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Disney’s Advance Dining Reservations

Advance Dining Reservations   Getting Started   Making Reservations Online Last Minute Reservations   Hard to Get ADRs   Large Groups Credit Card Payments/Guarantees   Dietary Needs   Other Helpful Info

What Are Disney’s Advance Dining Reservations (ADRs)?

Disney’s Advance Dining Reservations are not reservations in the “true” sense of the word with definite seating times. They do guarantee, however, that you “will be seated” at the first available table after checking in at the podium for your reservation time. Actually, Disney recommends arriving 15 minutes prior to your ADR time. Waits generally range from a few minutes to a half hour. Think of Disney’s Advance Dining Reservations as Disney’s way of controlling the seating flow in their restaurants. Guests with Advanced Dining Reservations get priority.

Disney highly recommends that you making Advance Dining Reservations for all of your table service, character meals, and buffet restaurants  especially if you have purchased the Disney Dining Plan . Dining ADRs can be made from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m seven days a week (7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m on holidays) by calling 407-WDW-DINE (407-939-3463) or (407) 939-1947. Reservations can be made online anytime using the MyDisneyExperience (MDE) website or app. Online dining reservations open up at 6:00 a.m. EST 60 days in advance.

Guests staying on or off Disney property can make Advance Dining Reservations. Those staying at a Disney owned-resort can book their reservations 60 days in advance. P lus up to 10 days of their vacation stay, which gives them an advantage over other potential diners to book all of their dining reservations at once. Non-Disney hotel guests can book dining 60 days prior, one day at a time for each day of their vacation.

When calculating Advance Dining Reservations dates, WDW guests should use their check-in dates (up to 70 days out) rather than their preferred dining date (check out our ADR calculator for help with this). Guests booking their resort online should connect with MDE in advance. For phone reservations, have hotel reservation numbers ready to book Advance Dining Reservations at once. Note: The Swan and Dolphin, Shades of Green and Disney Springs Hotels are not Disney-owned and would not qualify for the “60 day plus 10” perk.

Getting Started

Many people find it impossible to plan their daily meals without first consulting the WDW park calendars to determine which parks will have Early Theme Park Entry . It’s useful to have an idea which park you will want to attend on certain days before making ADRs. Information on park hours is available roughly 6 months in advance, but is often subject to change. Park Hours change sometimes.

Plan ahead and know your Advance Dining Reservations booking windows. You can review Walt Disney World menus and dining suggestions on our web site and calculate first possible booking dates using our handy ADR calculator . Make a list of all of the reservations that you would like to book and have a few alternatives handy. You may want to review our list of restaurants that require a credit card to guarantee a restaurant reservation as opposed to those requiring payment in full at the time of reservation. You’ll also want to have your credit card info handy when calling Disney Dining or reserving online. If you have purchased one of Disney’s Dining Plans that covers the meal, your credit card won’t be charged for payment-in-full reservations, but you will still need to provide it as cancellation polices and charges will still apply.

If you’ll be using Disney’s online reservation system, be sure that you first have an account set up with Disney’s website. You must register and sign in to your account to arrange dining experiences on line. Sign into the My Disney Experience mobile app with your account info to make reservations. If your Walt Disney World reservation is not showing in your account, you may use the “Link an existing reservation” feature on the My Disney Experience main page to manually add your reservation information. You’ll need your Disney confirmation number, last name, arrival date, and resort name. No reservation number? No problem. Book restaurants and check reservations online at Walt Disney World.

Using Disney’s On-Line Dining Reservation System

If you use a Disney-specialized travel agency like The Magic For Less Travel , your agent will be able to access the online system and make all of your dining reservations for you, if you wish. Be aware, however, only the LEAD guest cancels the reservation. Those booked through a travel agency may also use the online system to make and manage their own dining reservations.

For the online Dining System, the new day starts at 6:00 a.m. (and sometimes a bit earlier), a one hour jump on those using the phone system. Book Disney Dining reservations online before phone lines open.

Important Notice: Disney’s online dining reservation occasionally has glitches. For guests staying at Walt Disney World Resorts, the 60+10 days may not work. If online booking fails at Disney resorts, call 407-WDW-DINE for reservations. Certain restaurants require full payment. This will clearly show with a dollar amount instead of credit card guarantee. If you are on the Dining Plan, reservations should show as a credit card guarantee in most circumstances for reservations that require prepayment.

