You are correct, Jason. The
Disney Dining Plans are
not currently available. You are not alone in wishing upon a star that they return soon. Food is always an important part of my vacation, too!
One of the perks of including a Dining Plan in your vacation package is the assurance of knowing that your meal costs are already accounted for. Though this method takes a bit more planning in advance of your trip, another way to meet that goal is to check out the menus of the
restaurants you’ll be dining in while you’re at Walt Disney World. Running the numbers on anticipated menu selections and then adding about 7% for sales tax and about 20% for gratuity (when applicable) will allow you to come pretty close to estimating your total costs for eating out.
If you’d like to take it a step further, you could even purchase a Disney Gift Card for your anticipated dining expenses and use that to cover the meals you pay for during your vacation. Doing so would allow you the peace of mind that comes with knowing your costs are covered. Of course, it would be wise to expect a slight difference in estimated and actual costs, but if you plan closely, your numbers should line up quite nicely.
As your trip approaches, Jason, keep a close eye on the
Disney Parks Blog for updates on Disney Dining Plan availability. I hope that helps!