Disney Dining Plans are one of the most popular add-on perks to Walt Disney World Resort vacation packages. In case you aren’t familiar, the Disney Dining Plan allows families to prepay for their sit-down meals, quick service meals, and snacks so they can enjoy their Disney World vacations with less financial stress.
The official description of the Disney Dining Plan reads:
Delight in classic dining options and enjoy a mix of Quick-Service and Table-Service restaurants. You’ll dine at one of each every day (per night of stay), so you can easily plan your meals with the rest of your vacation fun!
Related: Dining at Walt Disney World Resorts

However, for the time being, Disney World has temporarily halted the Disney Dining Plan add-on. The website states:
This is something that has been in place for several months now due to the ongoing pandemic and the fact that there are limited dining offerings currently available at Walt Disney World Resort.

For example, only a handful of dining locations are offering character dining at this time, which is also a modified experience. Additionally, buffet-style restaurants are no longer serving buffets and instead, if they are open, are serving meals family-style.
Other changes include the fact that not all quick-service locations are open as well as dinner shows, such as Hoop-Dee-Doo Revue, being put on pause.
Read More: Additional Updates to Disney World Dining

At this time there is no word on when the Disney Dining Plan will come back to Walt Disney World, but that doesn’t mean Guests aren’t still disappointed that this perk is not available.
In fact, our Inside the Magic audience has voiced their opinions on why they really miss the Disney Dining Plan and why they want to see this vacation package add-on return as quickly as possible.

Inside the Magic follower, Kelley (@kelley.milligan) shared that she and her party enjoy having everything paid for in advance, this way when they arrive at Disney World they don’t have to worry about spending money on food:
We like to have everything paid for in advance so when we get to Disney we just have to worry about spending money.
This is something that another Inside the Magic follower, Stephanie (@scarletaurora89) agrees with. She shared:
We love that it takes the stress out of budgeting meals while on vacation.You don’t need to feel guilty about getting the most expensive thing on the menu and it really helps with character dining cost. And it’s super convenient when you want snacks. Especially during Food and Wine at EPCOT.

Additionally, ITM reader Amanda (@frankslycreative), said that her and her family are a larger party and so the Disney Dining Plan helps them not have to stress about trying to stay on a budget while visiting Disney, making it easier for them to have fun:
We’re a large family (7) and we travel on a tight budget. The dining plan means we don’t have to stress about staying on budget while having fun. With everything paid in advance we can just enjoy the magic!
And Inside the Magic fan, Shawn (@shawn.miller.7773) also feels as though it is less stressful visiting Disney World when you don’t have to worry about paying for meals. He writes:
Even if its not offered for free, I like the fact that all your meals are paid for a head of time so it is one less stress you have while planning your trip or while you are enjoying the parks

ITM fan, Aimee (@aimee.armand) shared with us that she likes the fact that her children don’t have to ask her every time they want a snack. The Disney Dining Plan allows her children to learn how to budget, while also taking stress off of her as they enjoy vacation:
It’s nice that my kids don’t have to ask every time they want a snack. They know how many they get and can do with them what they want.
@minnie13068 added that the Disney Dining Plan makes things less stressful, explaining how they enjoy not having to carry anything extra while in the parks, writing:
The convenience of not having to carry anything extra and it was paid in advance and we were able to just enjoy our vacation. You felt special like you were at an all inclusive resort and not have to worry about anything

And lastly, Lateesha (@mamawolf63) explained how the Disney Dining Plan, as well as other perks on Disney World property, help to make her feel like a V.I.P. and allows the vacation to be more of an all-inclusive package.
I like being able to order anything I want and knowing that I can have a dessert at every meal. Just like the Magical Express (which I will definitely miss) and the in resort transportation, the dining plans made the whole experience a package and all I had to do was relax and enjoy.

There are several different Disney Dining Plan options available depending on you and your family’s needs and wants. Though currently not available to add-on to your Disney World vacation, if you want to learn more about the Disney Dining Plan for when it does become available again, visit the official Walt Disney World website here.
Inside the Magic will update you as we get information regarding the Disney Dining Plan.
Do you miss the Disney Dining Plan? Let us know in the comments below.
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