2024 Disney Dining Plan at Walt Disney World | Full Guide & FAQs

The Disney Dining Plan is one of the most popular guest offerings when visiting Walt Disney World, but since the parks have reopened it has been unavailable.  When will the Dining Plan return to Disney World?

In this post, we will go over why the dining plan isn’t available at this time and the reasons why Disney stopped offering it.  We’ll talk about if the Dining Plan is coming back at all, and when that is most likely to happen.

(Update 5/8/23) – We just found out that the Disney Dining Plan is returning to Walt Disney World as part of the 2024 vacation packages. With this latest info, we will discuss everything we know about the 2024 Disney Dining Plans, plan types, what’s included in each of them, as well as prices.

We’ll break down the latest and what it means for guests moving forward.

We’ll also discuss what changes Disney has made to the Dining Plan when it returns such as price increases, if it could be a better value, and overall modifications to the way the plans work, and more.

Over the past almost 3 years, guests have had to endure some big changes in the Disney theme parks.  There have been countless modifications to the experiences and offerings available since reopening including new safety guidelines, reduced entertainment, a park pass reservation system, and many of the most popular restaurants remaining closed for some time.

Thankfully, over the past year or so, we have seen most of the aforementioned safety protocols disappear and the majority of restaurants are open once again which is great news for foodies. 

And that leads us to our next question…When will Dining Plans return to Walt Disney World?

During this whole time since the parks have reopened, asking when the Disney Dining Plan is coming back has been one of the most popular questions on guests’ minds, and for good reason.

It doesn’t matter if you are eating at the Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Hollywood Studios, Animal Kingdom, Disney Springs, or one of the Disney resort hotel restaurants, dining is one of the absolute highlights of any trip to Walt Disney World and many people want to use the Disney Dining Plan as soon as possible.

So what is taking so long? Let’s find out.

Before we get started, don’t forget to sign up for our FREE Weekly E-Mail Newsletter. There we bring you the latest updates about the Disney Dining Plan at Disney World as well as vacation planning tips. You can sign up here: Join our E-Mail Newsletter!

Disney Dining Plan Returning in 2024

Yes, it’s true. After more than 3 years, we finally know that the Disney Dining Plan is coming back to Walt Disney World in 2024. Disney recently made a ton of announcements regarding upcoming changes, and since new Walt Disney World vacation packages are now on sale, it was a good time to reintroduce the Dining Plan as well.

Disney Dining Plans are now available for purchase to guests staying in a Walt Disney World Resort Hotel who purchase a vacation package with stays starting on January 9, 2024, and after.

Bookings for the 2024 Disney Dining Plan opened up starting May 31, 2023.

The official Disney Parks Blog, Disney announced the news: “We know our guests – and families in particular – have missed dining plans, which offer guests the convenience and peace of mind of pre-paying for their meals and snacks.”

The first question on people’s minds is: “What is included in this new Disney Dining Plan?”

Here is a quick look at each tier of the 2024 Disney Dining Plan and what’s included:

Quick Service Disney Dining Plan

• 2 Counter Service Meals (per guest, per night)
• 1 Snack (per guest, per night)
• 1 Refillable Drink Mug (per guest, per stay)

Standard Disney Dining Plan

• 1 Counter Service Meal (per guest, per night)
• 1 Table Service Meal (per guest, per night)
• 1 Snack (per guest, per night)
• 1 Refillable Drink Mug (per guest, per stay)

Just as before, if one member of your party wants to purchase the Disney Dining Plan, all guests in your party ages 3 and up are also required to purchase the Disney Dining Plan. It can’t just be one or two people from the group.

At this point, both the Disney Dining Plan Plus and the Deluxe Disney Dining Plan are NOT returning to Walt Disney World in 2024. This could always change with a future announcement, but at this point, it seems like they are either permanently, or at the very least temporarily retired.

Other important information is that the regular Disney Dining Plan will include character dining and buffets still for only 1 dining credit per person, per meal. We thought this would have either gone away or increased, so it’s nice to see some of the more “value” options on the Dining Plan are still around.

It has also been confirmed that signature restaurants will still cost 2 dining credits each, per person, and dinner shows will also cost 2 credits, such as the Hoop-Dee-Doo Revue.

Right now, Disney has not announced all the details including prices, and we don’t have a full list of participating restaurants either. That information will be announced starting May 31, 2023.

Stay tuned for more info soon as we’ll be updating you as soon as Disney announces the rest, and keep reading for more detailed info on the Disney Dining Plan in general.

In the meantime, if you need help booking your 2024 Disney World vacation including the Disney Dining Plan, your best option is to contact an Authorized Disney Travel Agent such as Show You the World Travel. They are our preferred Disney vacation planners and make the entire process 100x easier.

