Disney World Free Dining: 2024 Dates, Info, and FAQ

Free Dining is by far one of the most popular promotions to be offered at Disney World. This benefit has been offered most years since 2005 (but was absent in the years following the COVID-19 pandemic). Free Dining offers returned in early 2024. Here’s what we know so far about Disney World Free Dining in 2024.

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Current Offer: Free Dining for Disney Visa Cardholders

On April 9, 2024, Disney released a new free dining offer for people who have a Disney Visa card.

Offer Overview

• Booking window opens April 9, 2024
• Must purchase a non-discounted Walt Disney Travel Company package that includes a Disney resort hotel stay of at least 4 nights / 4 days
• Package must also include Park Hopper theme park tickets
• Valid for arrivals on most nights from:
  • July 1-31, 2024
  • September 1-7, 2024
  • December 9-21, 2024
• Type of Dining Plan varies depending on resort booked (see below)

Eligible Resorts & Room Types

• Guests staying at a Disney Value Resort, Disney Moderate Resort, or the Cabins at Fort Wilderness will receive a Free Disney Quick Service Dining Plan (and may be eligible to pay for an upgrade to the full table service Dining Plan). Each person will receive:
  • 2 Quick Service Meals Per Night of Stay
  • 1 Snack or Nonalcoholic Beverage Per Night of Stay
  • 1 Resort-Refillable Drink Mug
• Guests staying at a Disney Deluxe Resort or Disney Deluxe Villa receive a free standard (table service) Disney Dining Plan. Each person will receive:
  • 1 Quick Service Meal Per Night of Stay
  • 1 Table Service Meal Per Night of Stay
  • 1 Snack or Nonalcoholic Beverage Per Night of Stay
  • 1 Resort-Refillable Drink Mug
• Offer is not valid for:
  • 3-Bedroom Villas (AKA Grand Villas)
  • Treehouse Villas at Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa
  • Campsites at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort
  • Cabins at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort (Disney Vacation Club reservations)
  • Cabins at Copper Creek Villas & Cabins at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge
  • Bungalows at Polynesian Villas & Bungalows
  • Club Level and Suites at Disney Moderate and Deluxe Resort hotels
  • Deluxe Studios – Club Level at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas – Jambo House
  • 1-Bedroom Villas – Club Level at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas – Jambo House
  • 2 Bedroom Lock-Off Villas – Club Level at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas – Jambo House

Eligible Disney Deluxe Villa Resort Hotels (Free Disney Dining Plan)

• Bay Lake Tower at Disney’s Contemporary Resort
• Boulder Ridge Villas at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge
• Copper Creek Villas & Cabins at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge
• Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas – Jambo House
• Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas – Kidani Village
• Disney’s Beach Club Villas
• Disney’s BoardWalk Villas
• Disney’s Old Key West Resort
• Disney’s Polynesian Villas & Bungalows
• Disney’s Riviera Resort
• Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa
• The Villas at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa

Eligible Deluxe Resort Hotels (Free Disney Dining Plan)

• Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge
• Disney’s Beach Club Resort
• Disney’s BoardWalk Inn
• Disney’s Contemporary Resort
• Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa
• Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort
• Disney’s Wilderness Lodge
• Disney’s Yacht Club Resort

Eligible Disney Moderate Resort Hotels (Free Disney Quick Service Dining Plan)

• The Cabins at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort
• Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort
• Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort
• Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – French Quarter
• Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – Riverside

Eligible Disney Deluxe Villa Resort Hotels (Free Disney Quick Service Dining Plan)

• Disney’s All-Star Movies Resort
• Disney’s All-Star Music Resort
• Disney’s All-Star Sports Resort
• Disney’s Art of Animation Resort
• Disney’s Pop Century Resort

