept.23. If you are a Disney Visa cardholder you can book now. Hope this helps!!!
Just booked my FREE dining. If you call expect a very long wait. Thanks Shannon for recommending going ahead and booking in advance. We got great dining times and now it is free.
Brian
Great! That’s exactly the right way to do it.
Any feelings if they will continu
e to offer the free dining in October or November 2013
Nope. Some people have speculated that Disney’s recent earnings report was so good that they might have very little incentive to offer Free Dining after September. Nobody really knows though.
I’m looking to book in late August. Any chance they will add the free dining in for that date? thx
At this point, it doesn’t seem likely. They did just extend a late summer discount through August that’s up to 30% off on room rates which can add up to way more than the savings you’d get on Free Dining, depending on where you stay. If you do get Free Dining, it applies to everybody on your package. I believe it’s available to Canadians but you’d have to call to double-check that.
Plus does the free dining apply to all guests? I have 3 children, one is 2 and the other 2 classify as adults because they are over 10. Would all 4 of us get the free dining? Plus are Canadians eligible for this? thx again
Thx Shannon!! We just went this past Jan and loved it so much…can’t wait to go back!
Hi I was wondering if this year Dec 2013 is having the FDP? Is it usually all of Dec? I know last Dec it started on the 9th. Any thoughts?
Free Dining for September was just announced. No word on December yet. In the past, it’s been just the first part of December.
We have a timeshare with Disney. Do you know if we are able to use the free dining option?
DVC members can use the Dining Plan but can’t get Free Dining.
Just to let you know, when you book your vacation. The first day has to be during the promotion, I just tried and they said they could not honor it. My pin that they sent me runs from november 11 thur the 23. They said since I’m getting there on the 6th and not the 11th I can’t get the free dining plan. Keep in mind I’m there for 8 days.
You can book your trip in 2 parts to get Free Dining. One part would be the dates that don’t qualify and the other part would be for the dates that are part of the promotion.
Hi Shannon! My fam and I are going to Disney on July 1-7, we already made a reservation at the all star music resort and I was wondering if you think they will have the free dinning or quick service meals at that time ( July 1 to July 7). Thank you in advance!
No. As you see from the history of discounts, it’s offered in the fall usually. They won’t offer it during busy times like summer.