Hi there, Nadia, and welcome back to planDisney! I'm so thankful and thrilled that you've made us your go-to source of Walt Disney World Resort vacation planning advice! As you know, my Panelist pals and I are here and always happy to help our fellow Guests.
Nadia, I have to let you know that I'm a huge fan of
dining plans at Walt Disney World Resort. Not only do they provide me with a ton of value, they make my vacation more enjoyable because it feels a little more all-inclusive. The ability to plan and budget ahead of time is great for my family, and we always feel like having a dining plan encourages us to try new dining experiences during our visit.
On the day you check in to your
Disney Resorts Collection hotel, you'll be able to open up your
My Disney Experience Mobile App and see that you have a set number of meals, snacks, and Resort-Refillable Mugs, depending on the number of Guests in your room and the length of your stay. These will be shown to you as a lump sum for your room, so you'll be able to see the total number of remaining meals and snacks that everyone in your party has been allocated for your visit (they will not be divided out per Guest). These meals and snacks are intended to be used by the Guests in your room. Happily, you'll still be able to enjoy a meal alongside your daughter, even if she's not using a dining plan. All you need to do is inform your Server how many dining plan meals you'll be using, and which guests will be paying with a different method.
Nadia, you'll be able to use your meals and snacks at any time during your visit, up until midnight on the day you check out. I tend to use a lot of my snacks at
EPCOT, and not as many at other places. It's so great to be able to have control over where you use your meals and snacks!
If you're planning to eat at a
Character Dining location, be sure to book an
Advance Dining Reservation 60 days before the day you check in, to secure your seat. My family loves
Tusker House Restaurant at
Disney's Animal Kingdom Theme Park, with the amazing African and Indian-inspired buffet and table-side visits from some of our favorite Disney Characters dressed in their safari best.
I hope you have a great time during your upcoming vacation! If you'd like any recommendations on where to find amazing meals and snacks during your visit, you have a friend in me! Please stop back by planDisney anytime!
See you real soon!
Jennifer