Important Details & Restrictions

• Must use a valid Disney Visa Card or Disney Rewards Redemption Card to pay the package deposit
• Disney Visa Cardholder must stay in the room
• Cannot be combined with any other discount or promotion
• Gratuities not included
• Children aged 3-9 must order from children’s menu where available
• The number of packages allocated for this offer is limited
• Everyone in the same room must be on the same package
• Advance package reservations are required
• Additional per-adult charges may apply if more than 2 adults per room at Disney Value, Moderate, Deluxe and Deluxe Villa Resorts
• Theme park tickets are valid for admission beginning on date of check-in and must be used within a limited number of days, depending on length of stay and ticket
• Some Table Service restaurants may have limited or no availability at time of package purchase

For further details, see Disney’s offer overview page and offer details page.

Read on for general information about free dining offers at Disney World and a history by year, further down the page.

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What is Free Dining at Disney World?

Free Dining is a promotional offer which adds a free Disney Dining Plan onto your Disney World vacation package.

This free Dining Plan gives you a certain number of entitlements that can be exchanged for meals and snacks during your vacation. Any unused credits expire at 11:59 PM on the day you checkout.

Each year’s Free Dining offer is different, but historically the offers have included conditions such as:

• Available only for certain travel dates
• Must be booked within a certain booking window
• Available only for certain hotels or certain room types
• The number of rooms associated with the offer could be limited
• Likely requires paying full price for your hotel room, theme park tickets, or other package elements
• May require a minimum/maximum length of stay
• May offer different levels of dining benefits depending on the hotel/room booked
• May be offered only to certain groups, such as Disney Visa Cardholders, Disney+ Subscribers, residents of a particular country such as the UK or Canada, or “Bounceback” guests who book their next Disney vacation while still on their current vacation

When Does Disney Normally Announce Free Dining?

The timing of each year’s announcement has varied over the past two decades, but the initial releases each year now tend to happen in early January, with follow-up announcements possible later on. You’ll find a complete history of Disney Free Dining announcements at the bottom of this page.

Is it Hard To Get Free Dining at Disney World?

It’s not necessarily difficult to qualify for Free Dining – it’s as simple as booking a reservation for the right dates and location. But it can be difficult to secure that qualifying reservation.

Flexibility is Key

Free Dining offers are usually tied to specific room types, hotels, and travel dates. And availability can be limited.

The more you’re able to roll with the punches, the more likely you are to succeed.

I suggest having a first, second, and third choice of specific travel dates, hotels, and room types. This way, you (or your travel agent) can quickly research possibilities and confirm something before everything sells out. Speaking of selling out…

Demand is High, so Acting Quickly is Important

Being ready to jump on offers as soon as they’re announced will give you the best chance of getting your first choice.

Free Dining draws an astonishing amount of interest among travelers. It is quite simply the most-demanded offer Disney does all year long.

Because of that, getting a reservation can be frustrating.

Historically, phone lines at 407-W-DISNEY have been jammed for hours on days when Free Dining is released.

Trying to book it yourself through the Disney World website can be just as bad; the site can become so overloaded that you’re stuck in a virtual waiting room before you can even get in to look at what’s available.

But fortunately, there is a way to avoid all of that.

Can You Add Free Dining to Existing Reservations?

If your existing reservation meets the eligibility requirements for the offer (or you’re willing to change your travel plans so it qualifies), then you may be able to add Free Dining to your reservation.

This is where booking through a Disney Travel Agent has its advantages. A good travel agent is an absolute hawk when it comes to newly-announced promotions. Based on your prior discussions about what’s important to you, they can automatically add newly-announced promotions to your trip – possibly before you’ve even heard that Free Dining was announced!

If you booked on your own, you can check your existing reservation on DisneyWorld.com or within the MyDisneyExperience app to see what options you might have. You can also call 407-W-DISNEY, but expect long waits to get in touch with a Cast Member.

A word of warning: be sure to thoroughly check prices and components before committing. Why?

