Hiya, Nan! Thanks for your question.
Oh, how I wish I could tell you that I know exactly when the
Disney Dining Plans will return. I know for an awful lot of guests, having a dining plan attached to their vacation package is an integral part of a
Walt Disney World vacation. We just don't know yet when it will be back. It will be, we just don't know when.
In the meantime, Nan, a fellow panelist had a pretty awesome idea for budgeting for your meals while at Walt Disney World. Check out the menus of some of the
dining experiences you think your family would like to try on your upcoming trip. Get a rough estimate of the budget based on your menu preferences. Then you can purchase
Disney Gift Cards that you use just for meals and snacks. It will help keep you from going over the budget you set for food on your vacation.
You might be able to get a bit of a discount on those gift cards, Nan. If you shop at any of the warehouse stores, some of them sell Disney Gift Cards in packs at about a 5% discount. Another option is to buy them from the big box store with a "red card" discount. It'll help stretch the meal budget a bit further.
Keep an eye on the
Disney Parks Blog, Nan. There's a lot of time before your vacation, and if news breaks of the return of the dining plan, you will find it there.
Happy planning!
Anna