The Disney Dining Plan is something that many people visiting Walt Disney World get for their vacations, and there are different levels that are right for them. Each year, the Free Disney Dining Discount also usually comes out and it just recently dropped for 2015. Now, there are rumored changes coming to the Disney Dining Plan, and it could happen very soon.
Details for the 2015 Disney Dining Plan (DDP) were already revealed by Disney many months ago, but changes are always possible. Disney is rumored to be looking to improve the DDP and will be putting in the enhancements listed below by May 31, 2015.
With these changes, guests would have more flexibility and choices in using their dining credits (entitlements) in numerous food & beverage locations along with merchandise locations.
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-Kuche locations).
- 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)
There are a number of these changes that would make many long-known things about the Disney Dining Plan altered.
- Snacks are no longer looked at as merely being most things under $5. If it has a “DDP” icon next to it, then it will be a snack under the new rumored guidelines.
- Exchanging of meal (Quick-Service or Table) credits may be done for considered Snacks on the DDP all in one transaction.
- Pre-bagged Kettle Korn is no longer considered a Snack option on the DDP.
- Trading Snack credits for Meal credits is still not allowed.
Orlando Parks News reported that the changes to the Disney Dining Plan are actually scheduled to begin on May 31. Disney has not yet commented on the rumored changes, and for now, they should only be taken as such.
Until Disney officially announces anything, rumors are simply that.
The rumored changes to the 2015 Disney Dining Plan would benefit guests visiting the Walt Disney World Resort, and some are already hoping they happen. Well, if the rumors are going to prove to be true, then it will be known for sure in less than a week.
[Image via Disney]