The Free Disney Eating Plan is a good Walt Disney World trip package deal low cost. This covers data, suggestions for reserving, present dates, predictions & rumors for future dates round Halloween & Christmas, and solutions to questions together with whether or not this deal is “value it.” (Up to date March 12, 2025.)
In case you’re unfamiliar with the Disney Eating Plan (DDP), we’d direct you to our complete Information to the 2025 Disney Eating Plan. That covers the fundamentals, what the DDP contains, the way it’s modified since returning final 12 months, and extra. It additionally breaks down the worth of the Disney Eating Plan and whether or not the paid model is definitely worth the cash, and rather more.
The excellent news is that Free Eating has already returned as soon as this 12 months, for journey dates in Summer season 2025. The unhealthy information is that the particular supply is not accessible to ebook for the primary half of the 12 months. The opposite excellent news is that–as mentioned under within the rumors & hypothesis part–we’re anticipating a second wave of Free Eating for the second half of 2025. If you wish to be notified instantly when extra 2025 reductions are launched, join right here for our FREE Walt Disney World e-newsletter.
We’ve persistently notified our subscribers when Free Eating and different Walt Disney World offers are going to drop. Both prematurely of their launch or on the day they go dwell at ~7 a.m., which usually offers you a 2+ hour head begin on Disney’s official announcement. That will not appear to be a lot, however it makes an enormous distinction when reserving–it implies that you received’t have to attend on maintain for hours on the telephone or in a protracted digital queue on-line.
Within the final a number of months, Walt Disney World has launched over a dozen totally different reductions, together with some that run via Summer season 2025. There are even focused offers accessible via December 24, 2025. This can be a enormous change as in comparison with 2021-2022, when many dates didn’t have reductions in any respect resulting from revenge journey and visitor spending being so sturdy. That coupled with capability is why the Disney Eating Plan took so lengthy to return within the first place. These are each non-factors now, and issues are kind of again to 2019 norms.
That is all related to the return of Free Eating in 2025 as a result of the deal isn’t supplied out of company benevolence, however as an aggressive transfer to assist enhance resort occupancy numbers. That wasn’t vital for the final couple of years resulting from pent-up demand. Nonetheless, that has modified considerably, and now Walt Disney World is pulling a number of “levers” to attempt to incentivize demand. With Epic Universe opening in Summer season 2025, we’re solely anticipating this development of elevated discounting to speed up.
As all the time, we’d advocate requesting a FREE no obligation quote from Be Our Visitor Holidays, an Approved Disney Trip Planner and having these journey brokers ebook for you. They’ll help you with the planning course of, assist you select probably the most economical dates, greatest add-ons, and many others.
Equally as vital, they’ll assist you with low cost comparability buying. There are a ton of various reductions at present accessible for Walt Disney World in 2025, and that quantity is simply going to develop! So what you see now isn’t essentially every little thing that’ll be accessible to your journey dates.
On that word, listed here are some predictions about 2025 Free Eating at Walt Disney World…
2025 Free Eating Forecast & Rumors
As famous above, Free Eating was beforehand launched for Could 27 via June 26, and July 7 via August 6, 2025. This promo was solely bookable via mid-February, and is not accessible. Nonetheless, there are a few curious issues to notice in regards to the first wave of 2025 Free Eating.
The primary is that it was solely bookable for roughly one month. The second is that it was solely supplied via August 6, which is true round when colleges begin going again into session and earlier than the early fall low season begins. These are two atypically brief timeframes for Free Eating.
The excellent news is that we’ve our first tease of the second wave of Free Eating as of March 12, 2025. Have a look:
On its official rewards web site, Disney Visa introduced immediately {that a} new supply for Walt Disney World Resort is coming quickly: “Examine again within the coming weeks to get a style of what we’ve in retailer this summer time.” (Emphasis added.)
There’s all the time the chance that is one thing else, however given final 12 months’s precedent and timing and the “style” wordplay, we’d put the possibilities of this being Free Eating at about 90% or increased. It additionally traces up with our predicted launch date for the second wave of Free Eating (see under).
The largest questions at this level are whether or not there might be a companion Free Eating supply for most people with Disney Visa cardmembers merely receiving a wider vary of dates, or if Free Eating that is unique to Disney Visa. Regardless, we count on a number of different offers to be launched on the identical date as Free Eating.
This is sensible, as Walt Disney World wants to supply reductions to fill lodge rooms. Park attendance and lodge occupancy are each down. Executives have expressly acknowledged as a lot throughout earnings calls, and the corporate expects this ‘demand moderation’ to proceed via no less than the primary half of 2025.
On prime of that, the parks and resorts at the moment are seeing higher-spending Canadians cancelling their Florida holidays. There’s motive to imagine declining shopper confidence and financial anxiousness will end in a tourism downturn within the close to future. A number of main airways simply lower their forecasts resulting from tender demand.
