Is the Disney Dining Plan worth it?

Walt Disney World offers a number of dining packages for guests staying at a Walt Disney World Resort. It sounds great to have your meals prepaid and not have to carry a ton of cash around the World, but are these packages worth it? The short answer is - it depends.

Before I discuss whether a Disney Dining Plan is right for your family, I would like to give a quick overview of how the dining plan works, as well as the different plans and what they include.

Quick Service Dining Plan - includes two quick service meals (where you order at a counter and carry your food to your table) and one snack per person, per day. It also includes a souvenir cup that you can use for free fountain drinks at your hotel for the duration of your stay.

Disney Dining Plan - includes one table service meal, one quick service meal and one snack per person, per day. It also includes a souvenir cup.

Deluxe Dining Plan - includes three table-service or quick-service meals and two snacks per person, per day. It also includes a souvenir cup.

How it Works
No matter which plan you choose, all of your meals are attached to your Key to the World card at the beginning of the trip. For example if you are a family of four, and you are staying for seven nights, with the Quick-Service Dining Plan you would have 2x4x7= 56 meal credits on your card.

When you go to a quick-service restaurant, you would order your four meals, hand the Cast Member your card, they swipe it and hand it back. On your receipt, it would say that you now have 52 meal credits left.

Please note that children ages 3-9 MUST order a children's meal if one is available. If you order an adult's meal for them, it would be taken out of the available adult credits.

A quick service meal is one entree and a drink with dessert, or a complete combo meal with dessert (no desserts at breakfast) at a counter-service restaurant (where you order and pick up your food)

A table service meal is one entree, drink and dessert or one full buffet at a sit-down restaurant. This includes character meals. Dinner shows and signature restaurants take two table-service meal credits.

Examples of snacks are - a frozen ice cream novelty, popsicle, fruit bar, popcorn scoop (single-serving box), single-serving bag of snacks, single piece of whole fruit, 20-oz. bottle of Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite or Dasani water, 22-oz. fountain soft drink or juice, 12-oz. coffee, hot chocolate or hot tea, single-serving prepackaged milk or juice (there are many others, these are merely examples)

So, is it worth it?

I feel that the Disney Dining Plan is a good value for you if one or more of the following statements are true:

• We like to have my entire vacation paid for before we leave
• Food prices stress us out!
• We would like to experience many character meals/sit-down restaurants
• We have multiple food allergies, and will be eating most meals in the parks
• We have a family of very big eaters
• It's being offered for free (Disney occasionally has Free Disney Dining specials.   These generally are offered at the very end of August and extend through early December, with holiday weekends excluded)

As a general rule, the Quick-Service Dining Plan does not usually save more than a few dollars, and if you are a family that doesn't eat dessert at lunch usually, it can end up costing you more.  

The Deluxe Dining Plan can be a good value, but in order to get your money's worth, you would need to eat at a sit-down restaurant for breakfast, lunch and supper, or would like to eat at at least one Signature Dining Experience per day.   This fits perfectly into the touring plans of some, but can also result in eating in to a lot of time you could spend experiencing attractions and shows.

More information:

Disney Quick Service Dining Plan

Disney Dining Plan

Disney Deluxe Dining Plan

I hope that you find this overview helpful.   I would also like to add that if you book a package with Magical Mouse Getaways, I offer "concierge-level" service for FREE - this includes providing guidance on what restaurants fit your needs, as well as making all of the reservations!   If you have any questions, would like a vacation quote or are ready to book a trip, feel free to fire me an e-mail at megan@magicalmousegetaways.ca.

Gluten Free Dining on the Disney Dream - Part 3 (Animator Palate - Pirate Night)

 

 

On this, our third day of the cruise, I was bound and determined to eat somewhere other than Royal Palace.   I was still a bit leary of Cabanas, so we decided to try out the buffet at Enchanted Garden for breakfast.  

