A lot of people currently planning a Disney World vacation for next year are asking questions like “Should we get the Disney Dining Plan?” and “Is the Disney Dining Plan worth it?”

On the other hand, some are asking “CAN I get the Disney Dining Plan?” You see, there are certain factors of your Disney World vacation that make your group eligible or ineligible for purchasing the Disney Dining Plan… and that leads to one more specific question: Can you buy the Disney Dining Plan without a hotel reservation?

Let’s chat about it… But first, the basics:

What is the Disney Dining Plan?

Disney Dining Plans are an optional add-on to a Disney World Vacation Package. Disney Dining Plans are pre-purchased, so all you have to do when you get to Disney World is head to a restaurant that accepts the Disney Dining Plan and CHOW DOWN!! Because meals are pre-paid, it offers an “all-inclusive” experience to your vacation.

To pay for your meals (or snacks), you simply scan your MagicBand, Key to the World card, or Disney MagicMobile pass so the appropriate number of “Credits” — the unit of currency of the Disney Dining Plan — are deducted from your allotment. The meal receipt will show how many credits you’ve used and how many are remaining in your account. (You can also check your Disney Dining Plan credits on the My Disney Experience app.)

There are TWO versions of the Disney Dining Plan from which to choose for 2024: that Standard Disney Dining Plan (simply called the Disney Dining Plan) and the Quick Service Disney Dining Plan.

Disney Dining Plan (Standard)

As stated on the Disney World website, inclusions for the Standard Disney Dining Plan are as follows:

• Everyone in the travel party will receive 1 Table-Service meal per night, 1 Quick-Service meal per night and 1 snack/nonalcoholic drink per night of their package stay—along with 1 Resort-refillable drink mug. Meals and snacks can be redeemed at any time during the stay.
• Beverages are included with each meal. Guests under 21 years of age may choose from a variety of nonalcoholic beverages. Guests 21 and older with valid identification may substitute for beer, wine and cocktails.

For example, if you book a 4-night package with a Disney Dining Plan, each person in your party would receive 4 Table-Service meals, 4 Quick-Service meals and 4 snacks or nonalcoholic beverages—which can be used at any time during your 4-night stay.

The cost for the Standard Disney Dining Plan for 2024 is $94.28 per adult, per night (ages 10 and up), and $29.69 per child, per night (ages 3 to 9). This cost is added to the regular cost of a Disney World Vacation Package.

Quick Service Disney Dining Plan

As stated on the Disney World website, inclusions for the Quick Service Disney Dining Plan are as follows:

• Everyone in the travel party (ages 3 and up) will receive 2 Quick-Service meals per night, and 1 snack/nonalcoholic drink per night of their package stay – along with 1 Resort-refillable drink mug. Meals and snacks can be redeemed at any time during the stay.
• Beverages are included with each meal. Guests under 21 years of age may choose from a variety of nonalcoholic beverages. Guests 21 and older with valid identification may substitute for beer, wine and cocktails.

For example, if you book a 4-night package with a Disney Quick-Service Dining Plan, each Guest in your party would receive 8 Quick-Service meals and 4 Snacks or Nonalcoholic Beverages—which can be used at any time during your 4-night stay.

The cost for the Quick Service Disney Dining Plan for 2024 is $57.01 per adult, per day, and $23.83 per child (ages 3 to 9), per day. This cost is added to the regular cost of a Disney World Vacation Package.

Requirements for Booking Disney Dining Plan

So, above we’ve presented the costs and inclusions of the two versions of the Disney Dining Plan. But what are the REQUIREMENTS for being able to book it in the first place?

The Disney Dining Plan can only be purchased as an add-on to Disney World Vacation Packages, which are made up of TWO things: a Disney World Resort hotel stay with Disney theme park tickets. (Guests staying at a Disney Resort hotel who are Disney Vacation Club Members or Annual Passholders can call Disney directly for options to add the Dining Plan to their stay.)

So, guests who aren’t staying at a Disney Resort hotel are NOT eligible for the Disney Dining Plan.

Participating Disney Resorts

Now, here is where things get a teeny bit confusing. There are certain perks that are indeed available to guests who are not staying at a Disney World owned-and-operated hotel.

For example, the Early Theme Park Entry benefit and Extended Evening Hours benefit are available to those staying at Shades of Green, and the Walt Disney World Swan, Dolphin or Swan Reserve. (The list of participating hotels where guests can take advantage of just the Early Theme Park Entry benefit is much longer, and you can view the entire list here.)

But the Disney Dining Plan is only available as an add-on for guests staying at the Disney owned-and-operated hotels (including Disney Vacation Club Villas), as listed below:

• Bay Lake Tower at Disney’s Contemporary Resort
• Boulder Ridge Villas at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge
• Copper Creek Villas & Cabins at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge
• Disney’s All-Star Movies Resort
• Disney’s All-Star Music Resort
• Disney’s All-Star Sports Resort
• Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge
• Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas – Jambo House
• Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas – Kidani Village
• Disney’s Art of Animation Resort
• Disney’s Beach Club Resort
• Disney’s Beach Club Villas
• Disney’s BoardWalk Inn
• Disney’s BoardWalk Villas
• Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort
• Disney’s Contemporary Resort
• Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort
• Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa
• Disney’s Old Key West Resort
• Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort
• Disney’s Polynesian Villas & Bungalows
• Disney’s Pop Century Resort
• Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – French Quarter
• Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – Riverside
• Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa
• Disney’s Wilderness Lodge
• Disney’s Yacht Club Resort
• Disney’s Riviera Resort
• The Cabins at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort
• The Campsites at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort
• The Villas at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa

You’ll notice the following hotels — Shades of Green, Walt Disney World Swan, Dolphin or Swan Reserve — are NOT on the list, so guests staying at these hotels (or anywhere else other than the Resorts listed above) are not able to purchase the Disney Dining Plan.

Which Disney World Resort Hotel is Best for YOU? 

So, that’s one question about the Disney Dining Plan answered! But perhaps you have others… and in that case, we invite you to check out our complete list of Frequently Asked Questions about the Disney Dining Plan!