It's great to see you here today at the Disney Parks Moms Panel, Deborah! I'm so glad that you came to ask about dining at the lounges inside some of the Table-Service restaurants at Walt Disney World Resort, which is one of the best ways to spend an evening in my opinion. There are some legendary lounges out there to enjoy, like
Victoria Falls Lounge at
Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge and
Tune-In Lounge at
Disney's Hollywood Studios which are two of my favorites, so let's dive right in and talk about dining there and what forms of payment are accepted.
Deborah, at the moment there are not any lounges at which you can use your
Disney Dining Plan. Depending on which Dining Plan you've selected, your credits are able to be redeemed for either a Quick-Service meal, Table-Service meal, or Snacks at participating dining locations and most lounges don't serve those types of meals. You'll usually be able to order from a selection of small plates and appetizers as well as a menu of cocktails, but you likely will not be able to use a Dining Plan credit to pay for them. Menus do rotate with the seasons, so it may be possible that dishes may be added that you could use a Table-Service credit for, so I recommend that you keep checking the menus of your favorite places in the weeks leading up to your vacation to see if any changes have been made.
Sharing some appetizers and enjoying a few drinks is usually a fun and cost-effective way to enjoy the world-class cuisine of a signature restaurant, and
Nomad Lounge at
Disney's Animal Kingdom and
Cítricos Lounge at
Disney's Grand Floridian Resort and Spa are some of the best places to do that. My family and I like to combine a few Table-Service credits to dine at signature restaurants when we're on vacation, so when we've run out of Dining Plan credits we'll venture over to some of those incredible lounges to enjoy some delicious gourmet food without needing a reservation!
I hope this answers your question, Deborah, and please let us know if there's anything else we can do to help you plan your magical vacation.
Jessica