The Disney Dining Plan options are worth serious consideration when you are booking your Walt Disney World Resort Vacations.  By adding the Disney Dining Plan to your vacation package you can turn your Disney World experience into a nearly all-inclusive type vacation.

There are 3 main Disney Dining Plans that most people consider: Disney Quick Service Dining Plan, Disney Dining Plan, & Disney Deluxe Dining Plan.  Below you will find details as to what each one offers and the prices for each.

2012 Disney Quick Service Dining Plan

• Two (2) Quick Services Meals
• One (1) Snacks

For each night of your stay

Also each guest will receive one (1) Resort refillable Drink Mug good for unlimited drink refills at your resort for the duration of your stay.

2012 Prices for the Quick Service Dining Plan

• Adults (Ages 10+) : $34.99 per day
• Children: (Ages 3-9): $11.99 per day

2012 Disney Dining Plan
The most popular Dining Plan is the original Disney Dining Plan gives Disney World guests the opportunity to enjoy both Table Service Restaurants and the Quick Service locations.  For 2012 it adds the refillable Resort Drink Mug, but the prices do increase versus 2011. With this dining plan you receive:

• One (1) Table Service meal
• One (1) Quick Service meal
• One (1) Snack

for each night of your stay.

Also each guest will receive one (1) Resort refillable Drink Mug good for unlimited drink refills at your resort for the duration of your stay.


2012 Prices of the Disney Dining Plan

• Adults (Ages 10+) : $51.54 per day (regular season) / $53.54 per day (peak season)
• Children: (Ages 3-9): $15.02 per day (regular season) / $16.02 per day (peak season)
  

Note: Disney World has been typically raising the meal prices at the Buffet Restaurants during the peak season in years past, and they have made it part of their pricing for the Disney Dining Plan as well.


2012 Disney Deluxe Dining Plan

The Disney Deluxe Dining Plan allows the guests to enjoy the best that Disney World has to offer in terms of Dining experiences with 3 Table Service Credits per day.  This allows you to eat either 3 sit down meals per day or to use some of the credits to try some of Disney World's Signature Restaurants that require 2 Credits per meal.

 This plan entitles each guest to:
A total of three in any combination:

• Table Service meals + Appetizer
• Quick Service Meals

Also:

• Two (2) Snacks

For each night of your stay.

Plus each guest will receive one (1) Resort refillable Drink Mug good for unlimited drink refills at your resort for the duration of your stay.

2012 Prices of the Deluxe Dining Plan

• Adults (Ages 10+) : $85.52 per day (regular season) / $89.52 per day (peak season)
• Children: (Ages 3-9): $23.79 per day (regular season) / $25.79 per day (peak season)

Money Saving Disney Dining Plan Tips

• Use Table Service Credits only for Dinner (unless you have Deluxe Dining Plan).  The only exception is if you would like to enjoy Lunch at Le Cellier in Epcot Canada.
• Look at Restaurant Menus ahead of time to gauge entree prices.  If they are not greater than $20.00, you are not getting your money's worth.  Save the restaurants with less expensive entrees for a trip without the Dining Plan.
• Disney Character Dinners are a great use of Disney Dining Plan Credits.
• Top non-character places to Dine with the Disney Dining Plan: Cape May Cafe, Boma, 'Ohana, Le Chefs de France, Biergarten, Restaurant Marrakesh, Coral Reef, San Angel Inn Restaurant, Portobello, Teppan Edo.
• Don't forget about the snacks.  There are lots of great items that you can obtain with your snack credits.  Don't settle for a cup of coffee or a bottle of diet coke, seek out the Carrot Cake Cookie, ButterFinger Cupcake, or the famous Dole Whip!
• Gratuities are not included in any of the plans, so keep that in mind when you are budgeting for your trip.
• There are many great Quick Service Meals that actually may have enough food to feed two!  You can use this technique to save Quick Service Credits so that you can use some for breakfasts.
• Remember that the credits do NOT expire until midnight of the day that you check out.