What You NEED To Know About The Disney Dining Plan For Your 2024 Disney Vacation

Disney dining is a crucial part of a vacation in the Walt Disney World Resort. Excellent restaurants can be found throughout Lake Buena Vista, offering a variety of experiences for Guests to enjoy. However, dining at Walt Disney World can be expensive. Whether you dine in full-service restaurants, stop by quick-service dining locations, or enjoy Disney snacks, you must set aside a considerable budget for food during your Disney vacation.

Many Guests have previously enjoyed using the Disney Dining Plan in the Walt Disney World Resort. However, the Disney Dining Plan has been unavailable since March 2020. Until now! Yes, you’ve heard correctly! The Disney Dining Plan is returning to Walt Disney World. Here’s all you need to know about the return of the Disney Dining Plan and how it will affect your 2024 Disney vacation.

Disney Dining Plan

Using a Disney Dining Plan transforms your Disney vacation into a complete experience. Guests purchase the Disney Dining Plan most suitable for their party and add it to their Disney vacation reservation. Adding the Disney Dining Plan to your Disney vacation allows you to pay for your accommodation, Disney Park tickets, and food before arrival. You can then limit your spending while you are in Lake Buena Vista. 

There will be two Disney Dining Plans available to Guests in 2024:

• Disney Quick Service Dining Plan
• Disney Dining Plan

The Disney Quick Service Dining Plan is ideal for dining in quick-service restaurants. Each Guest will be entitled to two quick-service meals per night of their stay. You can also redeem one snack or non-alcoholic drink per night. Each Guest will also receive a Resort-refillable drink mug that can be used throughout their Disney vacation. 

The Disney Dining Plan provides slightly more than the Disney Quick Service Dining Plan. Every Guest taking advantage of the plan will be entitled to one table-service meal and one quick-service meal per night. You can also redeem one snack or non-alcoholic drink per night. Each Guest will also receive a Resort-refillable drink mug that can be used throughout their Disney vacation. 

You may recall a third Disney Dining Plan that has been available previously. Unfortunately, the Deluxe Disney Dining Plan isn’t returning to the Walt Disney World Resort. However, it may return later, although The Walt Disney Company has not confirmed anything yet.

It is worth noting that you will need to purchase a Disney Dining Plan for every Guest in your travel party. Disney Dining Plans are available for Guests aged three and over. You can add the Disney Dining Plan to an existing reservation if you wish to book it later than your Disney Resort hotel and theme park tickets.

When To Book

You won’t have to wait too long to book your 2024 Disney vacation with the return of the Disney Dining Plan and more. Bookings will open in just a few weeks, on May 31. You will be able to make reservations from January 9, 2024. To take advantage of the Disney Dining Plan, you must book a Disney vacation, where you are staying in a Walt Disney World Resort hotel. Disney theme park tickets are also required as part of your booking.

How To Get The Best Value

Adding a Disney Dining Plan to your Disney vacation can offer excellent value for money. From experience, getting the most out of your Disney Dining Plan can allow you to claim credit above the value you paid. Here are our tips for getting the best value for money from your Disney Dining Plan:

• Plan the Disney restaurants you wish to eat in and make advance dining reservations to secure your dining experiences.
• Limit the number of signature restaurants you dine in, as you may be required to use two dining credits per meal.
• Disney character and family dining are great ways to maximize the value per dining credit.

• Redeem your snack credits on specialty beverages or Disney snacks instead of fountain beverages and bottles of water.
• You can redeem three snack credits for one quick-service dining credit. This is an excellent way to save unused credits at your Disney vacation’s end.

• You can use multiple credits per day. Your credits will be assigned to you based on the length of your stay. Just ensure you have redeemed all of your credits by the end of your Disney vacation to get the most value for money.

Other Benefits are Returning

The Disney Dining Plan isn’t the only benefit that Guests can take advantage of during their 2024 Disney vacation. The following benefits will also be available to Guests visiting Lake Buena Vista from January 9 onwards:

• A simplified Disney Genie+ service, where Guests will be able to make selections, including individual Lightning Lane reservations, before their arrival in Walt Disney World.

• All Disney Resort hotel Guests will continue to enjoy Early Theme Park Entry every day of their vacation. Early Theme Park Entry allows Disney hotel Guests to enter each Disney Park thirty minutes before Park opening, providing they have a Disney Park ticket.
• Guests of Disney Deluxe Resort hotels and Disney Deluxe Villas can continue to enjoy Extended Evening Hours in select Disney Parks throughout their Disney vacation.

• You won’t have to worry about theme park reservations. If you purchase a dated Disney Park ticket for your Disney vacation, you can visit the Disney Parks as you wish without needing a Park Reservation.

Do you already have a date in mind for your 2024 Disney vacation? Prepare to make a reservation for your future Walt Disney World Resort visit, and reset your countdown soon!