What is the Disney Dining Plan?

So before we talk about when it might be coming back, let’s start with some of the basics of what exactly the Disney Dining Plan is, and how it normally works.

If you aren’t familiar with the Disney Dining Plan, it is a service that guests staying at any Walt Disney World Resort Hotel can add to their vacation package that allows them to pay ahead for their meals throughout the trip.

Guests pay per person, per night of their stay, and are then given an allotment of dining credits they can spend throughout the vacation on food and drinks. 

Credits are broken down into three categories: sit-down meals, counter-service meals, and snacks.  Each category of meal requires you to “spend” a certain number of credits in order to order that food.

The biggest reason to use the Dining Plan is that it makes getting food in Walt Disney World much easier than paying out of pocket. You pay for your meals upfront, and then just scan your MagicBand or MagicBand+ every time you want something to eat. 

You can walk around and not have to worry one bit about spending money on food during your trip because it’s already been taken care of.  This gives people peace of mind on an otherwise stressful vacation.

Even though we usually don’t recommend getting the Dining Plan, we are aware, however, that many people love using it for its convenience.  And ever since the Disney World reopening people have been clamoring for the dining plan to return.

Why Isn’t the Dining Plan Available in 2023?

As we mentioned, there have been some significant updates in the theme parks since we last updated this article and we wanted to talk about them and what they mean for the Disney Dining Plan moving forward.

Originally, the Disney Dining Plan was suspended when the theme parks closed in March 2020, and they haven’t returned since. Since many guests bought the dining plans for years, of course, it has been a big question mark when planning new vacations.

Disney made the original announcement about them potentially coming back in June 2021, which at the time of this writing is 2 years ago!  Disney was intentionally vague in its press release and only said “at a later date” without giving us a specific timeframe.

2002, and 2023 Disney World vacation packages came and went, and there was no mention of the Disney Dining Plan coming back.

In fact, up until this latest announcement, Disney had been completely silent on the issue which made us think they could possibly be gone forever.

However, there were reasons why Disney didn’t rush to bring it back. For the first 2 years of the Disney World theme parks reopening phase, there were many services and perks that were not running, or that were eliminated altogether.

There also was a limited number of restaurants running which made it impossible to offer the Disney Dining Plan to guests. Without many of the restaurants available, it wouldn’t have been advantageous for guests to purchase it and they might feel they were getting ripped off.

Fast forward to 2023 and most restaurants in Walt Disney World are back up and running again, and reservations are much easier to come by.

Sure things have gotten a lot better since the beginning, but there is still lots of work to be done. Thankfully, Disney has brought back the College Program and the Cultural Representative Program which should continue filling in the holes needed.

Also, Disney implementing technology such as Mobile Order at quick service restaurants has been a big help in alieving some of the strain on the staff and helping them serve guests more quickly.

These reasons, among other things, made it a good time to announce the Disney Dining Plan is returning. Since it’s starting in 2024, it also gives Disney time to get these other issues in order before it becomes available to guests again.

Also, bringing the Dining Plan back is not as easy as flipping a switch, it takes time to get everything organized, which Disney now has.

2024 Disney Dining Plan Prices

Here are the latest prices for the U.S. 2024 Disney Dining Plan (per person, per night)

2024 Disney Quick Service Dining Plan

• Adults: $57.01
• Children: $ 23.83 (ages 3 to 9)

Includes for each guest, for each night of your stay:

• 2 Quick Service Meals
• 1 non-Alcoholic or Alcoholic Drink per meal
• 1 selected Snack or Drink
• Resort Refillable Drink Mug

2024 Disney Dining Plan

• Adults: $94.28
• Children: $ 29.69 (ages 3 to 9)

Includes for each guest, for each night of your stay:

• 1 Table Service Meal
• 1 Quick Service Meal
• 1 non-Alcoholic or Alcoholic Drink per meal
• 1 selected Snack or Drink
• Resort Refillable Drink Mug

Here are the latest prices for the U.K. 2024 Disney Dining Plan (per person, per night). The same features are included as in the U.S. Dining Plans.

2024 U.K. Quick Service Disney Dining Plan

• Adults: £94.28
• Children: £24.99 (ages 3 to 9)

2024 U.K. Disney Dining Plan

• Adults: £94.28
• Children: £19.99 (ages 3 to 9)

What Are the New Disney Dining Plans Like?

When the Disney Dining Plan returns to Walt Disney World on January 9, 2024, there will be 2 different plan options available for guests to choose from:

• Disney Quick Service Dining Plan
• Disney Dining Plan (Standard version)

The prices for each plan have not been revealed at this time, but let’s look at these plans one by one and compare the features and highlights of each one:

Disney Quick Service Dining Plan

The prices and features of this plan are based on a per-guest, per-night basis.

