Hi Ian!
I am so glad you stopped by with your question!
Ian, a phrase I like to live by while vacationing at The Most Magical Place on Earth is
calories don’t count at Disney! Disney food is one of my most favorite topics because there is so much variety for even the pickiest of eaters. I like to plan our vacations around the food we’ll be eating at
Walt Disney World Resort. I adore
Disney Dining Plans because they offer value and flexibility for my family. Having the peace of mind that I don’t have to think about crunching the numbers makes my vacation feel truly like a vacation. Since our meals are already budgeted for our trip, I’m spending more time relaxing (and eating!).
The idea behind including a Disney Dining Plan is that you pay for a select number of meals and snacks as part of your total package price, then use them throughout your stay. These are based on the number of nights of stay. You receive those as a grand total at check-in and you can use them however you like from that point forward until midnight on the day you check out.
There are four wonderful options to choose from when thinking about a Disney Dining Plan, but since you’ve asked about the
Disney Deluxe Dining Plan, I’m going to focus on that!
The first thing you must ask yourself if whether or not a Disney Deluxe Dining Plan is worth it for your family is knowing how much food your family likes to eat. The Disney Deluxe Dining Plan includes 3 meals per day, which could be too much food for some families, and just the perfect amount for others! My family loves to try the several character dining experiences; and when my husband and I go on a couple’s trip, we love to spoil ourselves with signature dining experiences.
California Grill is one of my absolute favorites! You could also take advantage and reserve some fun
dinner shows! -Keep in mind, these are subject to availability. Another thing you will need to ask yourself is how much time are you wanting to spend at meals. If your family is the type that wants to try to ride all the attractions, rather than an hour and a half relaxing and enjoying a leisurely meal, you’ll want to keep that in mind.
When it was available, the 2020 Disney Resort Hotel Package with Deluxe Dining plan was less than $121 per night per person for ages 10 to adult and less than $50 per night per person for ages 3 to 9. Keep in mind that prices are subject to change, but it's a great way to save time with planning!
Ian, I would encourage you to keep checking the
Walt Disney World Resort Operations page for all updates, including for announcements like when our beloved Disney Dining Plans are being offered again!
Bon appétit!
Aena