Hi Shelby, and thanks for bringing your question to planDisney. There’s nothing more magical than planning a Disney vacation, so let’s talk about the
free dining promotion!
This special offer is available when you purchase a nondiscounted Walt Disney Travel Company package that includes minimum four-day
Park Hopper theme park tickets and a four-night resort hotel stay for select dates this year. So if your theme park tickets and resort hotel stay were purchased separately, you wouldn’t be eligible for the free dining promotion. However, there are many amazing resort hotel deals available for dates throughout the year. Be sure to check out the
Special Offers page on the Disney World website to see what’s available.
There are also lots of perks that you’ll get as a
Disney Resort hotel guest, including one that’s brand new for this year—
complimentary water park admission on check-in day! It’s my new favorite way to kick off the vacation and relax after a busy travel morning!
Another great benefit is the extra time you get in the theme parks. With
Early Theme Park Entry, you can get into all four theme parks 30 minutes before other guests. Riding a few attractions with lower wait times is the perfect way to start the day! If you’re staying at a Deluxe Resort hotel or Deluxe villa, you’ll also get access to
Extended Evening Theme Park Hours.
And if you’re planning to purchase
Lightning Lane Passes, Disney Resort hotel guests can start making selections up to seven days before your check-in date for your length of stay (up to 14 days). This is a huge advantage when it comes to snagging hard-to-get Lightning Lane selections for popular attractions like
Tiana’s Bayou Adventure and
Slinky Dog Dash!
Finally, you might also meet some Disney pals when you’re hanging out at your resort hotel. It used to take a bit of pixie dust to run into these characters, but recently I’ve seen signs listing specific days and times in the lobbies. If you don’t see one, check with the front desk to see if they have the schedule. It’s a lot of fun to interact with the characters in this more casual setting versus meeting them in the formal meet and greets in the parks. One of my favorite core memories is watching my nephew play with Chip ’n’ Dale at the
BoardWalk Inn!
I’m wishing you a wonderful stay at the Most Magical Place on Earth! If you have any other questions, we’d love to have you back at planDisney.
JoAnna