• Prices:
  • Adult – $57.01
  • Child – $23.83

• Two Quick Service meals per guest (1 Entrée or combo meal and 1 non-alcoholic beverage) for Breakfast, Lunch, or Dinner.
• Guests under 21 years of age can choose one non-alcoholic beverage (including specialty beverages — i.e. Artisanal Milk Shakes,  Fresh Smoothies, Premium Hot Chocolates, or Soda, Coffee, or Tea — where offered). Guests 21 and older can choose either one non-alcoholic beverage (including specialty beverages where offered) or one single-serving mixed cocktail, beer, or wine (where offered) within their meal entitlement.
• One Snack per day
• One Resort Refillable Drink Mug per person, per package
• Meals and snacks can be redeemed at any time during the stay.

Standard Disney Dining Plan

The prices and features of this plan are based on a per-guest, per-night basis.

• Prices:
  • Adult – $94.28
  • Child – $29.69

• One table service meal per guest (entrée and dessert or buffet)
• One quick service meal per guest (entrée OR combo meal)
• Guests under 21 years of age can choose one non-alcoholic beverage with their Quick Service and Table Service meal (including specialty beverages — i.e. Artisanal Milk Shakes,  Fresh Smoothies, Premium Hot Chocolates, or Soda, Coffee, or Tea — where offered). Guests 21 and older can choose either one non-alcoholic beverage (including specialty beverages where offered) or one single-serving mixed cocktail, beer, or wine (where offered) within their meal entitlement.
• One snack per day
• One Resort refillable drink mug per person, per package
• Meals and snacks can be redeemed at any time during the stay.

Dining Plan Examples

Remember, the number of meals and snacks you get on the Disney Dining Plan is based on the number of nights included in your Disney World vacation package. These can be redeemed at any time during your stay until the number associated with your package has been depleted.

For example, if you purchase the standard Dining Plan as part of a 5-night package, each member in your party will receive 5 Quick Service Meals, 5 Table Service Meals, and 5 Snacks or Non-Alcoholic Beverages. These can be used in any order, at any time during your 5-night stay.

If you purchase the Quick Service Disney Dining Plan for a 4-night stay, each member of your party will receive 8 Quick Service Meals and 4 Snacks or non-Alcoholic Beverages that can be used at any time during your 4-night stay.

Other Important Info

Both the Quick Service Dining Plan and standard Disney Dining Plan must be purchased for the entire length of stay and for the entire party. So if you are staying for 5 nights, you have to purchase the plan for all 5 nights.

And if you have 4 people in your group (on the same resort reservation), all 4 guests must purchase that dining plan.

If you have children ages 3-9, they can’t order an adult-sized entree. They must order from a children’s menu where available.

Meals are also non-transferrable between party members. So that means, you can’t transfer all your points over to another member of your party if you aren’t going to use them.

Also, unused meals and snacks will roll over day to day and expire at midnight on the day of checkout. Use of your refillable drink mug also expires at midnight on the day of checkout.

Snacks

What is included as a Snack on the Disney Dining Plan? You will find that most quick service restaurants, snack carts, or kiosks will include eligible snacks on the Disney Dining Plan.

Examples of eligible snacks include:

• Frozen ice cream novelty, popsicle, or fruit bar
• 2 scoops of hand-scooped ice cream
• Popcorn scoop (single-serving box)
• Piece of whole fruit
• Single-serve bag of snacks
• 20-ounce bottle of Coca-Cola® products, including Dasani® water
• 20-ounce fountain soft drink
• Single-serve coffee, hot chocolate, hot tea, milk, or juice
• Cup of soup
• Add on toppings or sauces (e.g. a side of cheese dipping sauce)

What is NOT Included?

• Items that are more than a single-serving (ex. a box of donuts)
• Items served in a Souvenir Container (popcorn or drinks)
• Items considered to be merchandise (bottle toppers, glow cubes, and bottle straps)

Non-Alcoholic Beverages

All guests 10 years of age or older can choose one non-alcoholic beverage (including specialty beverages where offered) with their meal.

Single-serving Non-Alcoholic Beverages on the Dining Plan include:

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

Alcoholic Beverages

All guests 21 years of age or more can choose between a non-alcoholic beverage and one single-serving alcoholic beverage (where offered) as part of their meal.

Single-serving Alcoholic Beverages on the Disney Dining Plan include:

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

Special Dining Experiences to Redeem Table Service Meals

Besides regular table service meals, the credits you receive with the Standard Disney Dining Plan can also be used for special dining experiences such as Signature Dining Restaurants, Character Meals, Dinner Shows, Pizza Pickup, and Private In-Room Dining.

