Disney Dining Plan - New Options Starting May 31, 2015

[BradyBzLyn...Mo 2,023]

From The Adult Side of Disney...

 

 

Enhancements to Disney Dining Plan – One Meal Credit Equals Three Snacks!

 

May 26, 2015by bjkbrady

 

As part of the popular Magic Your Way Vacation Package, Disney Dining Plans continue to be Guest favorites at the Walt Disney World Resort. To improve this service, several enhancements are taking place that will expand Guest offerings and simplify the usability of the program. Starting May 31, Guests will have more flexibility and choice in using entitlements in nearly every Disney-operated food & beverage and merchandise venue throughout the Walt Disney World Resort.

 

Expanded Snack entitlements; Meal entitlements may be used as Snack entitlements (in select locations only).

 

The following will be included as of May 31, 2015, as eligible Snack entitlements for Guests with DDP:

• All single-serve non-alcoholic beverages that are not in a souvenir container (single serve is equal to or less than one liter and excluding beverages sold at recreation counters);
• All ice cream novelties;
• All hand-scooped ice cream offerings, including sundaes that do not exceed two (2) scoops or are not served in souvenir container;
• Additional items considered single-serve previously excluded are now included, such as Caramel or Candy Apple (with or without peanuts, excludes character-inspired apples),
• large Mickey Cookie,
• Tin Mints (1.5 oz), fresh-popped, scooped popcorn (only applies to Big Top Souvenir and Karamell-Kuchelocations). Note: Pre-bagged popcorn of any kind is no longer included in the Dining Plan.

MEAL ENTITLEMENT CONVERSION

 

Effective May 31 at quick service restaurants and select merchandise locations (listed below), Guests may substitute one Meal entitlement for up to three (3) eligible Snack plan items within the same transaction.

 

Example 1: Guest chooses to substitute one (1) QSR Meal entitlement for an apple, bottle of soda, and bag of potato chips (within the same transaction).

 

Example 2: Guest chooses to substitute one (1) DDP Table-service Meal entitlement for three candy bars (within the same transaction).

 

Resort locations where the meal entitlement conversion will be available starting May 31, 2015:

• Artist’s Palette
• BayView Gifts
• Beach Club Market Place
• Calypso Trading Co.
• Conch Flat
• Donald’s Double Feature
• Dundy’s Sundries
• Everything Pop
• Fittings and Fairings
• Fulton’s General Store
• Ink and Paint
• Jackson Square
• Johari Treasures
• M. Mouse Mercantile
• Maestro Mickey
• Moana Mercantile
• On the Boardwalk
• Panchito’s Gifts and Sundries
• Sandy Cove
• Seashore Sweets
• Settlement Trading Post
• Sport Goofy Gifts and sundries
• Wilderness Mercantile
• Zawadi Marketplace

Park locations where the meal entitlement conversion will be available starting May 31, 2015:

• Big Top Souvenir (Magic Kingdom)
• Confectionary (Magic Kingdom)
• Prairie Outpost (Magic Kingdom)
• Karamell-Küche (Epcot)
• Beverly Sunset (Disney’s Hollywood Studios)
• Writer’s Stop (Disney’s Hollywood Studios)
• Mombasa Marketplace (Disney’s Animal Kingdom)
• Candy Cauldron (Downtown Disney)
• Goofy’s Candy Co. (Downtown Disney)

 Some Questions Answered:

1. The price of a Mickey cookie exceeds five dollars—is that still considered a Snack?
    Yes. If the item falls within the guidelines stated within the updated business rules, then it is considered a Snack, regardless of the price.
2. Is the pre-bagged Kettle Korn still considered a Snack?No. The only popcorn considered a Snack is fresh-popped and scooped by the location.
3.  Can I exchange my Meal entitlement for two Snack options now and one later?No. If Guests choose to exchange their Meal entitlements for Snack entitlements, the exchange must be completed in the same transaction.
4.  Can I exchange my Meal entitlement for two snack options?Yes. Guests may exchange the Meal entitlement for one, two, or three Snack-eligible items.
5. Can I exchange my table-service Meal entitlement on the Dining Plan for the snack option?Yes. Guests may exchange any Meal entitlement on any plan for one, two, or three Snack-eligible items (the maximum number of snack is still three).

   
   Updated signage to reflect some of these changes will be in place starting June 4, 2015.

 

http://theadultsideofdisney.com/enhancements-to-disney-dining-plan-one-meal-credit-equals-three-snacks/

[DaveInTN 3,247]

This is all so confusing.  All I want to know is....can I use a meal credit to eat ice cream out of Mickey's pants, or can't I?  

[Katman1356...Jason 1,140]

This is all so confusing. All I want to know is....can I use a meal credit to eat ice cream out of Mickey's pants, or can't I?

You can't. That would be a souvenir container.

[CCIntrigue...aka Gwen 547]

Who in their right mind would trade a table service meal for a snack option?

[Katman1356...Jason 1,140]

Just as an example if you somehow end up with credits left, maybe you got sick and couldn't make it to a meal, you would have lost that completely. Now at least you would get something for it. Not equal but something is better than nothing right.

[BradyBzLyn...Mo 2,023]

Another possibility... last time we did the regular DDP we had a few QS credits left.  At that time we had friends with us so we just "bought lunch" for everyone, but with these new options we could have stocked up the fridge with snacks for the ride home.

[ependydad...Doug 176]

We always leave "money on the table" so to speak when it comes to the dining plan.

 

We didn't use it this past time and it was so much better.

[GaDawgFan.....Kelly 799]

None of these options save guests money. I still don't understand why people buy the DDP. 

[Katman1356...Jason 1,140]

I have always saved when using it but I plan my meals accordingly and price it roughly before hand to see which is better for each trip. 

[mouseketab.....Carol 1,261]

I have always saved when using it but I plan my meals accordingly and price it roughly before hand to see which is better for each trip. 

I have too on the rare occasions I have used it. But we only got it for very short trips (5 days or less), and made food the focus of the trip and really splurged

[Katman1356...Jason 1,140]

I have too on the rare occasions I have used it. But we only got it for very short trips (5 days or less), and made food the focus of the trip and really splurged

 

I do all the cooking at home. Part of what I love at Disney is trying different things and not cooking. We have at least one sit down a day while we are there and if we are both there it is generally a 7 day trip.  I also dont eat steaks a lot at home so I tend to order more of those while we are there. 

[h2odivers...Ray 952]

The DDP is simply a numbers thing.

If you only eat lite meals or once or twice a day it's probably not for you. But if your like Jason and me (sometimes) and you do at least one TS meal per day and want to try some of the more expensive items on the menu then it might be worth it.

Only you will know if it works for you and the way you eat at Disney.

In most trips we don't buy it. But when we have we got our money's worth. Because we planned carefully.