This has been happening mainly with Cinderella’s Royal Table bookings on the Dining Plan. To avoid a long refund process or losing the reservation, remove it from your cart if this happens to you. Once you have removed the item from your cart, you can checkout with any other reservations in your cart. Then call the Disney dining line at 407-WDW-DINE to get that particular reservation.

To use Disney’s online Dining Reservation System:

• Sign into your Disney.com account, and then select your table service restaurant. Alternatively, you can use the “Make Dining Reservations” link on the My Disney Experience main page. Link any Advanced Dining Reservations made via the phone onto My Disney Experience.  You will need your dining reservation confirmation number and the phone number used on the reservation to do so. If you are still unable to see your missing dining reservations, call (407) 939-3463 for assistance.
• Click on or type in the name of a restaurant you would like to book in the search box. To check availability, you will also need to select a date, time, and party size. Looking to book a large party size?  Check out this booking guide.
• Disney’s dining reservations allow choosing a date, time, or meal period. You can also search by location and cuisine type. You can search by date and times (leave location & cuisine as no preference and restaurant name blank), and the system will show restaurants and times that are available. If unavailable, system suggests alternate times within 3-4 hours or another restaurant for that day.
• Disney has made a change and now Guests are able to see dining availability for MULTIPLE days at a time. With a single search, Guests can view available dining reservations for any given restaurant for up to 10 days at a time.
• Once you have located your desired restaurant reservation, you can choose the people you are dining with from your “Managed” or “Connected” friends list. You may also add the names of those you are dining with to your reservation manually.
• Some reservations, such as Fairytale Dining at Cinderella’s Royal Table, will require that you use a credit card to pay in full to book. For more information, see our ADRs That Require a Credit Card section. If you have purchased the Disney Dining Plan as part of your reservation, the system will already have that information. Be sure to choose Level 2 or 3 seating for the Hoop Dee Doo Revue dinner show, if you are on the Dining Plan. Level 1 seating is also available for the late show at Hoop De Doo for those on the Dining Plan. IF you have booked a dining package (Standard or Deluxe) you can choose between Disney Dining Plan Guarantee (for credit card guarantee) OR Credit Card Advance Payment. Make sure to read and understand any cancellation policies connected with your reservation.
• Once you have made your dining reservation, you will see the details for reservation on the following screen. Only the LEAD guest on a dining reservation will have access to cancel it, so make sure and pay attention which name you put it under. Choose primary contact, put in your email address and your cell phone number. You can also indicate any special dietary needs you may have or whether someone in your party has accessibility needs such as a wheelchair. You must read the polices for the reservation. Reservation polices include important information such as restaurant dress codes, cancellation policies, and other information. Agree to the reservation policies before confirming with the “Confirm Reservation” button. Guests will receive an email confirmation. You will also be able to see all of your reservations on the My Disney Experience main page under the “My Reservations” link. If your reservations do not show, you may have used an email address or phone number that differs from the one associated with your log-in account. These reservations may not display when you visit the “My Reservations” page. However, you can manually retrieve them using the “Link an existing reservation” feature and entering your confirmation number and phone number for each dining reservation.
• Your Disney.com profile stores Dining Reservations. Under the “My Reservations”  Unless otherwise noted, dining reservations may be canceled without penalty. You may have to call Disney Dining to make modifications or cancel reservations paid in full . Refunds of charges take about 30 days. To view or cancel reservations, log in and then click “Dining Reservations” under the “My Disney Vacation” which displays at the top of the page.
• The online dining reservation system will not allow guests to book more than one reservation for the same timeframe (within 2 hours of another reservation). If a guest attempts to book a reservation that conflicts with one they already have, the guest will receive a pop-up message alerting them to this rule. In order to confirm the new reservation, the guest must cancel the previous booking. To make multiple bookings for different members of your party, call Disney Dining or book online with a different name and email not associated with the resort reservation number. However, this may not be ideal if you’re on the dining plan.
• For a few special dining experiences, you will still need to call Disney’s Dining phone line to reserve.
• Guests receive an email reminder 24 hours prior to a dining reservation. The reminder will include the confirmation number, location, date/time and party size. The email will also include a link to modify or cancel the reservation.

