What's the Dining Plan Option?
Admissions to the Disney World theme parks are called "Magic Your Way" tickets and come in several types. The Magic Your Way base ticket, for example, gives admission to just one theme park per day, while the popular "ParkHopper" ticket lets guests visit multiple theme parks every day.
Guests can also buy a number of different Magic Your Way packages that include accommodation at a Disney World resort, theme park tickets, a dining option, and several other features (such as discounts on boat rentals at Disney World marinas, discounts on miniature golf or at the kids' clubs at Disney World resorts, and more.)
With the Dining Plan option, guests get daily meals and can choose from over 100 Disney restaurants in the theme parks, or at Disney World resorts, or in Downtown Disney.
For each day, guests get one quick-service meal, one snack, and one table-service meal. Kids age 3 to 9 must choose from the children's menu if available. Guests can also trade meals on the Dining Plan for higher-level dining experiences -- see more about the Disney Dining Plan.
There's also a less expensive option, the Disney Quick-Service Dining Plan: guests have a choice of over 50 restaurants and get 2 Quick-Service meals and snacks per day plus one "Resort Refillable Drink Mug" (refillable at the guest's Disney World resort.) A quick-service meal for lunch or dinner includes one entree or one complete combo meal, one dessert, and one non-alcoholic beverage.
Guests can choose a Deluxe Dining Package too-- read more about all these Magic Your Way Packages plans at the Disney World website. Another good source of info is AllEars.Net which covers all the fine points about the packages including the dining plans.
Tip: Disney World restaurants participating in the Free Dining option may get full to capacity, so use Advance Reservations to book your meals, the earlier the better!
Remember, the Dining Plan options are only available when guests are buying a package that includes a stay at a Disney World Resort! And on that topic...
Perks of Staying at Disney World Resorts
Disney World is a vast destination -- its area is the size of Boston -- that includes over twenty themed resorts. Guests can choose from several types of resorts: Deluxe resorts, with superb decor, fine dining, evening kids' club, spa, and a concierge level; Deluxe Villas, that have suites with kitchens; Moderate resorts with large grounds and great recreation, and Value resorts that have fun theming and guestrooms that sleep four at a very reasonable price.
At all these properties, guests get the same perks of staying at a Disney World Resort. These nice perks include:
- Extra Magic Hours;: each day, one of the theme parks opens one hour early and/or stays open 3 hours late, exclusively for guests at Disney Resorts
- Disney’s Magical Express: complimentary round-trip motor coach transportation and luggage delivery service from Orlando International Airport to your Disney Resort hotel. (Book this service in advance).
- complimentary buses throughout Walt Disney World
- parcel delivery from theme park shops to your Resort
- assured entrance to the theme parks on busy days
