Hi Jennifer,
Welcome to the Disney Parks Moms Panel! I am delighted that you brought this question to us! The
Disney Dining Plans have helped us to try different food experiences at the Walt Disney World Resort so I am always happy to discuss them.
Yes, you can certainly use your dining plan credits on check-in and checkout days. At the start of your trip, your dining plan credits are loaded onto your account. You can use them in any order you see fit. Since I do not want to run out of credits, I always plan carefully to be sure we have one meal on the day we arrive and one on the day we depart. The number of meal credits is based on the number of nights you are staying.
Also, be sure to check the number of meal credits required at each restaurant. On the Deluxe Dining Plan, we like to eat at a few signature restaurants like Cinderella's Royal Table. Those typically require two meal credits per person. To check the number of meal credits required, just go to the
Dining List, select a restaurant, then click on the link that says "Some Dining Plans Accepted."
Jennifer, my family always uses the complimentary
Walt Disney World Resort Transportation. Each transportation option has hours of operation. For bus service, return service to Disney resort hotels continues two hours after park closing. Water transportation really depends on water conditions, so I suggest you check on water taxi service when you arrive. The Resort Monorail generally operates an hour after the last park closes. When I went in June, we caught the bus back to the resort after doing the late-night Extra Magic Hours on Pandora!
Magic, memories and Minnie Mouse hugs,
Donyell