Earlier this week you guys found out that I am a BIG fan of the Disney Dining Plan!  Yesterday, we took a look at the quick service dining plan and discovered it is a great option for quick getaways to WDW!  Today we are going to be talking about my dining option of choice, the Disney Dining Package!

This package, for each person in your party for the length of your stay, includes:

- One (1) Table Service Meal
- One (1) Quick Service Meal
- One (1) Snack
COST:
Adults (Ages 10+):      $45.99 per day (regular season)
$47.99 per day (peak season)
Children (Ages 3-9):    $11.99 per day (regular season)
$12.99 per day (peak season)

This is a great option if you are staying for a longer vacation and want to enjoy all of the great dining options Walt Disney World has to offer.  Disney has some of the best chef’s in the world working in their restaurants, and it is a real treat to be able to dine and sample some of their cuisine.  I love this option on the DDP for just that reason!  We try all different restaurants, no matter the price with the dining plan, that we might otherwise not have.  Having one really nice meal each day is a great way to relax from the heat and the hussle and bustle of the day. 

The DDP is so flexible that you can use your credits any way you choose!  Love the character breakfasts?  Great!  You can use your table service credits any time of the day and on most of the character meals!  How awesome is that?!  Should you choose to take part in a signature dining experience you can stack your credits and use them for those experiences as well! Want 2 snack in one day? No problem either.  The DDP is totally customizable as long as you stay in your credit limit for your trip!

Here is my suggestion.  Pack some breakfast items from your local grocer to take with you on your trip.  Enjoy your packed items in the morning while getting ready for the parks.  Once you get to the parks utilize your snack credits and counter service credits wisely.  There are some sandwiches and pretzels that are very filling on the snack credit list!  So have an early lunch at whichever park your at and then a later lunch (or vise versa).  Then, especially if you took advantage of the Advanced Dining Reservations, you can enjoy a lovely sit down dinner later on in the evening!   Don’t worry, it is plenty of food so spacing it out throughout the day is a good idea!  You wont go hungry! 

The best value for your money is going to come when using your sit down credits for dinner or character meals!  Breakfast in general is the cheapest meal at WDW so even if you don’t pack your breakfast items, picking up something out of pocket at your resorts food court isn’t going to break the bank.  You could also use your counter services for breakfast, have a mid day snack, and an early sit down dinner.  There are really so many possibilities. 

To get the most out of the DDP it does take some planning on your part.  You MUST make reservations at most WDW sit down restaurants. Do not think for one minute you are going to just walk up and get seated at any of the nicer WDW restaurants.  That would absolutely be a waste of the DDP.  You can make reservations up to 180 days in advanced and I highly recommend it.  If making reservations ahead of time does not interest you then this dining package is not for you.

Keep in mind that children must order off of the kids menu where one is available.  Also, gratuity is not included in the price.  So keep extra cash in your wallet to tip appropriately!  Unless you have the Disney Park Hopper, you need to make a reservation within the park you are visiting that day.  You will need a park ticket to get into any restaurant that is located within any of the WDW theme parks.

By far, I think this dining option is the best value for you money.  There is plenty of food and you still have a lot of time to enjoy the parks, with only one sit down meal!  I hope if you have not tried the Disney Dining Plan you will consider giving this package a try!  There are so many memories to be made, even at the WDW restaurants, I just know you will love it too!