Guide to the Disney Dining Plan for 2024

In case you haven’t heard the news, Disney has made the long-awaited announcement that the Disney Dining plan is returning in 2024. But many of you may be left wondering, what exactly is the Disney Dining plan? What does it include? How much does it cost? And is it worth it?  In this post, I’m giving you all the details to help you decide if adding the dining plan is right for you and your group.

What Is the Disney Dining Plan? 

The Disney Dining Plan is an add-on to a Disney World Vacation package that allows you to prepay for your meals, snacks, and drinks on your trip. The plan can be convenient and can help to give your vacation a more all-inclusive feel. Since you know upfront what the cost of your meals will be, it can also help with budgeting for your trip. Depending on how well you utilize the plan, it can also save you some money as well.  

The Disney Dining plan was suspended when the parks reopened in 2020. Since then, many people have been not so patiently waiting for news on when it would return and what it would look like.  Disney recently confirmed that the dining plan would return for stays starting January 9, 2024, and would include two plan options. 

Here are a few details on how the dining plans work:

• The Disney Dining Plan can only be purchased for the entire length of a reservation. 
• Everyone in the group must be booked on the same vacation package and must be using the same type of theme park ticket options. 
• Children under 3 years old don’t need the dining plan added.  They can share with an adult at no extra charge or you can purchase a separate menu item for them.
•  Kids ages 3-9 need to order from a children’s menu when they are available.
• Your dining credits are based on the number of nights of your visit. So if your stay is 5 days/ 4 nights, you’ll get the daily credits x 4. 
• All of your credits are loaded to your account at once and can be used however you’d like. So, if you want to use extra credits one day and fewer another day you can.  
• Unused meals and snacks roll over from day to day, and expire at midnight on the day of checkout.

What are the Different Dining Plans Offered? 

There are two different options for the 2024 Disney Dining Plan.  

Standard Dining Plan

Each person on the room reservation receives the following for each night of the stay:

• One counter-service meal 
• One table service meal 
• One snack
• A refillable drink mug (one per stay) 

Quick Service Dining Plan 

Each person on the room reservation receives the following for each night of the stay:

• Two counter-service meals 
• One snack
• A refillable drink mug (one per stay) 

A Quick Service meal is considered one entree and one non-alcoholic beverage.  Adults 21 and older can choose a single-serving alcoholic beverage instead.  This can include: 

• Beer or Cider
• Wine or Sangria
• Mixed Drinks and Specialty Cocktails

A single-serving nonalcoholic beverage includes items such as:

• Milkshakes
• Fresh Smoothies
• Premium Hot Chocolate
• Soda, Coffee or Tea

A Table Service meal includes:

• 1 Entrée
• 1 Nonalcoholic Beverage (or Alcoholic Beverage, for Guests 21 and older)

-OR-

• 1 Full Buffet (prix-fixe) or Family-Style Meal (prix-fixe)
• 1 Nonalcoholic Beverage (or Alcoholic Beverage, for Guests 21 and older)

Meals redeemed at brunch, lunch or dinner will include:

• 1 Entrée
• 1 Dessert
• 1 Nonalcoholic Beverage (or Alcoholic Beverage, for Guests 21 and older)

-OR-

• 1 Full Buffet (If Available) or Family-Style Meal
• 1 Nonalcoholic Beverage (or Alcoholic Beverage, for Guests 21 and older

Snacks include items such as:

• Frozen ice cream novelty, popsicle or fruit bar
• 2 scoops of hand-scooped ice cream
• Popcorn serving
• Piece of whole fruit
• Single-serve bag of snacks
• Bottled water or soda
• 20-ounce fountain drink
• Single-serve coffee, hot chocolate, hot tea, milk or juice
• Cup of soup
• Add on toppings or sauces (e.g. side of cheese dipping sauce)

There are some locations and experiences that require extra credits.  These include:

• Select Character Dining meals require two Table Service credits per person, such as Cinderella’s Royal Table, Princess Storybook Dining at Akershus Royal Banquet Hall (lunch and dinner), and Storybook Dining at Artist Point with Snow White.

• Fine/Signature Dining requires two Table Service credits per person. This includes restaurants such as Le Cellier in EPCOT, The Hollywood Brown Derby in Hollywood Studios, California Grill at Disney’s Contemporary Resort, and dinner at Topolino’s Terrace at Disney’s Riviera Resort. 

