Editor's Note: This story was originally published on June 8, 2023, and was updated on Jan. 2, 2025.
Disney dining plans returned to Walt Disney World in 2024, which was great news for travel advisors and their clients. Now, the popular add-on is free for select vacation packages in 2025.
The Value of Dining Plans
Among the most common post-pandemic social media complaints from Walt
Disney World guests is that dining plans were not offered when the
resort reopened. The budget-friendly plans
provides everyone in the traveling party who are 3 years or older with a
set number of prepaid meal and snack credits during their stay, allowing
clients to choose the option that’s best for them — and as Eric Scott, senior communications manager for Disney, noted in the Disney Parks blog, this option makes planning Walt Disney World visits much easier.
We know guests — and families in particular — missed dining plans, which offer the convenience of prepaying for meals and snacks.
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“We know guests — and families in particular — missed dining plans, which offer the convenience of prepaying for meals and snacks,” Scott said. “Guests [can] choose the Disney Quick Service Dining Plan or the Disney Dining Plan. Both [are] a great value, with access to food and beverage offerings across Walt Disney World.”
“Our travel advisors [were] very excited about the return of Disney dining plans in 2024,” said Susanne Hays, owner of Fairytale Journeys Travel. “It’s a great opportunity for advisors to show their value by helping guests make the most of their Disney vacation by offering expert advice and assistance in choosing the right dining plan for their needs and budget.”
Dining plan credits can be applied to dinner shows like Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue.
Credit: 2023 Walt Disney World Resort/Olga ThompsonMeredith Wallace, owner of Minnie Memories Travel, agreed.
“Dining plans...really help manage vacation dollars,” she said. “I always want my clients to get the most out of their package and buy the right plan to fit their needs. Then I do some ‘Mickey Math’ to help them decide when to use dining credits and when to pay out of pocket.”
2025 Dining Plan Offer
Clients who purchase
non-discounted minimum 3-night, 3-day Walt Disney Travel Company packages that
include a room at a select Disney Resorts Collection hotel and theme park
tickets with the Park Hopper option are eligible for a free dining plan. The
offer applies to arrivals on most nights from May 27 to June 26, 2025, and July
7 to August 6, 2025, and there are eligible hotels in the Deluxe, Moderate, and
Value categories.
The two dining plans available for 2025 bookings are a quick-service plan that includes two meals at quick-service or counter-service locations only and one snack per person, per night, or a higher-tier plan, which includes one table-service meal, one quick-service meal and one snack per person, per night. Meals and snacks are redeemable any time of day, but are nontransferable between party members. Table-service meal credits can also be applied to select signature dining, character dining and dinner shows.
Travel advisor Kelly Greer wrote in Key to the World Travel’s blog that dining plans allow clients to have an all-inclusive feel to their visit.
Disney dining plans allow clients to choose the option that best suits their needs.
Credit: 2023 Walt Disney World Resort“Credits can be used throughout their vacation, which gives ultimate flexibility,” she said.
This offer is available for Walt Disney World vacations booked from Jan. 2 to Feb. 10, 2025.
