As we reported early ultimate month, Walt Disney International’s checklist of collaborating places for the 2026 Disney Eating Plans was once lacking 50+ eating places and there have been reader considerations about this. The important thing takeaway from that was once to not concern, as 1/3 events typically aren’t added till the ultimate minute. Now that the brand new yr has arrived, precisely that has took place–there at the moment are just a handful of lacking spots.
As elementary background, Disney Eating Plans at the moment are to be had to buy for 2026 holiday applications. This contains each complete Walt Disney International holiday applications and ticketless lodge resort + Disney Eating Plan reservations. For essentially the most phase, this simply affects pricing–see 2026 Disney Eating Plan Worth Will increase and Decreases!
The largest exchange with the 2026 Disney Eating Plan, and the explanation why there are some (important) value decreases, is that Youngsters Consume FREE All Yr in 2026 at Walt Disney International. This is excellent news, as that perk or be offering is higher than Loose Eating for many of WDW’s goal demo–and it’s stackable.
What is still observed is whether or not Loose Eating additionally makes a comeback in early 2026. Truthfully, we anticipated a press release about Loose Eating to occur already. Closing time, Walt Disney International teased it and different reductions on December thirtieth. There’s nonetheless nearly definitely a large particular be offering unencumber at the horizon; apparently WDW simply received’t give a heads up about it this go-round (that, or the tease and the discharge have each been not on time because of the timing of New Yr’s Day 2026).
Assuming Loose Eating does go back for 2026 (a protected wager), it’ll be fascinating to look what, if any, adjustments that Walt Disney International makes to sweeten the deal. The stackable Youngsters Consume Loose promo goes to be extra sexy for plenty of visitors, so WDW must do one thing if they would like upper adoption of Loose Eating.
All of this implies that Walt Disney International is doubling down at the Disney Eating Plan. That they notice there’s an issue with Advance Eating Reservation call for, uptake of the DDP, and different problems with desk provider eating places within the parks & motels.
There’s no explanation why to consider the DDP is being scaled again for 2026. On the contrary, our expectation is that Walt Disney International will proceed to scale it up, discovering different ways to make the DDP extra sexy. The Disney Eating Plan is a money cow that will increase consistent with visitor spending (a key metric for Walt Disney International) in each its paid and “loose” shape.
In opposition to that backdrop, we’ve gained involved feedback and questions from a number of readers about many eating places being reputedly “excluded” from the 2026 Disney Eating Plan. The ultimate time we shared an replace in this again on December tenth, the checklist of collaborating eating places for the common 2026 DDP was once most effective 174, with 100 eating places at the Fast-Carrier Disney Eating Plan (QSDDP).
Rapid-forward a couple of weeks, and the ones numbers have shot up: 228 eating places at the common 2026 Disney Eating Plan and 118 eating places at the 2026 Fast-Carrier Disney Eating Plan.
We at the moment are within the vary of what’s standard, suggesting industry as same old for the 2026 DDP. Should you’re involved in present eating place eligibility, see this checklist of 2026 Disney Eating Plan Eating places at Walt Disney International.
(For reference, the Walt Disney International eating portal indexed 222 eating places as collaborating within the 2025 DDP and 116 eating places that had been eligible for the 2025 QSDDP as of December tenth. This implies there’s been a year-over-year build up of two eating places, regardless of some spots nonetheless being lacking!)
Right here’s a non-exhaustive checklist of the additions since we ultimate reported on what was once lacking (spoiler: it’s nearly the entire eating places), adopted by way of what’s nonetheless lacking…
EPCOT
- Cooks de France
- L. a. Crêperie de Paris
- L. a. Cantina de San Angel
- Les Halles Boulangerie-Patisserie
- Lotus Blossom Cafe
- Pizza al Taglio
- By way of Napoli
- Tutto Italia
- Teppan Edo
- Katsura Grill
Disney Springs
- The BOATHOUSE
- Blaze Pizza
- Hen Man
- Cookes of Dublin
- Town Works Eatery & Pour Space
- Earl of Sandwich
- The Edison
- eet by way of Maneet Chauhan
- Morimoto Asia Side road Meals
- Pizza Ponte
- Well mannered Pig
- Terralina Crafted Italian
- Smokehouse at Space of Blues
- Splitsville Eating Room
- YeSake Kiosk
Disney’s Coronado Springs Lodge
- El Mercado de Coronado Meals Courtroom
- Rix Sports activities Bar & Grill
- Siestas Cantina
What’s Nonetheless Lacking
- California Grill*
- Connections Cafe
- Creature Comforts
- Major Side road Bakery
- Trolley Automotive Cafe
- Monsieur Paul*
- House 220 Eating place*
- STK*
- Takumi-Tei*
- T-Rex Cafe
- Rainforest Cafe (Animal Kingdom & Disney Springs)
- Yak & Yeti Eating place
- Yak & Yeti Native Meals Cafe
*Didn’t take part within the 2025 DDP, and now not anticipated to be added to the 2026 Disney Eating Plan
As for what else remains to be lacking (however anticipated to be added), it’s lately simply the Starbucks places within the parks and make a selection Landry’s eating places–however now not even they all! Word that for those who navigate to the precise web sites for those eating places, a couple of in truth do say “Some Eating Plans Authorized.” Since there are most effective two Disney Eating Plans and the ones are most commonly the quick-service spots, “some” probably way the QSDDP.