To use Disney’s Mobile Dining Reservation System:

• If you’re at the parks and have downloaded the ‘My Disney Experience’ or ‘Walt Disney World’ app, you can view and book available dining options on the go. Learn more about ‘My Disney Experience .
• Make dining reservations at least 20 minutes in advance on the My Disney Experience website or via the My Disney Experience mobile app.
• Change or cancel reservations in the app.

TheMouseForLess Tips:

•  To avoid cancellation fees, cancel unused Advanced Dining Reservations in advance. Disney has set up a special number at 407-WDW-CNCL . You can also cancel your reservations online, or at any guest relations location, restaurant podium, or resort front desk.
•  Lost your list of dining reservations or left it back in your resort room? No problem! Visit Guest Relations or the Front Desk at your Resort for dining assistance. Get your itinerary printed or access it online via ‘My Disney Experience’ app or website.
•  At the parks, RFID enable devices , either a MagicBand bracelet or Card will allow guests to tap the device against the sensor at the register to pay the bill either with cash or with any Dining Plan entitlements that may have been purchased. Visit our Guide to Disney’s MyMagic+ page to learn about this technology.

Last Minute Reservations

Things have changed at Walt Disney World ! Previously, walk-ins were common at most table service restaurants. With the introduction of the Disney Dining Plan and frequent Free Dining Promotions that has all changed.

Book early to get the restaurant you desire. This is particularly important during peak vacation times, holidays, during Free Dining season, and lately, just about anytime. For more information on crowds at Disney and dates and events that impact them, see our Choosing Vacation Dates page. The more flexible one is with dining plans the better chance of getting a reservation last minute. Consider having lunch instead of dinner at a particular restaurant. Pick a different dining date or restaurant if nothing is available when reserving.

If for some reason, however, nothing seems available during your vacation stay for a restaurant you’ve just been dying to try, here are some tips you can try for getting Advance Dining Reservations at that coveted dining spot:

• If the reservation is at a non-Disney owned restaurant, such as any of the Disney Springs or Swan and Dolphin hotel restaurants, try calling the restaurant directly to make reservations. Most of these do not have all of their available space in Disney’s Dining Reservation system. You can usually Google for the phone number or make reservations through their online web sites. Sometimes Open Table has availability for certain restaurants at Walt Disney World.
• By phone, choose off times such as a quarter past the hour rather than on the hour or half hour. You might also try picking the earliest or latest dining times for a particular meal. Popular dining times are 12:00 pm – 2:00 pm for lunch and 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm for dinner.
• If you are staying at a Walt Disney World resort, you might also try choosing days closer toward the end of your vacation. This helps overcome the overlap caused by guests vacationing at slightly earlier travel dates and using the “60 days plus 10” rule.
• Split larger groups into several tables or even separate dining reservations booked close to the same dining times. Be sure to let them know at the restaurant podium that you are dining together. Disney tries very hard to accommodate guests.
• Disney’s Dining system has a rather quirky anomaly. For instance, if you are looking for a reservations for two and have had no luck, try making the reservation for three guests instead. You won’t be denied seating if the number of people differs when you arrive. Keep in mind that this is something you definitely don’t want to do for restaurants that require a credit card guarantee or pre-payment .
• Keep trying. Guests make their final payment for their Walt Disney World package 30 days in advance. Many people will cancel vacation reservations before making final payment or prior to cancellation penalty dates. With the credit card guarantee on all reservations, most people also cancel unwanted reservations by about 24-hours in advance. It never hurts to keep trying.
• Once arriving at Walt Disney World, try calling for Advance Dining Reservations again. At Disney resorts, guests can press DINING or *55 on in-room telephones for assistance or ask the resort’s Lobby Concierge to check whether any last minute openings have become available. Check the My Disney Experience app for walk up information. Don’t rely on walk-up seating as an alternative to Disney’s Advance Dining Reservation System. Wait-times for walk-ups, if accepted, can range from a few minutes to an hour or more. During extremely busy times, restaurants may not accept walk-ups.
• Use your smartphone to locate availability. Guests at Disney World can find nearby table-service restaurants using their device’s location services. Simply search disneyworld.com/dining from your supported browser. Choose to view “map view” of dining results or click on the “Near Me” link OR use the free ‘My Disney Experience’ app .

