Above is the PDF document released by Disney detailing the 2008 Disney Dining Plan. For 2008 Disney has said that they will offer the Dining Plan as well as a new DELUXE Dining Plan.

The Dining Plan will cost $37.99/day for those aged 10 and above and $9.99/day for children ages 3-9 (which is a dollar less per day than the 2007 plan.) The DELUXE Dining Plan will cost $69.99 for those aged 10 and above and $19.99 for children ages 3-9.

For the regular Dining Plan in 2008 you’ll receive the following:

• 2 Meals Per Day: For the regular Dining Plan you’ll receive one table service meal and one quick service meal each day of your stay.
• 1 Snack Per Day: In addition to the 2 meals you’ll also receive 1 snack every day. A snack includes one of the following: frozen ice cream novelty, popsicle, fruit bar, popcorn scoop (single serving box), single serving grab bag of chips, single piece of whole fruit, 20-oz. bottle of Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite or Dasani water, medium fountain soft drink or juice, 12-oz. coffee, hot chocolate or hot tea.

Here are some of the key differences between the 2007 and 2008 REGULAR Dining Plans:

• Gratuity No Longer Included: Beginning in 2008, the Disney Dining Plan will no longer include gratuity (tips.) This means you’ll need to bring some cash along with you to leave a tip for your table service meals. For parties of 6 or more people an 18% gratuity will be added to your check automatically.
• Appetizers No Longer Included with Table Service Meals: In 2008 the table service meal will only include an entree, non-alcoholic beverage and dessert (or full buffet meal if applicable.) This is different from 2007 where you received an appetizer with your meal as well.
• Wine and Dine Option: For an extra $39.99/day you can add a daily bottle of wine to your package.

Disney has also added a new dining plan for 2007 called the DELUXE Dining Plan. This is a more flexible (and more expensive) option for diners where you’ll receive the following:

• 3 Meals: On the new Deluxe Dining Plan in 2008 you’ll receive 3 meals each day of your stay. The 3 meals can be any combination of sit down or counter service so you have the choice of eating at any Disney restaurant on the list. If you choose a table service meal that will include one appetizer, one entree, one dessert (lunch and dinner only) and one non-alcoholic beverage OR one Full Buffet. If you choose a counter service meal that will include one entree (or complete combo meal), one dessert (lunch or dinner only), one juice (breakfast only) and one non-alcoholic beverage.
• 2 Snacks: In addition to the 3 meals you’ll also receive 2 snacks every day. A snack includes one of the following: frozen ice cream novelty, popsicle, fruit bar, popcorn scoop (single serving box), single serving grab bag of chips, single piece of whole fruit, 20-oz. bottle of Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite or Dasani water, medium fountain soft drink or juice, 12-oz. coffee, hot chocolate or hot tea.
• Wine and Dine Option: For an extra $39.99/day you can add a daily bottle of wine to your package.

For the DELUXE Dining Plan the same rules will apply as the regular plan when it comes to gratuity. It’s not included.

On the surface my initial reaction is that I’m not really happy with the changes in the regular Dining Plan. With the loss of the appetizer on the table service meal and the added expense of paying for gratuity out of my pocket it starts to make more sense to pay-as-you-go. And when it comes to the DELUXE Dining Plan it just seems like a lot of money on a daily basis unless you plan on eating at a lot of table service restaurants. That option could be the better option however I’ll have to play with the numbers a bit more to see what is the best way to go so look for future articles regarding this subject.

Feel free to comment as I’m anxious to see what others have to say about these changes. See ya!

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Vacationing at Walt Disney World takes lots of energy! To paraphrase the famous saying, a vacationing family moves on its stomach. To nourish and refresh guests, Disney World has 300 dining locations, plus portable food carts, offering a grand total of 6,000 menu choices.

Even so, the question of what’s for breakfast and lunch and dinner and snacks can be daunting. Is it in our budget? Is the line too long? Can we be seated? Will everyone like it? Can we eat with the princesses or other Disney characters?

Here is a four-step guide to finding the food and dining source that is right for your family. Find the sentence that best describes your group, then read suggestions to plan your food and dining.

Option 1: We want to save as much as possible, including quick meals in our room.

If your family is on a tight budget, you will need to plan your meals carefully. Plan to brown-bag a few meals, such as eating cereal in your room and carrying your own snacks. You can still enjoy a wide variety of fun and interesting foods.

Suggestions:

- Buy packaged food at the resort shop and food court. A package of muffins costs about $3, compared to $1.50 for one muffin in the theme park.
- Eat at counter-service restaurants at your resort and in the parks. Most adult meals are around $5-7, with children’s meals around $4-5. You will find traditional fast food like burgers and pizza, as well as an appealing variety of ethnic foods.
- Bring food from home or stop at an Orlando grocery. You will find many stores within 20 minutes of Disney World.

Bonus: Look for special packages that offer the Disney Dining Plan for free. Keep reading for more about the Dining Plan.

