Hello, Cheryl!
Welcome to the Disney Parks Moms Panel! It's great to have you here! I hope that we can help you many times before each magical vacation ahead.
I already love to assist you because you're a planner
and you have your eye on the lounges. To me, they're
perfect for a few light dinners, as their portions are not as large as those served at the Signature restaurants. I also tend to visit lounges whenever I have a spontaneous day and I don't want to have fixed times for dining reservations.
I
love lounges precisely because they don't serve full meals and allow you to taste samples of various flavors, but that's also the reason why they historically don't accept
Dining Plan meal credits. Your Dining Plan credits cover snacks or full meals at Table Service restaurants and Quick Service locations. The (
surprising) bites you will have at the lounges are right between these two types of meals, and that's why they're such a perfect fit for travelers on the Dining Plan.
The
Sanaa Lounge, at
Disney's Animal Kingdom Villas - Kidani Village, is one of my favorites. Their Indian-style Bread Service is fantastic and ideal to pair with a refreshing bottle of wine or a good beer. It's a generous serving that's great for a couple, so plan to enjoy the multiple flavor combinations over a good talk. The
Enchanted Rose, at
Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, is also phenomenal. The
Truffle Fries and the Crab Macaroni & Cheese are surreally good, and pair wonderfully with cocktails. My favorite cocktail there is The French 75: it's refreshing and fantastic for the Florida heat.
Dining Plans are not currently offered because of the precautions presently in place to keep both Guests and Cast Members safe at the
Walt Disney World Resort, though. While this may change in the future, it's wise to have a plan that doesn't include the Dining Plan, just in case these precautions are still in place in January.
I hope that you have many, many incredible bites at the lounges at the Walt Disney World Resort, dear Cheryl! And if you have any other questions before your January trip, please don't hesitate to come back. We will always be here to help!
May the magic be with you,
Julie