• Any prior discounts you got on your existing room will be forfeited.
• The base rate for the room may have increased since the time you first booked it (much like how airfare fluctuates); you’ll have to pay the new price to get free dining.
• If your original package didn’t include the required theme park tickets/options — or if ticket prices have changed since you purchased — you could see additional costs.

Is Free Dining Worth It?

On the surface, getting free food seems like a no-brainer. But is it really worth it?

For many people, the answer is an easy yes. But for some travelers, it might not be the best deal.

Here are a few things to consider to determine if it’s right for you:

Is There a Room Discount Offered at the Same Time?

Free Dining usually requires a full-priced room. Historically, Disney has typically offered a separate room-only discount promotion (as much as a 35% discount) at the same time that it offers free dining. You cannot combine the two offers, so you would need to pick one or the other. It might be a better deal to take advantage of any available room savings and pay out of pocket for food. This is especially true if:

• You don’t eat that much: If you regularly skip meals and/or order the cheapest thing on the menu, you won’t get as much value out of a free Dining Plan.
• You usually skip dessert: The Dining Plan includes dessert at most meals; if you don’t normally order dessert, you’re not actually saving any money by getting it free.
• You have a smaller travel party: Food savings are per person, but room savings are per room. A big room discount could be larger than dining savings for a party of two.
• There are more kids than adults: The Dining Plan forces kids to order from the lower-priced children’s menu, meaning you get a bit less bang for your dining plan credits.
• You prefer deluxe hotels and quick service meals/snacks: Free Dining usually offers the Quick Service Dining Plan for Value resorts, and the Standard (table service) Dining Plan for Deluxe Resorts. If you prefer quick service meals but stay at nicer hotels, you could be “wasting” some of your food savings. It gets a bit murky when considering Moderate resorts, which have fluctuated between full and quick service dining plans over the history of the offer.

Do You Need Length-of-Stay Theme Park Tickets?

Free Dining often requires purchasing length-of-stay theme park tickets; if you don’t need those tickets, the extra cost could cancel out your dining savings.

• You want to take some rest days: Planning to spend a day or more at the hotel pool, water park, golf course, the beach, or at Universal Orlando or SeaWorld? You won’t need a Disney theme park ticket for those days but you might still have to buy one to get free dining.
• You already have an annual pass: If your admission is already covered by an annual pass, buying length-of-stay tickets is an unneeded expense that can quickly offset the dining savings.

Does the Required Stay Match Your Vacation Habits?

Room types, resorts, and travel dates required to get the offer might be outside of what you’d normally do. Are you really saving, or are you spending more money than normal just to get something for “free”?

Calculating the Savings

It’s best to run some calculations (I know… math… gross) to figure out how much your trip would cost with or without the Free Dining offer. It’s easy enough to do, though perhaps a little tedious.

• The Cost Without Free Dining: Add up the following…
  • How much you would normally spend on food (either per-meal or paying the regular cost of the Disney Dining Plan).
  • The cost of the hotel room (including any available discounts you might be eligible for)
  • The cost of the tickets you need to get into the parks (not necessarily the tickets you would be required to buy to get Free Dining).
• The Cost With Free Dining: Your package price should include…
  • The full-priced rate for the hotel room
  • The full-priced cost of any tickets required by the Free Dining offer

Compare these two numbers, and see which one is a better deal. We offer a Disney Cost Calculator and a Disney Dining Plan calculator to help you get an idea of trip costs.

Better yet, have your dedicated Disney Travel Agent run the numbers for you. They’re experts at looking at all available offers and finding the one that will save your family the most money.

Frequently Asked Questions About Free Disney Dining Plans

What’s Included in a Free Disney Quick Service Meal?

Each Quick Service Meal entitlement will usually include an entrée and side item (or a combo meal if offered), along with a beverage. Dessert is not included.

What’s Included in a Free Disney Table Service Meal?

