5 Dining Secrets at Disney – Disney Dining Plan

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You’ll want to check out the Disney Dining Plan along with our other tips

We’re sharing out top tips for eating a Disney which includes the Disney Dining plan. Disney can be expensive, it is expected but sometimes you can save yourself a little money by using some great secrets. Our tips include the advantages and disadvantages of the Disney Dining Plan and some dining secrets at Disney. All are to help you decide what is best for you whether it’s getting the full Disney dining experience or saving money but still having some filling meals. 

We also have some other tips for planning your Disneyland or Disneyworld vacation. Ways to save money, make the most of your day and just making the day at the park a little bit easier. Check out our Disney Family Vacation Tips

One of the hot buttons when eating at Disney is the Dining Plan. It comes with three different options and will add a high price tag to your trip but I really think it is worth it. It brought us peace of mind knowing that most of our food was paid for.

The Disney Dining plan comes with three options:

• Quick Service Dining- This includes 2 quick service meals, 2 snacks, and 1 refillable mug (as of 2017 it is $48.19 per day, per adult and $20.88 per day, per child.)
• Regular Dining- 1 table service meal, 1 quick service meal, 2 snacks, and 1 refillable mug (as of 2017 it is $69.35 per day, per adult and $24.95 per day, per child.)
• Deluxe Dining- 3 Meals (any combination of table or quick service), 2 snacks, 1 refillable mug. This plan is for families that like to eat 3 meals a day or want to do all the character dining options. (as of 2017 it is $106.88 per day, per adult and $38.75 per day, per child.)

We loved Goofy’s Kitchen!

Like I said, it can come with a high price tag but if you really want to experience all the food Disney has to offer, it is worth the price tag. Also, it is not just usable at Disney. There are some great dining experiences at Disney Springs that use the Disney Dining plan. If you are going to Disney for more than 5 days you really should take a break from the parks and check out Disney Springs. Not only does it have some great restaurants but it also has great shopping and entertainment.

Goofy’s Kitchen, my niece and daughterAnother thing to keep in mind when using the Disney Dining Plan is that some of the premiere restaurant’s, like Le Cellier, is 2 table credits. So if you have regular dining it will use 2 days of your table credits.

If you do not want to use the dining plan, I have some great secrets listed below to help you save money, time, and will help eat like a king (or mouse!).

Character Breakfast in Disney Springs, Florida

If you’re looking for options on where to stay near Disneyworld check out our review on the Wyndham Lake Buena Vista Disney Springs Resort. They are the only resort in Disney Springs that has a character breakfast, it’s with Pluto. My daughter was thrilled as Pluto is one of her absolute favourite Disney characters.

5 Dining Secrets For Disney – The Disney Dining Plan & More

Make Dining Reservations

If you do nothing else, make sure to make dining reservations. You will be very disappointed if you have your heart set on eating somewhere like “Be Our Guest” and don’t make a reservation. You should plan on making reservations at least 180 days before your trip. They go very fast so before your 180 days pick out which character dining is most important and then reserve them first. If they are already full, don’t get upset. Sometimes people do cancel reservations the closer to your trip, so keep checking back.

Eat A Big Breakfast

This is mainly for people that don’t have the dining plan. To save money on food, eat a big breakfast later in the day. That way you are pretty full until later in the afternoon. That way you will be able to skip lunch. If you want something a little heartier than breakfast, find a quick service brunch option. Either way, you will save a little dough because you don’t have to buy an extra meal.

Disney Animal Kindom Lodge

Take A Restaurant Tour At Animal Kingdom Lodge

A lot of people don’t know about these but they are awesome. The Lodge offers culinary tours of it’s popular restaurants. You learn a lot about them and you get to try some amazing samples. You do need to be a little adventurous because some of the samples are of their more exotic fare, but you won’t leave hungry. Now, this is a little more pricey but the experience is definitely worth it!

Book Your Dinner and Entertainment Together

Places like the Hoop-Dee-Doo Review and The Spirit of Aloha offer entertainment as well as a great dinner and lunch. You won’t leave hungry and the shows are spectacular! This is a great way to rest, relax, and have some fun. Also, look for late dinner options during the fireworks. There is nothing more amazing than eating your meal and watching Disney’s INCREDIBLE firework shows. If you choose participating restaurants the music is piped right in, so you don’t miss a thing.

Don’t Be Afraid To Snack

Especially at Epcot. A lot of Epcot’s snack options can be full meals. Fare like fish and chips and spring rolls can be very filling. Snacks are also cheaper, so it is a great option for lunch or dinner. We like to do the character dining for lunch (cheaper) and then snack in the evening. It really does save money!

Bonus Tip

Eat a la carte! If you are trying to save money on food chances are you are skipping the high priced character meals and eating table service. A lot of table service is “meals” meaning you get an entree, side, drink, and dessert. If you don’t want the dessert or maybe the side, ask for the entree only. It will save you money. Also, at Epcot, a lot of items are available a la carte and are big enough to share. It is a great way to save money there because you can get two meals for the price of one!