What to Consider When Planning a Trip to Walt Disney World | Meals

I'm not even going to lie - one of my favorite parts of visiting Walt Disney World is the food. If you're craving something, chances are there's a restaurant that will satisfy you!

I'm generally always craving a Dole Whip Float.

I do think that dining is one of the more overwhelming parts of planning a trip only because there are so many options. I hope that this post will help you at least narrow down your options to things that are more in line with you and your travel group's wants and needs.

Disney has three price points for dining: table service, quick service, and snacks. Table service restaurants will pretty much require a reservation (there are a few exceptions, but to play it safe, if you want to eat at a table service restaurant, make the reservation and save yourself the stress). Quick service restaurants are pretty much all set up the same way - you walk up to a counter to order, pay, and pick up your food. Snacks can be found at numerous walk-up stands, kiosks, etc. I have found that there are several snacks out there that are large enough to be a decent meal.

The Mickey pretzel is an awesome snack! You can get it stuffed with cream cheese!

One question I get a lot as a travel agent is whether or not the dining plans that Disney offers are worth it. Here's how I usually answer: if pre-paying a flat fee for your meals and not having to calculate costs once you are on vacation is important or appealing to you, then YES. The dining plans are TOTALLY worth it. They may not always work out in your favor money-wise, but for many people, it's a great feeling to have the freedom to pick whatever you want from a menu without worrying about its cost while trying to relax and enjoy your trip.

Sci-Fi Dine-In is a fun choice if you're in Hollywood Studios

There three different dining plans available to you at Disney. The first is the standard dining plan which is a good mix of snacks, table service, and quick service. The cheapest plan is the quick service plan, that only offers quick service and snack credits. The deluxe dining plan allows you to have multiple table service meals. These plans are all set up based on how many nights you are staying at a WDW resort. These are NOT available to offsite guests, so keep that in mind.

To narrow down your choices, especially for table service reservations, my suggestion is to make yourself a plan of what parks you are planning to visit on each day of your trip. From there, you can work on what restaurants to choose. Keep in mind that the Disney resort hotels also have some amazing choices, so think about what hotels are near the parks you are planning to visit. You can begin making reservations 180 days before your check-in date.

Quick service is not something to forget about, though. There are some awesome options. Disney has also upped the quick service game by offering mobile ordering at some locations! We utilize this a TON. We order, grab a table, and then we get a notification when our food is ready! Done! No waiting in line with hangry children!

 Don't let food allergies scare you from a Disney trip. They are AMAZING at accommodating special dietary needs. Our daughter is allergic to nuts and eggs, and the chefs and waitstaff are always happy to help us pick safe choices. You can also note any special needs on your dining reservation, so they will already know what is going on when you check in with a host/hostess.

If you need suggestions for a particular event or situation, don't hesitate to ask me. I LOVE talking Disney food!