Hello Jennifer! Welcome to the Disney Parks Moms Panel.
Whenever my family wants to focus an upcoming Walt Disney World Resort vacation on exploring the delicacies and thematic wonderlands of the Dining Locations, we seriously consider the added benefit and efficiency of a
Disney Dining Plan.
When making
Advanced Dining Reservations for a Walt Disney World Resort vacation, it is best to think of the Disney Dining Plan as a separate entity that can be applied when you like, regardless of Advanced Dining Reservations. If you have not pre-linked Disney Dining Plan credits to specific Advanced Dining Reservations through your
My Disney Experience Account, you can request to redeem them before or after your actual meal.
Most of the time, the Cast Member who serves your table will inquire if you are using a Disney Dining Plan immediately after they introduce themselves at the table. Even if you wait until your meal is complete, you can easily request that a meal is redeemed using Disney Dining Plan credits.
You can also choose to pay out of pocket at the time of your meal if you change your mind and wish to save your Disney Dining Plan credits for a future experience. I have frequently done this after the bill for a meal is much less than I expected and would rather redeem my credits for a future experience.
Bon Appétit!
~Todd