If you’ve made last minute vacation plans and just aren’t having much luck getting Advance Dining Reservations, there are several Walt Disney World restaurants that may have space for walk ups. Rainforest Cafe in Animal Kingdom and Disney Springs  locations, Yak ‘n Yeti in Animal Kingdom and Planet Hollywood  in Disney Springs are restaurants that usually have some tables for walk ups. Here are a few other suggestions by location as best bets for walk ups:

• Epcot’s World Showcase : San Angel Inn , Biergarten & Nine Dragons
• Magic Kingdom : The Plaza Restaurant
• Disney’s Hollywood Studios : Mama Melrose
• Disney Springs : Paradiso 37 ,  Frontera Cocina
• Resorts : Olivia’s (Old Key West), Kona Cafe (Polynesian), Turf Club (Saratoga Springs), Grand Floridian Cafe (Grand Floridian), Steakhouse 71 (Contemporary Resort)

Recent changes, including steps taken by Disney to reduce the number of double restaurant bookings and the introduction of a $10 credit card hold for Advance Dining Reservations at all table service restaurants and character meals, have increased the walk-up availability at many less popular restaurants.

Hard to Get Reservations

There are a few Disney restaurant reservations that can be extremely hard to get. The Chef’s table at Victoria and Albert’s usually sells out the first day it becomes available for booking and is not available on Wednesdays or Saturdays. When reserving The Chef’s Table, be sure to have the names of all party members on hand when making reservations as V&A uses them to personalized menus. You may book this reservation 60 days out by calling V&A directly at 407-939-7707, 407-WDW-DINE (939-3463) or by reserving online. By phone, a prompt will direct you to the Victoria and Albert’s line. To guarantee a reservation, guests need a credit card on file.

Other popular meals at Walt Disney World include dinner at the Be Our Guest restaurant located in Beast’s Castle at Magic Kingdom; most character meals , especially Cinderella’s Royal Table (and especially for breakfast) and Chef Mickey’s Buffet ; Fantasmic! Dinner Packages ; California Grill during Magic Kingdom firework hours and La Hacienda de San Angel and Rose and Crown during Epcot’s nighttime spectacular hours will also fill up quickly. While it is not a table service restaurant, Oga’s Cantina in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, also takes reservations for entry.

Meals that absolutely require a reservation are Victoria and Albert’s and Disney’s dinner show: Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue .

•  When reserving meals specifically for firework viewing at California Grill , La Hacienda de San Angel and and Rose and Crown , plan on on scheduling meals approximately 90 minutes to 2 hours before scheduled fireworks. Arrive at the podium early to let them know you are hoping for a window seat or patio seat.
•  Ask the Disney Dining reservationist to note special occasions, when making reservations and mention it again at the restaurant. Again, this guarantees nothing, but sometimes Disney does make a little magic happen. For example, Shiki-Sai: Sushi Izakaya in Japan can be great viewing alternative for EPCOT’s fireworks if you can get a window seat. The same goes for ‘Ohana at the Polynesian Resort and Narcoossee’s at the Grand Floridian for view of fireworks in the Magic Kingdom.
• If you simply can’t get the reservations you want and are dying to dine while watching fireworks over dessert, try making even reservations at the Plaza Restaurant in the Magic Kingdom. The restaurant offers a limited view of the evening fireworks. (Keep in mind, that this may be an obstructed view. People may stand directly in front of the windows, blocking your view.) For EPCOT’s fireworks, show up a little early at Cantina de San Angel in Mexico. No reservations needed for Quick Service restaurant. Patio seats offer good view of nighttime show, but get crowded.
•  If you can’t get reservations for California Grill during the firework viewing, don’t worry. As long as you have dined that evening, you will be allowed to return and watch the Fireworks from the restaurant’s private viewing balcony on the fifteenth-floor of the Contemporary Resort . Simply remember to bring your receipt! Don’t miss this firework show! Also, you could consider booking the Celebration at the Top Dining Experience.  This will guarantee you a view of the fireworks, as well as small plates, desserts, and beverages.

In addition to the special cases listed above, there are a few other restaurants that always book up quickly. The short list is below.

• Ohana (dinner) at Polynesian Resort (extremely popular – book at 60 days)
• Le Cellier at Epcot, Canada
• Coral Reef at Epcot, Living Seas
• Garden Grill at Epcot, The Land
• Crystal Palace at Magic Kingdom (especially dinner or several hours before holiday parties)
• 50s Prime Time Cafe at Disney’s Hollywood Studios
• Tusker House (breakfast) at Animal Kingdom
• Boma at Animal Kingdom Lodge
• Sci-Fi Dine In Theater at Disney’s Hollywood Studios
• Cape May Cape Beach Club Resort
• Whispering Canyon (dinner) at Wilderness Lodge
• Homecomin’ at Disney Springs
• Topolino’s Terrace at Disney’s Riveria Resort

Those using the online reservation system will have a one hour advantage over those calling when making hard-to-get reservations. Online reservations rollover to the current day beginning at 6:00 a.m. EST each day. It does appear that this may be the best way to get hard-to-come-by reservations. To save time and frustration, link your resort reservation in your My Disney Experience account.

