NEW for 2024 - Disney Dining Plans Returning, Exciting Park Reservation Updates, and More

[Lehuaann]

Disney Dining Plans Returning, Exciting Park Reservation Updates and More at Walt Disney World​

Removing theme park reservation requirements for date-based tickets​

Introducing “good-to-go days” for Annual Passholders* and cast members​

Bringing back our fan-favorite Disney dining plans​

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Continuing to provide extended park time to Disney Resort hotel guests​

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Simplifying the Disney Genie+ experience​

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https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/b...vation-updates-and-more-at-walt-disney-world/

Disney Dining Plan

Beginning May 31, 2023, you can add a dining plan to Walt Disney Travel Company packages that include a Disney Resort hotel stay with arrivals on or after January 9, 2024.

While some dining plan information is currently available on the Walt Disney World website and on the My Disney Experience app, complete details and participating locations will be shared beginning May 31, 2023. Please check back on May 31 to learn more.

https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/dining/plans

 

[sponica]

Yay for not needing a park reservation, but I also hope they drop the park hopping restriction or at least move it earlier

 

[Peaseblossom36]

I wish they could implement some of this sooner. Seems silly to wait on dropping park reservations.

 

[ML_LovesDisney]

This is so exciting! Especially the adding pre-planning Genie+, my #1 complaint since it started.

 

[Lehuaann]

This is so exciting! Especially the adding pre-planning Genie+, my #1 complaint since it started.

Yes, hoping this is a paid version of FP+.

 

[qv09vvp]

This is so exciting! Especially the adding pre-planning Genie+, my #1 complaint since it started.

omg.. in all the excitement of telling the hubby and kids..i missed this.. oh my.. this is over the top exciting... I don't mind genie plus, but i hate the all day phone thing.

 

[Lehuaann]

So, date based tickets will no longer require park reservations, but APs will except for good-to-go days and after 2 pm.

 

[P'colaBeachBum]

Just got the email. I think I may have been one of the few that liked the park reservations.

 

[jeepwreck]

dining comes back 1 month after we visit in December

 

[auroralark]

I just get back yesterday, and now they announce they're making changes to Genie+. Good. Didn't enjoy using it. Interested to see how it will work going forward.

 

[ThornXBL]

I'm worried that pre-buying G+ Lightning Lanes will just mean a return of all the issues that FP+ had, noted by Defunctland in his video.

My preference would be a return to more Standby-only rides, but given the unlikelihood of that, at least the current G+ system of "day of" bookings puts everyone on a level playing field. I would like to be able to buy G+ on tickets in advance again though, preferably for a flat per day rate.

 

[crazycatlady]

I sure hope APs with a resort reservation will be excluded from having to have a park reservation.

 

[Indiiyana]

Already bought a package for next year with the Dining Credit since I'm from the UK, is it possible to use the Dining Credit to book the Dining Plan, or switch over to the Dining Plan? Unsure how this works/if someone has done it before, but just using the Dining Plan would make things a lot easier without having to worry about food.

 

[Boardwalk III]

I sure hope APs with a resort reservation will be excluded from having to have a park reservation.

Right?! I haven’t seen this anywhere in the literature. Whether it be DVC reservations, or regular resort reservations I sure hope this is the case!

 

[TheSouthernBelle]

I hope that the new ETPE is more than 30 min early. While it's nice to be in the parks before non disney resort guests, 30 min is lame and EMH were way better you know since they were hours, not 30 min.......

 

[lvdis]

Just got the email. I think I may have been one of the few that liked the park reservations.

Just curious, what specifically did you like about the park reservations?

 

[rmclain73]

I may be in the minority here, but one of the things I like about Genie+ is that you don't have to plan 30 or 60 days in advance on booking rides. I like that everyone has a shot on the day you are there.

 

[pens4821]

I’m indifferent on most these changes. The park reservations didn’t bother me, and we don’t think the dining plan is worth it. I would like to maybe prebook like FP, but maybe a day or at tops a week in advance. Definitely not a month or more. But I’m fine with them keeping it the way it is.

I do like keeping the early/later hours. As someone else said, would love to see it extended to an hour in the morning though (and maybe each park having the deluxe hours once a week). That and making hopping earlier, but even that isn’t a huge deal. I would just like it because that would help us have a free evening or two where as waiting until 2 doesn’t give us that much of an evening to relax so we instead take an afternoon break.

I guess these changes maybe mean the end of the VQs also? Unless they would just be open to anyone since there won’t be park reservations. That is one thing I’ll be most happy about.

 

[ThornXBL]

Just curious, what specifically did you like about the park reservations?

I would have liked park reservations more if sellouts accurately predicted large crowds, but in practice since it was mostly used to adjust staffing levels, the crowds can be bad regardless of reservations selling out

 

[focusondisney]

I sure hope APs with a resort reservation will be excluded from having to have a park reservation.

I don’t think resort guests are excluded from park reservations. Just if you have a specific date based ticket, like a 1 day MK ticket for sample. If you are a resort guest with a multi day ticket, you still need to make park reservations. Otherwise they won’t know attendance at each park, which defeats the whole purpose of the reservations. At least that’s what was announced previously. So unless it’s one of the special access day or after 2, I think APs will still need them.