Dining plan question

[luckylady131]

We will be on the regular dining plan during our stay. Are the restaurants that are included in this plan somehow "Marked" when you go to one, or do you have to know beforehand?

Meaning, if we are at a park, and want to grab some lunch - if we start looking around, will we be able to tell by the menu, etc that it's part of the dining plan? Or will I need to research places to eat that are part of the plan before we go?

 

[kaytieeldr]

Okay, well, first, there's the "Everything about the Dining Plan" sticky thread at the top of this board; there's complete information at www.wdwinfo.com (the DIS host site); there's complete information at the official Disney website...

Your dining plan allows you one Table Service meal, one Counter Service meal, and one snack per day. Nothing "in" the location will tell you what's included in the meals because what's included is your entree, your dessert, and your non-alcoholic beverage. If there's any specific item not included, your server or the cashier will tell you - just ask.

But read the sticky thread, especially the first post.

 

[TDC Nala]

There will be no sign out front of any restaurant stating "This restaurant accepts the Disney Dining Plan." But for some peace of mind, all TS and CS restaurants inside Disney theme parks take DDP with the single exception of Bistro de Paris at Epcot. Almost all restaurants in Disney-owned resorts take DDP, the only exceptions there being Victoria & Albert's and the Garden View Tea Room at the Grand Floridian. Some kiosks, however, both inside parks and at resorts like the Boardwalk, do not accept DDP credits.

Where it gets tricky is resorts on property that are not owned by Disney (Swan & Dolphin, Shades of Green). DDP is NOT accepted on those properties. Also there are a number of restaurants at Downtown Disney that do not accept the dining plan. You should be given a brochure when you check in that lists all the dining plan restaurants. You can also see a link to that brochure on the sticky FAQ thread that kaytieeldr mentioned. Since it's probably a good idea to have your restaurants planned ahead of time on a dining plan (some restaurants are very difficult to get into without a reservation made in advance) you should probably review the available restaurants and decide which ones your party would like to go to.

 

[luckylady131]

There will be no sign out front of any restaurant stating "This restaurant accepts the Disney Dining Plan." But for some peace of mind, all TS and CS restaurants inside Disney theme parks take DDP with the single exception of Bistro de Paris at Epcot. Almost all restaurants in Disney-owned resorts take DDP, the only exceptions there being Victoria & Albert's and the Garden View Tea Room at the Grand Floridian. Some kiosks, however, both inside parks and at resorts like the Boardwalk, do not accept DDP credits.

Where it gets tricky is resorts on property that are not owned by Disney (Swan & Dolphin, Shades of Green). DDP is NOT accepted on those properties. Also there are a number of restaurants at Downtown Disney that do not accept the dining plan. You should be given a brochure when you check in that lists all the dining plan restaurants. You can also see a link to that brochure on the sticky FAQ thread that kaytieeldr mentioned. Since it's probably a good idea to have your restaurants planned ahead of time on a dining plan (some restaurants are very difficult to get into without a reservation made in advance) you should probably review the available restaurants and decide which ones your party would like to go to.

Thanks - this is the info I was looking for! I already have one ADR made for every day of our trip. It was all of our "other" meals I was wondering about. I am sure we will figure it all out once we are there!! I assumed most disney places in the parks would be included. I know what kinds of food are included in the dining plan, I just wondered about which restaurants.

 

[Cafeen]

And just to add, most of the snacks (either at Kiosks, Carts, or Restaurants) that are on the plan will be visably marked. If there's an item that's marked at that location, the location certainly should take the plan (barring technical issues of course). Of course, this doesn't help with restaurants or meals so much, but snacks are yummy too!

 

[luckylady131]

And just to add, most of the snacks (either at Kiosks, Carts, or Restaurants) that are on the plan will be visably marked. If there's an item that's marked at that location, the location certainly should take the plan (barring technical issues of course). Of course, this doesn't help with restaurants or meals so much, but snacks are yummy too!

Awesome! Thanks!

 

[Faldred]

Another tip on the snacks -- check out the sticky thread on this subforum regarding "confirmed snacks". Then, make a 1-page "cheat sheet" of particular locations/snacks that look interesting, and just keep it in your pocket. Whenever you want a snack, pull out your cheat sheet and a park map, and see what's nearby that sounds good!