Advance Dining Reservations For Larger Groups

Dining with a large group at Walt Disney World can be challenging if it’s important that everyone sit together. A few restaurants, such as ‘Ohana at the Polynesian Resort and Boma at the Animal Kingdom Lodge, can easily accommodate large groups. Disney’s dinner show, Hoop De Doo Musical Revue is also great dining choices for a group.

Groups of 8 people or more who want to ensure that they sit together can make ADRs by calling 407-WDW-Dine and requesting transfer to “Group Dining”. A group coordinator will help to make reservations so that your entire group can sit together. Special rules apply to Advance Group Dining Reservations and include guaranteeing reservations with a credit card. A 24-hour advance cancellation policy will also apply that charges your card a penalty of $10 per person for no-shows. All group dining reservations will have an automatic 18% gratuity applied to the restaurant bill.

Six people or more are charged an automatic 18% gratuity. This amount is added to your bill as a gratuity charge for the entire cost of the meal. This amount could be an unexpected expense on the Dining Plan and may require payment at check-out. Automatic gratuity for larger groups applies to the Free Dining promotion as well.

Advance Dining Reservations That Require Payment in Full or Guarantee

Walt Disney World restaurants, shows or dining packages that accept ADRs all require a credit card to either guarantee the reservation or full credit card payment at the time of reserving. These reservations will also have specific cancellation policies. They will need to be adhered to prevent your card from being charged or to be credited a full refund. Generally, credit card guarantee policies specify canceling reservations at least 24 hours in advance or risk being charged a $10 per person penalty.  Restaurants requiring a credit card guarantee will not charge the card except for no-shows or when cancellation penalty applies. At these restaurants, you may pay for your meal after dining by cash, room charge, credit card or Dining Plan credits. Certain restaurants requiring pre-payment in full will refund payment only if reservations are canceled a full day in advance.

Restaurants Requiring a Credit Card Guarantee with Varying Terms

• Victoria & Albert’s (including Chef’s Table) – Grand Floridian Resort and Spa – $25 per person penalty; cancel 48 hours in advance for Chef’s Table
• Citrico’s Chef’s Domain (6-course meal in a private dining room ) – Grand Floridian Resort and Spa (407-939-7707 for reservations) – $100 penalty; cancel 48 hours in advance
• Fantasmic! Dinner Package – Select Disney’s Hollywood Studios Restaurants – cancel 48 hours in advance
• Candlelight Processional Dining Package – Select Epcot Restaurants during Holiday Season – cancel 48 hours in advance

Restaurants requiring a pre-payment will refund the payment in full as long as reservations are canceled a full day in advance. Otherwise, full payment is forfeited .

Those on Disney’s Dining Plan should mention at the time of reserving reservations for these restaurants intentions to use table credits to pay for the meal when calling by phone. No charge for reserving with your credit card, but cancellation policies may apply.

• Cinderella’s Royal Table – Magic Kingdom
• Hoop-Dee-Do Musical Revue Dinner Show – Disney’s Fort Wildness Resort and Campground
• Magic Kingdom Fireworks Dessert Party – Magic Kingdom

In order to make canceling your unnecessary reservations easier, Disney has set up a special number at 407-WDW-CNCL for easy cancellation. You can also cancel your reservations online, or at any guest relations location, restaurant podium, or resort front desk. To avoid any applicable penalty, the cancellation must be made two hours in advance of the reservation.

Special Dietary Needs

Most Walt Disney World Resort table service restaurants can accommodate food allergies and food intolerances, such as gluten or wheat, shellfish, soy, lactose or milk, peanuts, tree nuts, fish or eggs, with advance notice. When making Advance Dining Reservations online or by calling Disney’s Dining line, indicate any allergies you may have at the time of making the reservation. Call a representative at 407-824-5967 once you have booked your dining reservations, at least 14 days in advance. Additionally, chefs at Disney table service restaurants are always happy to take time to talk to guests about their dietary needs or answer questions about menu selections.