Signature Dining Restaurants

When you use your dining credits at a Fine/Signature Dining Restaurant, there are a couple of things you need to know:

• Each meal includes 1 Entree, 1 Non-Alcoholic Drink or 1 Alcoholic Drink for guests 21 years of age and older, and 1 Dessert.
• Signature Dining Restaurants Require 2 Table Service Dining Credits per person.
• Upscale attire is required. Clothing should be clean, neat, and in good condition. No swimwear.

Character Dining

Most character meals at Walt Disney World only require 1 Table Service dining credit each. However, the following character service meals require 2 dining credits per person:

• Fairytale Dining at Cinderella’s Royal Table
• Princess Storybook Dining at Akershus Royal Banquet Hall (at lunch and dinner only)
• Story Book Dining at Artist Point with Snow White
• Merchandise or photo imaging products that may be offered for sale at Character dining experiences are not included. Gratuities are not included unless otherwise noted.

Dinner Shows

At dinner shows you can enjoy family-style dining with live entertainment at a themed restaurant. Dinner shows require 2 Table Service dining credits per person and require advance dining reservations.

The most popular dinner show at Walt Disney World is the Hoop Dee Doo Musical Revue, and we highly suggest going if you have never been before.

Private In-Room Dining

If you are staying at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, you can enjoy a convenient meal right from the comfort of your room.

Each private in-room dining meal on the Disney Dining Plan includes:

• 1 Entrée
• 1 Dessert (lunch and dinner)
• 1 Non-Alcoholic Beverage (or Alcoholic Beverage, for Guests 21 and older)

Pizza Pickup

Throughout Walt Disney World there are various quick service dining locations where you can get an entire family-size pizza. Each pizza meal is 2 dining credits and includes:

• 1 Large Pizza
• 2 Single-serving Nonalcoholic Beverages (or Alcoholic Beverages, for Guests 21 and older)

Locations, where you can get a Pizza Pickup Meal, include:

• 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
• Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – Riverside

List of Participating Restaurants

Here is a full list of the participating restaurants for the Quick Service Disney Dining Plan and the Regular Disney Dining Plan in 2024.

Table Service Restaurants:

• 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 Fast-Fire’d Pizza
• BoardWalk Deli – Now Open!
• The BOATHOUSE®: Great Food, Waterfront Dining, Dream Boats™
• 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 Grab & Go
• 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
• Connections 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
• End Zone Food Court
• Enzo’s Hideaway
• ESPN Wide World of Sports Grill – Temporarily Unavailable
• 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
• Narcoosees
• 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 Marketplace
• Rainforest Cafe® at Disney’s Animal Kingdom
• Refreshment Outpost
• Refreshment Port
• Regal Eagle Smokehouse: Craft Drafts & Barbecue
• 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 – Lounge
• Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater Restaurant
• Sebastian’s Bistro
• Siestas Cantina
• Silver Screen Spirits Pool Bar
• Singing Spirits Pool Bar
• Sleepy Hollow
• The 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 ™
• Tambu Lounge
• Tangierine Café: Flavors of the Medina
• Teppan Edo
• Terralina Crafted Italian
• Territory Lounge
• Three Bridges Bar and Grill at Villa del Lago
• 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 and 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 e 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

Quick Service Restaurants:

• 4 Rivers Cantina Barbacoa Food Truck
• ABC Commissary
• Amorette’s Patisserie
• Avalunch
• B.B. Wolf’s Sausage Co.
• Backlot Express
• Backstretch Pool Bar
• Barcelona Lounge
• Beach Club Marketplace
• Beaches Pool Bar & Grill
• Blaze Fast-Fire’d Pizza
• BoardWalk Deli – Now Open!
• Cafe Rix
• Capt. Cook’s
• Casey’s Corner
• Catalina Eddie’s
• Centertown Market Grab & Go
• Chicken Guy!
• Columbia Harbour House
• Connections Café
• Connections Eatery
• Contempo Café
• Cookes of Dublin
• Cooling Hut
• Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Café
• Courtyard Pool Bar
• Cove Bar
• Creature Comforts
• D-Luxe Burger
• Docking Bay 7 Food and Cargo
• Dockside Diner
• Earl Of Sandwich®
• El Mercado de Coronado
• End Zone Food Court
• ESPN Wide World of Sports Grill – Temporarily Unavailable
• Everything POP Shopping & Dining
• Fairfax Fare
• Fife & Drum Tavern
• Flame Tree Barbecue
• Gasparilla Island Grill
• Gaston’s Tavern
• Golden Oak Outpost
• Good’s Food to Go
• Grandstand Spirits
• Harambe Market
• Hurricane Hanna’s Waterside Bar and Grill
• Intermission Food Court
• Katsura Grill
• Kringla Bakeri Og Kafe
• La Cantina de San Angel
• Landscape of Flavors
• Leaning Palms
• Leaping Horse Libations
• Liberty Square Market
• Local Green Orlando Food Truck
• Lottawatta Lodge
• Lotus Blossom Café
• Lowtide Lou’s
• Main Street Bakery
• Maji Pool Bar
• Mardi Grogs
• Marketplace Snacks
• Meadow Snack Bar
• Morimoto Asia Street Food
• Muddy Rivers
• Oasis Bar & Grill
• Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn and Cafe
• Pepe by José Andrés
• Petals Pool Bar
• Pinocchio Village Haus
• Pizza Ponte
• Pizza Window
• Pizzafari
• PizzeRizzo
• Refreshment Outpost
• Refreshment Port
• Regal Eagle Smokehouse: Craft Drafts & Barbecue
• Restaurantosaurus
• Riverside Mill Food Court
• Roaring Fork
• Ronto Roasters
• Rosie’s All-American Café
• Sanaa Lounge
• Sassagoula Floatworks and Food Factory
• Satu’li Canteen
• Siestas Cantina
• Silver Screen Spirits Pool Bar
• Singing Spirits Pool Bar
• Sleepy Hollow
• Snack Shack
• Sommerfest
• Spyglass Grill
• Sunshine Seasons
• Surf Doggies
• Swirls on the Water
• Tangierine Café: Flavors of the Medina
• The Artist’s Palette
• The Chuck Wagon
• The Daily Poutine
• The Drop Off Pool Bar
• The Friar’s Nook
• The Lunching Pad
• The Mara
• The Market at Ale & Compass
• The Paddock Grill
• The Polite Pig
• The Sand Bar
• The Smokehouse at House of Blues
• The Trolley Car Café
• Tortuga Tavern
• Trail’s End Restaurant
• Turtle Shack Poolside Snacks
• Typhoon Tilly’s
• Warming Hut
• Woody’s Lunch Box
• Yak & Yeti™ Local Food Cafes
• YeSake Kiosk
• Yorkshire County Fish Shop

Did the Price Increase?

If there is one thing that is sure in this world, it’s that Disney will increase prices on its various offerings on a regular basis, and the Disney Dining Plan is getting a very hefty price increase when it comes back in 2024.

2024 Quick Service Disney Dining Plan Price Increases:

• 2024 Adult Price: $57.01
• 2020 Adult Price: $55.00
• 2024 Child Price: $23.83
• 2020 Child Price: $26

2024 Standard Disney Dining Plan Price Increases:

• 2024 Adult Price: $94.28
• 2020 Adult Price: $78.01
• 2024 Child Price: $29.69
• 2020 Child Price: $30.51

The price increase on the Quick Service Disney Dining Plan is minimal. Only a $2 increase per night for adults is definitely fair considering we are comparing the latest prices with old prices from 4 years ago.

On the other hand, the regular Disney Dining Plan went up in price an absurd amount and now costs $94.28 per night for adults, compared to $78.01. That’s an increase of $16.27 per night. If you have 4 adults in your family and are taking a 7-night Disney World vacation, that comes out to an increase of $455!

We knew the price would go up in 2024, we just didn’t know it would be this much!

Strangely enough, the price for children has actually DECREASED since 2020 from $26 to $23.83 on the QS DDP and from $30.51 to $29.69 for the standard DDP. So if you have children under 9, you are now getting a better value than you were in 2020.

There are a few reasons we felt strongly about a price increase.  The first reason is by looking at previous DDP price increases. 

Over the years the DDP has had increases on an almost yearly basis, and the last one from 2019 to 2020 saw an increase of almost $3 per guest per day across all plan types.

Secondly, the prices have increased for just about everything since the parks reopened.  Annual passes are more expensive than before costing as much as 15% more, plus without some of the previous perks. Regular theme park tickets increase on average every year between $3-5 per day, per guest.

Perhaps most scary of all is the hard-ticketed events such as the Halloween and Christmas parties increasing by almost $100 per person!

On top of all of this, the economy isn’t making things any easier and inflation has risen to the highest levels since the early 1980s.  The price of food has been hit incredibly hard with things like meat, poultry, fish, coffee, and eggs all skyrocketing over the last couple of years.  Of course, when this happens, it means higher prices for the consumer, and in this case theme park visitors.

Higher prices were already happening across the board the last time the Disney Dining Plan was offered, and they’ve reached astronomical numbers now.  In fact, over the last few months, we are already seeing Disney raise prices drastically on food and beverages throughout the parks.

It’s possible we could even see more price hikes across all menus at Walt Disney World by the time the DDP actually comes back next year.