In all probability, the entire entries at the “what’s lacking” checklist most definitely settle for the DDP at this level. It might be abnormal for Landry’s to ink a deal for some other yr of the DDP at some–however now not all–of its eating places. And I’d be stunned if Starbucks even has the choice of opting out of the Disney Eating Plan at its in-park places; I’d danger a wager that’s of their contract.
This has took place prior to. I recall one the place when the website online for Cooks de France wasn’t up to date till mid-January, suggesting it was once now not accepting the Disney Eating Plan even if it in truth was once–and there was once explanation why to consider there was once by no means any hole in eligibility. In all probability, the internet sites simply haven’t been absolutely up to date to mirror the eating places that experience since prolonged their DDP offers.
Why Did This Occur?
Again when first reporting in this in early December, we cautioned readers in opposition to being worried an excessive amount of about this, and recommended in opposition to giving it any idea till, like New Yr’s Eve. Some eating places wouldn’t be added till the 11th hour, within the ultimate week of December and even early January 2026.
The cause of that is lovely easy. Many eating places at Walt Disney International are owned and operated by way of 1/3 events. This isn’t simply at Disney Springs, which is house to chains and outposts of famend superstar cooks. It’s additionally true at some lodge eating places, and in each EPCOT and Animal Kingdom. This contains Homecomin’, Maria & Enzo’s, Morimoto Asia, Cooks de France, By way of Napoli, Tutto Italia, Coronado Springs eating, and extra.
Should you’re questioning why this occurs, it’s as a result of Walt Disney International negotiates with those 1/3 get together eating places in regards to the phrases in their participation within the Disney Eating Plan. In reality, “negotiate” may well be a robust phrase; I don’t have perception into the method, however suppose it’s extra a take it or go away it be offering by way of Walt Disney International with uniform contract phrases.
In our Disney Eating Plan Information & Assessment submit, we reverse-engineer a buck price for each and every form of DDP credit score. Primarily based upon our calculations, a desk provider meal is price roughly $64.50, a counter provider meal at the DDP is price roughly $26.50, and a snack is price roughly $6.50. Walt Disney International does the similar (minus the reverse-engineering phase) and units money back price for those 1/3 events.
If a third-party desk eating place chooses to accepts the Disney Eating Plan, they’re paid a price beneath the real price of each and every DDP credit score, with Disney additionally taking their minimize. As an example, the 1/3 get together may well be paid $40 by way of Walt Disney International for each and every desk provider credit score that’s redeemed. (That is an instance and $40 isn’t the precise quantity eating places are paid–we don’t know the real quantity.)
What we do know is that it’s low sufficient that 1/3 get together eating place operators must weigh the low compensation price in opposition to the upside of filling tables by way of the Disney Eating Plan. For 1/3 get together restaurateurs, it’s a lesser of 2 evils situation: do those venues settle for diminished earnings consistent with meal or a discounted fill-rate for tables?
Inevitably, just about all 1/3 get together eating places typically finally end up opting for the previous. The similar factor took place ultimate yr, and the yr prior to it, and the yr prior to that. I will nearly ensure we’ll be having this identical dialog in December 2026 in regards to the 2027 Disney Eating Plan. We first spotted this factor again in 2018 when there have been a large number of eating places lacking, and lots of weren’t added till January 2019.
There’s at all times an opportunity a cafe or two will “wreck ranks” and choose out of the 2026 Disney Eating Plan. In the past, we pointed to the potentiality of Walt Disney International lowering their compensation price to 3rd get together eating places at the foundation of the Youngsters Consume Loose in 2026 promotion. (Another way, Disney can be subsidizing that, regardless of now not knowing any earnings for the youngsters’ DDPs. Somebody has to devour the ones loses!)
That was once purely speculative, and if it did occur, it obviously wasn’t sufficient to transport the needle. Just about each and every eating place that participated in ultimate yr’s DDP is now eligible for the 2026 Disney Eating Plan. As we additionally identified, ADR call for has cratered within the ultimate couple of years because of visitors reallocating holiday bucks to Lightning Lanes, so it was once most probably 1/3 get together eating places wouldn’t need to possibility dropping much more industry by way of rejecting the Disney Eating Plan.
We’re nonetheless at the hours of darkness as to what took place within the background as a part of Walt Disney International’s negotiations with 1/3 get together eating places, or if the rest modified from their point of view with the 2025 vs. 2026 Disney Eating Plan, however the secret’s that almost all places that authorized the DDP ultimate yr are as soon as once more accepting it this yr.
Making plans a Walt Disney International commute? Find out about accommodations on our Walt Disney International Motels Opinions web page. For the place to devour, learn our Walt Disney International Eating place Opinions. To economize on tickets or resolve which sort to shop for, learn our Pointers for Saving Cash on Walt Disney International Tickets submit. Our What to Pack for Disney Journeys submit takes a novel take a look at suave pieces to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney International Experience Guides will lend a hand. For complete recommendation, the most efficient position to start out is our Walt Disney International Commute Making plans Information for the whole thing you want to understand!
Your Ideas
Happy to look nearly each and every fan-favorite eating place accepting the 2026 Disney Eating Plan? Disillusioned about the rest that’s nonetheless lacking? Do you settle or disagree with our evaluate? Any questions we will be able to mean you can resolution? Listening to your comments–even whilst you disagree with us–is each fascinating to us and useful to different readers, so please proportion your ideas beneath within the feedback!