To deal with this, Walt Disney World has been releasing extra reductions. They’re doing it out of necessity. That is one thing we’ve documented, and we’ve repeatedly identified that they’re pulling from the 2019 playbook for reductions. That 2019 playbook included Free Eating.
The elephant within the room is Epic Common opening down the highway at Common Orlando. There’s debate over whether or not this third gate will eat into Walt Disney World attendance or a “rising tide lifts all boats.”
That’s a separate dialog from lodge bookings. We absolutely count on Epic Universe to adversely impression Walt Disney World resort occupancy. That’s what actually issues on the subject of the chance of Free Eating.
Common Orlando is already making an attempt to push individuals wanting to go to Epic Universe in direction of trip packages (it labored on us!), they usually seem to have been fairly profitable at that. There are incentives for visitors to remain on-site to extra simply entry Epic Universe, and package deal costs are low-cost as in comparison with WDW. Past that, Common Orlando has rolled out its personal ‘Free Eating’ supply for 2025.
Given all of this, we absolutely count on a second wave of Free Eating for dates which can be later in 2025.
The principle motive Walt Disney World wouldn’t but launch reductions for past August 2025 relate to resort occupancy numbers. The corporate is admittedly good at projecting lodge bookings, however it’s identical to a climate forecast–extra correct as dates draw nearer and fewer correct additional into the long run. Walt Disney World solely desires to supply reductions as essential to fill lodge rooms, in order that they launch reductions in phases.
Essentially the most dependable set of dates for Free Eating are normally in August to late September 2025. These dates are the slowest of the 12 months at Walt Disney World, and have been the most typical and constant for Free Eating. Count on a second wave of Free Eating to embody these dates throughout Fall 2025. It additionally would possibly embrace parts of October, minus vacation weeks and fall break.
A scattering of November and/or December dates might be accessible once more, and there’s more likely to be a stretch in December after (however not together with) the primary week and operating till as late as December 20, 2025.
This rolling nature of Walt Disney World particular provides isn’t actually a prediction–it’s what occurs persistently 12 months in and 12 months out. The corporate sometimes releases its first batch of reductions in early January, subsequent set in late March or early April, and one other in the course of the summer time. Apart from the early January launch, none of those dates are actually set in stone–they’ve been inconsistent in the previous few years.
Based mostly on current developments–when offers have been launched earlier–it could make sense for the subsequent wave of Free Eating to be launched round April 8, 2025. We’ve got a low diploma of confidence in that date, although. If we glance again to prior years, anytime between March 18, 2025 and April 15, 2025 would make sense.
Traditionally, Free Eating has been launched in April greater than another month, and the second wave of Free Eating was launched proper round then final 12 months. However, I wouldn’t wager in opposition to March. Walt Disney World has been releasing reductions sooner than regular and there’s the stress of Epic Universe.
Along with encompassing totally different date ranges, the following waves might supply totally different visitor eligibility. It’s doable future waves of Free Eating might be accessible to most people–or solely Disney+ subscribers or Disney Visa Cardholders.
Clearly, that is solely a prediction–the precise dates and particulars of future waves of 2025 Free Eating might range a bit or lot, and it’s solely doable that nothing is launched in any respect! However we extremely, extremely doubt it.
If something, the alternative is extra possible: that Walt Disney World releases a higher or extra aggressive model of Free Eating for its second wave. It’s solely doable there are three waves, with the second being supplied to most people for August and September 2025 journey dates, and a 3rd being focused at Disney+ subscribers or Disney Visa cardholders for October via December 2025 journey dates.
Once more, we need to emphasize that that is not a rumor–it’s merely us analyzing resort bookings and previous precedent on reductions, and making an informed guess. August and September normally have the perfect reductions of the 12 months since demand is lowest, and we’d count on that to be doubly true within the 12 months when Epic Universe is opening at Common and nothing new is opening at Walt Disney World. October via December are normally busier, therefore the potential concentrating on of Free Eating throughout these dates.
Disney additionally likes excessive ranges of per visitor spending numbers, and no different particular supply helps obtain these excessive per caps like Free Eating. Regardless of “free” being within the identify, it’s an advantageous promo from Disney’s perspective as a result of it locks visitors into full-price lodges and tickets. It additionally retains visitors on-site for probably the most half, since they’ve “free” meals at Walt Disney World. No different low cost accomplishes all of those vital targets for the corporate.
Both method, might be carefully monitoring the 2025 Free Eating state of affairs, preserving our ears open for extra information a few return of Free Eating. Ought to one thing–something–be launched or rumored, we’ll ship you an alert in case you join our FREE Walt Disney World e-newsletter.
