When I called Disney to tweak my plans prior to my trip last month, friendly cast members asked me if I wanted to add the Disney Dining Plan to my reservation. While I've done this twice - once for free and once paid ($37.99 per person, per day) - we just decided it was too much food to eat in one day. The plan gives each guest one table service meal including an appetizer, one counter service meal and one snack. When we participated in the dining plan, dessert was included also. Dessert has been dropped since then. Still, we found it to be more than we wanted to eat and we had to make reservations for table service meals, meaning we had to make sure we were in the park where our dinner reservation was. This also became too much of a chore for me on vacation, when I'd rather follow no schedule.
So when asked if I wanted the dining plan, I explained that I didn't want to be tied down to a dinner reservation every day.
I remember one conversation I had with a cast member about the dining plan and I told her if there was a dining plan where you could have 2 counter service meals a day, I'd be interested! Well, enough people must have expressed that to Disney and for 2009, they're launching a new quick service dining plan.
This plan allows for 2 counter service meals a day, two snacks and a refillable mug, all for $29.99 per day, per adult. On our trip last month, we budgeted and spent $150 per day for 4 of us.
So the new quick service plan is definitely something I'd plan for on my next trip. And just so you know, eating counter service meals in Disney doesn't mean you're eating hamburgers, hot dogs and chicken fingers for a week! We had some great counter service meals including turkey, mashed potatoes and carrots along with corn bread at the food court at Port Orleans Riverside. Many of the resort food courts (which are included in the plan) have hot meals like pasta, chicken and roast beef.
I think the new dining plan will be the best value for those of us who want to eat more on the go and freeing up valuable park time.