Credit: DisneyDining at Walt Disney World comes with plenty of decisions. Should you book that character meal? Is the prix fixe dinner worth it? Do you want to splurge on dessert? Now, there’s one more thing guests may notice before they place an order, though it has nothing to do with the menu itself.
A new Florida law is officially in effect, changing how restaurants across the state disclose mandatory fees and other added charges. That means the rules now apply everywhere from neighborhood diners to Disney World’s hundreds of restaurants, lounges, snack locations, and resort dining venues.
The law doesn’t create any new fees for guests, and it doesn’t prevent restaurants from charging automatic gratuities or other mandatory charges. Instead, it focuses on one goal: making sure customers clearly understand exactly what they’re paying before they order.
Florida Wants Restaurant Fees Easier to See
The new requirements stem from Florida’s SB 606, with restaurant disclosure provisions taking effect on July 1. Under the law, restaurants that charge an automatic “operations charge” must provide much clearer notice to guests before they make a purchase.
That includes several specific requirements:
- Any mandatory fee must clearly state both the amount or percentage and the purpose of the charge.
- The notice must appear prominently on printed menus, restaurant websites, contracts, and mobile ordering platforms.
- Restaurants can no longer rely on tiny footnotes or difficult-to-find disclosures. The font must be at least as large as menu descriptions.
- Receipts must separately list voluntary tips, operations charges, and sales tax so guests can easily identify each item.
- Locations without printed menus, such as quick-service counters, must display the information on menu boards or signs near the register.
The law also includes exemptions for certain prepaid dining packages or fixed-price experiences when the total price is fully disclosed before purchase.
What Disney World Guests Will Notice
For most Walt Disney World visitors, the overall dining experience won’t change very much. Disney has generally been transparent about pricing, gratuities, and reservation costs for years. This, obviously, will also be enforced on all dining tenants in Disney World, including restaurants at Disney Springs and inside theme parks that are operated by different companies on property.
However, the company now has to ensure those disclosures meet Florida’s stricter visibility standards across every platform guests use.
One of the biggest examples involves Disney’s automatic gratuity policy.
At table-service restaurants throughout Walt Disney World, parties of six or more automatically receive an 18% gratuity. Under the new law, guests should expect that policy to appear more prominently on restaurant menus and throughout the Walt Disney World reservation process instead of being tucked away in smaller print.
While the gratuity itself isn’t new, Disney now has to make sure guests can easily see it before sitting down for their meal.
Mobile Ordering Also Falls Under the Law
The legislation doesn’t just cover physical menus.
Because Florida specifically included mobile applications, the requirements also extend to Disney’s My Disney Experience app.
If guests place mobile food orders or purchase services that include mandatory delivery fees or similar operations charges, those disclosures must appear clearly before checkout. The goal is to eliminate surprises after guests complete their purchase.
For a resort that increasingly encourages mobile ordering, that’s a significant part of the law.
Special Dining Experiences Receive Different Treatment
Not every Disney dining experience falls under the same rules.
Dinner shows such as Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue already advertise a total package price that includes the meal and gratuity. Since guests see the full price before booking, these experiences generally qualify for the law’s exemption covering fixed-price packages.
However, if Disney were to add a separate mandatory surcharge outside the advertised package price, that additional fee would have to comply with the new disclosure requirements, including the larger font and itemized receipt rules.
More Transparency, Not More Costs
For Disney fans planning an upcoming vacation, there’s no reason to worry that restaurant prices suddenly increased because of the new legislation.
The law doesn’t prohibit automatic gratuities, service charges, delivery fees, or similar operations charges. Instead, it requires restaurants across Florida to make those fees much easier to spot before guests order their food and pay their bill.
Whether you’re dining at Cinderella’s Royal Table, enjoying breakfast at Topolino’s Terrace, or grabbing a quick meal through Mobile Order, the expectation is simple: guests should know exactly what they’re paying before the first bite arrives.
For Walt Disney World Resort, compliance likely means more noticeable disclosures across menus, websites, the My Disney Experience app, and itemized receipts, giving guests greater clarity throughout the dining experience without changing how most restaurants actually operate.
Do you like having more transparency at restaurants when on vacation? Inside the Magic will keep you updated on the latest happenings at Walt Disney World Resort!
