FAQ about the Disney Dining Plan

[pinchy]

hello everyone

this fantastic thread has made me sign up to these boards

I have a very specific question....

I am in the UK and plan to book a holiday to Disney World with Virgin Holidays. We want the dining plan but Virgin won't book the dining plan. We've looked at booking with someone else but Virgin are by far the cheapest so it doesn't make sense to use someone else. Is there another way I can book the dining plan and still book with virgin?

Many thanks

x

 

[jrogers345]

Hi all!

We are heading to WDW in Jan. 2006 & I am 99% sure I am going to purchase the dining plan. I think I understand what it is, 1 snack, 1 table meal & 1 counter service meal per person per day...correct? I am guessing you are one your own for breakfast since it is not included anywhere in this dinig package. I have read that some breakfast items such as donuts, etc. could be considered a snack. Is this true? Are there places to eat preakfast in the parks? We are not big sit down breakfast eaters, we just need something little in the mornings. I am confused as to what is catagorized as "snacks" besides the ice cream bars, pop corn, etc. I have read the majority of posts in the thread but now I am more confused then I was before. Please help!

Thanks so much,
Kris & Steve

If you go to www.allearsnet.com you can see the menus or all restaurants and counter service. Yes, some places have breakfast - regular eggs, etc. to buying a pastry, cinnamon bun. If you look at the Disney Dining Plan file, it states that popcorn, ice cream, piece of fruit are the snack foods. As far as donuts, that might be just something that some places might let you get away with using a snack credit.

 

[jrogers345]

hello everyone

this fantastic thread has made me sign up to these boards

I have a very specific question....

I am in the UK and plan to book a holiday to Disney World with Virgin Holidays. We want the dining plan but Virgin won't book the dining plan. We've looked at booking with someone else but Virgin are by far the cheapest so it doesn't make sense to use someone else. Is there another way I can book the dining plan and still book with virgin?

Many thanks

x

Sorry, I don't have a definete answer. My suggestion would be to call Disney direct. Looks like Virgin is only booking accomodations and then attraction tickets - not a "Vacation Package" which is probably why they can't give you the dining plan.

 

[Planner999]

Hi all!

We are heading to WDW in Jan. 2006 & I am 99% sure I am going to purchase the dining plan. I think I understand what it is, 1 snack, 1 table meal & 1 counter service meal per person per day...correct? I am guessing you are one your own for breakfast since it is not included anywhere in this dinig package. I have read that some breakfast items such as donuts, etc. could be considered a snack. Is this true? Are there places to eat preakfast in the parks? We are not big sit down breakfast eaters, we just need something little in the mornings. I am confused as to what is catagorized as "snacks" besides the ice cream bars, pop corn, etc. I have read the majority of posts in the thread but now I am more confused then I was before. Please help!

Thanks so much,
Kris & Steve

The plan seems to be in constant transition as it changed between what I was reading on this list and when we went (last week). We actually used 2 counter service meals for breakfast to feed 5 people. We got an adult breakfast platter of eggs, sausage, biscuit, potatoes, and bacon plus a pancake platter of 3 pancakes, bacon, and sausage. Our "desserts" for that CS meal were huge cinnamon buns. I wouldn't have known to get those if not for someone on this list suggesting it. We also got 2 bottles of orange juice. That left us 3 counter service meals to share for lunch. We could easily share a double cheeseburger and two chicken strips meals plus drinks and fries. We usually had food left over. Again, thanks to someone here we got the double cheeseburger which goes farther in sharing - because it didn't "cost" us any more than a regular hamburger. I realize you asked about breakfast in the park but thought I'd mention this since it is an option you might not have thought of. There are "bakeries" in the parks but we didn't eat there.

As for snacks and desserts, it's complicated. Nothing tells you what counts for what. We had to keep going to the checkout counter to ask. For example, at one meal several of us wanted ice cream. My husband went to ask and several items we had counted as desserts, but not as snacks. So we got the chocolate cake and pint of sorbet as desserts and got the Mickey ice cream bar as a snack. The biggest surprise to me was I thought there would be someone at a counter giving you this stuff that you could ask questions there, but the desserts/snacks/fruit were all in a self service area at POP where you had to get it yourself and then go to a checkout counter to ask questions. In the parks you could ask when you placed your order.

Another option is to buy some donuts at a grocery store (or POP even has whole boxes) and just use a snack credit to get orange juice or something.

 

[jrogers345]

The plan seems to be in constant transition as it changed between what I was reading on this list and when we went (last week). We actually used 2 counter service meals for breakfast to feed 5 people. We got an adult breakfast platter of eggs, sausage, biscuit, potatoes, and bacon plus a pancake platter of 3 pancakes, bacon, and sausage. Our "desserts" for that CS meal were huge cinnamon buns. I wouldn't have known to get those if not for someone on this list suggesting it. We also got 2 bottles of orange juice. That left us 3 counter service meals to share for lunch. We could easily share a double cheeseburger and two chicken strips meals plus drinks and fries. We usually had food left over. Again, thanks to someone here we got the double cheeseburger which goes farther in sharing - because it didn't "cost" us any more than a regular hamburger. I realize you asked about breakfast in the park but thought I'd mention this since it is an option you might not have thought of. There are "bakeries" in the parks but we didn't eat there.