At Quick Service restaurants, ask for Oodies brand hamburger or hotdog buns – they are dairy-free and gluten-free and many counter service restaurants carry them. All Quick Service counters have ingredient lists available for items made on site. Quick Service counters should also be able to suggest safe substitutes when available. Tofutti brand soy products are available everywhere Disney sells hand-dipped ice cream. Soy milk is available in the grab ‘n go sections of most Walt Disney World resorts. Walt Disney World Resort does not have separate kitchens to prepare allergen free items or separate dining areas for Guests with allergies to dine. Some restaurants may have dedicated fryers for those with gluten allergies, however. You’ll need to inquire when ordering.

Each park has a designated quick service location for severe food allergies.

• Magic Kingdom: Cosmic Ray’s
• Epcot: Sunshine Seasons
• Hollywood Studios: Backlot Express
• Animal Kingdom: Flame Tree BBQ

Kosher meals must be requested at least 24 hours in advance by calling (407) 939-3463. A 48-hour notice is needed for table service restaurants at the Swan and Dolphin resorts, Yak & Yeti Restaurant in Animal Kingdom, and both Rainforest Cafe locations. Teppan Edo and Shiki-Sai: Sushi Izakaya do not offer Kosher meals. Kosher orders require a credit card guarantee; however, your card will not be charged unless the reservation is canceled in less than 24 hours or the party is a no-show.

Request Halal meals 24 hours in advance by calling (407) 939-3463. Please know there may be a higher wait time due to the special care we take to provide a halal meal. Halal meat options will vary at all locations. In some cases only vegetarian or specific seafood meals will be available.

For more information on special dietary needs, or a list of Quick Service locations that carry special dietary or Kosher/Halal meals (with no advance notice needed), visit Disney’s web site or email [email protected] .

You can also find information about dining Gluten-Free on our web site or Disney allergy-free dining on AllergyEats’ Disney microsite . We also have tips for visiting Disney World as a vegetarian . The following 2010 Microsoft Word documents from Disney are also available for download from our web site. Some info may have changed and information should be considered as a loose guideline only: Allergy-Free Chicken Tenderloins Locations Food Allergy Dietary Reference Sheet Guest Dietary Letter No Gluten Added Products WDW OP Allergy Menus for Epcot Water Parks Menu Items This information has been provided by Disney; request updated information by emailing [email protected] or calling (407) 824-5967

Other Helpful ADR Information

• Write down or print Advance Dining Reservations numbers when reserving restaurant meals and take them with you to the restaurant. This is your proof of a dining reservation. It’s also good to reconfirm your reservations before leaving home.
• If you are staying on Walt Disney World property, you can request a list of all of your ADRs at anytime from the Lobby Concierge of your resort.
• If your Disney’s Advance Dining Reservations are prior to park opening, Disney runs special buses for early breakfast in the parks. Be sure to bring your confirmation number as the cast member at the park turnstile may ask for it before admitting you to the park. You will still need to have a park admission ticket to enter the park early for breakfast.
• All Walt Disney World Resort restaurants are non-smoking.
• Most Walt Disney World restaurants have a “resort casual” dress code, meaning shorts are okay. No bathing suits. No tank tops for men. A few restaurants require dressier clothing and information will be provided when making your reservations.
• As of this writing “business casual” dress requiring dress slacks or shorts & shirts with a collar for men and dress slacks or shorts or a dress for women is required the following “Signature” restaurants: Jiko – The Cooking Place (Animal Kingdom Lodge), Flying Fish Cafe (BoardWalk), California Grill (Contemporary Resort), Citricos and Narcoossee’s (Grand Floridian Resort), Takumi-Tei (Epcot) and Yachtsman Steakhouse (Yacht Club Resort). Also included at the Swan and Dolphin Resort are Il Molino New York Trattoria, Shula’s Steakhouse, and Todd English’s bluezoo. Victoria & Albert’s at the Grand Floridian resort requires a suit and tie for men and evening wear for women.
• Specialty celebration cakes are available for an additional charge and should be ordered 48 hours in advance by calling the Cake Hotline at (407) 827-2253. Guests may request a 6″ cake (non-personalized) upon arrival at the dining location for a charge of $21.00 plus tax and gratuity. (No advance notice required)

The Mouse For Less Tips:

