One of the biggest questions people have when they start planning their Disney vacation is if they should purchase the Disney Dining plan.
It seams for most people there is no middle ground. You either love the plan or you think it is a waste of money.
We have been traveling to Disney almost annually since 2007. I would say for eight out of 10 of those trips we have purchased the dining plan and the only reason why we didn’t purchase it those two times is because our stay was too short to qualify for the dining plan. So I bet you can guess which camp we are in when it comes to the dining plan.
Speaking of qualifications, in order to be able to purchase the dining plan you must be staying on Disney property, in one of the Disney owned resorts, and have purchased at least two days worth of park tickets. So if you are just going to be visiting Disney for a few days and will only visit the parks once, then you will not be able to get the dining plan.
Another big consideration for people is the cost of the dining plan.
Disney has three tiers of dining plans.
The first is the quick service plan. This entitles each person to two quick service meals (which is a place where you walk up to the counter and order) and two snacks (any single serve item is considered a snack. This includes the vegetarian chili at Columbia Harbor House in the Magic Kingdom and the Smuckers Uncrustables.) You also get a refillable mug that you can use for unlimited beverages at your resort only.
This plan costs $48.19 for adults and $20.88 for children ages 3 to 9 per day.
The next step up is the regular (base) dining plan.
What is included in this plan is one quick service, one table service (which includes soft drink, entree and dessert) and one snack each day. This tier also includes the refillable mug.
The cost of this plan is $69.35 for adults and $24.95 for children ages 3 to 9 per day.
The top tier is the Deluxe Dining Plan includes three meals (your choice of either quick service or tables service), two snacks and refillable mug.
The price of this plan is $106.68 for adults and $38.75 for kids ages 3 to 9.
There are a lot of different options available for different prices and budgets.
In my opinion, I think the dining plan is worth it for adults. If you have a child who is a picky eater or doesn’t eat that much you might want to skip the dining plan.
The greatest thing is that you can order anything off the meal including the most expensive items and you can enjoy some of the best character dining experiences that would end up costing almost $60 for just one meal.
Do you prefer to use the dining plan or do you pay out of pocket? Leave your comments below.
Mousekatots 