Confirmed: The Disney Dining Plan Isn’t Returning Yet

We recently covered a brand new vacation package that was set to be released to Guests in the United Kingdom during the last week. Information about the package was not released until December 15, but The Walt Disney Travel Company had described it as an incredible package that would be available for vacations in 2023. The confirmation that a new package would become available had Guests excited that Disney Dining Plan may finally return to the Walt Disney World Resort.

The brand new offer is finally available for Guests to take advantage of, and it’s somewhat underwhelming. Of course, Guests create their own Disney experience, but an attractive package certainly helps with the cost of a vacation in central Florida.

Brand New Offer

The new package became available for U.K. Guests to book from December 15. The Power of Magic package can be booked any time through March 2, 2023. The offer includes up to four free nights on Disney vacations that involve a stay in selected Disney Resort hotels. Guests booking a Walt Disney World vacation with this package will also enjoy a 14-Day Park ticket for the price of 7, including Memory Maker. The 14-Day ticket is a Park hopper pass that includes entry to each Disney theme park and water park.

Guests must make a reservation between April 19 and September 30 2023 to take advantage of the offer. This means that Guests taking advantage of this vacation package will miss out on the World’s Most Magical Celebration for the 50th Anniversary. However, they will be able to enjoy the 100th Anniversary celebrations that will take place in each Disney Park, including the return of Happily Ever After to Magic Kingdom Park and much more.

Guests who make a reservation in a Value Disney Resort will receive two free nights when making a 14-night reservation. Four of the Value Disney Resort hotels are available in this offer:

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

Guests who make a reservation in a Moderate or Deluxe Disney Resort hotel, including the Disney Vacation Club Resorts, will receive four free nights when making a 14-night reservation. This offer includes most Walt Disney World Resort hotels, such as Disney’s Port Orleans Riverside Resort, Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort, and Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa. The package could save a substantial cost on Guests’ Disney vacation, especially if they choose to make a reservation during the school holidays. In the U.K., the school holidays typically begin at the end of July and end at the beginning of September.

There is an additional offering as part of The Power of Magic package, where Guests will receive $200 Disney spending money. Guests must add flights to their vacation package to take advantage. This will appeal to some Guests who welcome a complete vacation package; however, some Guests will prefer to arrange their flights for a lower price.

Will the Disney Dining Plan return in 2023?

The Power of Magic package is the second deal to have been offered to U.K. Guests for 2023 vacations. Earlier in 2022, Guests could make a reservation that included free dining credit as part of their vacation. The dining credit that Guests will receive as part of this offer depends on the Walt Disney World Resort hotel they have booked to stay at. Value Resorts provided a smaller credit, and Deluxe Resorts a larger credit. The earlier package offered to Guests appeared to replace the free Disney Dining Plan offer that U.K. Guests could take advantage of in 2019 and earlier. While Guests will not receive the exact value of dining credit compared to what they could claim when using the Disney Dining Plan, the dining credit will certainly help with the cost of Disney dining experiences.

The offer released to Guests this week had initially sparked predictions that the Disney Dining Plan may be returning to the Walt Disney World Resort in 2023. Some Guests remained doubtful, while others were hopeful that their future Disney vacation would soon become an inclusive package. The Power of Magic package confirms that the Disney Dining Plan isn’t returning yet.

The Disney Dining Plan has been unavailable for some time, and The Walt Disney Company is yet to reveal when Guests can take advantage of it once more when visiting the Walt Disney World Resort. It has previously been confirmed that the Disney Dining Plan will return, and the logo continues to be used around the Disney Parks and Resorts. The EPCOT International Festival food booths have continued to display the logo this year, indicating that snack credits could be redeemed if Guests were using the Disney Dining Plan.

Disney fans anticipated that information about the return of the Disney Dining Plan may have been released at the Disney D23 Expo that took place at the Anaheim Convention Center in California in September 2022. Other exciting news was confirmed, including information about new rides, attractions, and experiences coming to Disney Parks around the world, the return of Happily Ever After to Magic Kingdom in 2023, and the ending of Harmonious in EPCOT; however, there was no information given about the Disney Dining Plan.

So, for now, Guests will have to wait for the highly anticipated date that the Disney Dining Plan will return for Guests to add to their Walt Disney World vacations. Do you miss the Dining Plan? Have you previously had a positive experience using the Disney Dining Plan? Are you waiting for its return to book your next Walt Disney World vacation?

We will continue to look out for news about when The Walt Disney Company intends to bring back the Disney Dining Plan to Walt Disney World and will report as soon as we hear anything. In the meantime, stay tuned for up-to-date news about the Disney Parks and Resorts.