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SOME COMPLEXITIES WITH THE DISNEY DINING PLAN
The first complexity is that not all restaurants participate in the Disney Dining Plan. Your resort will have the latest list when you check in. Almost all restaurants in the Walt Disney World theme parks and owned-and-operated hotels do so, but very few in Downtown Disney do. This brochure indicates which restaurants participate.
The second complexity is that some restaurants that participate require two table credits for a single sit-down meal. These are typically the most expensive or highest-demand meals. This list also changes from year to year. They are noted in this brochure.
You save money on this plan only if you would have bought a lot of sit-down meals to start with. However, Disney’s best loved meals book up very quickly. The best response is to have your itinerary set and be in a position to make restaurant reservations six months in advance. This is the third complexity.
THE OTHER DISNEY DINING PLANS
Quick comments on the other one million Disney Dining Plans:
The “Disney Quick Service Dining Plan.”
- Subtracts the table credit, adds another counter credit and another snack credit. Less expensive.
- You will not save much money on this plan, especially if you plan on any table service meals, since those will be all cash.
The “Disney Deluxe Dining Plan.”
- This plan gives you three full meals per night of your stay, all of which can be table service meals if you wish. Appetizers are added to the table service coverage. Two snacks/night.
- While if you actually ate all this stuff, you would save a bundle…I just can’t imagine any family committing the time and calorie intake that this plan implies. On the other hand, for those simply seeking to limit the complexity of their vacations, taking this plan means you don’t ever have to juggle one meal type versus another.
The Disney Premium Dining Plan and Platinum Dining Plan
These plans, from a food perspective, are identical to the Disney Deluxe Dining Plan.
They do, however, add on a lot of stuff not having anything to do with dining, for more money.
For links to more on these plans, see this page on the Disney Food Blog.
COMPLETE LIST OF DISNEY WORLD DINING SITES IN THE BASIC ITINERARY
Magic Kingdom:
- Cinderella’s Royal Table (Character Meal)
- Pecos Bill Café
- Crystal Palace (Character Meal)
- Dole Whip at Aloha Isle (Snack)
Hollywood Studios:
- Backlot Express
- Sci-Fi Diner (Snack)
Epcot:
- Akershus Banquet (Character Meal)
- Sunshine Season Food Fair
- San Angel Inn
- Boulangerie Patisserie (Snack)
Animal Kingdom:
- Flame Tree Barbecue
Resorts:
- Hoop-Dee-Doo Revue (Fort Wilderness, Dinner Show)
Chef Mickey’s (Contemporary, Character Meal)- Beaches and Cream (Beach Club, Snack)
- Dole Whip at Captain Cook’s (Polynesian, Snack)
- Plus your hotel’s counter service and your hotel room!
Downtown Disney:
- House of Blues Gospel Brunch
- Rainforest Café
MORE ON WALT DISNEY WORLD DINING
- How to Eat
- The Disney Dining Plan
- What if You Can’t do the Dining Plan?
- Where to Eat
- Dining Alternatives
- The Comprehensive Guide to Walt Disney World Dining
- Character Meals and Dinner Shows Ranked in Order
- Table Service Meals at the Parks Ranked in Order
- Table Service Meals at the Resorts Ranked in Order