Some people plan a trip to Walt Disney World based on when they’re off from work or school. Others plan to visit during a special occasion, such as a birthday or an anniversary. But for an increasing number of people, the special celebration worth planning a vacation to Florida for is food. Free food. And lots of it.
Periodically, Disney offers a “free dining” promotion, and the company announced one late last month. The offer means that guests who stay at the World during specific dates at certain resorts receive either the Quick Service Disney Dining Plan or the standard Disney Dining Plan for no charge. However, during the most recent promotion, Disney had fewer rooms that were eligible for “free dining,” and those were snapped up extremely quickly. Many people who wanted the deal have been shut out, but there are several reasons why a lack of “free dining” shouldn’t make people want to skip a trip. Here are eight reasons why you don’t need free dining at Walt Disney World:
1. “Free dining” isn’t totally free
The “free dining” pre-paid meal plan promotion has several limitations. First, guests must stay at certain resorts for a minimum of three nights and a maximum of 14, and those dates must fall within specific time periods outlined by Disney. The offer can’t be combined with any room discounts, and rooms booked with Disney Vacation Club points aren’t eligible. Plus, Disney added a new requirement this year: to get “free dining,” guests must purchase at least two-day tickets that include either the Park Hopper or Water Park Fun & More options, or both. So that means that guests who already have tickets or annual passes, or who plan to purchase tickets from an authorized reseller, must buy more tickets to take advantage of the “free dining” offer. Disney often offers great discounts on rooms, so guests should do the math to determine whether “free dining” is actually a good deal for them or not.
2. You have to essentially plan your trip around food
Guests who stay at moderate and deluxe resorts who receive “free dining” get the standard Disney Dining Plan, which includes one table-service meal. Those meals must be planned far ahead of time, as Advance Dining Reservations for most restaurants go quickly – especially during “free dining” periods. And while some people enjoy leisurely dinners each night, others find that they take too much time – precious hours that they’d rather use to explore the parks. There’s also a fee charged if a guest cancels a reservation on short notice.
The standard Disney Dining Plan also includes one quick-service meal and a snack per day, and guests staying at value resorts and getting “free dining” receive the Quick Service Disney Dining Plan, which includes two quick-service meals and one snack per person per day. Although the quick-service locations don’t require reservations, guests on any of the plans still have to keep track of the credits they have, in order to use them effectively (though receipts will also show this information). It’s important to note again that none of the dining plans offer three meals per day, though the credits can be used in any combination until they’re depleted.
3. You must order certain items
Image: Disney
The table-service meals on the standard Disney Dining Plan include an entrée, non-alcoholic beverage and a dessert, or a full buffet for lunch or dinner. (Table-service breakfast includes an entrée and a non-alcoholic beverage.) As mentioned above, appetizers and alcoholic drinks aren’t included, and if a guest wants just soup or a salad instead of a heavy entrée, they’ll be paying for that out of pocket.
4. You’ll feel the need to get the most “bang for your buck”
To take full advantage of the “free dining” promotion, guests might decide to order things they don’t really want. For example, the same snack credit can be used on a $1.69 piece of whole fruit or a $5 pretzel. One might appear to be a better deal, but if a guest is really craving a cheaper item and settles for an expensive one, they’re not going to be satisfied.
5. You might be overrun with food
Restaurant portions at Walt Disney World are usually large, and the meals keep coming day after day. A guest might decide to split some meals, but they’ll end up with more credits left over.
6. You might waste credits
Since most guests will likely be stuffed each day, they might be forced to burn through their remaining credits at the end of their trip, though pre-packaged snacks purchased with credits can make good souvenirs.
7. You can’t use your refillable mug at the parks
Image: Disney
Each of the dining plans include one refillable mug per person, which are great for getting beverages at the resorts, but they can’t be used at any of the parks. If a guest wants a beverage outside of a meal credit, they’ll have to use a snack credit – or pull out their wallet.
8. You may find that you never want to eat chocolate cake or carrot cake ever again
Image: Disney
Little round carrot cakes or chocolate cakes are the standard dessert choice offered at most quick-service meals, and being faced with those every day can get a little old, even if the chocolate cakes do have those Mickey head-shaped sprinkles. It’s not unusual to see guests take one bite of their desserts, then leave a restaurant.
The Disney dining plans aren’t all bad – many people enjoy the convenience of having most of their meal costs covered. But as the above eight reasons have shown, they do have some drawbacks. There’s definitely more freedom – and fewer chances to overeat or waste food – without a plan. So if you missed out on the “free dining” deal, there are still lots of reasons to plan a trip to the World – even if you have to shell out for meals yourself.