We’ve persistently notified electronic mail subscribers when Free Eating and different offers on the day they go dwell at ~6 or 7 a.m., which is a 2+ hour head begin on Disney’s official announcement at 9 am. That makes a enormous distinction when reserving Free Eating–you received’t have to attend on maintain for hours on the telephone.
Free Eating FAQ
Free Eating is Walt Disney World’s most complex promotion, and is usually a enormous headache to ebook. Between restricted availability and navigating a seas of guidelines and restrictions, it’s straightforward to make errors. This part of the put up covers the foundations, phrases and circumstances, and insurance policies that usually govern the Free Eating promotion.
We all the time advocate that Walt Disney World first-timers (or regulars who simply don’t need to take care of the effort) request a FREE quote from Be Our Visitor Holidays, an Approved Disney Journey Planner. Most legit journey brokers don’t cost for reserving Walt Disney World holidays (and also you don’t pay a premium for them–Disney pays them fee), in order that’s actually the best method to go.
With this particular supply, Walt Disney World visitors reserving trip packages with non-discounted resort lodges and park tickets obtain the DDP for every member of their celebration for no extra cost. For apparent causes (who doesn’t love free meals?!), the promotion is extremely standard and a few resorts that supply free eating are likely to promote out shortly.
Visitors reserving the Free Eating promotion for Worth or Reasonable Resorts will obtain the Fast Service Disney Eating Plan, with visitors staying at Deluxe or Deluxe Villa Resorts receiving the usual Disney Eating Plan.
There are some room exclusions for the Free Eating promo: 3-bedroom villas, campsites, Cabins at Copper Creek Villas & Cabins at Wilderness Lodge, Bungalows at Polynesian Villas & Bungalows, and Little Mermaid Rooms at Disney’s Artwork of Animation Resort.
These resorts and room tiers are all not eligible for Free Eating. Moreover, room stock is restricted throughout all resorts. In apply, because of this while you go to ebook, a selected class (customary view, backyard view, and many others.) is probably not accessible to your journey dates–or your journey dates is probably not accessible at a particular resort in any respect.
To benefit from Free Eating, there’s additionally the requirement that visitors buy tickets that embrace both a minimal 4-day Park Hopper or the Park Hopper Plus possibility. Moreover, a 4-night minimal keep is required with a most keep of fourteen nights.
This implies you possibly can’t buy discounted Walt Disney World tickets from a licensed reseller, which we usually extremely advocate in our Walt Disney World journey planning recommendation. That is one thing to bear in mind when doing the maths to find out if “Free Eating” is an effective worth for you.
With regards to Free Eating, doing the maths is extremely vital. Different reductions (equivalent to a room-only low cost) may be higher for your loved ones. Bear in mind, there isn’t a such factor as a free lunch; you’ve got forfeit an alternate low cost to qualify for Free Eating. We break down a few of the math in our “Is Free Eating Value It?” put up.
If in case you have already booked a trip package deal with an arrival date that qualifies for Free Eating, we advocate utilizing the “modify reservation” hyperlink in your reserving to use the promotion to your package deal. That is the quickest and best method to apply the promotion.
You would possibly see different recommendation that recommends calling to ebook Free Eating. That is outdated. In case you name Walt Disney World’s reservation line, you’ll possible wait on maintain for an hour (or hours) till you’re in a position to communicate to an agent. Reserving or modifying your reservation on-line is far faster and simpler.
Even when the net system crashes (which has occurred) or strikes slowly resulting from all of the site visitors, it’s simpler to only preserve making an attempt on-line. Sadly, reserving on-line isn’t all the time doable and technical errors do occur…so that you might need to name and wait on maintain.
If you’re questioning which lodge to ebook for the Free Eating promotion, try our new Finest Walt Disney World Motels for Free Eating put up. It offers our most well-liked possibility for every resort tier. Oh, and don’t neglect to make some ADRs for the perfect and hottest Walt Disney World eating places.
With this Free Eating supply, Worth and Reasonable Resort visitors obtain the Fast Service Disney Eating Plan in the course of the promotion. Visitors at Deluxe and Deluxe Villa Resorts obtain the usual Disney Eating Plan.
We extremely advocate making Advance Eating Reservations as quickly as doable. Sure, even earlier than Free Eating is obtainable, in case you can. Everybody gobbles up the great ADRs shortly for Free Eating dates, so in case you don’t ebook early, you may be caught consuming counter service or unpopular eating places at some point of your journey.
To reply another widespread questions: sure, it’s essential to buy tickets with the supply even when you have already got them (or an Annual Go). No, bookings made with Disney Trip Membership factors are usually not eligible for the supply. No, you can not “stack” this supply with a percentage-off room low cost (no less than not within the U.S.). For these questioning about different Walt Disney World reductions, try our Present Walt Disney World Low cost Gives put up for what’s presently accessible.
For particulars about which tier of the Disney Eating Plan contains or for suggestions about which eating places to ebook to maximise your use of the DDP, please see our complete Disney Eating Plan Overview Web page.
