Walt Disney World Dining Plan Upgrades Are Free For Children

With the release of the 2026 Walt Disney World early booker offer which includes FREE dining & drinks for select stays comes the news - the news which Disney bizarrely isn't screaming out loud about - is that the cost of upgrading your dining plan is FREE for children.

A Preface On The Dining Plan Names

Before we dive into this, I just want to say that we know the dining plan naming system is quite confusing, but I will try my best to make it as clear as possible which of the dining plans I am referring to as we go through this little guide. It might seem a bit wordy and repetitive in places, but that's because the dining plan with only quick service credits is called the Disney Quick-Service Dining Plan - which is fine, but the dining plan that has a table service credit and a quick service credit is just called Disney Dining Plan - I'm going to do my best.

What The Free Dining Offers Contains

If you stay at a value resort, all guests receive 1 free quick service meal a day. If you stay at a moderate resort, each guest gets the Quick Service Dining Plan (which includes 2 x quick service meals and 1 snack per day with one Refillable Resort Mug). You get the Disney Dining Plan when you stay at a deluxe resort (which includes 1 x table service meal, 1 x quick service meal, and 1 snack per day with one Refillable Resort Mug). What you might not have known is that you can upgrade what level of dining plan that you want to a higher tier one when you stay at a value or moderate hotel. (You can't upgrade when staying at a deluxe resort because you already get the top-tier dining plan included).

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Dining Plan Upgrade Options

When staying at a value resort, you can upgrade your 1x free quick service meal to the Quick Service Dining Plan or the Disney Dining Plan (which includes table service credits). When staying at a moderate resort, you can upgrade your included Quick Service Dining Plan to the Disney Dining Plan (which includes table service credits). The cost to upgrade is based on the price of the plan you get at the resort category you're staying at minus the cost of the higher tier dining plan. That currently works out at about £30 per adult, per night. For example, if you're staying at Disney's Caribbean Beach (a moderate resort), you can pay £30pp/pn to upgrade from the included Quick Service Dining Plan you have included to the Disney Dining Plan (which includes table service credits).

Still with me?

Kids Are Free!

I was looking over my 2025 trip (that I booked in 2024) where we booked a stay at Disney's Caribbean Beach and upgraded the dining plan to the one with table service credits and it cost £30 per adult and £13 for kids, per night (we have one child in our party). While pricing up 2026 trips, I noticed the cost to upgrade the dining plan is based on the adults only. It turns out any children in your room will not have to pay extra to upgrade their dining plans starting in 2026. I asked Disney about this, which they confirmed:

That's correct! When you upgrade the Disney Dining Plan you would only pay to upgrade the adult, the child would be upgraded for free as part of that.

It's strange this little benefit isn't advertised somewhere, as this little change can save families hundreds of pounds.

Click here to explore the 2026 Free Dining & Drinks Offer >

Walt Disney World Dining Plan Upgrades Are Free For Children

When you upgrade your Disney dining plan, any kids in your room will be upgraded as well for free.

A Preface On The Dining Plan Names

What The Free Dining Offers Contains

Dining Plan Upgrade Options

Kids Are Free!