Hi Carol!
Thanks for stopping by with your question about the
Disney Dining Plan - I'm happy to help.
My husband and I love how the Disney Dining Plan takes the guesswork out of budgeting for our meals on a Walt Disney World Resort vacation. We're able to relax and enjoy ourselves without having to worry about paying out of pocket for every meal! With a quick tap of one of our MagicBands, we're able to pay for our dining experiences using our meal plan entitlements - so much better than reaching for one of our wallets every time.
With the Disney Dining Plan, the guests in your party receive a certain number of meal/snack entitlements per day, depending on the dining plan you choose. The entitlements will not be assigned to specific guests, and can be used any way you like. You will have access to, and can use any and all of your meal allotments beginning on the first day of your vacation. If you'd like to share a meal at a Table Service Restaurant, you're certainly allowed to do so. The meal will come with one entree, one beverage and one dessert, so the person sharing would need to purchase their own beverage to accompany the meal. Depending on how much of an appetite we've built up exploring the theme parks, we will often choose to share a meal at a Table Service venue.
Certain Table Service restaurants feature fixed-price experiences, such as Character Meals, buffets, or dinner shows. At these locations, guests are not allowed to share meals and/or dining credits. Not only are you paying for food at these meals, but also the entertainment and character experiences.
I hope this helps with your planning and budgeting for an upcoming Walt Disney World Resort vacation. Have a magical day! - Diane W.