Just over the past few months, we’ve seen another big increase on hundreds of food, drinks, and snacks throughout Disney World including Mickey Pretzels, Dole Whip, Churros, Soda, Popcorn, Ice Cream Bars, Alcoholic Drinks, and even Refillable Mugs. 

That’s not all. Almost every item at table service restaurants has also gone up significantly in price in the last few months.

Since all these food and drinks have increased in price on the regular menus, it makes sense for Disney to increase the cost of the Dining Plans.  In order for it to be as profitable for Disney as it has always been, they need to offset the newly increased cost of food with higher prices for the DDP.

How much will the Disney Dining Plan go up in price when it finally returns?  Normal increases are $2-$3 on an annual basis, and that is the very minimum of what to expect.  In fact, the Quick Service DDP has gone up by $2, and the Regular DDP has increase by more than $16.

It will be at least 3 years by the time we see the DDP again, and that means a bigger increase than usual.

You also have to factor in that inflation has brought dramatic increases in prices throughout the country, and the world for that matter, and Disney is going to have to increase the price of the Disney Dining Plan to keep up with menu prices.

Even though Disney hasn’t increased restaurant and food prices for the guests as much as the ingredients themselves have increased, there are enough guests who aren’t really interested in maximizing the value of the food they are getting, they just want the convenience and won’t flinch at the increase.

Old Disney Dining Plan Details

With there only being 2 different Disney Dining Plans available starting in 2024, this is a big change from before the program was halted.

When Disney Dining Plan was suspended in 2020, there were 4 different plan types guests could choose from depending on the specific budgets and appetites of each group.

These Disney Dining Plans included:

• Disney Quick Service Dining Plan
• Disney Standard Dining Plan
• Disney Dining Plan Plus
• Disney Deluxe Dining Plan

Here is the most recent info on the other two dining plans that are not coming back as of this time:

Disney Dining Plan Plus

• Prices:
  • Adult – $94.61
  • Child – $35.01

• Two dining credits per day that can be redeemed for either quick service or table service meals.
• Dining credits can also be used at character meals, buffets, signature dining, private in-room dining, and dinner shows.
• Guests under 21 years of age can choose one non-alcoholic beverage (including specialty beverages — i.e. Artisanal Milk Shakes,  Fresh Smoothies, Premium Hot Chocolates, or Soda, Coffee, or Tea — where offered). Guests 21 and older can choose either one non-alcoholic beverage (including specialty beverages where offered) or one single-serving mixed cocktail, beer, or wine (where offered) within their meal entitlement.
• Two snacks or non-alcoholic drinks per night of stay
• One Resort refillable drink mug per person, per package

Deluxe Disney Dining Plan

• Prices:
  • Adult – $119
  • Child – $47.50

• Three table service or quick service meals (table service includes appetizer, entrée, and dessert (lunch and dinner), OR full buffet); quick service includes entrée OR combo meal
• Guests under 21 years of age can choose one non-alcoholic beverage with their Quick Service and Table Service meal (including specialty beverages — i.e. Artisanal Milk Shakes,  Fresh Smoothies, Premium Hot Chocolates, or Soda, Coffee, or Tea — where offered). Guests 21 and older can choose either one non-alcoholic beverage (including specialty beverages where offered) or one single-serving mixed cocktail, beer, or wine (where offered) within their meal entitlement.
• Two snacks from a wide variety of options
• One resort refillable mug per person, per package

Other Changes

Besides an increase in price, what other changes could we eventually see with the Disney Dining Plan?  Will the system be completely overhauled or just a few modifications?

One reason they are taking so long could be that it’s getting a bigger overhaul than what we previously thought.  Right now, we don’t have the full list of restaurants that will be accepting the Disney Dining Plan, but we are likely to see some big changes there.

At least from what has been announced, guests will still be able to redeem Disney Dining Plan credits at Signature Restaurants and Buffets. Signature restaurants will still cost 2 dining credits, and from what we can tell, most of the old buffets will still only require 1 dining credit.

However, it’s possible Disney will reevaluate which restaurants cost 1-dining credit and which ones cost 2 credits.  Perhaps some of the buffets or character meals that previously were only 1 credit will get bumped up to 2 as with signature dining restaurants to maximize margins.

Since some of the buffets and character meals can get quite pricey, it’s possible some will no longer be available for the Disney Dining Plan, or at least not at only one credit.

One thing we would absolutely love to see is on-site resort guests get priority Advance Dining Reservations.  Especially now since it’s almost impossible to get a reservation to all your favorite restaurants, it would be a huge advantage to be able to book those restaurants before the general public.

Since the reasons for staying at a Walt Disney World Resort hotel have decreased in recent years, this could be an added incentive to get guests to stay on-site, ultimately increasing profits for the company.