• Dinner at Be Our Guest requires two Table Service credits per person.

• Dinner shows such as Hoop Dee Doo Musical Revue at Fort Wilderness require two Table Service credits per person. 

• Pizza Pickup meals which include 1 Large Pizza and 2 Single-serving Nonalcoholic Beverages (or Alcoholic Beverages for Guests 21 and older), require two Quick-Service meals.  This is valid at Disney’s All-Star Movies Resort, Disney’s All-Star Music Resort, Disney’s All-Star Sports Resort, Disney’s Art of Animation Resort, Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort, Disney’s Pop Century Resort, Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – French Quarter and Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – Riverside.

• In-room dining, available only at Grand Floridian, requires two Table Service credits per person. 

How Much Will the Disney Dining Plan Cost? 

Here are the prices per night for the two plan options: 

Standard Dining Plan

$94.28 per adult and $29.69 per child (ages 3-9)

Quick Service Dining Plan 

$57.01 per adult and $23.83 per child (ages 3-9)

What Restaurants are Included in the Disney Dining Plan? 

Disney has provided a list of restaurants that are included in the Disney Dining Plan.

4 Rivers Cantina Barbacoa Food Truck

50’s Prime Time Café

ABC Commissary

Akershus Royal Banquet Hall

Ale & Compass Lounge

Ale & Compass Restaurant

Amorette’s Patisserie

The Artist’s Palette

Avalunch

B.B. Wolf’s Sausage Co.

Backlot Express

Backstretch Pool Bar

Banana Cabana

Bar Riva

Barcelona Lounge

Be Our Guest Restaurant

Beach Club Marketplace

Beaches & Cream Soda Shop

Beaches Pool Bar & Grill

Biergarten Restaurant

Big River Grille & Brewing Works

Blaze Pizza

BoardWalk Deli

The Boathouse

Boatwright’s Dining Hall

Boma – Flavors of Africa

Cafe Rix

Cape May Cafe

Cape Town Lounge and Wine Bar

Capt. Cook’s

Casey’s Corner

Catalina Eddie’s

Centertown Market

Chef Art Smith’s Homecomin’

