2012 Disney Dining Plan--Downtown Disney Area Restaurants Added

Changes are underway for the 2012 Disney Dining Plan, as 10 Downtown Disney Area restaurants are added to the list of Table Service Restaurants that accept the Disney Dining Plan.

Just recently announced, Bongos Cuban Café, House of Blues, Cap’n Jack’s Restaurant, Planet Hollywood, Raglan Road Irish Pub and Restaurant, Wolfgang Puck Café, Paradiso 37, Portobello, Rainforest Café, and T-REX Café have all been added to an extensive list of Table Service restaurants accepting the Disney Dining Plan. The biggies for us, at least, are Rainforest Café—including the location at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, and T-REX Café—click here to read about dining at T-REX Café. 

Another change to the Disney Dining Plan for 2012, is that all plans now include a refillable mug.  Previously, only the Quick Service Plan and Deluxe Dining Plan included the mug that can be refilled with soda, tea, water, and coffee at the food court in a Walt Disney World Resort. 

And, one of the biggest changes, not specifically to the Disney Dining Plan, but to the Advanced Dining Reservation or ADR system is the credit card guarantee that charges a per person no show fee if the ADR is not cancelled 24 hours prior to the reservation.  This went into effect towards the end of October 2011.  We made our ADR’s in September for our upcoming trip in March and missed this change in the policy.  The reasons behind this change are several, but specifically—no more multiple ADR’s for the same time for the same traveling party (the “I don’t know where we will be so I’ll make several ADR’s for the same time and we will pick which one when the time comes” type).  If people are doing this, they are going to have multiple per person cancellation fees added to their bill.

There are definitely mixed feelings about the Disney Dining Plan and they are mostly at either end of the love it/hate it spectrum with very few in the middle.  We LOVE it and haven’t visited Walt Disney World without it.  The Disney Dining Plan gives me peace of mind when it comes to planning and paying for meals while we are on vacation.  We have eaten at restaurants we would not have normally chosen due to price because we have used the Disney Dining Plan.  And, it doesn’t hurt that out of 8 trips to the World, we have had Free Dining for 5 of those trips.  Alas, free dining is not available for our upcoming trip.  But, I am excited about the refillable mugs!

Deciding if the Disney Dining Plan is for you and your family may be a difficult decision.  The Advanced Dining Reservation or ADR policy will affect anyone who makes reservations to dine at a Table Service restaurant whether or not they are using the Disney Dining Plan.  Now, there’s just a bit more homework or planning that goes into preparing for your Walt Disney World vacation.  But isn’t that half the fun?