Hello there, Jennifer!
Thanks for bringing your question to planDisney. I'm the keeper of my family's dining reservations, so I can appreciate wanting to get all your biscuits buttered and place settings ready ahead of your
advance dining window opening later this week.
The beauty of the
Disney Dining Plan (which will be referred to as the Table-Service Dining Plan for 2027 arrivals) is that it allows you to customize which Table Service restaurants and meals you'd like to reserve throughout your trip. Each guest in your party (age 3 and older) will receive 1 Table Service Meal, 1 Quick-Service Meal, and 1 Snack per night of stay, as well as a Resort-Refillable Drink Mug. If you'd like to use all your Table Service Meals on a single day of epic feasting, feel free! If you'd like to reserve one dinner per day or mix it up between breakfast, lunch, or dinner across your stay, the choice is yours. You have full control over how you use your meal entitlements.
Keep in mind that locations can require a different number of meal entitlements. For example,
The Crystal Palace at Magic Kingdom Park will use 1 Table Service Meal whether you reserve a slot during breakfast, lunch, or dinner. A meal at Cinderella's Royal Table will use 2 of your Table Service Meals, regardless of meal period. However, if you plan to dine at
Akershus Royal Banquet Hall, you'll use 1 meal for breakfast, and 2 for either lunch or dinner. I recommend clicking the link to "View Dining Plans and Discounts" on each restaurant's page to determine exactly what the reservation will require.
I'd also like to mention that
meals redeemed at breakfast will include 1 entree OR 1 buffet or family-style meal, and 1 nonalcoholic beverage (or alcoholic beverage for Guests 21 and older), while meals redeemed at brunch, lunch or dinner will include 1 entree, 1 dessert and 1 nonalcoholic beverage (or alcoholic beverage, for Guests 21 and older) OR 1 buffet or family-style meal and 1 nonalcoholic beverage (or alcoholic beverage for Guests 21 and older). Opting for breakfast will eliminate dessert at à la carte locations like
Ale & Compass Restaurant, Kona Cafe, and Steakhouse 71, among others, though I'd recommend using your meals for a Character Dining experience to maximize your plan's value.
Jennifer, I hope this clears up any confusion. If you have additional questions or need more recommendations or guidance, please pull a chair right back up to our table and let us know. We're always happy to help!
Bon appetite,
Amy