 

Enchanted Garden (Breakfast)

 

At Enchanted Garden, we were escorted to a table, and our drink order was taken.   From there, we were told to enjoy the buffet.    At the buffet, I asked for a chef due to my gluten allergy.   The chef walked me down the buffet line, and offered to make me pancakes, toast (I believe) or waffles.   I told him that a waffle would be lovely, and made my selections from the buffet.   I was able to have fruit, eggs, bacon, sausage, cheeses, deli meats and some seafood.

 

I made a plate of fruit, cheese, sausage and deli meats.    After about ten minutes, my waffle was brought out, as well as a syrup container.    The plate from the buffet was delicious - especially the sausage, which was flavourful and not overly greasy.   The waffle was a pre-made frozen waffle, and was not terribly good.   I like my toaster-style waffles good and crispy, and this was a bit soggy.   I would have sent it back to get a more-well done one, but by that time I was fairly full, so I decided to just leave it.   I really appreciated the effort though.

 

Other members of our party were eating breakfast at Cabanas, so we went upstairs to see what was on offer.   From my quick tour of the buffet, I noticed that the sausage was the same, as was the fruit and deli meat selection.   The fruit looked so good that I made a plate and ate a TON of pineapple and cantaloupe - it was absolutely sweet and delicious.     I also had a plate made up of three different cheeses and two different meats - which I took down to the stateroom to save as a snack for later.   Now that I was totally stuffed, I couldn't imagine eating again for a while.

 

Royal Palace (Lunch)

 

Inevitably though, by the time that lunch rolled around, I was hungry again.   Once again, we went to Royal Palace for lunch.   I'm pretty sure that I had the same thing that I had yesterday - steak and salad.   The menu was a bit different, but I don't have a picture of it, and I can't quite remember.

 

Animator's Palate (Dinner)

 

By the time supper rolled around, we were very excited, as Animator's Palate was the one main dining restaurant that we had not set foot in yet.    As it was pirate night, the large screens around the restaurant were showing pictures from Peter Pan, sketches and pictures from Pirates of the Caribbean and other pirate-y things. 

 

The Buccaneer's Sun-Ripened Pineapple - fresh island pineapple with a coconut covered banana and orange glaze

 

I had ordered the pineapple entree, as the others on the menu either couldn't be made gluten-free easily or did not appeal to me.   My dish came out looking markedly different than the others - my bananas weren't covered in coconut (the topping contained gluten), but to make up for the lack of visual interest, the chefs had added a pineapple top to make the plate look pretty.    I really appreciated the effort to make me not feel left out and my plates were often prettier than anyone elses.

 

As for the dish - the pineapple was absolutely delicious!   It was perfectly ripened and very sweet.   The plain bananas were good as well, and the orange glaze was delicious.    It made for a lovely light appetizer - just enough to make you want more.

Jerk Chicken Salad - jerk-seasoned chicken strips over fresh crispy greens with a citrus dressing and plantain chips

 

For the next course, I had selected the Jerk Chicken Salad, as I absolutely love the spice profile of jerk chicken.    This salad came with a very generous portion of chicken, and the citrus dressing was lovely.   The dressing was brought out seperately from the salad and was poured on by the server, so you could have as much (or as little) as desired.     The spice from the chicken paired nicely with the tang from the dressing, and the plantain chips added a nice little crunch.   This was my second favourite salad of the week.

The Dutchmen's Dijon-Crusted Sirloin of Beef - thick cut of beef with oven-roasted sweet potatoes and a black spot tomato with deep red wine glaze

For the main course, I had ordered the sirloin, cooked medium rare (I was consistantly impressed with the doneness of my meat - often when I order beef medium rare it comes medium, but all of my beef entrees were cooked perfectly on the cruise).    The oven roasted sweet potatoes were not gluten-free, so I got mashed potatoes and veggies instead.    The meat and potatoes were absolutely delicious with the glaze, and the carrots were cooked perfectly (I hate broccoli, so didn't eat it).

