Welcome to
planDisney, Greg! A fellow fan of
Disney Dining Plans here, and I, too, miss purchasing a Dining Plan to budget for our meals in advance. I have made a few trips to
Walt Disney World without the Dining Plan, so let me offer you some tricks and tips that I have discovered to help budget for some incredible dining experiences during your Walt Disney World vacation.
The
Dining: Know Before You Go page states, “At this time, Disney Dining Plans are not available.” “Check back soon for more information.” I hope the use of the word soon means we will see the return of Dining Plans “real soon!” Until Disney announces that Dining Plans have returned, or we receive a date when we can expect Dining Plans to be available again, I highly recommend purchasing
Disney Gift Cards. You can buy Disney Gift Cards in increments, setting them aside to either use for dining while on vacation in Walt Disney World or to pay to add the Dining Plan to your vacation package if it becomes available before your vacation in March 2022. To create a budget for meals, I look at the menus of the
restaurants we would like to dine in and come up with an approximation of how much a meal would be. I factor in other costs, such as snacks and beverages throughout the vacation. It becomes my goal to purchase Disney Gift Cards until I reach that amount.
I hope this information helps you feel confident about booking a vacation to
The Most Magical Place on Earth next spring! I hope we see the Dining Plans return before then, but if not, feel confident that you can budget in advance by purchasing Disney Gift Cards.
-Angie