Limited Time Only! How to Snag a Free Disney Dining Plan

I know you’re probably wondering if Disney World free dining is even a real thing.

And no, I can’t blame you for having a little bit of skepticism.

Before we get started on the best tips for this vacation perk, let’s understand how the Disney Dining Plan works.

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How Does the Disney Dining Plan Work?

The Walt Disney Dining Plan is a prepaid meal plan for restaurants on the Walt Disney World Resort property that you can redeem for counter service, table service, signature dining, and snacks. 

Guests on the Disney Dining Plan receive a number of meal credits based on how many nights they plan on staying for one flat fee.  

The prepaid meals and snacks are convenient on your stay especially when you dine at the Disney resort hotels, theme parks and select locations at Disney Springs.

You can quickly and easily keep track of your meal credits on My Disney Experience App any time you want.

The credits can be stored on your MagicBand and a receipt is provided after each redemption.

This is similar to putting money on your gift card for the Epcot Food and Wine Festival as it shows how many credits remain after each transaction.

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15 Tips for Disney World Free Dining

Now that you know what this dining deal comes with, let’s go through a few tips to help you make the most of your experience.

1. Know What the Free Disney Dining Plan Is

The Free Disney Dining Plan is a special offer Walt Disney World does every year for special dates throughout the year.  

This promotion is a great vacation package discount and deal at Disney World.

2. Understand How You Can Get Disney World Free Dining

You’ll be able to eat at Disney World for FREE when you purchase a non-discounted 4 -night/4-day vacation package as a Disney Visa Cardmember.

This Disney Free Disney Dining Plan includes a room at a select Disney Resort hotel and a ticket with the Park Hopper option.

3. Know What Disney Free Dining Options are Available to You

The amount of meals and snacks you receive in each plan depends on the type of plan you choose. Each type of meal or snack can be redeemed using a credit from your meal plan.

In order to be eligible for the Disney Free Dining you must use a valid Disney Visa Card or Disney Rewards Redemption Card to pay for your deposit. It is valid for Disney® Visa® Cardmembers and Disney+ subscribers. 

The amount of meals and snacks you receive in each plan depends on the Disney Resort hotel you selected. 

It sounds like a lot, but meal plans can be very simple and a great money saver if you do things right.

4. Know the Disney Dining Plans

Disney has two tiers for the Dining Plan:

• Disney Quick Service Dining Plan 
• “Regular” Disney Dining Plan 

Each of them comes with a different level of service at different rates.

Disney Quick Service Dining Plan Cost

 The cost is $57 for adults and $24 for children and includes:

• 2 Quick-Service Meals
• 1 Snack or Non-Alcoholic Drink
• Refillable drink mug

Regular Disney Dining Plan Cost

The cost is $94 for adults with a rate of $30 for children and includes

• 1 Quick-Service Meal
• 1 Table-Service Meal
• 2 Snacks or Non-Alcoholic Drinks
• Refillable drink mug

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5. Know What’s Included in the FREE Disney Quick Service Dining Plan

Now that we understand the basic terminology for the DDP, let’s go through what’s included with the free deal.

If you book your Disney vacation at a Disney Moderate or Disney Value Resort hotel then the Disney Quick-Service Dining Plan is included in your stay.  

If you book your Disney vacation at a Disney Deluxe or Disney Deluxe Villa Resort hotel, then the regular Disney Dining Plan is the free dining plan included.  

A good thing about this option is that you’ll be able to use a Table-Service meal for Character Dining or other Disney dining experiences.

For both options, you can enjoy both non-alcoholic specialty beverages and beer, wine, and cocktails (if you’re 21 or older). 

Listen to Laura, a Disney Expert, breakdown what the Disney Dining Plan is here!

6. Know What You Get with the Disney World Free Dining

The offer allows you to enjoy Disney Resort Guest benefits and amenities.

