Wow WDW is expecting a very soft 2026…
Booking begins tomorrow 4/22 for packages through Oct 2026
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Epic Universe, and before all Disney’s new stuff starts opening. You’ll know it’s really soft if they announce the return of DME.
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Don’t get me excited. I initially read that as if they HAD announced such a return! 
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They may be considering an expected decrease in international visitors. I don’t know what percentage of visitors come from outside of the US, but I would expect those numbers may crater over the next year or so.
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Any news on the bounceback dates for 2026?
I never get that information. Folks get that in-room during their stay or in their MDE right after
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So theoretically, Would I be able to add a dining plan to a room-only discount, and still get the free dining plan for kids?
ETA: nevermind, just saw on TP site that dining plans can only be added to room+ticket packages
I’m also assuming it’s one kid plan per one adult plan, though this doesnt seem to specifically clarify
It doesn’t clarify this so would be worth asking or attempting to book
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Per WDW page Walt Disney World Resort
-
Get a free dining plan for kids (ages 3 to 9) with the purchase of a Walt Disney Travel Company package for you and your children that includes:
- A room at a Disney Resorts Collection hotel; and
- A dining plan for each Guest ages 10 and up
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It’s really not much of a deal since you have to pay for adults (10+) and it doesn’t make sense most times to get a dining plan.
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My March trip still had only 2025 dates. Heading back in June and hoping 2026 dates noted then. I figured TAs would get that kind of info ahead of time. Guess not…
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That’s a very personal value evaluation and not a good blanket statement.
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Nope we can’t book those. Those are booked directly with Disney.
Although you can always transfer a BounceBack to your favorite TA provided you do that within 30 days of making the initial booking
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My TA always books my bouncebacks. I’ve never booked them direct with Disney. When I get home from my trips, I text my TA the dates I want and she books them with Disney. I’ve been doing that since I started using her in 2017.
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She must be calling them in. There’s no clickable option as a TA on the TA site.
I suppose that’s a possibility.
That depends. For example, if someone was already planning to get the dining plan, then getting the kids to eat free has definite value. And even if someone didn’t already plan to buy the dining plan, the math sometimes is VERY close to break even…so if you have young kids (under 10) it seems like this deal could make it suddenly valuable.
(This is saying nothing to the intrinsic value some find in the dining plan separate from just the financial aspect.)
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Does the “package” verbiage mean “package” in the sense of room + tickets + DDP? If I’m only booking the DDP (room and tix separately), can I still get this deal?
Yes - it just sounds better than it is. At first, it seems like a kid can just get a free dining plan when that’s not the case. If you were already buying it, yes it’s good. And if kids over 10 qualified that would make it more enticing as well.
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You can create a ticketless package by calling and booking a room only and adding the dining plan. This offer doesn’t say anything about needing to buy tickets
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