Hi Stacey!
Welcome to planDisney.
Here at planDisney we are very excited to see the return of the
Disney dining plans - I love them for the way they enable us to budget for our food while we are taking our vacations at Walt Disney World. It's one less thing to think about.
A change has been made to the new dining plans in that substitutions are no longer allowed. It was always the case that table-service and quick-service meals cannot be interchanged, and this remains for 2024. Snacks also cannot be exchanged for a quick-service meal, nor can quick-service meals be exchanged for a small amount of snacks.
If you are looking forward to dining at table-service restaurants - and I think that's a great idea! - your Disney Dining Plan will certainly go towards paying for those meals, but please know that some table-service restaurants (mostly
signature dining, and
character dining) require two table-service meals per person, which will quickly use up all your meals on your dining plan if you are enjoying lunch and dinner at those restaurants on most days. You will also have some quick-service meals to use up - one each per day - as these cannot be substituted for anything else. Of course, you can opt to pay for any of your meals, and not use your dining plan all the time.
I look at the menus for the restaurants I want to visit, and add up the rough cost of the meals versus the cost of adding the dining plan to your reservation. This is a good way to assess whether it's going to be the best value for you.
When using the Disney Dining Plan you will receive, per guest per night of stay, 1 Table-Service meal, 1 Quick-Service meal; 1 Alcoholic/Non-Alcoholic drink with each meal; and 1 Snack or Drink.
You will still have a lot of flexibility when using the Disney dining plan - mostly around when you use your dining plan - you can use it in any way you please from the day of check-in to midnight on the day you leave (subject to meals and snacks remaining on your balance).
Also included in the price of each Disney Dining Plan is a Resort Refillable Mug. This can be used for unlimited refills of a selection of fountain drinks, including sugar-free versions, and hot drinks such as coffee, tea and hot chocolate, at the beverage stations found at the Quick-Service locations at all Disney Resort hotels for the length of your dining plan. It's also worth noting that you will find a sink next to all the beverage stations to rinse your mug before your next refill.
If you have any further questions about the Disney dining plans or any other planning questions, please visit us again, and
you can send me a direct question if you wish. We will be happy to help you plan your magical vacation at Walt Disney World!
Sue