Hello, Kimberly! It's so good to see you at planDisney. Your
Walt Disney World Resort visit is just a "first down" away, so let's look at your options for getting some dining reservations in your playbook.
Disney dining plans can typically only be added to vacation packages that bundle theme park tickets with a Disney Resort Hotel stay. There are exceptions for annual passholders and Disney Vacation Club members, but it sounds like you're staying off-property without a vacation package. In your situation, you probably aren't eligible to purchase a dining plan. But wait: There's a flag on the play!
You are within the
60-day booking window to select restaurants for meals during your stay! No need for a pre-paid dining plan; all guests can book breakfast, lunch, and dinner in advance of their visit, so you can start researching menus and availability now.
While you can
book dining online, I prefer using the My Disney Experience mobile app. Select the "Reserve Dining" tile on the app's welcome screen, and then choose your party size, date range, dining time, and location. Once you select the meal you want to reserve, you'll add a credit card to secure the reservation. A few locations require prepayment, but most only use the credit card for no-shows.
My family usually books one table service meal a day. It's a time we can meet back up and relax over some delicious food. We often share details and photos from our day; it's a magical time I look forward to. For our other meals, we enjoy grabbing snacks on the go. The Lunching Pad's
Cream Cheese Pretzel is my go-to at Magic Kingdom Park.
While it's convenient to pay off the dining plan over time with a vacation package, you really don't save much money. I think of the plans as a budgeting tool to avoid any surprise bills during your visit. Promotions drop from time to time, like the current
free dining for children, so keep an eye on the
Special Offers page for your next visit.
Kimberly, I hope you score extra points on your dining experiences during your vacation. Please stop by
planDisney with questions anytime; we won't fumble your answer!
Magic awaits,
Elaine