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Disney Dining Plan tips – PREP152

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WDW Prep School → WDW Prep To Go Podcast → Featured → Disney Dining Plan tips – PREP152
  • Shannon Albert
  • September 25, 2017
  • June 1, 2019
Disney Dining Plan podcast

disney dining plan tipsDeciding whether or not to get the Disney Dining Plan isn’t as easy to figure out as it used to be, but today I have some Disney Dining Plan tips to help you decide and help you to maximize your dining plan credits during your trip.

I also have a quick tip just in case somebody gets sick during your Disney World trip.

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These are notes from this episode. There’s much more info included in the audio so be sure to listen to the episode for a better explanation.

In this article (click for table of contents)

  • Become a WDW Prep To Go Patron
  • Leave me a message
  • Watch on YouTube
  • Disney Dining Plan tips
    • What is the Disney Dining Plan?
    • What does a credit include?
    • Disney Dining Plan tips for maximizing credits
    • My Disney Experience app/website Disney Dining Plan tips
    • DDP credit tips
    • Refillable mug tips
  • Who should get a Disney Dining Plan?
  • Quick tip of the day
  • Subscribe to get new episodes

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Disney Dining Plan tips

What is the Disney Dining Plan?

  • Prepaid credits for food
  • Disney Dining Plan is part of a package that includes tickets
  • Can also be part of a DVC reservation that doesn’t require tickets
  • Three basic types of dining plans – Quick Service, Regular, and Deluxe
  • Credits are based on how many nights you are staying
  • Everybody on the reservation must have the same plan for the whole trip
  • Can use credits whenever you want until midnight of your checkout day

What does a credit include?

  • Quick Service – entree (or combo meal, where available) and a beverage
  • Table Service – entree and beverage. Lunch and dinner also include dessert.
  • Snack – noted on menus with a little DDP icon
  • 2017 beverages: soft drinks, tea, coffee, lemonade
  • 2018 beverages: all of the above + beer, wine, shakes

Disney Dining Plan tips for maximizing credits

  • Character meals and dining packages are generally a great use of a Table Service credit.
  • Signature Restaurants are almost never a good credit value.
  • Go for the steak, lobster, shakes, and orange juice.
  • Don’t choose breakfast.
  • Split credits when portions are large.
  • Choose snacks that cost $5 or more.
  • DDP charts – https://wdwprepschool.com/disney-dining-plan-credits/
  • Best places to split Table Service meals – https://facebook.com/WDWPrepSchool/posts/1499200403451573
  • Best places to split Quick Service meals – https://www.facebook.com/WDWPrepSchool/posts/1323827770988838

My Disney Experience app/website Disney Dining Plan tips

  • When searching for DDP restaurants, don’t filter for the next year. Instead, filter for restaurants for the current year since many restaurants are slow to be added.
  • The My Disney Experience app will now allow you to track credits during your trip.

DDP credit tips

  • Quick Service credits are not split between adult and child
  • Can use DDP credits anytime during your trip (until midnight on your checkout day) and for anybody
  • Epcot festival booths have great snack credits

Refillable mug tips

  • Mix and match lids to create unique color combos for groups of 5+
  • Pour refillable drinks into disposable cups when heading to a park
  • At your resort, get a bottled drink with a QS credit and use refillable mug for your drink

Who should get a Disney Dining Plan?

  • People who want an all-inclusive feel
  • People planning to eat at the most expensive restaurants
  • People who get it for free (but verify it’s your best deal)

Quick tip of the day

Listener Emily emailed in this tip:
“We just returned from a Disney World trip. I, unfortunately, came down with a super bad stomach bug halfway through. After 2.5 really unpleasant days, we finally called our trip insurance for help. They connected us with DOCS – Doctors On Call Service. The doctor came to our resort room, brought his entire exam room with him in a rolling office suitcase, and dispended medication I needed to feel better all right there on the spot.

He also had a pharmacy on standby that delivered additional medication to the front desk of our hotel and charged it to our room. If we’d known about this service sooner, we wouldn’t have missed some park touring days. I’m still really glad we called. You pay cash for the service, but they give you all the paperwork you need to file with your insurance afterward. And we had trips insurance that will be primary on the medical, so it will be 100% covered.

We also spoke to the front desk concierge staff at our All-Star Sports Resort about missing some park days, and they gave us additional park tickets in our My Disney Experience account to come back and use anytime in the next 5 years.”

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Read this next

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  • Disney World dining tips – PREP045
  • My favorite restaurants at Disney World – PREP023
  • Rachel T. did 4 parks in 1 day – PREP180
  • Best Disney World restaurants to share meals (maximize your $$$)
  • Free Dining worth it? + maximizing Extra Magic Hours – PREP086
  • My January trip report – PREP140

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One Response

  1. Kit Hannigan August 24, 2018 Reply

    I really like your tip about choosing snacks that cost $5 or more to maximize credit. My daughter’s preschool is planning a trip to Disneyland, and she’s really stoked about it! This tip will definitely help us enjoy our time in the theme park.

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  • Parks
    • Magic Kingdom
    • Epcot
    • Hollywood Studios
    • Animal Kingdom
    • Typhoon Lagoon
    • Blizzard Beach
    • Disney Springs
    • Featured: Planning Tips for Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge
  • Resorts
    • On-Site
    • Off-Site
    • Disney World Value Resorts
    • Disney World Moderate Resorts
    • Disney World Deluxe Resorts
    • Disney World Villa Resorts
  • Dining
    • Dining Basics
    • Disney Dining Plan
    • Our top Table Service restaurants
    • Our top Quick Service restaurants
    • Guide to all Disney World character meals
    • Best restaurants for fireworks views
  • Planning and Tips
    • 6 Step Planning Process
    • Planning Basics
    • What is coming to Walt Disney World in 2021 (and beyond!)
    • Trip Planning for Families
    • Special Needs
    • Money and Shopping
    • Downloadables
  • 2021 Planner
    • 13 ways Disney World planning has changed
    • Mask tips for Disney World trips
    • Budgeting for food (without using the Disney Dining Plan)
    • Step-by-step guide to the Disney Park Pass System
    • Choosing when to visit in 2021
    • How to tour Disney World right now
    • Mask-Free Relaxation Stations (w/maps & comparisons)
    • Where to dine outdoors at Walt Disney World
    • Where to find characters right now
    • How transportation works now
  • Mobile

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