Walt Disney World Resort has spent the first week of 2026 scrambling to fix major errors in its Disney Dining Plan rollout. The Central Florida vacation destination initially removed approximately 35 restaurants from the 2026 program, only to reverse course multiple times and reinstate many locations after guests complained about the sudden changes.
Two Disney Dining Plan Options Available
Walt Disney World Resort offers two dining plans for guests staying at Disney Resort hotels. The Disney Quick-Service Dining Plan provides two Quick-Service meals, one snack or non-alcoholic drink, and one Resort-Refillable Drink Mug per guest, per night. The Disney Dining Plan includes one Quick-Service meal, one Table-Service meal, one snack or non-alcoholic drink, and one Resort-Refillable Drink Mug per guest, per night. Checkout day is excluded from both plans.
Tips aren’t included in either package, and automatic gratuity charges may apply for large parties at certain restaurants. Select menu items carry additional fees beyond the dining plan credits. Guests should bring a MagicBand, a credit card, or an alternative payment method to cover any extra charges.
Credits accumulate based on the number of nights stayed, but guests can use them flexibly throughout their vacation. Someone with the Disney Dining Plan could use two Table-Service credits in one day, then switch to two Quick-Service meals the next day.
Both plans include an entree, dessert, and non-alcoholic beverage with each meal. Adults over 21 can substitute the drink for beer, wine, or cocktails. Children aged three to nine must order from the kids’ menu when available. Select Character Dining locations and live entertainment dining experiences require two Table-Service credits per guest. Dining reservations aren’t guaranteed with dining plan purchases and remain subject to availability.
Resort-Refillable Mugs offer unlimited non-alcoholic drink refills at Disney Resort hotels throughout your entire stay. The mugs don’t work at Magic Kingdom Park, EPCOT, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park, Disney Springs, Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon Water Park, or Disney’s Blizzard Beach Water Park. Self-service beverage stations operate at every Disney Resort hotel Quick-Service location. Select hotels, including Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort, have Coca-Cola Freestyle machines.
Walt Disney World Resort previously offered the Deluxe Dining Plan, which included multiple Table-Service meals and snacks daily, plus a Resort-Refillable Drink Mug. This option hasn’t been available for several years. Also, unused meal credits can no longer be converted into three snacks or beverages—a flexibility guests previously enjoyed.
December Brings Missing Restaurants
Guests with 2026 Disney Resort hotel packages received access to the Disney Dining Plan restaurant list in December. Many families delayed making advance dining reservations while waiting to confirm whether their favorite buffets or signature restaurants participated in their package.
The initial list shocked guests—approximately 35 dining locations across Walt Disney World Resort had been removed from the 2026 plan. Families who planned vacations around specific restaurants discovered those venues no longer accepted dining plan credits.
January 2 Brings First Wave of Corrections
Walt Disney World Resort quietly reinstated 20 dining locations to the package on January 2, acknowledging the initial removals were errors. However, some restaurants have restrictions limiting when dining plan holders can visit.
The Patina Restaurant Group, a third-party operator managing several EPCOT and Disney Springs restaurants, reduced dining plan flexibility at three locations. The Edison at Disney Springs now only accepts dinner reservations. Tutto Italia at EPCOT restricts plan holders to lunch, while Via Napoli accepts the plan exclusively at dinner.
Walt Disney World Resort made a mistake here, too. The official website initially stated Terralina Crafted Italian at Disney Springs would only accept the Disney Dining Plan for lunch. The company later updated the page to reflect that the restaurant accepts plan holders for both lunch and dinner.
Second Round of Corrections
Later in January, Walt Disney World Resort added even more restaurants back to the 2026 plan, including all Starbucks locations and multiple restaurants operated by Landry’s.
Landry’s manages several Table-Service venues throughout Walt Disney World Resort, including Rainforest Cafe and T-Rex Cafe at Disney Springs, as well as Rainforest Cafe at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park.
Starbucks operates two locations at Disney Springs and themed coffee houses at Magic Kingdom Park, EPCOT, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park.
More Than 20 Restaurants Still Missing
Despite multiple corrections to the 2026 Disney Dining Plan, over 20 restaurants remain excluded from the program. Walt Disney World Resort hasn’t indicated whether additional updates are coming or if the current list represents the final 2026 lineup.
Have you noticed any other mistakes on the Disney Dining Plan? Let Disney Dining know in the comments!