So far, this has not been mentioned on Disney’s site, so it doesn’t look like this will happen after all.

Will it Be a Better Value Than Before?

Will changes to the Disney Dining Plan mean a better value for guests when it comes back?  In our experience, it’s unlikely.

Back in the day, the Disney Dining Plan was a more economical way to pay for food when going to Disney World and each guest would save a significant amount of money. That hasn’t been the case for years and in most cases, it’s almost impossible to save money using the dining plan.

With pretty much everything that Disney has brought back in the last couple of years, 99% of it has been more expensive than before the closure of the parks.  Even free services like FastPass+ have now changed to paid ones with the introduction of the Genie Plus system.

When was the last time Disney did something to actually SAVE guests money?  I’ll keep waiting.

In fact, the cost-cutting has already occurred in the 2024 Disney Dining Plan with snacks being reduced from 2 snacks per guest, per night, to now only 1 snack each. Right there is a loss of at least $4-$6 per day.

Now more than ever with shareholders demanding higher margins, most of the decisions the company is making are about increasing profits, and not necessarily providing actual value for the consumer.

For example, on a company conference call some months ago, Disney CFO Christine McCarthy was asked what the parks are doing to combat inflation.  Her response revealed everything:

“We can adjust suppliers. We can substitute products. We can cut portion sizes, which is probably good for some people’s waistlines. We can look at pricing where necessary.  We aren’t going to go just straight across and increase prices.”

“We’re going to try to get the algorithm right to cut where we can and not necessarily do things the same way. We’re producing technology to produce some of the operating costs. That allows us to absorb some inflation. We’re trying to use our heads here to come up with a way to kind of mitigate some of the challenges that we have.”

Since those comments, Disney has already raised prices on food in the parks, but even if they don’t raise the cost of the DDP too much, they could make portion sizes smaller overall.  This lowers the cost for Disney, and at the same time, guests aren’t scared away.

We’ve already noticed the shrinking snack sizes for some time and it’s likely we will see that trend continue, and smaller portion sizes bring worse value.  It means, in the end, you are still paying more for the amount of food you get.

We’ve also seen this trend with all the new prix fixe menus introduced in Disney restaurants of late.  Places like La Crêperie de Paris, Cinderella’s Royal Table, and the California Grill all offer meals for a set price no matter what you order.  Usually, it’s some combination of appetizers, entrees, and desserts for one set price.

This is similar to the DDP and beneficial for Disney in 90% of the cases.  Usually, the price is based on the more expensive items on the menu, and guests only get value if they order those items.  Since the price is the same no matter what you order, if you feel like chicken or a vegetarian option, you aren’t going to get the same bang for your buck as if you were to order the beef.

Hence the reason why guests end up overpaying most of the time and it’s worth it for Disney.

Along the same line, we usually do not recommend getting the Disney Dining Plan.  We are all about saving people as much money as possible, and the dining plan won’t do that for 95% of the guests.  Remember, it’s all about convenience and that is likely to never change.

That said, the increase in prix fixe menus in restaurants across Disney World could be another reason why we see the Dining Plan return. The structure of these meals and the fact they already have a set price makes them easy to integrate with the Dining Plan.

Our Thoughts On the Disney World Dining Plan Returning in 2024

Even though we don’t personally use the Disney Dining Plan much on our trips, we are ecstatic to see it return to Walt Disney World once again! We know that millions of guests love it for its simplicity when visiting a place that is always more and more complicated.

When Disney first mentioned the dining plan coming back in 2021, I didn’t think it would take another 2 whole years to get a return date, but finally, here we are.

One clue that it wasn’t going to be permanently eliminated is the fact that most of the new menus during the EPCOT festivals like Food and Wine or Flower and Garden still feature the DDP symbol next to each eligible item.  That confirmed to us that they hadn’t forgotten about the DDP and they planned on using it going forward.

The most important reason they are bringing the Disney Dining Plan back is that it’s an incredibly lucrative source of money for Disney when it’s running.

Some people think that Disney got rid of the Dining Plan to save money and cut costs.  While that has certainly been the case for just about every other aspect regarding the Disney theme parks, that is not the case with the DDP.

It’s actually quite the opposite, the Disney Dining Plan doesn’t cost the company money, it makes them tons of it and it has been a huge revenue source for years.  Even though many guests like the convenience of the DDP, Disney is really the one who benefits the most as it guarantees guests are going to spend a high amount of money on food and drinks during their trip.

Another reason to keep the Dining Plan around is that it keeps guests on-site instead of wandering off to Universal or any of the dozens of attractions in the Orlando area.  And if they decide to go off-site anyway, it’s no problem for Disney, they are collecting your money for dining anyway since you already paid upfront.

