• On Jun 25, 2018
    Sylvia from TX Asked Note: This answer was provided prior to the change to planDisney and may still contain references to Disney Parks Moms Panel.

    Experiences, policies, pricing and other offerings are subject to change and may have changed since the date of this answer.

    With the dining plan how will I know what is covered and what is not? Will i have to come out of pocket frequently or only for tips? Trying to get this budget exact. Thank you!

    Hi Sylvia,

    Welcome to the Disney Parks Moms Panel! I am happy to hear that you are using one of the Disney Dining Plans

    My family has used the Disney Dining Plan and the Disney Deluxe Dining Plan. We used the Disney Dining Plan when our girls were younger. At that time, one quick-service and one table-service meal entitlement per night of stay were perfect for our family. I would take breakfast snacks with us and we used our resort refillable mugs to grab coffee or juice in the morning before we left the resort. Now that our girls are older, we prefer the Disney Deluxe Dining Plan because of the additional meal entitlements it includes.

    I have two strategies to better estimate food costs. First, be sure to make advanced dining reservations. Then, check the restaurant menus to get an idea of your food options. My family always reviews the menus and decides which entrée and dessert we would like prior to our trips. To view a restaurant's menu, go the restaurant's home page and click on View Menu. The Coral Reef Restaurant dinner menu will give you a good idea of the typical menu structure. The cast member who serves you will explain what is included on the dining plan. We stick to what is included so that we only pay for tips!

    Second, I check the number of meal entitlements required for each restaurant. When we dined at Cinderella's Royal Table on the Disney Dining Plan once, I paid for the girls out of pocket because that dining experience required two table-service meal entitlements.

    Sylvia, also create a chart of all of your meals along with the number of meal entitlements each meal will require. Remember, your total number of meals is based on the number of nights you stay! 

    Magic, memories and Minnie Mouse hugs,
    Donyell
thumbnail image for Donyell

Meet the Panelist: Donyell, North Carolina

Hello from North Carolina! I am a mom of twin girls, wife, and university professor who has been inspired by the creativity of Disney for a lifetime. Since my first Disney visit when I was 12-years-old, I have been drawn to the adventures crafted by Disney Imagineers. Planning Disney vacations helps connect me to families who will find in Disney the kind of joy my family has experienced over the years. Allow me to help you map your own Disney journey so that you, too can create the memories of a lifetime! Learn More About Donyell

Didn't find what you were looking for? Click the Ask a Question button to open the Ask a Question dialogue box. If you are not logged in a dialogue box will appear to signin in order to ask a question.

To submit your question, please log in now if you have not already done so.

Ask a QuestionOpens the Ask a Question dialog box.
x

Update Browser

For a better experience browsing this website, please download an updated version of Internet Explorer.


Or you can continue browsing without updating.