Disney offers a free dining plan to everyone in a party during their shoulder and off season. The offers usually run from Jan-April and again from Sept-Nov. If you're at a Value resort, you get a Quick Service Plan; everywhere else, you get a Deluxe Dining Plan. There are few things not included in the plan, like dining at Victoria & Albert's which is Disney's fanciest and most expensive place to eat (adults only and semi-formal dress required). It is a far simpler plan to understand than guessing which foods are included at Kings Island.

FYI, they actually do have handouts now that have all the meals included listed and an explanation of each of the three dining plans. Not 100% sure where all they're available, but the ticket windows and Help Center should have them.

I heard they were passing them out at the parking gate in the morning and I saw them next to the park maps.

Bought the pass today, already I can see myself using it a bunch while hitting the park for a few hours every few days with my son. Used it at the Chicken Shack today and they had no problem with me feeding my 1 year old son off my plate, he had 1 strip I had 3 (well 1.5 they were big).

They did offer me a drink with my meal but I did not take it, had the bottle, so I'm not sure if they would have given it to me at checkout.

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I keep forgetting to get this. I may be in the area Wed, so we will see about starting it..Or not..

I bought, would be nice if you could exchange one of those meals for 2 snacks like a ice cream and funnel cake. When I go up I'm usually only there for about 4-5 hours. I don't really want to eat 2 big meals.

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We added this to our passes on Saturday and used it twice and both times they didn't make me pay for my drink. So I'm not sure what's going on here, cause all information about the Season Pass Dining Plan says drinks are not included.

I think the confusion comes in the signage. The combo meal includes a drink and it has a dining plan symbol on the combo.

I was offered a drink today with my meal plan but I just got a large water instead

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The more we use this meal plan the more I see the price rising or this going away for next season.... It really is a superb deal

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If anything, the price of the food for the general public will rise to influence the buying of the meal deal.

I think the confusion comes in the signage. The combo meal includes a drink and it has a dining plan symbol on the combo.

I was offered a drink today with my meal plan but I just got a large water instead

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I was thinking this exact same thing!

One of the signs in question (Sorry about the glare. It was a nice day outside yesterday). I could definitely see how this would be confusing to someone who doesn't frequent the park as many of us do. I'm sure this will be one of the things to get ironed out if the Season Long Dining Plan were to be fully implemented company wide next year.

I get it. They still make a few bucks on the drink, even with the meal plan.

But come on - the meals advertised come with drinks. That's asking for confusion.

If I was the King of King Island (not saying I'm not [yes - I intentionally said King Island]) I would just not include drinks in the combos. In fact, I find it to be kind of a nuisance since it comes with the regular size drink with no apparent option to upgrade to the larger one unless you want a refillable cup.

What they're trying to do is avoid people using their meal plan like a drink wrist band or getting a meal when they're thirsty and wasting the food.

How bout it, KI?

One of the signs in question (Sorry about the glare. It was a nice day outside yesterday). I could definitely see how this would be confusing to someone who doesn't frequent the park as many of us do. I'm sure this will be one of the things to get ironed out if the Season Long Dining Plan were to be fully implemented company wide next year.

Whaa??? Is that peanut allergy information I see??? I love it!

KI could use a course in the K.I.S.S. concept.

Including drinks in the posted combo prices results in many guests with sticker shock leaving the park to eat, and perhaps not coming back, coming less in the future or not at all next year.

Less time in park is less per cap spending. This hurts the park in so many ways.

I must say that I was shocked when first I saw this on opening day. It has to be one of the dumbest things I've seen the park do for many years. While focusing on making season long dining look like an incredible deal, the park may well have caused many big spending, once or twice a summer, family wallets to snap shut, leave the park and maybe even not come back.

By making it clearly obvious what a $4 Coke does to a meal price, the park is jolting at least some guests to their fiscal senses. Not good. At all.

Exactly.

I know there are major differences between a Seasonal park and a Year Round and comparing the two is silly.

That said we were prepared for sticker shock based upon the area we were in alone. I must say the shock never came. Food prices at BGT, Legoland and SeaWorld are not bad at all. Two of the parks have All Day options that MAKE SENSE, rather than cause confusion. They are more akin to real world operations. Sit down dining is of course higher priced while the quicky joints are lower.

One should expect to pay higher than normal at a park but not insanely high. The people that I know that do not care for KI do so for one reason, pricing. They would faint if they saw it now.

When we went to Universal, my wife and I were shocked that we could both get complete meals at Mythos and our bill was around 25/30 dollars! We were expecting 25-30 per person.

If it wasn't for the season plan I wouldn't be eating in the park this year at all. Skyline is 10 minutes away and you can feed 2 for the price of that combo.

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Then you have the Knobel's, Holiday Worlds, Kennywoods and Camden Parks, where the food pricing is comparable to that outside the park. At Knoebel's, a fresh made in front of you funnel cake is $4, a huge slice of (in my opinion horrid) pizza is $3 for cheese, $3.50 for pepperoni. One slice is larger than three of Kings Island's La Rosa's. Fresh cut (while you watch) fries are $3. A huge Pepsi is $2.

Oddly enough, even with lower prices, we still heard plenty of comments about how the All Day plan is "totally worth it".

I'm a regular at the park and those prices still cause me sticker shock and we eat outside of the park.

The primary reason I eat outside the park as often as I do is the multitude of fried foods, carbohydrates and sweet, starchy things offered. Very few healthy options exist in the park. And note what's not included in the Dining Plans. Gee...

I too wish there were more healthy options. I would then drown them with cheese and bacon.

DQ has been advertising a $5 lunch combo of chicken fingers, fries, a drink, and a sundae!

I haven't checked yet if it is available at that location, but there is a Dairy Queen two minutes outside the parking lot.

Owned by Cedar Fair.

That deal is "at participating locations."

I doubt that's one.

Magenta Lizard-That deal is pretty good!

A large Blizzard costs more than that in the DC Metro!

Dangit!

I actually want to eat very little when I ride coasters (or am in the heat), so I've been taking snack breaks in my car mostly anyway. I was hoping to try DQ one day if I got the itch for something more to eat without being ridiculous. I thought maybe I found a loophole, but I did also expect it might be a non-participating location. If Cedar Fair owns it, I'm sure it isn't participating.

Now I need to check for any area Steak 'n' Shake locations.

If you are talking in the Mason area, there is one off of Fields Ertel, although it doesn't have the best reviews.

She means near Cedar Point.

If she doesn't, then I erred. The Cedar Fair owned Dairy Queen is just before the Cedar Point Causeway.

Thought she was talking Steak 'N' Shake. Hah