Will The Disney Dining Plan Return In 2022? Here's Everything We Know. | The Disney Food Blog

Many things have changed about Disney World over the past couple of years!

This is how you meet Mickey now!

We have a whole new paid system that has replaced FastPass+ called Genie+, there are new Annual Passes (but, sales for most passes currently on hold), character meet and greets have been adapted but are returning to normal this year, and a new ride is opening soon in EPCOT. One thing that’s changed a lot of people’s vacations drastically is the Disney Dining Plan no longer being available. Disney has said it will come back, so let’s break down if the Dining Plan will return in 2022.

The Disney Dining Plan is a pre-purchased plan that can be added to a Disney Vacation Package. You have to be staying at a Disney-owned-and-operated hotel and have tickets to the parks in order to qualify for the plan.

Disney Dining Plan Shirt

The Dining Plans offer a set number of counter-service and table-service restaurant meals, as well as snacks. This way, you can pay for your food ahead of your trip. You simply will have your dining plan points deducted instead of paying at the restaurant you’re visiting. There are different types of Disney Dining Plans to fit your group’s needs.

Quick Service Disney Dining Plan Chart

Many guests love the ease of the Dining Plan because they don’t have to think about paying for every single meal when they are at the parks — everything is already paid for! But, others can feel restricted by the Dining Plan when it comes to where they’re allowed to eat or if they can even get their money’s worth from the plan. It can be a lot of food in one day!

Boma Breakfast Spread

Disney World suspended the Dining Plan in March of 2020 when the parks shut down due to the global pandemic. When they reopened in July of 2020, the Dining Plan did not return with them. It has been suspended ever since!

Trail’s End

Disney did say back in 2021 that the Dining Plan WOULD be returning, but they did not give a return date or a timeline, saying “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.” And, we haven’t heard anything since! So, what’s the deal? It obviously didn’t come back in 2021, so will we see it in 2022?

Dining Plan Credits Could Be Used at EPCOT Festivals, Too!

It seems like it would return this year, since Disney DID announce last summer that it would be coming back. We’re not sure why they would confirm the Dining Plan’s return and then wait multiple years for it to actually be available again!

DONUTS!!!!

And we recently had a reader reach out about a BIG hint that Dining Plans could be returning soon. They said that they had modified some reservations for their upcoming vacation when they noticed that the price for their trip had gone way up. When they investigated further, they realized that they had accidentally been booked on the Deluxe Dining Plan! Once they told Disney about the price jump, it was quickly corrected, and the Dining Plan was erased from their reservation. That mistake could mean that Disney is getting ready to reintroduce the Dining Plan soon.

Jiko

When it does come back, there are some things you may have forgotten about. For example, at the end of February 2020, Disney announced a new dining plan option for guests: the Disney Dining Plan Plus. This option is easy to forget about as it was announced almost right before the closures!

‘Ohana

So, when Disney put the plan on pause, the plans available were the Disney Quick-Service Dining Plan, Disney Standard Dining Plan, the Disney Dining Plan Plus, and the Disney Deluxe Dining Plan. All of these offered different options in terms of flexibility and which kinds of restaurants you could visit on your trip.

Casey’s Corner

Here’s a look at what the Dining Plan options looked like in 2020 before the closures:

• Disney Quick Service Dining Plan — 2 quick-service meals, 2 snacks per day, per person. $55 per adult each day, $26 per child (ages 3-9) each day.
• Disney Standard Dining Plan — 1 quick-service meal, 1 table-service meal, 2 snacks per day, per person. $78 per adult each day, $38.50 per child each day.
• Disney Dining Plan PLUS — 2 meals (any combination of quick- or table-service), 2 snacks or non-alcoholic drinks per day, per person. $95 per adult each day, $35 per child each day.
• Disney Deluxe Dining Plan — 3 meals (any combination of quick- or table-service), 2 snacks or non-alcoholic drinks per day, per person. $119 per adult each day, $47.50 per child each day.
• All of the dining plans also came with a refillable resort mug for soda or hot drinks at the resort where guests were staying.

Skipper Canteen

But, we do not know if this is how the Dining Plan will return when it comes back! It could look completely different, like how Disney World decided to completely change the Annual Pass system when sales resumed last year. Keep in mind that the Annual Passholder Program returned at a higher price, so it would not be surprising to see the Disney Dining Plan follow suit. But again, we still don’t know any details about its return.

Chef Mickey’s Spread

While we’re hoping for a 2022 return of the Dining Plan, it remains a mystery! But, we’ll be on the lookout for more news and updates about its return, so stay tuned to DFB to stay in the loop.

Click here to learn more about the Disney Dining Plan

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Do you miss the dining plan in Disney World? Let us know in the comments!