Chef Mickey’s

Chicken Guy

The Chuck Wagon

Cinderella’s Royal Table

Cítricos

Cítricos Lounge

City Works Eatery & Pour House

Columbia Harbour House

Connections Café & Eatery

Contempo Café

Cookes of Dublin

Cooling Hut

Coral Reef Restaurant

Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Café

Courtyard Pool Bar

Cove Bar

Creature Comforts

Crew’s Cup Lounge

Crockett’s Tavern

The Crystal Palace

D-Luxe Burger

Dahlia Lounge

The Daily Poutine

The Diamond Horseshoe

Docking Bay 7 Food and Cargo

Dockside Diner

The Drop Off Pool Bar

Earl Of Sandwich

The Edison

El Mercado de Coronado

Enchanted Rose Lounge

End Zone Food Court

Enzo’s Hideaway

Everything POP Shopping & Dining

Fairfax Fare

Fife & Drum Tavern

Flame Tree Barbecue

Flying Fish

The Friar’s Nook

Garden Grill Restaurant

Gasparilla Island Grill

Gaston’s Tavern

Geyser Point Bar & Grill

Golden Oak Outpost

Good’s Food to Go

Grand Floridian Cafe

Grandstand Spirits

Gurgling Suitcase

Harambe Market

Hollywood & Vine

The Hollywood Brown Derby

The Hollywood Brown Derby Lounge

House of Blues Restaurant & Bar

Hurricane Hanna’s Waterside Bar and Grill

Intermission Food Court

Jaleo by José Andrés

Jiko – The Cooking Place

Jock Lindsey’s Hangar Bar

Jungle Navigation Co. LTD Skipper Canteen

Katsura Grill

Kona Cafe

Kringla Bakeri Og Kafe

La Cantina de San Angel

La Hacienda de San Angel

Landscape of Flavors

Le Cellier Steakhouse

Leaning Palms

Leaping Horse Libations

Liberty Square Market

Liberty Tree Tavern

Local Green Orlando Food Truck

Lottawatta Lodge

Lotus Blossom Café

Lowtide Lou’s

The Lunching Pad

Main Street Bakery

Maji Pool Bar

Mama Melrose’s Ristorante Italiano

The Mara

Mardi Grogs

Maria & Enzo’s Ristorante

The Market at Ale & Compass

Marketplace Snacks

Martha’s Vineyard

Maya Grill

Meadow Snack Bar

Morimoto Asia

Morimoto Asia Street Food

Muddy Rivers

Narcoossee’s

Nine Dragons Restaurant

Nomad Lounge

Oasis Bar & Grill

‘Ohana

Olivia’s Cafe

Paddlefish

The Paddock Grill

Paradiso 37, Taste of the Americas

Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn and Cafe

Pepe by José Andrés

Petals Pool Bar

Pinocchio Village Haus

Pizza Ponte

Pizza Window

Pizzafari

PizzeRizzo

Planet Hollywood

The Plaza Restaurant

The Polite Pig

Raglan Road Irish Pub and Restaurant

Rainforest Cafe at Disney Springs

Rainforest Cafe at Disney’s Animal Kingdom

Refreshment Outpost

Refreshment Port

Regal Eagle Smokehouse

Restaurantosaurus

River Roost

Riverside Mill Food Court

Rix Sports Bar & Grill

Roaring Fork

Ronto Roasters

Rose & Crown Dining Room

Rosie’s All-American Café

Roundup Rodeo BBQ

San Angel Inn Restaurante

Sanaa

Sanaa Lounge

The Sand Bar

Sassagoula Floatworks and Food Factory

Satu’li Canteen

Scat Cat’s Club

Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater Restaurant

Sebastian’s Bistro

Siestas Cantina

Silver Screen Spirits Pool Bar

Singing Spirits Pool Bar

Sleepy Hollow

Smokehouse at House of Blues

Snack Shack

Sommerfest

Spice Road Table

Splitsville Dining Room

Spyglass Grill

Steakhouse 71

Steakhouse 71 Lounge

Story Book Dining at Artist Point with Snow White

Sunshine Seasons

Surf Doggies

Swirls on the Water

T-REX Cafe

Tambu Lounge

Tangierine Café: Flavors of the Medina

Teppan Edo

Terralina Crafted Italian

Territory Lounge

Three Bridges Bar and Grill

Tiffins Restaurant

Tokyo Dining

Toledo – Tapas, Steak & Seafood

Tony’s Town Square Restaurant

Topolino’s Terrace – Flavors of the Riviera

Tortuga Tavern

Trail’s End Restaurant

Trattoria al Forno

The Trolley Car Café

The Turf Club Bar & Grill

The Turf Club Lounge

Turtle Shack Poolside Snacks

Tusker House Restaurant

Tutto Gusto Wine Cellar

Tutto Italia Ristorante

Typhoon Tilly’s

Via Napoli Ristorante & Pizzeria

Victoria Falls Lounge

Warming Hut

Whispering Canyon Cafe

Woody’s Lunch Box

World Premiere Food Court

Yachtsman Steakhouse

Yak & Yeti Local Food Cafes

Yak & Yeti Restaurant

YeSake Kiosk

Yorkshire County Fish Shop

Is the Disney Dining Plan Worth It?  

After all this information I’ve given, you may wonder whether or not the Disney Dining Plan is worth it.  As with most questions like this, my answer is – it depends.  Here are some of the benefits of the dining plans that may make it a worthwhile add-on for your group: 

• It can help make budgeting for your trip easier because you’ll know what you will be spending on meals upfront. 
• It can give your trip more of an all-inclusive vibe since you have paid in advance for most of your meals and snacks. 
• You can use table service credits for character dining.  Some locations require two credits per person. 
• Alcoholic beverages are now included for adults 21 and older, which can help to maximize the value of the plan.  
• You can choose any entree at the participating restaurants.  If you are ordering more expensive meals like steak, this can also help maximize the value of the plan. At the very least, it can help remove any guilt of ordering something too expensive when making your entree choices. 

Conclusion

Many Disney fans are excited to see the return of the Disney Dining Plan for 2024.  I hope this post has been helpful in explaining how the plans work and what they include.  If you’re interested in having me book your 2024 vacation, I would be happy to help you determine if the Disney Dining plan is a good choice for your family and help you maximize your dining credits. Click here to get started.