Disney Dining Plans Explained

With all this talk about FREE Dining we thought we'd take a time out to explain what the different dining plans mean:

There are Five Dining Plans:

1. Quick Service Dining Plan
2. Basic Dining Plan
3. Deluxe Dining Plan
4. Premium Dining Plan
5. Platinum Dining Plan

QUICK SERVICE Dining Plan:

With the Quick Service Dining Plan, each night of your package stay, each person over 3 years old gets:

-- 2 Quick Service Meals - One Entree OR one complete Combo meal; dessert (lunch/dinner) and One single non-alcoholic beverage
-- One refillable drink mug per person
-- One Snack, for example, frozen ice-cream novelty; Box of popcorn; single piece of whole fruit; medium fountain soft drink 

BASIC Dining Plan:

With the basic dining plan, you can choose to eat at more than 100 participating Disney restaurants. For each night of your package stay, the dining plan will allow each person over age 3 to get:

-- One table-service meal. For breakfast this includes entree and non-alcoholic beverage OR one full buffet. For lunch/dinner this includes full buffet, or entree, dessert, and non-alcoholic beverage. Children 3-9 can also have an appetizer at lunch/dinner.

-- One quick service meal. For breakfast this includes entree and non-alcoholic beverage, OR combo meal plus one single serving non-alcoholic beverage. For lunch/dinner this includes entree/combo meal, dessert, and one single serving non-alcoholic beverage.

-- One snack: Eligible snacks will be indicated on the menu with a Disney Dining Plan symbol (shown at right). Some examples of snacks: frozen ice cream novelty, popsicle, fruit bar; popcorn single serving box (scoop); single piece of whole fruit; single serving bag of snacks; 20 oz. bottled drink (Coke, Diet Coke or Sprite) or water; 22 oz. fountain soft drink; 12 oz. coffee, hot chocolate or tea; or single serving prepackaged milk or juice.
(Note that children age 3-9 must choose from a children's menu, if one is available.)

These credits activate as soon as you check in to your resort and can be used at any time, in any combination, during your stay. They expire at the end of your stay.

-- One refillable drink mug per person 

DELUXE Dining Plan:

With the DELUXE Dining Plan: Dine at more than 100 select table-service, quick-service, Disney Character Dining and Signature Dining Experience restaurant locations throughout Walt Disney World Resort. The Deluxe Dining Plan is similar to the Basic Plan except that for each night of your package, each guest in your party enjoys:

-- THREE MEALS -- Choose from select Walt Disney World Resort table-service and quick-service restaurants for all 3 of your meals.

-- 1 adult table-service meal includes 1 appetizer, 1 entree and 1 dessert (lunch or dinner only), and 1 single serving non-alcoholic beverage, or 1 full buffet. 1 child table-service meal includes 1 appetizer, 1 entrée, 1 dessert (lunch or dinner only) and 1 single serving non-alcoholic beverage, or 1 full buffet.
-- 1 quick-service meal includes 1 entree or 1 complete Combo Meal, 1 dessert (lunch or dinner only) and 1 single serving non-alcoholic beverage.

-- TWO SNACKS -- e.g. 1 frozen ice cream novelty, popsicle, fruit bar, popcorn scoop (single-serving box), single-serving bag of snacks, single piece of whole fruit, 20-oz. bottle of Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite or Dasani water, 22-oz. fountain soft drink, 12-oz. coffee, hot chocolate or hot tea, single-serving prepackaged milk or juice

-- ONE Resort refillable-drink mug per person -- The Disney Deluxe Dining Plan also includes a refillable Resort mug for each Guest. Bring your Resort mug to any quick-service restaurant at your Resort hotel and refill it as often as you like!

(Note that children age 3-9 must choose from a children's menu, if one is available.)

PREMIUM Dining Plan:

There is also a Magic Your Way Premium Package that offers everything in the basic package, as well as an expanded Disney Dining Plan -- breakfast, lunch and dinner per person per package night, at your choice of over 100 restaurants, including Disney dinner shows, character dining, and signature table-service restaurants. Also included is a variety of other exclusive features, such as tours, admission to Cirque du Soleil, and more.

With the Premium Dining Plan -- Per person, per package: one breakfast, lunch and dinner, excluding alcoholic beverages, plus two snacks, and Resort refillable drink mug. Children 3-9 must choose from a children's menu if available. Victoria & Albert's excluded.

NOTE: Applicable gratuities/service charges are NOT included, except for pizza delivery, Private Dining, Dinner Shows and Cinderella's Royal Table. Merchandise or photo-imaging products that may be offered at Character Dining Experiences are not included, except at Cinderella's Royal Table and Akershus Royal Banquet Hall.

You also receive:

• --Unlimited use of selected recreation, including golf, guided fishing excursions, water sports, tennis and more
• --Admission to Cirque du Soleil show, La Nouba
• -- Portrait session and print package from Disney's PhotoPass Professional Portraits service
• --Unlimited admission to Disney's Children's Activity Centers
• --Unlimited Admission to certain Theme Park tours: Family Magic, Keys to the Kingdom, The Magic Behind Our Steam Trains, Mickey's Magical Milestones, Behind the Seeds, Around the World at Epcot, Simply Segway Experience, The "UnDISCOVERed" Future World, Gardens of the World, Yuletide Fantasy (seasonal) Backstage Safari, Wild by Design, Disney's Wilderness Back Trail Adventure (Segway tour at Fort Wilderness)
• --Access to Preferred Viewing Areas for: Wishes at Magic Kingdom and IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth at Epcot. One view per Theme Park, advance reservations required at least 24 hours in advance and voucher required, subject to availability, certain block-out dates apply. Magic Your Way Premium Package guests can make reservations up to 90 days prior to requested viewing date by calling 407-939-7860.

PLATINUM Dining Package

The Magic Your Way Platinum Package offers everything in the premium package, then adds more such as: pre-arrival planning service, a specialty fireworks cruise, reserved seating at Fantasmic!, selected spa treatment per guest (age restrictions apply), additional dining options, such as the renowned Victoria & Albert's restaurant, room service, and more.

Applicable taxes are included. Gratuity is NOT included, except for pizza delivery, Private Dining, Dinner Shows and Cinderella's Royal Table. Merchandise or photo-imaging products that may be offered at Character Dining Experiences are NOT included, except at Cinderella's Royal Table and Akershus Royal Banquet Hall.

Quick Service Lunch - Shutters at Old Port Royale