The One Rule Everyone Forgets About the Disney Dining Plan

Y’all, the Disney Dining Plan is RETURNING.

Columbia Harbour House full spread

Ok, not until 2024, but that means you have plenty of time to master it before your trip. It can be a little confusing, but that’s why we’re here to help. Today, we’re talking about the number one rule that everybody forgets when using the DDP and how to use it to your advantage.

Trying to figure out how to use your Dining Plan credits can be challenging. But, did you know that you can use Disney Dining Plan credits at EPCOT’s festivals?

EPCOT currently has four festivals throughout the year: Festival of the Arts, Flower and Garden Festival, Food and Wine Festival, and Festival of the Holidays.

2022 Festival Brochure

While you’re making your way around the World Showcase during one of these festivals, you can use your Snack Credits at the Outdoor Kitchens! This can be a great way to spend those credits since some of those items can be a bit pricey at around $8 or $9.

Spicy Salmon Donburi

But wait, how is one snack credit per day going to help you taste your way around the festival? Good news — you can use your credits on whichever day you want! So, for example, if you have a 4-night package with 4 Table-Service Meals, 4 Quick-Service meals, and 4 snacks or non-alcoholic beverages, you can use those credits at any time during your stay

Warm Raclette with Baby Potatoes

That means you could use all four of your Snack Credits on the day you visit EPCOT if you wanted to. This could be a great use of those credits if you wanted to sample as many food items as possible around the festival.

Mongolian Beef Bao Bun with onion

And don’t forget that alcohol is included in the Disney Dining Plan. Each meal includes a beverage, and if you’re 21 or older, you can choose a beer, wine, or cocktail! Unfortunately, you can’t use a snack credit to get an alcoholic drink at the Outdoor Kitchens, but keep this in mind for when you use your Quick-Service Meal or Table-Service Meal Credits.