•  Walt Disney World guests can now request their favorite WDW restaurant recipes via a special form distributed at the restaurants. Requested recipes can be either emailed or sent to your mailing address. The form states that recipes have been converted from large batches to smaller serving amounts and thus may taste slightly different than those experienced in the restaurants.
•  If you’ll be driving your vehicle to one of the EPCOT or Magic Kingdom resorts and plan to dine, be sure to have your confirmation number handy. Guards are strict about allowing only authorized personnel to park in the resort lots.
•  As a special service, The Magic for Less Travel will make Advance Dining Reservations directly though Disney for clients. There is no charge for their services. You may contact them filling out a quote form to receive a no-obligation quote or to learn more about the special incentives and services they offer.
•  Visit our Money-Saving Dining Tips page to get lots of advice on dining at Disney as well as money saving tips and coupons.

Walt Disney World Resort Free Quote

Start planning your Walt Disney World Resort Vacation with The Magic For Less Travel . Use the form below to request a free no-obligation quote, and one of their counselors will get in touch with you to begin planning. The Mouse For Less recommends the Walt Disney World vacation planning services provided by our sponsor, The Magic For Less Travel. Their expert planning advice will help you make the most of your vacation time and money. The Magic For Less Travel is an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner and provides service free of charge.

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Home » Walt Disney World » Dining

Disney World Advance Dining Reservations | Complete Guide

By Author Ziggy Oskwarek

Posted on Last updated: March 11, 2024

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Eating in restaurants is one of our absolute favorite things to do in Walt Disney World, but in order to do it right, you need Disney Advance Dining Reservations. Getting reservations for the restaurants you want to visit in Disney World is an essential step of the planning process and not something you want to skip.

Even if you are a pro at making Disney dining reservations, there are some new guidelines you need to pay attention to as things have changed at Disney World in the last few years following the reopening of the parks. The Dining Reservation system is still running but with some changes from a few years ago.

As if getting reservations for your favorite restaurants wasn’t hard enough.

(Update) – Disney has re-worked the reservation system with big improvements to finding available time slots for your favorite restaurants including being able to search the entire day at once and also searching multiple days. Also, same-day Disney World Dining Reservation cancelations are now available up to 2 hours before the reservation time in the My Disney Experience app.

Read on for more in the news section…

In this post, we will explain everything you need to know about Disney’s Advance Dining Reservations (ADRs), including what to do before you book them, when you can book them , how to make reservations on the phone , and tips on booking the hard-to-get reservations in the best Disney World restaurants.

We’ll also cover how to cancel dining reservations , what to do if you can’t get a dining reservation for the restaurants that you want and if advance dining reservations are even necessary. After all, we love being spontaneous as much as possible when visiting Disney World, at least when it’s possible.

Before we get further into the dining reservations, make sure to read our Disney World Dining Guide for more information on Disney restaurants and reviews from some of our favorite restaurants.

These other posts will get you prepared for your dining journey at Disney World:

• Best Restaurants in Disney World
• Best Magic Kingdom Restaurants
• Best EPCOT Restaurants
• Best Hollywood Studios Restaurants
• Best Animal Kingdom Restaurants

Also, if you want to find out the latest information about Walt Disney World Dining, don’t forget to sign up for our FREE Weekly E-Mail Newsletter. You can sign up here: Join our E-Mail Newsletter!

Table of Contents

(UPDATE) Big Improvements to Disney World’s Dining Reservation System

Things just got a whole lot easier when it comes to finding Advance Dining Reservations at Disney World restaurants as Disney has released even more improvements to the system.

The newest update is that you can search for available reservations in multiple days at a time. Previously, you could only search one day at a time. Instead, now you can see available dining reservations for up to 10 days.

So let’s say you have a 7 day vacation planned and you want to start looking for your dining reservations. You can choose the desired restaurant, put in the entire date range of your trip and see if anything comes up. This is a lot more convenient than going through one day at a time.

This change will go into effect starting late March 2024, and it will be at both Walt Disney World and the Disneyland Resort.

This new follows another huge improvement they have recently made where you can use the search feature to find ADRs for the entire day and not just a small window of time.

Previously the My Disney Experience app or the Disney World Website would ONLY show you the available time slots based on specified timeframes for what you were looking for. Now you are able to see all of the available reservation slots that day for the location that you are looking for.

