Hi Dawn, and welcome back to the Disney Parks Moms Panel.
I am a huge fan of the
2018 Disney Dining Plan. The expanded beverage options really worked well for my family – my husband and I enjoyed having cocktails with our dinner, and the kids loved ordering smoothies, milkshakes, and lemonade with their meals.
Dawn, I don’t think there is an official dollar limit on the value of your Disney Dining Plan beverage, but there are some restrictions. For example, when I ordered a Lapu Lapu, which comes served in a pineapple, my server told me that the drink was included in the Dining Plan, but if I wanted it served in the pineapple rather than a glass there was an additional charge (totally worth it to me). Similarly, souvenir cups and glow cubes are not included, so you would need to pay extra for those. Because menu items change from restaurant to restaurant, my advice is to check with your server if you want to be absolutely sure what is included. I found the Cast Members to be super helpful – they understand that the Dining Plans can be confusing, and want to help you enjoy every magical moment of your vacation.
As for Quick-Service beverage items, you’ll find a wide variety of options. In the theme parks, your options will vary depending on location. In the resorts, Resort Refillable Mug stations include the soda fountain machine, along with coffee, tea, and hot chocolate. We stayed at Disney’s Art of Animation Resort, and we were able to order smoothies and coffee beverages to go with our Quick-Service meals there. You’ll also find single-serve beer, wine, and spirits in Resort Quick-Service refrigerated cases for Guests 21 and older, and there were milk and milk alternatives as well as a variety of juice and other beverage choices. My family loved trying new drinks each day!
Wishing you a magical vacation,
Robyn