The benefits include:

• Early access to Disney Genie+ planning
• Extra Magic Hours every day
• Complimentary Resort transportation
• Standard self-parking
• Resort entertainment
• Select dining options

Recommended: Top 5 Ways to Find Cheap Disney World Tickets for Your Vacation!

7. Remember the Disney Free Dining 2024 Dates

In order to take advantage of this incredible deal, your travel dates need to fall within the arrivals of nights July 1 through September 30, 2024 for Disney+ subscribers and the following dates for Disney Visa Card Members.   

• July 1 to July 31, 2024 
• September 1 to September 7, 2024 
• December 9 to December 21, 2024 

What is the booking window for the Free Disney Dining Plan?

The booking window begins January 3, 2024, and the number of packages allocated for the Disney Free Dining is limited.

I don’t recommend waiting and booking later. If you know you want to take advantage of this special offer with Walt Disney World then don’t hold out, it may end up being too late.

8. Stay Up-to-Date with New Offers

You may be asking yourself…

What if I missed the Disney Free Dining Plan offer?

If you missed the Disney Free Dining Plan, don’t worry not all hope of Disney savings is lost. There are more Disney deals for 2024!

Another amazing Disney deal is a savings of up to 35% at select Disney Resort hotels when you stay 5 nights or longer. This falls between most nights of March 25 through October 3, 2024. 

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9. Take Advantage of the Disney Vacation Payment Plan

The best thing about booking your Disney vacation is that you don’t need all of the money upfront. You can reserve your hotel, tickets, and dining with just a $200 deposit.

After that, you only need to make payments for your trip.

10. Know the Differences in the Disney Dining Plan Based on the Resort You Choose

Walt Disney World Resort hotels are divided up based on the price with Deluxe Villa Resorts being the most expensive and Value Resorts being the least expensive.

When you stay at a select Disney Deluxe Resort or Disney Deluxe Villa Resort, you will get the Disney Dining Plan with lots of dining options.

If you stay at a select Disney Value Resort or Disney Moderate Resort, you will get the Disney Quick-Service Dining Plan.

Disney Deluxe Resort Hotels

You can use this vacation deal at these resorts for arrivals most nights 7/01/24 – 7/31/24, 9/1/24 – 9/7/24, and 12/9/24 – 12/21/24 and will include the FREE Disney Dining Plan. 

1. Animal Kingdom Lodge
2. Beach Club Resort
3. BoardWalk Inn
4. Contemporary Resort
5. Grand Floridian Resort & Spa
6. Polynesian Village Resort
7. Disney’s Wilderness Lodge
8. Yacht Club Resort

Recommended: 5 Best Disney World Deluxe Resorts to Stay at Right Now

Disney Deluxe Villa Resorts 

You can use this vacation deal at these resorts for arrivals most nights 7/01/24 – 7/31/24, 9/1/24 – 9/7/24, and 12/9/24 – 12/21/24 and will include the FREE Disney Dining Plan. 

• Bay Lake Tower at Disney’s Contemporary Resort 
• Boulder Ridge Villas at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge 
• Copper Creek Villas & Cabins at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge 
• Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas – Jambo House 
• Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas – Kidani Village 
• Disney’s Beach Club Villas 
• Disney’s BoardWalk Villas 
• Disney’s Old Key West Resort 
• Disney’s Polynesian Villas & Bungalows 
• Disney’s Riviera Resort 
• Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa 
• The Villas at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa 

Disney Moderate Resort Hotels

You can use this vacation deal at these resorts for arrivals most nights 7/01/24 – 7/31/24, 9/1/24 – 9/7/24, and 12/9/24 – 12/21/24 and will include the FREE Disney Quick-Service Dining Plan. 

1. Caribbean Beach Resort
2. Coronado Springs Resort
3. Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – French Quarter
4. Port Orleans Resort – Riverside
5. The Cabins at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort

Disney Value Resort Hotels

You can use this vacation deal at these resorts for arrivals most nights 7/01/24 – 7/31/24, 9/1/24 – 9/7/24, and 12/9/24 – 12/21/24 and will include the FREE Disney Quick-Service Dining Plan. 

