How I SAVED MONEY with the Disney Dining Plan!
By Maggie Ballantyne, Travel Advisor
June 3, 2025
I SAVED OVER $120 on the Disney Dining Plan in just 3 nights/4 days on my trip to Walt Disney World in January 2025! I am going to take you day-by-day and show you how I used the plan, what my totals would have cost without dining credits, and how much I saved!
To start, my mom and I each added Disney Dining Plan for about $95 per person, per night. 3 nights at the Animal Kingdom Lodge = $285 per person for the Disney Dining Plan. What is included in this dining plan? One table service credit per night per person, one quick service credit per night per person, one snack credit per night per person, and one resort refillable mug per person. So, adding this plan to my reservation entitled me to 3 Table Service Credits, 3 Quick Service Credits, 3 Snack Credits, and 1 Resort Refillable Mug.
On our check-in day, the first thing we did was head to The Mara and pick up our resort refillable mug. This normally retails for about $22, and I always purchase it to save money. This is included in the Dining Plan, so it was at no extra cost to me on this trip.
DAY 1:
On our first day, the value of the meals I enjoyed totaled: $97.04 not including tax and tip. Here is what I ate:
1 Quick Service Meal Credit used at The Mara valued at: $26.54
Schofferhofer Beer (yes, alcohol is included) $11.75
Shrimp Bowl $14.79
1 Table Service Meal Credit at Boma valued at: $70.50
Buffet $58.00
Pink Spritz Mocktail $12.50
On our first day, this is how I utilized my Resort Refillable Mug:
1 Lemonade valued at $4.79
1 Hot Tea valued at $4.29
DAY 2:
On our second day, the value of the meals I enjoyed totaled: $27.54 not including tax and tip. We enjoyed a few items that I did not use dining credits on because I knew they would not be the best value for the credit. If you are my client, I will teach you when to use the credits and what the best values are! Here is what I ate:
1 Quick Service Meal Credit at The Mara valued at: $27.54
Combination Bowl (Chicken and Shrimp) $15.79
Schofferhofer Beer $11.75
On our second day, this is how I utilized my Resort Refillable Mug:
2 Coffees valued at $8.58
1 Diet Coke valued at $4.79
1 Hot Tea valued at $4.29
DAY 3:
On our third day, the value of the meals I enjoyed totaled: $111.48 not including tax and tip. Here is what I ate:
1 Quick Service Meal Credit at Primo Piatto valued at: $24.99
Tuna Nicoise Salad $14.99
Blue Moon $10.00
1 Table Service Meal Credit at Saana valued at: $86.49
Bees Knees Cocktail $15.50
Slow Cooked Pick 2 Butter Chicken Entree $35.00
Wilde-best Wildebeest Dessert $11.00
On our third day, this is how I utilized my Resort Refillable Mug:
2 Coffees valued at $8.58
2 Diet Cokes valued at $9.58
1 Hot Tea valued $4.29
DAY 4:
On our fourth day, the value of the meals I enjoyed totaled: $64.50 not including tax and tip. Here is what I ate:
1 Table Service Meal Credit at Tusker House Breakfast valued at $64.50. Yes, character dining is included in the Disney Dining Plan!
Bloody Mary: $15.50
Buffett: $49.00
On our fourth day, this is how I utilized my Resort Refillable Mug:
1 Coffee valued at $4.29
2 Diet Cokes valued at $9.58
Let’s not forget my snack credits! I love giving my clients recommendations on how to best utilize these credits. My 3 Snack Credits totaled a value of: $19.73. Here is what I chose to enjoy:
1 Frozen Chai at Animal Kingdom valued at $7.44
1 Bullseye Cupcake (chocolate and peanut butter) at Saratoga Springs valued at $6.79
1 Cinnamon Roll valued at $5.50 (a perfect grab and go breakfast!)
Let’s look at the totals! *Drumroll please…*
On the dining plan, everything I enjoyed totaled: $320.29. I received a Resort Refillable Mug valued at $22.00. If you add up the total of the drinks I enjoyed with my mug, you will get a total of $63.06.
TOTAL VALUE: $405.35.
TOTALVALUE $405.35 - $285 I PAID = $120.35 in savings!
I SAVED more than $120 on the Dining Plan. I also want to note that I didn’t track how many times I filled my mug with water. Tax is included on meals on the dining plan, and I didn’t include it in my above totals which would raise my overall savings a bit. I can confidently say I saved over $120! For my mom and I, that is $240 in savings! For a family of four, that would be $480 in savings!
If you ever see me promote Disney offering a Free Dining Plan promo on my page, www.facebook.com/wishesfamilytravelmaggie, and I emphasize how much these plans can save you, please know I test these theories on my own trips to show clients what these savings really look like. I saved over $120. If I had booked this on the Free Dining promo, I would have saved the additional $285 I paid as well. That would be over $405 per person! For a family of four, that is $1,620 in savings!
I love helping my clients save money on their Disney trips. It makes the trip more doable and more magical! It is so much more fun focusing on the experience, characters, and meals rather than budgeting for food. It is so much more convenient to scan your MagicBand at the end of a meal as opposed to taking out a credit card and footing the bill several times a day. If you look at the numbers, yes, the dining plan makes sense. But to me, the convenience of it is also priceless!
If you are my client, I will help you choose the best dining plan for you and your family, I will teach you which meals maximize your credits best, I will show you how to find snacks that maximize your credits best, I will make recommendations based on my experience, we will get character meals worked into your itinerary if requested, and as your trusted travel advisor, I make your dining reservations for you. All of this is included in my complimentary services. If you want to learn more Disney travel tips, please follow along at www.facebook.com/wishesfamilytravelmaggie or send me an email at maggie@wishesfamilytravel.com . I can’t wait to get started working on your next vacation!