Floating Island - crisp meringue, vanilla anglaise and marinated fruits

 

For dessert, I was presented with a lovely dish of vanilla creme anglaise with lovely crispy meringes and fruit.   This was one dessert that came straight off of the menu with no substitutions necessary and it was absolutely delicious.   The meringues were light, fluffy and crispy and the vanilla anglaise was creamy and very vanilla (it tasted like vanilla bean as opposed to extract).

 

This dinner was absolutely lovely, with well-balanced offerings.   The pirate menu was one that I was a bit hesitant about, but there was no reason to.   Once again, our server brought out the menu for the following evening, and I ordered my meal for the last night of our cruise.   It was at this point that I should have asked about dining options on Castaway Cay, but I didn't think of it.

 

I hope you`ve enjoyed this third installment of Gluten-free Dining on the Disney Dream. If you have any questions or comments, or want additional information on planning a gluten-free Disney vacation,  please feel free to comment below or send me an e-mail at megan@magicalmousegetaways.ca.

Have a magical day!
Megan



Spring-a-Leak on Disney's Castaway Cay

Spring-a-Leak is a water play area ("splash pad") located on Castaway Cay, Disney's private paradise in the Bahamas.   

According to Disney, Spring-a-Leak is a "2,400-square-foot water play area ... in what appears to be the remnants of a washed-away beach dwelling. The watery fun begins as you enter the storm-ravaged structure. Be greeted by dripping pipes, broken plumbing and hissing misters that have been exposed and twisted by the tropical tempest that wiped out the original structure."   Sounds great doesn't it?

 

Spring-a-Leak is located off of the family beach, near the covered seating area at Cookies Too.

 

 When you arrive at Spring-a-Leak, you are greated with a super-cute sign made from "debris" from the "tropical storm" that created the area.

After you have walked under the sign, you are greeted with a beautiful play area, festooned with nautical flags, driftwood and rope accents.   Better yet, the play area is covered with "shade sails" to keep the area shady and cool.

 

Underneath the "shade sails"?   Dozens of water fountains that squirt, dance and spray!    The fountains seem to work randomly, so you never know what is going to happen next - on our visit, more than one child was "trapped" in a circle of water jets.

 

 

Spring-a-Leak is certainly a paradise for the toddler and preschooler set, but on our visit, we saw some older children, and a lot of parents.    In order to keep everyone happy and safe, there are some rules posted.

 

 

The rules are generally common sense, but I think it is important to reiterate the second last rule - "Do not swallow the fountain water, it is recirculated".    This means that it is not filtered and cleaned during the day.   For that reason, I would not recommend babies play in this play area - I wouldn't want to risk getting sick.

 

In summary, Spring-a-Leak on Disney's Castaway Cay is an amazing place to cool off, let your child burn off some steam, or just take a break from the sand and sun.    It is an absolute must-see for families with 2-5 year olds, and a welcome addition to the offerings on the island.   One note - there are very few benches, so be prepared to stand while watching your child.

 

That's all for tonight!   If you have any questions about Disney Cruise Line cruises that visit Castaway Cay, please don't hesitate to contact me by e-mail at megan@magicalmousegetaways.ca

 

Have a magical day!

Megan

 

 

 





Gluten-Free Dining on the Disney Dream - Part 2 (Royal Palace)

After the little bit of disappointment in terms of room service on the previous day, I was feeling a bit nervous about what I would eat for the rest of the cruise - I needn't have worried!

Royal Palace (Breakfast)

We chose Royal Palace for breakfast this morning, as I figured that ordering off of a menu would be safer than a buffet.    When we arrived at the restaurant, we were asked for our table number, and a little reciept printed out, noting my allergy.   We were whisked to a table quickly, and given menus

There were two dishes that looked safe without much modification:  the Three-Egg Omelet (with your choice of peppers, onions, tomatoes, mushrooms, ham or cheese) and the Express (Scrambled eggs, grilled ham, bacon, sausage. and hash browns).    I was not offered any alternatives to any of the other dishes on the menu (nor did I ask), so I ordered the Express.

