MUST KNOWS FOR YOUR NEXT WALT DISNEY WORLD TRIP!
Planning a trip to Walt Disney World just got easier and it’s trending in that direction for the foreseeable future. Just a couple days ago, The Walt Disney Company released highly anticipated information about Park Pass Reservations, Dining Plans and more.
Here’s how Disney’s recent updates can affect you and your trip planning.
Park Pass Reservation Changes
Back in June 2020 and “for the first time in forever” The Walt Disney Company made a huge change to manage crowd levels - the park pass reservation system.
To some guests, making a park pass reservation became a stressful aspect to planning a trip because sometimes they weren’t available. Adding to the confusion, there were different tiers of availability for Annual Passholders, DVC, hotel reservation and ticket-only guests.
For the future, Disney has found a way to make this system easier and more accessible.
Disney recently announced:
“Beginning January 9, 2024, theme park reservations will no longer be required for date-based tickets. For other admission types, theme park reservations may be required.”
Just know the park pass reservation system is NOT gone. It is still intact for Annual Passholders and Cast Members. Although park pass availability has been good recently, with most parks being available a few days out - that can change.
Now, Disney did add ‘Good-To-Go’ days to give guests relief.. On these select days, Annual Passholders and Cast Members won’t need a park pass reservation.
Could these selected days be random, slow Wednesdays, or maybe Monday through Friday during non-peak season? More will be revealed by Disney at a later time.
The Return of the Disney Dining Plan
Disney Dining packages were done away with in March 2020 when the parks closed. And with the last Tables of Wonderland cards expiring in September 2021, guests were hungry for Disney to dish out a new plan.
From Disney:
“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.”
Now as part of Disney’s vacation packages, guests can pre plan their dining selections with either the Quick Service Dining Plan or Disney Dining Plan again for 2024.
Disney Dining Plan: each guest gets one Table-Service meal, Quick-Service meal, and a snack/beverage per day.
Disney Quick Service Dining Plan: each guest gets one Quick-Service meal, and one snack/beverage per day.
For trip planners, it’s convenient to have this option because you can plan the trip meal by meal and give family members clear options they can decide in advance.
See You Real Soon!
The Walt Disney Company is making a lot of big changes and quickly. Stay tuned to see how it affects you. And to quote Spaceship Earth:
“While no one knows for sure what we'll see or do. I do know it will be quite an adventure, an adventure that we'll take and make together.”