Hi Tracey,
We are delighted that you brought this great Disney Dining Plan question to us! My family loves the
Disney Dining Plans so I am happy to discuss!
The benefits of the
current
Disney Dining Plan include one quick-service and one table-service entitlement along with two snacks or non-alcoholic beverages per night of stay for each person on the dining plan. Your daughter and you will each also receive one resort-refillable mug. Although your dining plan entitlements are calculated per night of stay, you can use them in whichever order you wish. So, if you do not use any entitlements on the first night of your trip, you can use those on the next day. Just make sure to make your restaurant plans and calculate the number of entitlements for each meal prior to your trip. I create a chart with all of our restaurant plans to make sure that we do not exhaust all of our dining plan entitlements prior to the day we checkout of the resort hotel. We always save at least one meal entitlement each for that last day.
For a three-night stay on the Disney Dining Plan, you should receive six dining entitlements (three quick-service and three table-service) and six snack entitlements each. If you do not use any entitlements on the first day, you could use two on the second day, two on the third day, and two on the day you checkout of the resort hotel. If you have an early checkout on the last day, consider doing breakfast, lunch, and dinner on the other days OR, dine at a
signature restaurant that requires two table-service entitlements. We love to dine atop Disney's Contemporary Resort at
California Grill during the Happily Ever After fireworks or at
Cinderella's Royal Table.
So, yes, I still think it would be worth it because there is flexibility in how and when you use your dining plan entitlements. Just do not forget those snack entitlements. If you do not use all of your snack entitlements prior to leaving, stop by a gift shop or quick-service dining location at your resort and pick up the remaining snacks to take with you keeping in mind any airline regulations regarding food and beverage items if you are traveling by plane. On our last trip, we did not use all of our snack entitlements, so we brought snacks home. Finally, be sure you make
advanced dining reservations. Some restaurants may have no availability when you arrive!
Tracey, sending pixie dust as you plan some delectable dining!
Magic and memories,
Donyell