Breakfast came quickly but was, for lack of a better word, lacklustre.    The scrambled eggs were powdered and had a weird texture.   The bacon was paper thin, and tasteless, and the hashbrowns weren't as crisp as I like them.    The ham and sausage were very good.    Nothing was awful, but it wasn't great either.   I left the table full.

I now know that I could have asked my server to pre-order a breakfast for me, and I would certainly do that in the future.

Royal Palace (Lunch)

This was our Nassau day.   We spent a bit of time on shore, but then my 2-year old fell asleep in the stroller, so we headed back to the boat.    We decided to have lunch at Royal Palace as I was a bit hesitant about eating in Cabanas.

The lunch menu looked delicious.   I started out with an Apple Walnut Salad (served on a bed of endive).   The candied walnuts were absolutely delicious!   I could not have the dressing that it was supposed to come with, but they brought out a vinegrette that worked with the apples perfectly.

New York Steak with Grilled Tomato and French Fries

 

For my main dish, I ordered one of my go-tos, a New York Steak with French Fries.   I do not get deep fried french fries often due to cross-contamination risk, so I really enjoyed the opportunity to eat this one.   The steak was cooked perfectly (medium rare) and the fries were crisp and delicious (I apologize for the picture - I forgot to take it until after I had a couple of bites).

 

I was so full, that I didn't even ask about dessert.   

 

Over the course of the afternoon, we headed back to Nassau to enjoy the Pirate museum (which I will review later).  When we got back to the boat, I enjoyed some of the on-deck ice cream.

 

Royal Palace (Dinner Service)

 

It wasn't until we arrived at dinner that I realized that we had eaten all three meals at Royal Palace - it is a beautiful restaurant, but I really should have tried something new.   As I had placed my order the previous evening, I was not given a menu when we were seated.    Our servers were fantastic again, and before we knew it, we were getting served our first course.

 

The gluten-free rolls were on the table again, but this time they were already starting to cool - I only had about three bites.

 

 

Pomegranate Glazed Duck Breast with Gerwurztraminer Gelee and Pomegranate Glaze

 

For the appitizer, I had the Pomegranate Glazed Duck Breast.   I had never tried duck before, and so I was a bit hesitant - it was delicious!   So delicious in fact, that I ordered it another night (hence the Animator`s Palate plate above).   The meat was perfectly cooked, the walnuts were delicious (but not candied - I`m guessing there was an issue with potential contamination - the others at my table had candied walnuts).   The little gelatin cubes were a bit strange texture-wise, but it all seemed to work together.

 

 

Belle's French Onion Soup with gruyere cheese crouton

For the next course, I had ordered a French Onion Soup.   I just about cried when it came out - French Onion Soup is one of the things that I have missed more than anything, and I had been told that it would probably come without the crouton.    Well, the chefs outdid themselves, because they made the best french onion soup I had ever had - and it had a crouton!   It looks pretty awful, but it was absolutely delicious!

I ordered the Roasted Wild Boar Tenderloin for my main course, which was supposed to come with a sweet carrot and onion potato cake with a red currant reduction.   Apparantly the cake was not safe, as I got some cooked carrots and roasted potatoes with the boar.   It looked so delicious that I ate the entire thing prior to taking a picture of it!    The boar was succulent and had lots of flavour (way better than any pork tenderloin I`ve had), and the reduction was fabulous - this dish was a winner.

For dessert, the chef sent out the Tahitian Vanilla Creme Brulee (with no macaroon).   I have never had Creme Brulee before (I know, I know), but this was delicious!    The carmelized layer on top was perfect, and the inside was super decadent.

I left the table feeling pleasently full, but not before ordering my next day`s meal.    We were really tired by the end of this day, so we went to bed early and I didn`t even think about a snack (other than some ice cream before bed!).

I hope you`ve enjoyed this second installment of Gluten-free Dining on the Disney Dream..   If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to comment below or send me an e-mail at megan@magicalmousegetaways.ca. 

Have a magical day!
Megan





Disney Cruise Line Unveils New Itineraries for 2014!