As for snacks and desserts, it's complicated. Nothing tells you what counts for what. We had to keep going to the checkout counter to ask. For example, at one meal several of us wanted ice cream. My husband went to ask and several items we had counted as desserts, but not as snacks. So we got the chocolate cake and pint of sorbet as desserts and got the Mickey ice cream bar as a snack. The biggest surprise to me was I thought there would be someone at a counter giving you this stuff that you could ask questions there, but the desserts/snacks/fruit were all in a self service area at POP where you had to get it yourself and then go to a checkout counter to ask questions. In the parks you could ask when you placed your order.

Another option is to buy some donuts at a grocery store (or POP even has whole boxes) and just use a snack credit to get orange juice or something.

Where did you have this breakfast?

 

[Planner999]

Where did you have this breakfast?

The adult breakfast platter and pancake platters (plus hot cinnamon rolls) came from POP Century's food court.

 

[tink2020]

oooh, yay!

 

[mike222]

I saw somewhere a tip that you ring *88 for priority seating.
Does anybody know what priority seating is? Is it something that you book now as in when you make a booking in advance or is it when you are at Disneyworld and ring for a priority seating on the day?
Any help would be appreciated.

regards,

Mike

 

[mike222]

On a slightly different note:
from peoples experience at Disneyworld, when booking for ts dinner restaurants, are you best to book/choose a restaurant in the theme park you are going to go into for the day. We are going for 5 days so would you first choose the order of theme parks you think you will go to and then book the restaurant each night at that place or a nearby disney hotel or doesn't it make any difference?
regards,
Mike

 

[jrogers345]

On a slightly different note:
from peoples experience at Disneyworld, when booking for ts dinner restaurants, are you best to book/choose a restaurant in the theme park you are going to go into for the day. We are going for 5 days so would you first choose the order of theme parks you think you will go to and then book the restaurant each night at that place or a nearby disney hotel or doesn't it make any difference?
regards,
Mike

Mike, I wouldn't call myself experienced, but that's what I did. Logistically it made sense to me.

 

[jrogers345]

The adult breakfast platter and pancake platters (plus hot cinnamon rolls) came from POP Century's food court.

Thanks!

 

[DW mouser]

Mike, priorty seating is the same thing as getting your ressie's now. That's what it used to be called, now mostly advanced dining reservations. And yes again, it makes more sense to get your dining ressie's in the same park that you are going to be in, unless your leaving and going back to your room before dinner. Disney World is a big place and a lot of time can be used just getting to restaurants. Have fun. Sounds like it's your first time, and as I've said before , there's nothing like the first time!!!!

 

[TINKERIFIC]

Called Disney dining for a few questions regarding the plan. Results:

1. Child (ages 3-9) credits are only available for the child's menu. In other words, if a child wants anything, which is not on the child's menu, they will have to pay seperately for it. For example, the Dining plan brochure states each TS credit is entitled to appetizer, entree, non-alcoholic beverage and dessert or buffet and non-alcoholic beverage. If the child's menu does not have an appetizer and/or dessert, you are basically out of luck.

 

[CarolynMink]

Thanks, this info is very helpful. We are going in December and will be using the Dining plan for the first time.

 

[Planner999]

On a slightly different note:
from peoples experience at Disneyworld, when booking for ts dinner restaurants, are you best to book/choose a restaurant in the theme park you are going to go into for the day. We are going for 5 days so would you first choose the order of theme parks you think you will go to and then book the restaurant each night at that place or a nearby disney hotel or doesn't it make any difference?
regards,
Mike

This is especially important if you do not have park hopper tickets. For example, we had 6 days but did not have the park hopper option so we could not leave one park to go eat at another one. So, I had to schedule the Crystal Palace meals on the days we were in Magic Kingdom. We also had PS at Sci Fi (MGM) so of course it needed to be on one of our MGM days. We also at at Chef Mickeys and 1900 Park Fare, so we wanted to do those on days were had access to the monorail (EPCOT and MK). I first scheduled my days at the parks based on the extra magic hours for that park/day, then I picked the restaurants. Hope this helps.

 

[mike222]

but the problem is on the disney site they only have the extra magic hours till november and we are going in Jan 2006. So it makes it hard to decide which park that helps you decide what restaurants to choose from in that area. Onybody had this problem when they do the advance bookings but didn't know where the extra magic are?

regards,
Mike

 

[Kris & Steve]

Mike,

I am in the exact same boat you are, and I feel like it's sinking. I am also going to WDW in Jan. 06. I feel like I can't get anything done at this point, planning wise, because they don't have a schedule or extra magic hours info posted. Your suppose to make reservation 90 days in advance...I'm leaving in 96 days! I've read that the schedule will not be out until the begining of November. What am I suppose to do? I am very frustrated at his point!! Every thing I have read tells me I should plan, PLAN, PLAN, every detail of this trip but I can't CAN'T, CAN'T because I feel like I don't have & can't get any information! GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR...this is so frustrating!!!!!

Thanks for letting me vent! If anyone has any info at all please up us!

 

[DW mouser]

I've wondered about this too! We are going in March and how will we know which park we are going to be at if the schedules aren't out before that 90 day window? I guess I'll just go by the old schedule and stick to it no matter what!

 

[mike222]

I think they want to make sure they sell hopper tickets !!!

regards,

Mike

 

[TINKERIFIC]

I believe everyone, who makes their ADR's 90 days out, will encounter this problem. I have made my ADR's already for our trip mid-December and Disney doesn't even have the extra magic hours for November out yet, only the regular operating hours. When making my ADR's I based my park visits by looking at the extra magic hour history over the year. For the most part it appears to be consistently the same month after month with the exception of any special events (MNSSHP, for example). I plan to reevaluate my park visit days when the December extra magic hours are posted. I will attempt to change my ADR's appropriately, if need be or if I am able to.