Dining Plan at Disney World? Yes or No?

Often times I get asked, should I get the Disney Dining Plan-

This is a somewhat hard topic to talk about, some people are huge advocates and others think it’s a waste and there are some that think it’s  just too much food. Well, my answer is…..it depends. First you need to factor in two things when making your decision: Cost and Convenience.

First here is a break down on the cost of the different Disney Dining Plans:

Quick Service Dining

Includes: 2 Quick Service Meals and 2 Snacks, per person, per night. Also includes one Refillable Mug per person.

Per Adult (10 years old and over) per night: $52.50

Per Child (3-9 years old) per night: $21.74

Regular Disney Dining Plan

Includes: 1 Table Service Meal, 1 Quick Service Meal and 2 snacks, per person, per night. Also includes one Refillable Mug per person.

Per Adult (10 years old and over) per night: $75.49

Per Child (3-9 years old) per night: $25.75

Deluxe Disney Dining Plan

Includes: 3 Meals (any combination of Quick Service or Table Service that suits you) and 2 Snacks, per person, per night. Also includes one Refillable Mug per person.

Per Adult (10 years old and over) per night: $116.25

Per Child (3-9 years old) per night: $39.99

All prices include tax.

Now that you have a break down of the cost of the Disney Dining Plans, does it cost more on the plan or off the plan? Depends on where and what you are planning on eating, for instance. Eating at

Cinderella’s Royal Table :

Character breakfast, $58 adults, $36 children

Character lunch, $61 adults, $38 children

Character dinner, $73 adults, $43 children. Note: Prices increase during peak periods

The Crystal Palace:

Character Breakfast, $36.21 adults, $21.30 children

Lunch & Dinner: $50.06 adult, $29.82 children

Chef Mickey:

Breakfast & Lunch, $44.73 adult, $26.63 children

Dinner, $54.32 adult, $31.95 children

As you can see from the prices, eating Character meals can get pricey!  The best way to find out if it is right for you, would be to look at the menu’s, what you would order and price it out. I know, not what you wanted to hear right? I sat down and tried to calculate how much everyone in my group of eight going with us this November would cost, then I tried to calculate in the character meals and to me, it was just easier to buy the Disney Dining Plan.

This is where convenience came in, it’s prepaid, on my MagicBand and we know once we have booked our reservations 180 days in advance that we definitely have a table at a certain time without the worry of turning up only to be told it’s an hour wait or they can’t get us a table at all. For our upcoming trip in November, the dining reservations at 180 days out were going fast! And right now on My Disney Experience App, most of the character meals reservations are gone.

So how do you really choose? I think you need to ask yourself these questions:

• Do you feel like your family eats an average amount or more relative to other families?
• Do you enjoy having (non-alcoholic) drinks and desserts at every meal?
• Does your husband (or you) like to order the most expensive thing on the menu?
• Are you willing to share meals within your party?
• Do you like to sit down and eat at a restaurant everyday?
• Will having a reservation time make you feel rushed?

It really comes down to personal preference. If you would rather have your food paid for in advance, the dining plan is a good option for you. For those who would rather look at the monetary value, it will depend on how much you are likely to spend on food throughout your vacation. Families that enjoy several character meals and prefer to eat at least two meals a day at Disney restaurants will likely spend less money with the dining plan.

Our family loves character meals and we use the Disney Dining Plan to the fullest, however there are some who don’t. On most trips you can find us at Be Our Guest, Crystal Palace, Cinderella’s Royal Table, Garden Grill, 1900 Fare Park, Tusker House, Chef Mickey’s, Cape May Cafe and Hollywood & Vine. In addition, we love Pecos Bill’s, Restaurantosaurus, Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Cafe, Pinocchio Village Haus, Electric Umbrella and many more Quick Service Location.