2014, Disney Cruise Line® will offer new itineraries, including an expanded collection of European cruises highlighting the Greek Isles. Plus, Disney Cruise Line will depart for the first time from homeports in Venice, Italy, and San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Mediterranean from Venice and Barcelona

• Departures from May 31 – Aug. 30, 2014
• Disney Magic® returns to the Mediterranean with exciting new ports and popular destinations, treating your Clients to the best of Europe.
• For the first time, Disney Cruise Line will use Venice, Italy, as a homeport for select sailings. During these cruises, the ship will overnight in Venice, giving your Clients the opportunity to experience an evening in the spectacular city.
• Other new destinations include Katakolon, Rhodes, Heraklion (Crete), Santorini and Corfu, Greece, and Catania, Sicily.

Caribbean from San Juan

• Departures from Sept. 20 – Oct. 11, 2014
• Disney Cruise Line will homeport in San Juan for the first time in 2014, sailing four cruises to the Southern Caribbean, including Grenada – a new port of call for Disney.
• Known as the “Spice Isle,” Grenada offers your Clients a lush and lively destination filled with spice estates, tropical gardens, beautiful beaches, thrilling diving, snorkeling, fishing and exploration through mountain landscapes and waterfalls.

Alaska from Vancouver

• Departures from May 24 – Sept. 1, 2014
• Disney Wonder® will sail 7-night cruises from Vancouver to Tracy Arm, Skagway, Juneau and Ketchikan, Alaska. One special 9-night cruise calls on Sitka, Alaska – a first for Disney Cruise Line.

Disney Cruise Line will continue to offer a variety of sailings from Port Canaveral and Miami, Florida, in 2014. Most itineraries include a visit to Disney’s private island, Castaway Cay.

If any of these cruises interest you - booking will start on February 13, 2013 for Gold and Platinum Castaway Club Members and on February 14, 2013 for everyone else.    I expect the San Juan sailings, as well as the Alaskan cruise to Sitka to sell out quickly, so

For more information, or to book, contact Magical Mouse Getaways at megan@magicalmousegetaways.ca or by phone at (306)791-0354.

Have a magical day!

Megan

Gluten Free Dining on the Disney Dream - Part 1 (Enchanted Garden)

Our August 2012 vacation was the first time that I had travelled since being diagnosed with a gluten allergy in March.    Needless to say, I was concerned about what I was going to eat, and whether I could avoid getting sick over the course of our 14-day vacation.

As soon as I received my diagnosis, I gave Disney Cruise Line a call, and had the allergy noted on my reservation.    I also sent an e-mail to Special Services on the Disney Cruise Line at DCL.Special.Request@disney.com.

Special Services was very prompt in replying to my e-mail, letting me know that I would have plenty of options at the main restaurants, but that my choices might be limited at the quick-service venues, which I completely understood.    I was also told that I should speak with your Head Server upon arrival at each restaurant and that I could visit the embarkation dining session, in order to discuss my restrictions.

Embarkation day arrived, and I felt like I was as ready as I was going to be.   We decided to head to the lunch buffet at Enchanted Garden rather than at Cabanas because we thought it would be less busy, and easier to speak to a chef.    We were seated promptly, and I informed our server of my gluten allergy.   He instructed me to line up for the buffet, and he waited with me until I got to the front of the line, where he flagged down a chef that I could speak to.    The chef was very good, walking me down the buffet line and letting me know what was/wasn't safe.   He went over all of the desserts as well - the chocolate mousse was safe, as was the fruit.

Of course, I forgot to take a picture of my meal, but I know I had carved beef, lots of veggies, potatoes and some sort of salad.    I also had two servings of a delicious dark chocolate mousse.

After our easy lunch, I figured that visiting the embarkation dining session was not a priority, so we began exploring the ship.   This was a mistake (which I will get to a little later).

Enchanted Garden (Dinner Service)

This was the first main dining room on our dining rotation.   When we were seated, I reminded our server (Gilbert) that I had a gluten allergy.   He explained that for the first night, I could order off of the menu, but my meal may come without some sauces and accompaniments.    At the end of the meal, he would take my order for the next day, so that the chefs would have time to prepare accordingly.   He also brought me a basket of gluten-free rolls, which were not bad warm, but got progressively more brick-like as the meal went on.

