Disney Tips Your Guide To A Great Disney Vacation
One of the amazing things about a Walt Disney World vacation is all of the amazing food that guests have access to. From the theme parks to the Resort hotels and Disney Springs, there are more than 400 dining options!
There’s everything from grab-and-go options like fruit, snack spots where you can grab a delicious warm pretzel, quick-service locations that offer dishes like Cheeseburger Pods, and finally, sit-down restaurants that have menus full of mouthwatering meals that are sure to be unforgettable.
And with so many options, that means that there are options that can fit into almost any budget.
Credit: Disney
Related: Guide to Family-Style Dining at Disney World
Over the years, dining at Disney World has gotten increasingly more expensive. Many guests have voiced their dissatisfaction on social media, as they feel the prices have increased, but the quality has not improved. Many have argued that the quality has actually gone down.
That belief was seemingly confirmed in 2021 when former Disney CFO Christine McCarthy said that the company was looking at ways to cut costs, including working with cheaper suppliers and cutting portion size. She ended up getting a lot of backlash and was accused of fat-shaming when she said that the smaller portion sizes would be “good for some people’s waistlines.”
Credit: Disney
Related: Best Character Dining Hacks You Need for A Disney Vacation
While it’s typical for prices to go up every year, a revelation has some people wondering; “Have Disney’s food prices finally gotten too high?”
Beginning January 8, Walt Disney World Resort will have its annual Marathon Weekend. Thousands of guests will travel from around the world to participate in the 5K, 10K, Half Marathon, and full Marathon. Some guests will even do the Goofy and Dopey Challenges, where they participate in more than one race!
Marathon weekends are notoriously busy times at Walt Disney World, with reservations booked up months in advance.
Credit: runDisney
Related: Disney World Quietly Sneaks Changes Into Dining Plan
With so many people descending upon The Most Magical Place on Earth at one time, you might think that it would be nearly impossible to get a dining reservation just days before the races.
However, a recent search of available table service options shows that many of the restaurants throughout Disney World still have a ton of availability.
Has Disney pricing killed table service dining?
Look at all the availability for next Sunday on a RACE weekend!
Remember how hard it was to get reservations 60 days in advance in the past? Wow!
Has Disney pricing killed table service dining?
Look at all the availability for next Sunday on a RACE weekend!
Remember how hard it was to get reservations 60 days in advance in the past? Wow! pic.twitter.com/I8anSfbOr3
— Disney Clips Guy (@disneytipsguy) January 4, 2025
As seen in the video, restaurants like 1900 Park Fare, Be Our Guest, Chef Art Smith’s Homecomin’, Chef Mickey’s, Liberty Tree Tavern, and even Oga’s Cantina and Cinderella’s Royal Table had openings!
Many commenters noted that there have been many dining options available this week as well. The weeks between Christmas and New Year’s are some of the busiest weeks of the year, but guests just didn’t seem to be booking sit-down reservations.
I just said this to my husband when we were talking about how crowded WDW was recently. Friends who visit this time every year said they never saw crowds like those. And yet we saw many restaurants available.
I just said this to my husband when we were talking about how crowded WDW was recently. Friends who visit this time every year said they never saw crowds like those. And yet we saw many restaurants available.
— Denise T (@DeniseKT052951) January 4, 2025
Others pointed out that many people might not want to pay table-services prices if they don’t think the quality is there. Others have said that they simply can’t afford to eat at table-service restaurants anymore. Between the prices for theme park tickets, hotels, and extras like Lightning Lane, they have to cut their budget somewhere, and table-service dining is where they are doing it.
Do you think Disney’s dining prices have gotten out of hand? Do you still enjoy sit-down dining at Disney World? Or is it now something you skip? Let us know in the comments!
