Travel podcast #6 - Disney Dining Plan : Free food at Walt Disney World

This episode focuses on a topic that many Walt Disney World fans look forward to every year: the Disney Dining Plan action! This episode is extra special because it also appears once on OORlando's old podcast page. This makes this podcast a nice crossover between Florivida the Travel Podcast and OORlando the Podcast.

Watch or listen to the new episode at Spotify, Apple Podcasts and YouTube. On our website you can find all episodes of the travel podcast, blogs and additional inspiration About Walt Disney World and other destinations!

Do you want in 2027 to Walt Disney World and want to take advantage of free food and drinks? Then this episode is a handy and practical introduction to the Disney Dining Plan promotion! Are you already ready to book your vacation with this promotion? Ask here your no-obligation travel proposal.

Episode topic: Disney Dining Plan

In this episode, Willem and Rick explain how the Disney Dining and Drinks promotion works for bookings to Walt Disney World in 2027. This promotion applies to travelers who stay at least five nights at a Disney Resort Hotel and also book their Walt Disney World theme park tickets while doing so.

Depending on the type of hotel you get a different form of the Free Disney Dining Plan included:

• At Value Resorts Get one quick service meal daily
• At Moderate Resorts get the Quick Service Dining Plan
• At Deluxe Resorts get the Disney Dining Plan with both quick service and table service credits

Also included are the 14-Day Magic Tickets, receive a free Memory Maker (also known as a photo pass) and take advantage of additional discounts on your stay if you book early.

What does the Disney Dining Plan entail?

It explains step by step what you can do with the different credits!

At the Quick Service Dining Plan get per person per night:

• 2 quick service meals incl. drinks
• 1 snack
• 1 refillable resort mug

At the Disney Dining Plan get per person per night:

• 1 quick service meal incl. drinks
• 1 table service meal incl. drinks
• 1 snack
• 1 refillable resort mug

These credits are added to your account at the beginning of your stay all at once. This allows you flexibility in choosing when to use them. So you don't have to use them up per day, but can spread them over your stay. Children up to and including 9 years of age also receive a ‘children's Dining Plan,’ in some cases it is possible to upgrade to a more extensive plan for a fee.

Why eating at Walt Disney World adds so much

Eating at Walt Disney World is much more than just practical. Because you often spend full days here, from early morning to late evening, food naturally becomes an important part of the overall vacation experience.

According to Willem and Rick, the offerings at Walt Disney World are enormously varied. From quick meals to elaborate dinners, from snacks to character dining, that very variety is what makes the dining plan so interesting. The quality in many places is also remarkably high for a theme park destination. So you definitely don't have to worry about eating only burgers and pizza.

Favorite quick service restaurants

In the episode, they also discuss their favorite locations when it comes to quick meals. By park, Rick and Willem have their own favorite Quick-service locations to use your Dining Credits not only delicious but also smart!

Magic Kingdom:

• Columbia Harbour House - known for its lobster roll and seafood dishes, among others
• Casey's Corner - classic on Main Street with great hot dogs, including the chili cheese hot dog

EPCOT:

• Regal Eagle Smokehouse - barbecue restaurant in the American pavilion
• Katsura Grill - in the Japan pavilion, including Japanese curry, noodle and chicken dishes

Disney's Hollywood Studios:

• Docking Bay 7 - in Galaxy's Edge, with surprisingly good and original dishes
• Woody's Lunch Box - known for its barbecue brisket melt and grown-up lemonade

Disney's Animal Kingdom:

• Satu'li Canteen - popular choice in Pandora featuring bowls, chicken, beef and shrimp
• Flame Tree Barbecue - barbecue dishes in a beautiful waterfront location

Disney Springs:

• The Polite Pig - according to Willem and Rick, one of the best quick service choices, with barbecue, good side dishes and strong value for money
• Morimoto Asia Street Food - for ramen and Japanese street food dishes, among others

Rick's Travel Tip

In this regular column, Rick shares his practical tips for making smart use of the Disney Dining Plan. According to him, it's not only about getting as much value out of your credits as possible, but also about planning smart and enjoying what you really like.

What should you look out for with the Disney Dining Plan?

• Don't use your credits too quickly for snacks or meals of little value
• Reserve popular table service restaurants on time
• Use mobile ordering at quick service restaurants
• Don't just look at price, look at what you really like to eat. In the end, that's more important than anything else!

So his practic travel tips are:

• Reserve popular restaurants early - Table service restaurants can be reserved starting 60 days before arrival. Especially popular restaurants such as Ohana or Space 220 fill up quickly.
• Use mobile order - At many Quick-service locations, you can order through the Walt Disney World app and use your dining credits right away. This saves time and queues. So you'll enjoy your favorite meal faster!
• Look smartly at the value of your credits - Using a snack for a bottle of water or a simple banana is usually a waste. More expensive snacks or festival dishes often fetch more.
• Don't make a math out of it - It's smart to pay a little attention to value, but ultimately it's all about the experience. So also just choose what you like.

His conclusion: The Disney Dining Plan works best if you plan a bit in advance, but also leave room during your trip to spontaneously enjoy food you encounter during your Walt Disney World vacation.

With Willem on snack expedition

In this regular column, Willem shares his favorite snacks and clever ways to use snack credits. According to him, snacks at Walt Disney World are a big part of the overall experience.

Snack tips from the episode:

• Festival dishes in EPCOT - during festivals such as Flower & Garden or Food & Wine, there are small dishes available everywhere that often come with a snack credit
• Cinnamon Roll at Gaston's Tavern - big, sweet classic in Magic Kingdom
• Poutine at Refreshment Port - fries with gravy and cheese, near Canada in EPCOT
• Dole Whip - one of the best-known Disney snacks, available in many varieties
• Starbucks drinks - larger or more elaborate coffees and refreshers can also be smart to get with a snack credit.

According to Willem, the festivals in EPCOT, in particular, are ideal for making up several snack credits in a row to try different small dishes.

His conclusion: The Disney Dining Plan is not just about meals, but rather smart snacking. Especially in EPCOT, snack credits allow you to try many delicious and special things!

Florivida's vacation post

This episode also features vacation mail. A special gift has arrived from listener Patrick: a homemade painting of Journey to the Center of the Earth from Tokyo DisneySea. It is received with great enthusiasm and gets a nice spot.

In addition, Willem and Rick also share a practical tip following Patrick's previous trip: pay close attention to your ESTA when traveling to America. An ESTA is linked to your passport, so if you get a new passport, you also need to apply for a new ESTA. Always handy to know!

Closing

At the end of the episode, Willem and Rick look ahead to upcoming episodes. Shanghai, cruises and Universal are among the topics discussed. With a small hunger due to all the delicious snacks that have passed, we close this episode. Are you excited about a vacation to Walt Disney World? We would love to help you put together your dream trip!

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• View the Disney Dining Plan blog!