Cucumber Garden Roll - filled with Julienne of carrots, bell peppers and zucchini, flavored with cilantro and dressed with white shoyu and lemon dressing.

My first course was the Cucumber Garden Roll (which is currently not on the Menu at Enchanted Garden).   I did not enjoy this one particularly, but I am one of those people to whom cilantro tastes like dish soap, so that may have had something to do with it.   The presentation was great - I just forgot to take a picture before I started eating (a bad habit, as you will see)

Spinach and Raspberry Salad - tender spinach tossed with fresh raspberries, toasted pine nuts and crumbled gorgonzola with a raspberry vinaigrette  

The second course was the spinach and raspberry salad.    I was very hesitant about this one as I had never tried blue cheese, but it was fantastic!   The strength of the cheese was offset by the tangy dressing and the sweetness of the raspberries.

Slow-roasted Prime Rib - thyme-roasted vegetables, double-baked potato, horseradish and natural jus

The main course was a delicious (cooked medium-rare) piece of prime rib served with veggies and potatoes. My serving did not come with the jus, but otherwise looked the same as the rest of my table mates.    The meat could have been cut with a spoon - it was very tender.

Chef's Gluten-free Dessert of the Day

Gilbert recommended ordering the chef's gluten-free dessert of the day, as there would be something different (and delicious) each day.   He did let me know that if there was anything I really wanted, I could order it the night before for the following days meal.   That sounded good to me, and I received a flourless chocolate cake with mango and raspberry sauces on the side.   It was fantastic - moist and beautifully chocolatey. After dessert, but before we left, I placed my order for the next night - Royal Palace.

With such a delicious meal, I didn't know if I would ever be hungry again (but I was, as you will see momentarily).   Our "Dream" vacation was off to a fantastic start!

After supper, we watched the "Golden Mickeys" show at the Walt Disney Theatre - the show was fantastic! Post-show, we put our two year old to bed, and I found myself starting to get a bit hungry.   I knew that there weren't any options but fruit and ice cream that I could have on the pool deck, so I called down to room service, and asked what I could have.   I was told that the room service menu could not be modified, as there was no chef working at the time.    I asked if the crackers were sealed on the cheese tray, but the Cast Member didn't know.    I eventually ordered the only thing I was sure was safe - the fruit bowl (which came with two bowls of cantaloupe/honey dew, a seperate bowl of pineapple and a seperate bowl of strawberries).   The fruit was fantastic, but I was still craving protein and had to go to bed hungry.

I'm pretty sure had I went to the embarkation dining session, I could have got more information on what I could order from room service.   As well, I have seen reports lately of GF pizzas and chicken strips (fried in a dedicated fryer) being available on the pool deck of the Dream and Fantasy, so there should be more options now. 

I hope you've enjoyed this first installment of Gluten-free Dining on the Disney Dream.  If you have any questions or would like further information on doing Disney gluten-free or on Disney Cruise Line in general, please don't hesitate to contact me at megan@magicalmousegetaways.ca.  

Have a magical day!
Megan 

Welcome!

I just wanted to say "Welcome!" to my new blog!

I will be using this space to write about a variety of topics, including (but not limited to):

• Deals and Specials for Disneyland, Walt Disney World and Disney Cruise Lines
• "What's new" at the Disney Parks
• Photo tours of attractions, shows and lands
• Reviews of restaurants and hotels at the Disney Parks 

As well, I will occasionally be having prize draws/contests for the regular readers of this blog. I hope that you will enjoy the information and images presented here, and that you will use this blog as a springboard for further questions and to plan your vacation. As always, if you have any questions, please don't hesitate to e-mail me at megan@magicalmousegetaways.ca. As well, I hope that you will subscribe to this blog and pass on the information to your friends and family!

Have a magical day!
Megan