Kids can eat free in Disney World in 2026
The company just announced packages for 2026 that include a really delicious offer.
Disney is one of the most well-known American brands out there. It's right up there with Coca-Cola and Levi's, products which most of us have probably owned or consumed at least once in our lives.
Turns out most of us have visited a Disney theme park, too. Between 70 and 90% of Americans have visited a Disney Park, according to the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History.
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The Disney Company has done a masterful job of convincing families everywhere that a visit to one (or more) of their 12 parks is a rite of passage. And with good reason. Who doesn't want to share the thrill of a roller coaster, snack on Dole Whip and corn dogs, and maybe even catch a live show with their loved ones?
Disney might be what family-vacation dreams are made of, but unless you're made of money, chances are when you start thinking about that dream Disney vacation, you also start hunting for deals. Joe Raedle/Getty Images
A Disney park visit is expensive for families, and profitable for the company
A visit to a Disney theme park can cost between $500 and $1,200 per person per day when you account for a park ticket, hotel room, and three meals ($20 per meal).
Disney (DIS) faced criticism in recent months because it increased prices for annual passes by between $30 and $100, depending on the pass type, and raised prices on many menu items as well.
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Disney's theme parks add a significant amount of revenue to the company's bottom line. In 2024, the Walt Disney Company's parks and experiences division (which includes cruises and consumer products) generated nearly $34.2 billion. While parks and experiences are not the highest revenue-generating part of the business, they are the most profitable, according to CNBC.
Disney CEO, Bob Iger, even acknowledged publicly that the cost of a ticket into one of the company's parks may be one reason visits have declined.
In response, the company has a host of special deals and some freebies planned for 2026.
Disney World deals and freebies
Throughout 2026, guests staying at one of the 25 Disney Resort hotels in Orlando will get a free dining plan for kids ages 3 to 9 when they purchase a dining plan as part of their package for the other members of their party, ages 10 and up.
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Normally special offers can't be combined, but that is not the case this time around. “The kids' free dining plan offering can be combined with other select special offers, meaning you may still be eligible to take advantage of other deals we later roll out for 2026,” according to the Disney Parks Blog.
A Disney rep also shared with TheStreet, "Disney is pretty unique in the industry in offering lots of different dining options tailored toward kids (i.e., wide variety of high-quality kids meals across all property versus just adult meals)."
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The source added, "With the recent 50% off discount on kids' tickets for the summer, families have options to save in near and long-term."
Guests who stay at certain Disney Resort hotels also get early theme park entry — 30 minutes before the gates open to everyone else — complimentary transportation, free parking, and early access to dining reservations.
Reservations for 2026 travel open on April 22.
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