Hi Shannon,
Welcome back to planDisney! I am so glad to see you stopping by with another great question!
At this time, I am sorry to say that we do not yet have a date for the availability of
Disney Dining Plans. I can, however, say that I share your joy in hoping they return soon! My family always purchased a Disney Dining or Disney Deluxe Dining Plan in the past. I loved that it gave me a clear sense of our food costs for the trip so that I could budget accordingly.
If dining plans are not available for the time of your trip and you want to budget, I suggest that you select the restaurants you plan to visit, review the available menus, and estimate prices from there. To see the menus, go to the homepage for the restaurant and click on "View Menu." For example, Chef Mickey's is one of our must-do restaurants on each trip. Since we normally enjoy breakfast there, I check the
breakfast menu to review the menu items and price. Another one of our favorite restaurants is Cinderella's Royal Table. Since we usually enjoy dinner there, I check their
dinner menu.
Before I round out our dining budget if we are not using a dining plan, I also estimate the cost of drinks and desserts since we would have to pay for those separately at many restaurants. I also consider the cost of a few of our favorite snacks. And, finally, I estimate the tips for the fabulous Cast Members who serve us! Once you have the budget estimated, make sure you make
advanced dining reservations when your
dining reservation window opens.
Shannon, I do not consider myself a foodie, but my family loves to eat! Keep your eye on the
dining updates as you prepare for your trip. I am sending a little extra pixie dust trusting that you are able to make all of your dining plans!
Magic and memories,
Donyell