After theme park tickets, travel, and accommodations, the next biggest component to factor into your Disney World vacation budget is food. Guests staying at Disney World resorts have the option to purchase a Disney Dining Plan, which provides a way to prepay for your favorite snacks, meals, and drinks before arriving. Not only does this give your vacation an all-inclusive feel, but if you plan ahead, it can even save you money.

With the plan, guests use credits to pay for meals available at hundreds of dining locations throughout the four theme parks, two water parks, dozens of resorts, and Disney Springs. Here’s everything you should know about the Disney Dining Plan so you can decide if it’s the right add-on for you.

What is the Disney Dining Plan?

The Disney Dining Plan is an optional add-on that can be selected and paid for ahead of your vacation. It can only be added if you book a Disney Resort hotel package and it is charged on a per-person and per-night basis. This means if you have three people on your reservation and you add on a dining plan, you must purchase three dining plans for every night of your stay.

Guests with dining plans are allotted a certain number of meal and snack credits for each night of their vacation; the exact number and type of credits depend on the plan selected. Credits can carry over to the next day if you don't use them.

Using the plan is easy and requires a simple scan of a MagicBand+, MagicMobile pass, or Key to the World card. Guests can easily keep track of their credits as the balance is listed on receipts after each transaction and can also be found in the My Disney Experience app.  

Types of Disney Dining Plans

There are currently two plans to choose from: the Disney Quick-Service Dining Plan and the Disney Dining Plan. By comparing a few different 2025 booking scenarios, we found that Disney Quick-Service Dining Plans are priced per night at about $59 for adults and just under $25 for children ages three to nine, and the Disney Dining Plan is priced per night at roughly $98 for adults and $30 for children.

The right plan for you comes down to your preferred dining style. If you want to eat on the go, the Quick-Service Plan is very convenient, but the standard Disney Dining Plan may be the better choice if you hope to take a break with a table-service meal. The latter also gives you the option to combine table-service meal credits for an upgraded experience.

Quick-Service Dining Plan

The Disney Quick-Service Dining Plan is for those who enjoy a more casual approach to their vacation dining. This plan includes two quick-service meal credits and one snack or drink credit per day. A resort-refillable drink mug is also included for each person on the plan, and it can be used at any self-service beverage station at Disney Resort hotel quick-service locations for the duration of the stay.

Disney Dining Plan

The Disney Dining Plan is best for those who want both casual dining and table-service experiences. This plan includes one table-service meal, one quick-service meal, and one snack or drink per day. It also includes one resort-refillable drink mug per person.

Guests have the option to redeem two table-service meal credits for specialty dining experiences and private in-room dining (at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa). Those on this plan can also redeem two quick-service meal credits for a pizza meal at select value and moderate resorts.

What can you order on a Disney Dining Plan?

Quick-Service Meals

Quick-service meals for guests ages 10 and older include one entrée and one beverage (guests 21 and up can order a qualifying alcoholic beverage where available). Guests ages three to nine must order from the children’s menu.

Table-Service Meals

Table-service meals include one entrée, one dessert, and one beverage, or one buffet or family-style meal, for guests ages 10 and older. Guests ages three to nine can redeem a table-service credit for one children’s menu combo meal or one buffet or family-style meal. Gratuities are not included, except for the Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Review and Cinderella’s Royal Table.

Snacks and Drinks

Eligible snacks are subject to change by food stall, but generally, you can use your credits on soft drinks and water bottles, fresh fruit, and ice cream. You can look for the dining plan sticker on each vendor's menu to see what's available with the plan. Snacks that are more than one serving, served in a souvenir container do not count.

Nonalcoholic beverages include soda, coffee, tea, hot chocolate, milkshakes, and fresh smoothies. For ages 21 and older, alcoholic options include beer, wine, sangria, mixed drinks, and specialty cocktails, when available.

Resort-Refillable Mugs

Both plans provide you with a souvenir mug that you can refill at self-service locations inside the Disney Resort hotels, and take home with you when you leave.

Where can you dine on the Disney Dining Plan?

Purchasing a dining plan doesn't necessarily give you total freedom of choice about where and what you can eat. For the most up-to-date list of restaurants participating in the Disney Dining Plan, check the official website and make sure the dining plan filter is on.

Quick-service meal credits can be redeemed at over 100 locations throughout the theme parks, water parks, and resorts, and table-service credits can be redeemed for meals at many locations throughout Walt Disney World Resort, including the beloved character meals at restaurants.

You can even visit signature and fine dining restaurants on the Disney Dining Plan, but you will have to redeem two table-service dining credits per person (rather than just one). Eligible locations include fine dining restaurants, dinner shows, and signature restaurants like Be Our Guest Restaurant. Not all locations will accept dining credits, such as the Michelin-starred Victoria & Albert’s at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa.

Is the Disney Dining Plan worth it?

It’s entirely possible to save money by using the Disney Dining Plan, but this is largely dependent on how you choose to redeem your dining credits. If you strategically choose the most expensive options available, like an artisanal milkshake or a $15 specialty cocktail over a soda, your savings will add up. Choosing more expensive restaurants, like character dining locations that accept single table-service credits, and pricier entrées will also help maximize the value of your credits.

That said, many guests select these plans purely for the peace of mind of knowing that a major chunk of their vacation spending is already budgeted for as the Disney Dining Plan adds that all-inclusive feel. However, if your family enjoys table-service dining for every meal, then it may not be the best fit for you. 

The Fine Print

The Disney Dining Plan is exclusively available for guests staying at Disney World hotels. Packages are currently open for booking on Disney World’s website, over the phone, and through authorized Disney travel agents.

Each plan has a set number of meals and snacks offered based on the length of stay, but credits can be redeemed at any point throughout your vacation. Meals cannot be transferred to another party member, and the package expires at midnight on the day of checkout. Every member of your party, ages three and older, must have the same package for the entire duration of your stay. The dining plan can be added after a vacation package is booked, and restaurant options may be limited depending on availability.