Disney also makes a ton of money by getting on-site third-party restaurants to carry the DDP, such as the ones at Disney Springs and in EPCOT.  When a guest uses the Dining Plan at a third-party restaurant, Disney pays that restaurant a flat fee for each credit that is redeemed.

For example, Disney might pay the restaurant $30 per dining credit used, but in reality, the guest is ordering $40 or $45 worth of food.  That money has already been paid to Disney up-front before the vacation, so Disney is making $10-$15 profit on each dining credit spent at a given restaurant. 

That’s pure profit since Disney is not the one paying the restaurant staff or paying for the ingredients to make the food. Simply put, the Dining Plan is a tool that Disney uses to attract guests to stay at the resorts and to spend money on food and beverages.

The announcement of it coming back was part of a larger announcement of Disney simplifying the vacation experience as they announced Park Pass Reservations will no longer be required for most ticket types, and even Annual Passholders get certain days where reservations are not necessary.

The Genie Plus service has been a bone of contention from guests, so Disney also announced changes are coming there which will allow guests to make some ride reservations ahead of time and not have to do everything in the park.

Since Bob Iger has taken back the reigns of the company, Disney has made a concerted effort to make things simpler for guests and now the Disney Dining Plan certainly helps do that as well.

It’s also possible we are close once again to another snack price increase that we talked about earlier. Historically, price increases tend to happen right around the same time Disney Dining Plan announcements are made, so I’d expect prices to go up sometime this summer or in the fall at the latest.

Guests seeing all their favorite foods suddenly become more expensive can be a good incentive for them to consider buying the DDP as it appears to be a “better value” since they are included.

The biggest impediment to bringing back the Dining Plan in recent months was the lack of available Advance Dining Reservations across Walt Disney World.  The problem is no longer a lack of open restaurants as the vast majority have reopened once again.

Dining reservations are also much less difficult to get at pretty much every Disney World restaurant over the last month or so. In the winter we were only able to get about half the restaurants on our list for our trip, for example.

However, over the last month, it’s gotten much easier to get reservations, even at hard-to-get restaurants like Be Our Guest, California Grill, and Cinderella’s Royal Table. They must feel confident this will continue through 2024 when the Disney Dining Plan returns.

The biggest reason this was happening was a lack of staff at each restaurant.  Walt Disney World has been going through an extremely difficult labor shortage since the reopening, the number of chefs and waitstaff currently running these restaurants just hasn’t been enough to fill the current demand.

There has been some improvement in these areas in recent months.  Disney started up the College Program again which has helped to bring in new help, and menus have expanded in the last 12 months which means Disney is able to handle more than they had been able to.

The company has also stepped up its bonus program and is being much more aggressive when looking for new help.  Disney is currently offering hiring bonuses from $3,000 to $6,000, and up to $1,000 for current Cast Members who refer people that become employees.

Disney must be confident that they will have all these staffing issues sorted out now. Either that or demand is just that weak at the moment and into next year.

I don’t have any insider info on Walt Disney World hotel booking stats, but this may have been a big factor in deciding to finally bring back the dining plan at this time.

With a recession and economic hardship looking more and more likely over the next couple of years, it might be a good draw to get people to come back to the parks and boost resort hotel room bookings. We know many people have been waiting to book until this came back, so this may be something that nudges them into making a decision.

Who knows, if things get really slow, they may even bring back popular services like Free Dining which always boosts attendance.

I also am happy Dinsey made the announcement this early on. Early May is weeks before the new Walt Disney World vacation packages go on sale, and we are months away from the return date in January 2024. This gives people enough time to decide if they want it or not, and then get dining reservations.

Bringing it back sometime in 2023 gives them more time to get staffing issues worked out, and get third-party contracts in place.  There is no real way for us to accurately predict it right now because a number of world conditions could change those plans.

We have no doubt that Disney now feels that they are able to support the Dining Plan and make it profitable for them, and that’s why they are bringing it back.  Now we just have to wait for more of the details to see if it’s worth it or not.

We’ll have more Disney Dining Plan news and info coming soon, so stay tuned.

To make sure you are informed right when it happens, sign up for our FREE Weekly E-Mail Newsletter. There we bring you all the latest updates about the Disney Dining Plan and our best vacation planning tips. You can sign up here: Join our E-Mail Newsletter

Here are some more of our most useful Dinsey World planning posts:

• The Complete Disney World Planning Guide
• Disney World Crowd Calendar
• Best Times to Visit Disney World

Your Thoughts

I want to know what you think about the Disney Dining Plan returning to Walt Disney World…

• Are you happy it’s coming back?
• What changes would you like to see made?

Let us know in the comments section below!

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