Often a cause of confusion, the Disney Dining plan is (to me!) one of the best benefits to saying on property. I thought it might be helpful to put a recap of the three most popular plans here!

Quick-Service Dining Plan

2 Quick Service meals and 1 snack per person per night of your stay. Each meal includes an entree, non-alcoholic drink, and dessert (except for breakfast). For 2013 the price is $41.99 per night ages 10 and up $16.03 per night age 3 to 9. A quick service restaurant at Disney is one where you walk up to the counter and order your food, then take it to a table of your own choosing. This plan is great for people or families who like the idea of being able to eat when/where they choose and when they feel like it as opposed to planning meals in advance.

Disney Dining Plan (sometimes referred to as Standard Dining Plan)

1 Quick Service meal, 1 Table Service meal (in a restaurant) and one snack per person per night of your stay. For 2014 the price is $60.64 per night ages 10 and up and $19.23 per night age 3 to 9 during value and regular season. This is Disney’s most popular dining plan, and for good reason. I like the idea of one sit down restaurant meal each day as a way to escape the heat and have a nice relaxing meal. Also, character meals are at sit down restaurants only, and I consider those a MUST do, at least once! Keep in mind, dining reservations for sit down meals must be made in advance. Some of Disney’s most popular restaurants book up very quickly, but there are great meals to be had even if you are planning a last minute trip.

Disney Deluxe Dining Plan

3 meals, 2 snacks per day. The three meals can be any combination of counter service and sit down meals as you please. In 2014 the price is $109.53 per night ages 10 and up and $29.86 per night ages 3 to 9. The Deluxe dining plan is good for people and families that are big eaters or foodies. A lot of the value of the Deluxe dining plan comes when you plan on dining at some of Disney’s 2 credit “Signature restaurants”, since meal allocations would be used up quickly for those on the regular dining plan.

All meal plans include one refillable mug per person good for non-alcoholic beverages at your resort only. For more information on Disney’s Dining plan, see here!