One of the top questions I’ve received about using the dining plan at Walt Disney World is whether it’s worth it if you can’t or don’t drink alcohol.
The dining plan is all about math and research, so you definitely want to plan ahead to see if it makes sense for you.
But, is the Disney dining plan worth it if you don’t drink alcohol?
To be clear, there are two types of dining plans: the Disney Quick Service Dining Plan and the Disney Dining Plan. The former is strictly Quick Service, while the latter combines Quick Service and Table Service.
Both Quick Service and Table Service credits include one alcoholic drink, meaning along with your entree, those who are 21 and older can order one alcoholic drink (you can instead also order one non-alcoholic beverage).
Those who can’t or don’t drink alcohol can order non-alcoholic specialty beverages (like milkshakes, smoothies, and mocktails) with their entrees on the dining plan. But, there is a significant cost difference between non-alcoholic and alcoholic beverages when using the dining plan. And if you order water or soda as your non-alcoholic drink of choice, you’re not getting a good value.
I’ve only ever used the dining plan once in early May 2024, where I tested the Disney Quick Service Dining Plan. Since I’m vegetarian, I wanted to see whether individuals who don’t eat meat or seafood could really benefit from this dining plan.
It gave me some really great insight to not only how the dining plan works, but showed me that the Disney dining plan isn’t really worth it if you don’t drink alcohol — and even more so if you’re vegetarian or vegan.
In order to break even or beat the dining plan, you basically need to order the most expensive menu items, along with alcohol. But, a lot of vegetarian and vegan items aren’t as expensive as meat and seafood items. Those who eat meat and seafood will definitely get more bang for their buck on the dining plan, especially if they order alcohol.
Below is a comparison of a vegan/vegetarian vs. a meat/seafood eater using the Disney Quick Service Dining Plan with and without the order of an alcoholic drink.
To be clear, the Disney Quick Service Dining Plan is priced at $57.01 per person (ages 10 and older), per day. With this plan, you get 2 Quick Service Meals (per night of stay), 1 Snack/Non-alcoholic Drink (per night of stay), and 1 Resort-Refillable Drink Mug.
This means, in order to make sure you break even/get your money’s worth you need to spend at least $25 on each Quick Service meal and at least $6 on each snack.
Note: This is only an example of one Quick Service meal on the dining plan simply to show how much of a cost difference there is when you get alcohol with your entree.
| Docking Bay 7 Food & Cargo (Hollywood Studios) | Vegetarian / Vegan | Vegetarian / Vegan | Meat / Seafood | Meat / Seafood |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Entree + price (with tax) | Felucian Kefta and Hummus Garden Spread (plant-based) ——– $14.15 | Felucian Kefta and Hummus Garden Spread (plant-based) ——– $14.15 | Batuuan Beef and Crispy Topato Stir-fry ——– $20.22 | Batuuan Beef and Crispy Topato Stir-fry ——– $20.22 |
| Alcoholic drink + price (with tax) | Takonda Quencher ——– $18.11 | Takonda Quencher ——– $18.11 | ||
| Non-alcoholic drink + price (with tax) | Moof Juice ——– $6.38 | Moof Juice ——– $6.38 | ||
| TOTAL | $32.26 | $20.53 | $38.33 | $26.60 |
As you can see, alcohol vastly improves the value of a credit on the dining plan. You want to maximize your credits as much as you can. If you don’t drink alcohol, you could ultimately lose money on the dining plan and it can be extremely hard to break even.
Have you used the dining plan at Disney World without drinking alcohol? What did you think? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments.
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