Universal Orlando Dining Plan Updates

The Universal Orlando Dining Plan is no longer available. We will keep this post up for reference. Instead, it might be worth heading over to our latest Universal ticket guide for tips on how to get the best rates or explore the Universal Studios resort options.

Universal had offered Meal Deals to all park guests for some time, but on July 1, 2013, it introduced its own dining plan, appropriately named the “Universal Dining Plan.” The Universal Dining Plan is similar to the Disney Standard Dining Plan, which includes some table service restaurants.

The standard Universal Dining Plan can only be purchased as part of a Universal Orlando Resort Vacation package whereas the Quick Service Dining Plan can be purchased by all guests.

In November 2013 it dropped the “all-you-can-eat” Meal Deal in favour of a second cut-down dining plan called the “Universal Dining Plan – Quick Service”. The advantage of the Quick Service Dining Plan is that it is available to all guests, but you are limited to one meal per day.

The Universal Dining Plan can be purchased for specific days (one to five) and offers you a fixed number of meal options per day.

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The table service restaurants are only available on the more expensive Universal Dining Plan.

Universal Orlando offers a range of Dining Plans, some of which can only be purchased as part of a Universal Hotel vacation package.

The Universal Orlando Dining Plan options are:

• a Universal Dining Plan
• a Universal Dining Plan – Quick Service
• a Universal Dining Plan – Quick Service and Coca-Cola Freestyle Cup
• a Coca-Cola Freestyle Souvenir Cup

Over 100 participating restaurants and food cart locations exist at Universal Studios, Universal’s Islands of Adventure, and Universal CityWalk. Each is identified by the Universal Dining Plan logo, and valid items are identified on the specific menu boards.

Universal Orlando Dining Plan Meal Options

When you purchase a Universal Dining Plan, you get two meals and a snack each day:

• one table service meal (entrée, dining plan dessert, and non-alcoholic beverage)
• one quick service meal (entrée and non-alcoholic beverage)
• one snack from a food cart or quick service location
• one additional beverage from either a cart or counter service location

The Quick Service Dining Plan excludes table service restaurants and offers:

• one quick service meal with an entrée and one non-alcoholic beverage
• one snack from a food cart or quick service location
• one non-alcoholic beverage

When you purchase the Quick Service and Coca-Cola Freestyle Cup Dining Plan, in addition to the Quick Service meal options, you also get a souvenir Coca-Cola Freestyle cup, which gives you unlimited refills subject to certain conditions for the number of days on your Dining Plan.

Note that sharing of meals is not permitted.

Like Disney, gratuities are not included, and reservations are recommended for all table service restaurants. Children aged 3 to 9 must order from the Kid’s Menu.

Universal Orlando Dining Plan Coca-Cola Freestyle Locations

A souvenir Coca-Cola Freestyle Cup can be purchased for one to five days at the parks.

There are several eligible Coca-Cola Freestyle dispensers in the three parks, but there are a couple of conditions that you must adhere to when using your Freestyle cup:

• only valid for day(s) of purchase
• no more than one pour every 10 minutes
• no sharing

Universal Studios Florida Dining Options

• Mel’s Drive-In
• ICEE at World Expo
• KidZone Pizza Company
• Louie’s Italian Restaurant
• Richter’s Burger Co.
• San Francisco Pastry Company
• Lagoon Lemonade Cart
• Universal Studios’ Classic Monsters Café
• Bone Chillers
• Roboasis

Universal’s Islands of Adventure Dining Options

• The Burger Digs
• Oasis Coolers
• Comic Strip Cafe™
• Circus McGurkus Cafe Stoo-pendous™
• Moose Juice
• Goose Juice
• Captain America Diner™
• POE Lemon Slush
• Cotton Candy
• Pizza Predattoria™
• Beer Cart Across Thunder Falls Terrace
• The Watering Hole

Universal’s Volcano Bay Dining Options

• Kohola Reef Restaurant & Social Club
• Whakawaiwai Eats
• Bambu
• Group Sales Area

Universal Dining Plan Restaurants

Remember that not all restaurants serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner; many only serve lunch and dinner, and a couple only open for dinner in the evening. Also, there are no substitutions, so you cannot swap a salad or an appetizer for a dessert.

Table service restaurants like Lombard’s Seafood Grille and Finnegan’s Bar & Grill at Universal Studios, Mythos Restaurant, and Confisco Grille at Universal’s Islands of Adventure and Bob Marley – A Tribute to Freedom, Pastamore and Pat O’Brien’s at Universal CityWalk are all included in the Universal Dining Plan. Unlike Disney, Universal’s own resort hotel dining facilities are not included.

However, the dining plan excludes some restaurants, such as the new Simpsons Fast Food Boulevard, and quite a few at CityWalk, including Emeril’s Restaurant Orlando, The Bubba Gump Shrimp Company, Hard Rock Café, NASCAR Sports Grill, and Jimmy Buffet’s Margaritaville.

Universal Orlando Dining Plan Ticket Prices

All prices are subject to change, and you should check with Universal Orlando for the latest prices.

Universal Dining Plan

The Universal Dining Plan entitles you to one full-service meal, one quick-service meal, one snack, and a non-alcoholic beverage per day.
Does not include theme park admission. Only available as part of a vacation package.

Universal Dining Plan – Quick Service

The Universal Dining Plan – Quick Service entitles you to one quick-service meal, snack, and a non-alcoholic beverage daily.
Does not include theme park admission.

Universal Dining Plan – Quick Service plus Coca-Cola Freestyle Souvenir Cup

The Universal Dining Plan – Quick Service plus Coca-Cola freestyle Cup entitles you to one quick-service meal, one snack, and unlimited Coca-Cola freestyle soft drinks daily.
Does not include theme park admission.

Coca-Cola Freestyle Souvenir Cup

Unlimited free fountain drink refills for one day at the in-park Coca-Cola Freestyle machines.
Extra days can be purchased for $9.99 plus tax per day.

Universal Meal Deal .v. Universal Dining Plan Comparison

The Universal Meal Deal used to offer you unlimited lunch and dinner at participating restaurants. It can be purchased online or at the parks, whereas the Universal Dining Plan is only available in advance as part of a Universal vacation package.

The Meal Deal’s choice of restaurants was small compared to the Dining Plan’s, and it did not include any table service restaurants. However, prices for adults were around half that of the Dining Plan, and child prices were slightly less than the Dining Plan’s.

For the Meal Deal, four counter-service restaurants participated in Universal Studios and four in Universal’s Islands of Adventure, but none at Universal CityWalk. The Universal Dining Plan includes around seven table-service restaurants and over twenty counter-service restaurants.

With a Meal Deal, each time you went through the line, you were entitled to one entrée and one dessert, which meant you could go back for a second helping. Beverages are not included, but you could buy a Souvenir Cup, which gives unlimited refills.

The Dining Plan clearly defines the number of meals you can get per day, but it does include some beverages.