DisneyDining Disney Dining Plan and Reviews

I love making itineraries for my Disney vacations. To me, it’s almost as much fun as actually being there! And I’m always flattered when my friends ask me for help building their own vacation plans. Here are the ten things I tell them!

On the far western edge of Walt Disney World, sits Animal Kingdom Lodge, a Deluxe resort hotel themed after the African savannah. The animals roaming the four savannahs around the resort property are hardly a secret. Neither are the savannah view rooms that allow guests to watch the animals from their own deck. But here some aspects about Disney’s Animal ...

1. Disney Springs Don’t forget about the amazing snacks at Disney Springs! The newly reimagined shopping and dining areas are teeming with delicious things to try. My new favorites snack locations are The Ganachery, a high-end chocolate store, and The Aristocrepes, a booth selling sweet and savory crepes. Then there’s longtime guest favorite, Ghirardelli, where you can score free samples! ...

2. Skip Fancy Desserts, Get Snacks Instead Table service restaurants have some amazing desserts, don’t get me wrong. I go to Sanaa (almost) entirely for the Tanzanian Chocolate Mousse. But sometimes you don’t want dessert immediately after eating a big entree. In that case, skip dessert at the table, and instead grab a Mickey bar or giant cookie later in ...

3. Get the Seasonal Snacks The snack options change throughout the year, reflecting the seasons and holidays. Decorations on cupcakes, cookies, and candy apples change consistently. And be on the lookout for seasonal flavors, like pumpkin in the fall. Then there’s the myriad of new choices during the Flower and Garden, and Food and Wine Festivals at Epcot. And don’t ...

4. Get Your Caffeine Fix There are Starbucks locations in all four theme parks and two in Disney Springs, and you can use a snack credit to get your coffee. Just about everything on the menu will count as a snack credit. An iced venti quad coconut milk vanilla latte is definitely my favorite use of a snack credit! However, ...

5. You Won’t Look Crazy Taking Pictures The internet is rife with pictures of (insert iconic Disney snack here) with Cinderella Castle in the background. Trust me, you won’t be alone snapping away at your partly-eaten Mickey bar. Or Instagramming your Starbucks cup with your favorite character written on the cup, #coffeewithcharacter. These are your vacation memories. Take plenty of ...

6. Some Snacks Are Iconic Get the iconic snacks! Did you really go to Walt Disney World if you didn’t eat a Mickey ice cream bar, or popcorn, or a candy apple, or huge cupcake? I don’t think so. Get one to share if their size intimidates you. In fact, sharing makes it all the better!

7. Snacks Can Replace A Meal In some locations, you can opt to use a quick service credit on three snacks. This could be ideal for guests during Epcot’s Food and Wine Festival, where most food items, and some drinks (not the alcohol) count as snack credits. Or, you could use snack credits for a light meal. One of my ...

8. Not All Snacks Are Worth A Snack Credit All the Disney Dining Plans come with snack credits. But just because you can purchase an item with a snack credit, doesn’t mean you should. A banana can be a snack. A huge ice cream sundae can be a snack. You’re smart enough to know that an ice cream sundae is ...