Option 2: We are willing to splurge on a few meals, but want to save money when possible.

If your family is cost-conscious but would like a few splurges, plan to eat at counter-service restaurants and use the tips under “Eating on a Budget.” Select one or two table-service restaurants or perhaps a character dining experience for a special treat.

Suggestions:

- Eat most meals at counter-service restaurants at your resort and in the parks.
- Decide together what special restaurant will be most appreciated by your group. If you want to dine with the Disney princesses or other characters, you may prefer a character meal, which costs about $15-25 per person.
- If you are comfortable following a few rules, consider the Disney Dining Package. Keep reading for more details.

Option 3: We want hassle-free dining and are not too worried about cost.

If you want worry-free dining, most Disney World dining options are open to you. Some table-service restaurants are very crowded, so be sure to make advance dining reservations beginning 180 days before arrival.

Suggestions:

- Add the Disney Dining Plan to your vacation package. In fact, this program was designed just for guests like you who want the greatest convenience. It includes one table-service meal, one counter-service meal and one snack for each day of your vacation. You have to go by the rules to use your dining credits, but you will find many options and an overabundance of food offered. The cost per day is $38.99 per person age 10 and older and $10.99 for each child age 3-9.
- If you haven’t made advance dining reservations before arrival, contact Guest Services at each park or your resort for assistance.

Option 4: Fine dining is most important.

If you prefer unique and special dining, you will find a wide variety at Walt Disney World. Make your advance dining reservations up to 180 days in advance to be sure that you can be seated at your choice of restaurants.

Suggestions:

- Choose restaurants from the restaurants that Disney classifies at Signature Dining and Special and Unique Dining.
- If you want all meals included in your vacation package, consider getting the Magic Your Way Premium Package. This package includes breakfast, lunch and dinner at the 100 participating restaurants plus other recreation and entertainment benefits.

Whatever your budget and dining preferences, take time to learn about the restaurants and other dining options at the Disney theme parks and resort hotels. Get a travel guidebook or two, and check Internet resources for more information. Make notes on restaurants that seem interesting. Call for reservations for table-service restaurants in advance; Disney accepts reservations beginning 180 days before your arrival. Being prepared will make your Disney World vacation less stressful and more fun.

Anne S. Easterling is the author of the EZ Fun Guide to Walt Disney World (ISBN 0-9768890-2-1), a unique travel guide that features color-coded park maps, easy-to-read checklists that cover resort hotels, recreation, restaurants, shopping and more. The 15 planning sheets help you personalize your vacation plans. She also hosts an online resource at http://www.ez-wdw.com, where visitors can download a free ebook titled “The EZ Fun Guide to the Magic Kingdom,” a 10-page PDF travel guide to the happiest place on earth. The book is available on Amazon.com and direct from the publisher at the web site above.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Anne_Easterling

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Bet you’ve been wondering where I’ve been! Well, I took some time to take the family to one of the best family vacation spots on the east coast which is Ocean City, MD. This was a nice little primer to our upcoming Walt Disney World vacation scheduled for later in September and we had a great time relaxing on the beach and eating at some really great seafood restaurants. It was also a great way to get our tummy’s ready for the great Disney restaurants we’ll be visiting this time around as well! (more to come about that later)

After an extended stay at the beach and some superb seafood meals I went on a search for the best Crab Cake recipe I could find since it’s one of my favorite meals when dining at seafood restaurants. The one I chose comes from Phillip’s Restaurants Executive Chef and TV Show Host Mark Laubner as it’s a simple and classic way to prepare this dish at home. Just about everyone out there has their favorite crab cake recipe (and each Disney restaurant also has their own unique twist on this dish) so give this one a try and you’ll be in CRAB HEAVEN!

And just a note…….For those of you planning on visiting Walt Disney World, you can also find great Crab Cakes at places like the Libery Tree Tavern in the Magic Kingdom (only as an appetizer for lunch), the Flying Fish Cafe on the Boardwalk and of course Fulton’s Crab House in Downtown Disney.

Ingredients:

1 pound Crabmeat
1 Egg
1 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce
1 teaspoon Lemon Juice
1 teaspoon Seafood Seasoning (Old Bay)
1 teaspoon Parsley Flakes
1/4 teaspoon Dry Mustard
1 heaping tablespoon Mayonnaise
1 heaping teaspoon Prepared Mustard
1/4 cup Cracker or Bread Crumbs
2 tablespoons Olive Oil

Directions:
Place crabmeat into a large mixing bowl.

In a separate mixing bowl, beat eggs, worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, seafood seasoning, dehydrated parsley flakes, dry mustard, mayonnaise and prepared mustard in a separate mixing bowl. Add cracker crumbs to the mixture. fold dressing into crabmeat, being careful not to break up the crabmeat. Shape into slightly flattened patties and chill.

You can either sauté the cakes in 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil on both sides until they are golden brown, or you can broil until golden brown on each side.

Yield: The number of crab cakes depend on their size.

Recipes courtesy of Mark Laubner © 2002

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