Observe that the Free Disney Eating Plan promotion is all the time primarily based upon arrival dates. For instance, if Free Eating runs June 27 to June 28 and also you arrive on June 28 and keep till July 5, you are eligible for Free Eating–regardless that it’s blocked out for July 5 arrivals. (You didn’t arrive on July 5 in that situation–you arrived in June.)
Nonetheless, if it’s supplied those self same dates and also you arrive on June 26 and keep for a similar dates, you are usually not eligible for Free Eating, regardless that extra of your keep falls throughout an “eligible” interval than the primary instance’s. The work-around for that is doing a cut up keep, with the ineligible arrival nights a part of one trip and a second trip beginning on the first legitimate “arrival” date and persevering with thereafter. Once more, arrival dates are what issues with Free Eating.
Within the part under, we’ve historic Free Eating dates for the previous few years. The remainder of what follows is historic details about the Free Disney Eating Plan promotion…
Historic Data
The next isn’t pertinent to present bookings, however we’ve discovered that readers discover it helpful to have particulars about previous Free Eating promos when planning for the long run and what to anticipate. Observe that the dates are fairly constant from 12 months to 12 months, with slight shifts for holidays, weekends, and particular occasions, or different issues which may be excluded from the Free Disney Eating Plan promotion.
Final 12 months, there was no early reserving window for Disney Visa cardholders, however there was an expanded date vary (see under). The 2 years earlier than, Disney Visa cardholders did have an early reserving window. Actual dates are listed under. Most years, most people is ready to ebook Free Eating packages 5 days after Disney Visa cardholders can ebook.
In years previous, Free Eating has been introduced in late April, with reserving opening first for Disney Visa bank card holders and most people a couple of days later. The final couple of years, there was no early window for Disney Visa cardholders.
Listed below are the Walt Disney World Free Eating dates that have been accessible from 2013-2020 for historic reference…
2025 Free Eating Dates:
- Could 27 via June 26
- July 7 via August 6
- ???
2024 Free Eating Dates:
- July 1 to September 30 (Disney+ Subscribers)
- July 1 to July 31 (Disney Visa)
- September 1 to September 7 (Disney Visa)
- December 9 to December 21 (Disney Visa)
2020 Free Eating Dates (Cancelled):
- June 27 via June 28
- July 5 via July 7
- August 29 via September 8
2019 Free Eating Dates:
- July 5 – September 30*
- September 1 via September 18**
- November 17 via November 27**
- December 8 via December 23**
*First and second wave of Free Eating
**Third wave of Free Eating
2018 Free Eating Dates:
- August 20* — September 29
- November 24 — 27
- December 7 — 23
*Disney Visa Cardholders might ebook for arrival dates starting August 2.
2017 Free Eating Dates:
- August 21* – September 30
- November 14 – 20
- November 25 – 27
- December 8 – 23
*Disney Visa Cardholders might ebook for arrival dates starting August 13.
2016 Free Eating Dates:
- August 23* via October 1
- November 15 via 21
- November 26 via 28
- December 10 via 21
*Disney Visa Cardholders might ebook for arrival dates starting August 14.
2015 Free Eating Dates:
- August 28 via October 2
- October 25 via October 31
- November 8 via November 19
- December 15 via December 21
2014 Free Eating Dates:
- August 31 – October 3
- October 26 – November 1
- November 9 – November 20
- December 12 – December 23
2013 Free Eating Dates
- September 2 to September 25
- September 29 to October 2
- October 18 to November 2
- November 11 to November 23
- December 12 to December 22
Different Free Eating Posts & Sources
In case you plan on getting the Disney Eating Plan try these different Walt Disney World posts:
Need extra eating suggestions? Try our 101 Scrumptious Walt Disney World Eating Suggestions. For the place to eat, learn our Walt Disney World Restaurant Critiques. Planning different elements of a Walt Disney World journey? Find out about lodges on our Walt Disney World Motels Critiques web page. To save cash on tickets or decide which kind to purchase, learn our Suggestions for Saving Cash on Walt Disney World Tickets put up. Our What to Pack for Disney Journeys put up takes a novel have a look at intelligent objects to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney World Experience Guides will assist. For complete recommendation, the perfect place to start out is our Walt Disney World Journey Planning Information for every little thing it’s essential know!
Your Ideas
Do you assume Free Eating might be launched once more in April 2025? Or will a rising tide elevate all ships and end in Walt Disney World not “needing” to get that aggressive with offers because of Epic Universe? Are you a fan of the “free” eating promotion? Have any suggestions totally free eating rookies? In case you’ve booked Free Eating, what did you consider your expertise with the deal? In case you have been unable to get it, the place/when have been you unsuccessful? Tell us what you consider the promotion and whether or not you’re planning on profiting from it within the feedback!