For the first time since before the pandemic, free Disney Dining plans are returning to Disney World for guests with eligible vacation packages.
Disney did extend free Disney Dining plan offers to Disney+ subscribers and Disney Visa cardholders in 2024, but this is the first time they have been available to all guests since 2019.
There are two versions of the Disney Dining Plan: the Disney Quick-Service Dining Plan and the Disney Dining Plan. The Disney Quick-Service Dining Plan focuses on quick-service meals, while the Disney Dining Plan includes options for daily table-service meals.
Related: A magical guide for how to plan a trip to Disney World in 2025
This round of free dining plans is valid for eligible vacation packages with arrivals between May 27 and June 26, 2025, and July 7 through Aug. 6, 2025. Eligible vacation packages must include a minimum three-night, three-day package that includes an on-site hotel stay and theme park tickets with a Park Hopper option.
The dining plan you receive depends on which hotel you choose. Guests staying in a Value or Moderate Disney Resort hotel will receive the Disney Quick Service Dining Plan, while guests in Disney Deluxe or Deluxe Villa Resort Hotels will receive the Disney Dining Plan.
You must book this offer between Jan. 2 and Feb. 10, 2025, so if your New Year’s Resolution is to keep Disney World costs down while enjoying the best restaurants at Disney World, you’re in luck.
What is the Disney Dining Plan?
With a Disney Dining Plan, you can prepay for a specified number of meals and snacks for your Disney World vacation and receive an allotment of meal and snack “credits” to use during your stay. The total number of credits depends on the length of your trip. For example, if you stay for three nights and buy a dining plan, you’ll get three days’ worth of meals and snacks to redeem. You aren’t required to redeem a set number of meals and snacks each day; you can use them anytime during your stay.
FOR NO-COST ASSISTANCE WITH PLANNING AND BOOKING YOUR NEXT DISNEY VACATION, CHECK OUT TPG’S DISNEY BOOKING PARTNER, MOUSE COUNSELORS.
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Here is what you’ll get with each version of the Disney dining plan:
Disney Quick-Service Dining Plan
Regular price: $57.01 per day for adults, $23.83 for kids ages 3 to 9
- Two quick-service meals per night stayed
- A snack or nonalcoholic drink per night stayed
- One refillable drink mug with unlimited refills at your resort
Disney Dining Plan
Regular price: $94.28 per day for adults, $26.69 for kids ages 3 to 9
- One table-service meal per night stayed
- One quick-service meal per night stayed
- A snack or nonalcoholic drink per night stayed
- One refillable drink mug with unlimited refills at your resort
A quick-service meal includes an entree and beverage (alcoholic or nonalcoholic) at any eligible quick-service dining location.
A table-service meal includes an entree, buffet or family-style meal and a beverage (alcoholic or nonalcoholic) at any participating table-service restaurant for breakfast. For brunch, lunch or dinner, you can also order a dessert with your entree at table-service restaurants. Snacks on both plans include single-serve items like popsicles, ice cream bars (including the iconic Mickey ice cream bar), a box of popcorn, a 20-ounce soda, a Dole Whip soft serve, a specialty coffee, a pastry, a piece of whole fruit and more.
Read our full guide to the Disney Dining plans for all the details on what it is, how it works and whether it makes sense for your next Disney World vacation.
Is the free Disney Dining Plan worth it?
Whether a Disney dining plan is worth it when paying out of pocket depends on how much you like to spend on food and how much you like to eat on vacation. However, when you can get a dining plan for free, it’s pretty much a no-brainer that you are getting a good deal. A family of four (two adults and two children) can save more than $700 during a three-night stay with this deal if you maximize your dining credits (more on that in a moment).
There are rare instances where you can save more with a decent hotel discount, which is one of the many reasons we recommend working with an authorized Disney vacation planner. They can review the details of your trip and determine which special offer will save you the most money.
Related: The best restaurants at Disney World in 2024
But it’s not only the cost that can make a Disney Dining plan worth it for your trip. Some guests prefer the convenience a Disney Dining plan provides. You can enjoy your vacation without worrying about food costs or pulling out your wallet every time someone wants a Dole Whip.
Related: ‘Be our guest’ at these 5 best character dining meals at Walt Disney World
Other guests love the “game” aspect of trying to squeeze the maximum value out of the Disney Dining plans. It’s entirely possible to “break-even” by ordering food and drink items that cost more than the value of your Disney Dining credits.
Tips for maximizing free dining at Disney World
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Story Book Dining at Artist Point with Snow White. SUMMER HULL/THE POINTS GUY
- If you already booked an eligible package prior to this offer, you can retroactively apply the offer to your booking. If you work with an authorized Disney vacation planner, they can help you apply the free Disney Dining plan offer. If you booked directly through Disney, you can call the number in your confirmation email for assistance.
- You can sometimes use your table-service credits for special meals like fireworks dining packages, character meals or dinner shows. This is a great way to maximize your dining credits because you can combine entertainment with your meal. Just keep in mind that certain experiences, like Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue or Story Book Dining at Artist Point, will cost you two dining credits instead of just one.
- If you happen to be visiting during one of Epcot’s seasonal festivals, your snack credits are eligible for most food items from the festival booths.
- Don’t let your credits go to waste. You are essentially leaving money on the table if you don’t use all of your credits. You can track your credits in the My Disney Experience app to ensure you use them all during your visit.
- To save even more money in addition to the free Disney dining offers, you can pay for your hotel and ticket package with discounted Disney gift cards or by using one of TPG’s favorite credit cards for Disney vacations.
- Disney dining reservations are open 60 days prior to your visit. If you are staying in a Disney World hotel, you can make dining reservations 60 days before your check-in day for your entire stay (up to 14 days). Popular reservations get snatched up quickly, so if you have specific table service meals in mind, you’ll want to reserve those as soon as your booking window opens.
Bottom line
Remember, you must book between Jan. 2 and Feb. 10, 2025, to take advantage of this special free Disney Dining plan offer. And free dining isn’t the only new perk guests have to look forward to in 2025. Disney is also offering free water park visits to hotel guests on their arrival day and introducing a new nighttime parade at Magic Kingdom, two new shows at Hollywood Studios and more new experiences throughout the year.
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