A small but significant mention was made yesterday by Walt Disney World confirming that the dining plan packages will return, but that was about all they had to say.
“Speaking of Disney Resort hotel stays, we know many of you are also wondering when Disney dining plan packages will return. While we’re not quite ready to share an update on timing, we are planning to bring this guest-favorite option back at a later date.,” Disney stated on the Disney Parks Blog.
Dining plans have been a favorite of guests visiting Walt Disney World for years. It not only helps families budget, but also allows people to redeem credits and dine at Disney Signature restaurants, places they might not have gone to otherwise.
“I personally have probably 70% of my clients who do indeed book their package with the dining plan as I really spell out to them how it is not only a convenience but also a money saver when used properly,” Susan Pitzer with MousePros Travel Agency said.
The dining plan has been absent since Disney World started its phased reopening in July 2020 due to capacity limits, limited menus and limited dining options. “I have had clients since day one of the reopening asking about when they will be able to add the dining plan to their package and so many who have traveled over the past year who shared how much they missed it,” Pitzer said.
However, things are starting to change. More Cast Members have returned and The Disney College Program is back. The College Program provides a lot of help in the kitchens and quick service restaurants. This should allow Disney to expand menus and reopen locations with larger staffs.
In addition, now that physical distancing has been eliminated, sit-down dining locations can start to increase capacity in dining rooms. As the 50th-anniversary celebration is about to kick off in October, Disney is going to want to be able to go back to high capacity levels, and to do that, they need to be able to feed guests.
The dining plans are not for everyone. There are those families that just do not really fit the bill for any of the dining plans to be beneficial for them, “which is fine as nothing about Disney is cookie cutter. However, when I really begin asking the questions of my clients in terms of what they are considering as far as dining options, where and how they plan to dine, and really explain how the dining plans work, more often then not a dining plan is the best fit for them,” Pitzer said.
Disney has not given a hint as to what form the new dining plans will take place and no one knows how dining experiences will continue to evolve, as menus begin to get back to normal, character dining continues to be added back and festival seasons extend at Epcot. “I think the value of the dining plans will become more and more obvious to guests and this break of not having them will really show people that the dining plans are indeed a money saver in addition to a convenience when they compare out of pocket to having a plan,” Pitzer said.
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