Have you heard the news? The Disney Dining Plan is making its return in 2024!
The Dining Plan has been gone since the parks reopened after the pandemic-related closure and many Disney fans are really excited about this return. However, not everyone is planning to take advantage of it for a few very specific reasons.
We took to Facebook to ask our readers their thoughts on the Disney Dining Plan, and you guys did not hold back on your answers!
Too Much Food!
Many of our readers replied and said that the Dining Plan just simply is too much food!
The way the Dining Plan works is that you get a certain number of meal and snack credits per day of your vacation. If you don’t use all of them in a day, they carry over to the next day.
However, many families end their vacation with SO many credits left over, and so they’ve spent money ahead of time and didn’t end up taking advantage of it. Basically, it means they’ve wasted money, and that’s not a good feeling on any vacation.
Dining Reservations Are Hard to Get
Many of our readers also shared that they feel like dining reservations are much harder to get right now.
Many people choose to get reservations at the most expensive restaurants in Disney to take advantage of their Disney Dining Plan credits and get the most bang for their buck. However, since reservations can be hard to get at certain restaurants, people don’t feel that their credits are worth it.
One potential solution to this is to use a travel agent who specializes in Disney! They tend to stay on top of the reservations you need and sometimes can grab those reservations that seem impossible. We recommend using Mouse Fan Travel!
We Want More Flexibility!
Our readers also said they’re hesitant to book because of the lack of flexibility.
Some of our readers suggested making the credits themselves flexible would make the service more enticing. Readers said having it be more like Tables in Wonderland — a former membership program for Disney Vacation Club members, annual passholders, and Florida residents that offered dining discounts — would be better because of flexibility, and so you could see your actual savings.
Too Expensive
Lastly, many of our readers said the Disney Dining Plan is too expensive!
Many of our readers said that they think the service is too expensive and doesn’t save them money. Not only that, tips are not included in the price of the Dining Plan, so you’ll have to remember to add that at any of your table service meals.
While the Dining Plan is a great way to budget and pre-pay for your food on vacation, it can cost more than usual if you are used to splitting meals/snacks or you bring your own into the parks.
There are plenty of reasons why people love the Disney Dining Plan, but it is important to weigh the pros and cons of the service to see if it’ll help your family on vacation.
Be sure to stay tuned to AllEars for all the latest Disney Dining Plan news!
PRICING REVEALED for the Disney Dining Plan
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Are you planning on using the Disney Dining Plan? Tell us in the comments!
Every time when we come home from a Disney World vacation (DVC member) I always check the charges to make sure they’re correct. The total amount doesn’t come anywhere close to the amount of money we would spend on a dining plan. We still eat 3 meals a day since we’re always in the parks, but we don’t snack. We usually eat 4-5 meals with a waitstaff. I find it funny on the message boards people talk about running around their last day to use up their points. We don’t come to Disney World just to eat. I know some people like to have their trip completely paid for before going. Since most people use a credit card, what’s the difference paying before or after the trip? Saying all of this, I understand some people like the dining plans and that’s fine for them. However, if Disney isn’t making money off of the dining plan, they wouldn’t be offering it. Same goes with the Genie+.