1. Disney’s Art of Animation Resort – Family Suites only
2. All-Star Music Resort
3. Disney’s All-Star Sports Resort
4. Pop Century Resort
5. Disney’s All-Star Movies Resort 

Recommended: 5 Best Disney World Deluxe Resorts to Stay at Right Now

11. Know the Exclusions for the Free Dining Plan

Although the Free Disney Dining Plan includes a lot of perks, you should know what restrictions are a part of the offer.

The Following Resort Rooms are Excluded from the Free Dining Deal

• 3-Bedroom Villas
• Treehouse Villas at Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa  
• The Campsites at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort 
• The Cabins at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort (Disney Vacation Club) 
• Cabins at Copper Creek Villas & Cabins at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge  
• Bungalows at Polynesian Villas & Bungalows 
• Club Level and Suites at Disney Moderate and Deluxe Resort hotels 
• Deluxe Studios – Club Level at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas – Jambo House 
• 1-Bedroom Villas – Club Level at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas – Jambo House 
• 2 Bedroom Lock-Off Villas – Club Level at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas – Jambo House 

12. Know the Key Takeaways for the Disney World Free Dining

All of this information can be confusing and has caused great debates online questioning the need for the plan. I don’t want you to be confused about how it works.

You already have enough to worry about for your Disney trip.

Things to Remember Before Booking Your Disney Trip with this Deal

• Each person in the same room must have the same package
• Your Disney theme park tickets are valid for admission on the date of your check-in and must be used within a limited number of days, depending on the length of stay and ticket per Disney  
• You cannot use this offer with any other Disney discount or promotion
• Children ages 3 to 9 must order from a children’s menu, where available 
• Gratuities are not included
• Booking or changing your reservation online is far quicker and easier
• Free Disney Dining Plan promotion is based upon the ARRIVAL date.

WATCH: 13 Beginner Tips for Going to Disney World This Year!

13. Use Your Dining Credits for Special Events

I’ve learned that the Disney Dining Plan works best for events like the Epcot Food and Wine Festival. I say this because you can get a lot of the snacks without using as many credits.

This is my favorite way of using the Disney Dining Plan.

14. Work with An Authorized Walt Disney World Vacation Planner

An official planner has the latest deals, tools, and resources directly from Disney.

They’re extremely knowledgeable on all things Disney dining!

Are you planning a Disney vacation soon? Read the Disney World Vacation Planning Guide for your next dream trip!

15. Determine Where You Want to Eat

Before you embark on your dream vacation, you should map out all the places where you want to eat.

That way you can maximize your credits and learn how to use them in a way that best suits you on your vacation.

The official Walt Disney World Website has a list of all the restaurants on the property and the cost of the food.

My Final Thoughts on Using the Free Disney Dining Plan 

Planning the ultimate Walt Disney World vacation can be exciting and nerve-wracking at the same time. I’m all for you saving your money, but I love it when you can save your time too.

The Disney World free dining promotion is cool if you’re able to make it work for your situation.

If you plan on staying offsite, then this will not matter to you.

Is Free Disney Dining worth it?

Yes and no.

You will have to spend a decent amount of money on your vacation package depending on the resort level you get in order to take advantage of the offer.

However, if you’re a first-time visitor, then it may help alleviate the guess work of budgeting for food and what to eat.

If you enjoyed this guide, then read more Disney Planning Tips!

• Disney Dining Plan Tips and Tricks
• Do You Need a Disney Travel Planner?
• Ultimate Walt Disney World Planning Guide
• Do’s and Don’ts for Drinking at Epcot
• Best Animal Kingdom Snacks

Until next time, Happy Park Hopping Hipsters!

Planning a trip soon? If so, read the Disney Vacation Planning Guide for your next dream trip!

(Original Article Date 2018/Updated by Editor on July 10, 2024)

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