Disney Dining Plan

The Disney Dining Plan is a prepaid meal package that guests staying at Walt Disney World hotels can purchase in order to receive discounts up to 30% on food in the complex.[2] It was first introduced in 2005 and has developed in complexity over time, such that there are now many different forms of the plan.[3] The Disney Dining Plan allows guests to eat at park restaurants without needing to have cash on their persons.[4] The plan does now include alcoholic beverages but not gratuities.[5] More than 100 Walt Disney World restaurants accept the plan.[6] The plan is particularly cost-effective for families who intend to eat many meals at sit-down restaurants or character dining restaurants.[7] However, in order to get the most value (or to even break even) when using the plan, families must be mindful when using their Dining Plan Credits otherwise they may risk actually spending more than if they ordered the same food but paid out of pocket.[8]

Disney Dining Plan
The logo used to point out foodstuffs that count towards snack credits on the Disney Dining Plan.
LocationWalt Disney World Resort
Launched1990
OperatorWalt Disney Parks and Resorts
CurrencyUSD ($48.19–$106.68 per adult, per night; $20.88–$38.75 per child, per night)[1]
Stored-valuePrepaid meals and snacks
Credit expiryEnd of Walt Disney World guest's stay
Validity
  • Select restaurants, food carts, and stores in Walt Disney World's parks, resort hotels, and Disney Springs
Retailed
  • Online
  • Telephone
Variants
  • Disney Quick-Service Dining Plan
  • Disney Dining Plan
  • Disney Deluxe Dining Plan
WebsiteInformation page on the Walt Disney World website

The plan has been criticized for various reasons including that servers are sometimes insufficiently knowledgeable about which food items are considered meals and which are considered snacks.[9] The introduction of the Disney Dining Plan resulted in more parents bringing their children to Walt Disney World's most expensive restaurants, which Kim Wiley and Leigh Jenkins write in their book Walt Disney World with Kids 2013 "is indirectly taking a little of the adult feel and glamour out of these top restaurants."[10] In the book Mousejunkies!, Bill Burke complains that the Disney Dining Plan has restricted the restaurants' menus.[11] Annie Oeth of The Clarion-Ledger argues that the Disney Dining Plan is a poor choice for families with picky eaters.[12]

References
  1. "Disney Dining Plan Information and Planning Tips". WDWInfo. Retrieved March 24, 2017.
  2. Gindin (2009), p. 15.
  3. Miller (2011), p. 102.
  4. Bradshaw et. al. (2012), p. 87.
  5. Veness & Veness (2012), p. 44.
  6. Mauney, Matt (May 8, 2014). "Disney World Resorts Offering Free Dining Plan". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved April 1, 2015.
  7. Huth, Kelly (May 11, 2014). "Money-Saving Tips, Booking Advice from a Disney World Vacation Planner". The Express-Times. Retrieved April 1, 2015.
  8. "WDW Prep School - a Disney World planning site". WDW Prep School. Retrieved 2018-10-05.
  9. Sehlinger & Testa (2014), p. 129.
  10. Wiley & Jenkins (2012), p. xvi.
  11. Burke (2011), p. 4.
  12. Oeth, Annie (January 3, 2015). "Disney World: How to Plan Your Trip". The Clarion-Ledger. Retrieved April 1, 2015.

Bibliography
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