If you’re reading this post, you’re probably one of the MANY Disney fans wondering WHEN on Earth the Disney Dining Plan will be back.
Disney previously said that the Dining Plan will return at a “later date.” But that announcement was made back in 2021 and since then there’s been…no real update. In 2023, fans were able to take advantage of the Dining Promo Card offer, which might have satisfied a little bit of that “itch” for a Dining Plan but wasn’t the real deal. With 2023 well underway, you might already be wondering if the Dining Plan will return in 2024. And now we have a potential clue.
Dining Plan Basics
Okay, first, some background on the Dining Plan for those not familiar with it. Before Disney World closed in 2020, Disney World guests could add-on a dining plan to their vacation packages. Basically, they would pay a certain amount (several versions of the plan were available), and it would allow them to get a certain number of credits which they could then redeem for meals and snacks (minus gratuities) during their Disney World trip.
Although the Dining Plan might not have been a great value for everyone, many guests found it convenient, especially when it came down to budgeting for food.
Even better was that sometimes Disney would offer a FREE Dining Plan for select trips, meaning that most of your Disney World food could be free.
However, the Dining Plan has not returned since the COVID-19-related closures.
Dining Promo Card
In 2023, Disney World offered a special promotion where guests booking a certain package could get a free Dining Promo Card (basically like a gift card) with the amount being determined by the hotel they were staying at and the dates of their trip.
A similar deal was available for UK residents previously, but in 2023 the deal was made available for more visitors.
It may have given some of the benefits of the Dining Plan in terms of budgeting, but it was NOT the same as the old Dining Plan since this was really more of a gift card than a plan with credits/points.
Vacations had to be booked by March 27th, 2023 to take advantage of the Dining Promo Card offer, and trips must take place between June 25th and September 14th, 2023.
What’s Happening Now
In terms of official comments from Disney, there really hasn’t been any big update. The Disney Dining Plan website still just notes that the Dining Plans are “temporarily unavailable.”
But a clue has been revealed as to what dining offers 2024Â might hold.
Just as we saw for 2022 vacations, a special dining offer is available for 2024 vacation packages for Disney World guests from the UK. This is called the “2024 Early Booker Package” and it includes a 14-day ticket for the price of a 7-day ticket, a gift card for up to $400, and a credit exclusively for food and merchandise for up to $2,100.
So instead of just a dining card or credit, this package gives U.K. visitors a credit for both shopping and eating. They’re calling it a “Walt Disney World Resort Dining & Shopping Promo Card.” Essentially it seems to function like a gift card, giving you a barcode that can be scanned when you go to purchase your items.
If you’re making a new booking in the UK or Ireland, be sure to check and see if this promotion is right for you. It is available for select arrivals from January 9th, 2024 through December 18th, 2024, and could help you book the trip of your dreams while also getting some spending cash.
You can click here to see more about the offer.
What Does This Mean for the Dining Plan?
So what does that have to do with the Disney Dining Plan and non-UK-based guests? Well, the fact that a Dining and Shopping Promo Card is being offered instead of a Dining Plan could indicate that food and/or merchandise credits might continue to be offered for all guests, rather than the Dining Plan (at least for now and perhaps even for all 2024 trips).
The UK promotion could serve as a prediction of the kind of offers we’ll see Disney offer in the near future. Just like how we saw the Dining Promo Card offered for UK trips in 2022 and then for more guests in 2023, this could serve as a similar indication of things to come.
If that’s the case, though, guests who loved the Disney Dining Plan could be disappointed. Note that this is just a potential clue for the future based on some offers we’ve seen in the past for the UK first and then later for other guests. Nothing is guaranteed and Disney hasn’t made any official Dining Plan announcements just yet.Â
Things could change in critical ways, particularly over the next few months so stay tuned for more news. We’ll keep you updated, so be sure to check back with AllEars often.
Why Fans Don’t Think the Disney Dining Plan Is Coming Back
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What do you think about this new promotion? Would you rather have a credit for food and merchandise or the Dining Plan? Let us know in the comments!
The Dining Plans are what we used for every trip to Disney. It was very nice to have as I have many food allergies and it was very helpful finding those restaurants and being able to not have to worry even with the kids likes and dislikes. They need to offer it again and by 2024 as I have talked to many people and they say if Disney can’t offer it why even go there anymore when you can find other vacation spots that offer dining plans.We would always have our travel agent help with planning and that was the biggest part of why we started to go to Disney was to have the dining plans available. If they can’t offer it we are done going to Disney. That is one thing they should of never got rid of!!
I am in the UK and have just booked a trip to stay in French Quarter next August with this deal. We are so excited but wish the Dining Plan was included. Here’s hoping it returns for our next next trip 😉