Each table service meal includes an entrée and side item, along with a beverage. Dessert is also included, except at breakfast. Some restaurants may also offer a buffet or prix fixe menu option. Appetizers are not included.

Are Dinner Shows Included in Disney’s Free Meal Plans?

The Disney Dining Plan allows you to exchange two table service meal credits (per person) for Dinner Shows such as the Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Review. If your Free Dining offer includes the standard (table service) Disney Dining Plan, it can be used toward dinner shows.

Is Signature Dining Covered by Free Dining?

The Disney Dining Plan allows you to exchange two table service credits (per person) for fine dining at signature restaurants such as Citricos, California Grill, or Narcoosee’s. If your Free Dining offer includes the standard (table service) Disney Dining Plan, it can be used toward these experiences.

Is Character Dining Included in Free Disney Dining?

Character meals are covered by table service credits on the Disney Dining Plan. Depending on the restaurant chosen, they will require either one or two table service dining entitlements per person.

If your Free Dining offer only covers Quick Service meals (rather than Table Service meals), you’ll have to pay out-of-pocket for character meals.

Is Alcohol Included in Free Dining Plans?

Guests who are of age may enjoy a beer, wine, or cocktail during their free quick service meals and free table service meals.

Snack entitlements cannot be used for alcohol.

Does Disney Free Dining Include Dessert?

The Disney Dining Plan (and therefore the Free Dining offer) includes dessert during table service meals only. Dessert is not included at breakfast (even if table service), nor for quick service meals.

Are Appetizers Included in Free Disney World Dining?

Appetizers are not included with the Disney Dining Plan, and therefore are not covered by Free Dining.

Are Snacks Included in Free Dining?

Yes, the Disney Dining Plan (and therefore the Free Dining promotion) includes one snack per person per day.

Is Gratuity/Tip Covered by Free Dining?

Tips are not included with the Disney Dining Plan, and therefore are not covered by Free Dining.

Is Room Service Included in Free Dine Plans?

The Disney Dining Plan allows you to exchange two table service credits (per person) for an in-room meal. If your Free Dining offer includes the standard (table service) Disney Dining Plan, you can use it toward room service / private dining.

Two table service entitlements can also be exchanged for a whole pizza at some resorts.

Which Disney Restaurants Offer Free Dining?

Most restaurants at Disney World participate in the Disney Dining Plan and therefore accept Free Dining entitlements. You can find an updated list on Disney’s website.

Does Free Dining Cover Breakfast?

You can use your free meal entitlements for breakfast, brunch, lunch, or dinner as you wish.

Complete History of Free Dining at Disney World: Announcements and Dates

Free Dining premiered in 2005 and was offered each year through 2020, mainly during periods of lower demand.

Free Dining was not offered from 2020 through 2023 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and its aftermath.

It returned in 2024.

Below, we’ve listed the primary Free Dining offers that have been offered to U.S. residents since 2005. Note that we’ve left out a few so-called “Bounceback” promotions, which offered free dining to guests who booked another vacation while already in-house at a Disney World hotel.

2005

• Earliest versions of Free Dining promotions were offered on select dates from August 2005 through October 2005

2006

• April 2006: Release of Free Dining on select dates from August 2006 through September 2006. An early booking perk was offered to Disney Visa Cardholders.

2007

• April 2007: Release of Free Dining on select dates from August 2007 through September 2007. An Early Booking Perk was offered to Disney Visa Cardholders.

2008

• April 2008: Release of Free Dining on select dates from August 2008 through September 2008. An early booking perk was offered to Disney Visa Cardholders.
• September 2008: Release of Free Dining on select dates from September 2008 through December 2008

2009

• March 2009: Release of Free Dining on select dates from August 2009 to October 2009. An early booking perk was offered to Disney Visa Cardholders.
• July 2009: Release of Free Dining on select dates from October 2009 to December 2009. An early booking perk was offered to Disney Visa Cardholders.

