Hi Darshana!
Welcome to planDisney with a question that allows us to "dish" on one of my favorite topics - dining! One of my favorite days leading up to a Walt Disney World Resort vacation is
when my dining reservations open. In fact, there are so many delicious choices when dining around the parks and resorts that sometimes my hardest decision is which restaurants to visit during my stay!
Darshana, the
Disney Dining Plan and the
Disney Quick-Service Dining Plan are both great options that offer convenience and flexibility for guests. Whether you prefer to dine on the go as you race through the parks or like to slow down and enjoy a table-service restaurant each day, there is sure to be a choice that fits your vacation style. When you
add a dining plan to your vacation package, you must do so for all guests three and older in the reservation. Your two-year-old would be welcome to share from the other plates or dine at a buffet location for free, but if you would like to order him his own meal or food items, you would need to pay for those separately.
Many
character dining options offer all-you-care-to-enjoy menus which would make them free for your little Mouseketeer. Since most of these are also available to redeem as 1 Table-Service meal on the Disney Dining Plan for adults and kids three and over, I think they are a great value! Not only will everyone get to fill up with a wonderful meal, but it's also a perfect time to meet lots of characters without waiting in lines at the parks. One of my favorite options for character dining is
Garden Grill Restaurant at EPCOT. Rather than offering a traditional buffet, your food will be served family style so you don't need to worry about getting up and down from the table with a toddler during your meal. The food is wonderful and, while characters may change, we've had the chance to meet Mickey, Pluto, Chip, and Dale in their adorable farmer outfits.
When you're planning out your meals, you can always check ahead of time if the restaurant is included in the dining plan and how many meals will be redeemed at
Table-Service locations on the Walt Disney World Resort website or in your
My Disney Experience Mobile App. Simply search for your desired restaurant and click to view accepted dining plans. Once you have arrived for your vacation and completed the check-in process for your resort, you'll also be able to view and track your available dining plan meals and snacks through the app. I'm also happy to share that you can still use
Mobile Food and Beverage Ordering with the dining plans as well!
Darshana, I hope this information helps you plan for a vacation filled with lots of delicious food and magical memories! Remember that you are always welcome to be our guest here at planDisney and we hope you stop by to see us again real soon!
Bon Appétit!
Kristi