2010

• April 2010: Release of Free Dining on select dates from August 2010 through October 2010. An early booking perk was offered to Disney Visa Cardholders.
• August 2010: Release of Free Dining on select dates from October 2010 through September 2011

2011

• May 2011: Release of Free Dining on select dates from August 2011 through September 2011. An early booking perk was offered to Disney Visa Cardholders.
• August 2011: Release of Free Dining on select dates from October 2011 through March 2012.

2012

• March 2012: Release of Free Dining on select dates from August 2012 through September 2012. An early booking perk was offered to Disney Visa Cardholders.
• July 2012: Release of Free Dining on select dates from September 2012 through December 2012. An early booking perk was offered to Disney Visa Cardholders.

2013

• May 2013: Release of Free Dining on select dates in September 2013. An early booking perk was offered to Disney Visa Cardholders.
• August 2013: Release of Free Dining on select dates from September 2013 through December 2013

2014

• May 2014: Release of Free Dining on select dates from August 2014 through December 2014. An early booking perk was offered to Disney Visa Cardholders.

2015

• April 2015: Release of Free Dining on select dates from August 2015 through December 2015

2016

• April 2016: Release of Free Dining on select dates from August 2016 through December 2016
• April 2016: Release of Free Dining for Disney Visa Cardholders on additional select dates in August 2016

2017

• April 2017: Release of Free Dining on select dates from August 2017 through December 2017

2018

• April 2018: Release of Free Dining on select dates from August 2018 through December 2018

2019

• January 2019: Release of Free Dining on select dates from July 2019 through September 2019
• April 2019: Release of Free Dining for Disney Visa Cardholders on select dates in August 2019
• July 2019: Release of Free Dining on select dates from September 2019 through December 2019

2020

• January 2020: Release of Free Dining [canceled due to pandemic*] for a handful of dates in June 2020 through September 2020
• January 2020: Release of Free Dining for Kids [canceled due to pandemic*] for dates in late May 2020 and most of August 2020

*Disney Dining Plans were suspended when the parks closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the suspension of the Dining Plan meant the cancellation of the previously announced Free Dining promotions.

2021

The Disney Dining Plan remained suspended and no Free Dining was offered.

2022

The Disney Dining Plan remained suspended and no Free Dining was offered.

2023

The Disney Dining Plan remained suspended and no Free Dining was offered.

Disney did, however, announce two Disney Dining Promo Card Offers (providing a free Disney gift card that could be used only at Disney World restaurants and food kiosks).

• January 2023: Release of Disney Dining Promo Card Offer on select dates from June 2023 to September 2023
• September 2023: Release of Disney Dining Promo Card Offer on select dates from October 2023 through March 2024

Additionally, Disney announced that the Dining Plan itself (but not yet free dining) would be returning in early 2024.

2024

The Disney Dining Plan itself returned in 2024, along with free dining offers.

• January 2024: Release of Free Dining for Disney+ Subscribers on select dates from July 2024 to September 2024
• April 2024: Release of Free Dining for Disney Visa Cardholders on select dates in July, September, and December, 2024

Final Thoughts on Free Food at Disney World

Disney’s popular Free Dining promotion draws a lot of attention and is one of the most highly-anticipated announcements of the year.

While the offer can be tempting, it’s important to do the calculations to determine if it is truly worth it for your family and how you vacation. For many people the answer is an easy yes; but for some, they find they’ll save more by paying for food and taking a room discount instead.

If Free Dining is right for you, it’s best to be flexible with your dates and hotel choices. The deal often has limited availability and high demand, so your first choice might not be available. Acting quickly is key to getting the best possible bargain for your trip.

For further research, be sure to review our articles on the best restaurants at Magic Kingdom, best places to eat in EPCOT, best Animal Kingdom restaurants, and best dining at Hollywood Studios, and Michelin Guide restaurants at Disney World. We also have reservation calculator which will help you determine how soon you can make your dining reservations.

Thanks for reading!