Both of these improvements give you additional options and prevent you from having to constantly check the different timeframes which was quite tiresome. No more constantly getting offered dinner reservations at 4:15 pm or any other of “least desirable” times.

You will have all available times each day for your entire trip all packed into one neat little search.

If you don’t want to search the entire day, one of the other nice changes implemented in the summer of 2023 is that reservation availability is now sorted by meal periods, so you’ll be able to view the availability for the specific meal that you are looking for.

For example, many times guests don’t realize that menus frequently change from 10:00 am to 11:00 am as restaurants transition from breakfast to lunch.

This also happens at many restaurants at around 4:00 pm as restaurants transition from lunch to dinner, and now you’ll be able to find reservations that fit into which meal you wanted to eat. Now with this change, it is FAR simpler.

As if it couldn’t get any better, there are also rumors about an Advance Dining Reservations notification system that will soon be rolled out by Disney. This system would allow guests to set a notification when an already booked restaurant they are trying to get suddenly gets a cancellation and a table opens up.

There are some third-party services that already offer this, but if we can get it included in the My Disney Experience app and we don’t have to pay extra, that’s even better. I think Disney has wanted to eliminate those services for a long time, and it looks like they are on their way to becoming extinct.

All the new changes have led to a much more streamlined and pleasant experience when making dining reservations, and we’ve also had much better luck in finding reservations to the restaurants we want.

A couple of years ago, even the middle-of-the-pack restaurants were almost impossible to get, let alone the really popular ones like Cinderella’s Royal Table and Space 220 . Now we are actually finding some tables there when before it was almost unheard of. Of course, your results will also depend on the time of year you are going, but we have seen vast improvements all around.

These are some of the things we’ve been begging Disney to make available, and we are actually excited to make ADRs for our next trip. Now, if they add the notifications for booked restaurants, it will be icing on the cake.

(UPDATE) Same-Day Cancellations for Disney World Dining Reservations Now Available

Disney has made a big change to the cancellation process for Advance Dining Reservations and it makes it a lot easier to not get hit with a big cancellation fee.

Right now, Disney World dining reservations can be canceled or adjusted up to 2 hours before the reservation time in the My Disney Experience app without incurring a no-show cancellation fee (usually $10 per person).

Before this change, guests had to cancel their dining reservations 24 hours before the reservation time to not get hit with a fee, otherwise, they had to change the reservation to another time or day to avoid a penalty.

The only exception where the 24-hour rule remains is on dining experiences that guests must pre-pay for, for example, the Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue . This may change in the future, but for now, you still need to cancel these at least 24 hours in advance.

We are very happy about this change as it was a pain to get hit with a fee if for some reason you needed to cancel at the last minute. However, with a shortage of dining reservations across Walt Disney World, we hope that guests who really have no intention of using those dining reservations don’t abuse the system and let them go early enough for others to use them.

If anything, it means that you might find some hard-to-get tables now available only a few hours before your desired dining time. These are some big changes and we are sure that they won’t be the only ones in the coming months so stay tuned for more soon.

What are Advance Dining Reservations at Disney Worl d?

With Walt Disney World being one of the most popular vacation destinations in the world, you can imagine how busy its restaurants are. That’s where dining reservations come in.

Advance Dining Reservations (“ADRs”) are a part of Disney World’s restaurant reservation system. When you have an ADR, it guarantees you a table at a specific restaurant on any given day.

Guests can plan ahead of time which restaurants they want to dine at in Disney World and then can book a table online or on the phone.

Once you have an ADR, you will receive a reservation time for that restaurant. Depending on how busy the restaurant is when you arrive you may be seated immediately or you may have to wait a few minutes until a table is ready.

• Dining reservations can be made for Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner, character meals, buffets, dinner shows , and any other limited dining experiences .
• ADRs are typically only used at Table Service Restaurants , though occasionally Quick Service Restaurants will offer dining reservations.

The nice thing is that ANYONE can use Advance Dining Reservations to book restaurants in Walt Disney World. This includes guests staying in a Disney World Resort hotel, guests staying off-site or just anyone visiting for the day.

Do You HAVE to Make Dining Reservations for Disney World Restaurants?

For most restaurants in Walt Disney World, you are not required to make a dining reservation ahead of time. However, when available, it is always best to get an advance dining reservation for the restaurant you want to visit.

Depending on where you want to go, some restaurants are more difficult to get a table at than others. There are some restaurants that take walk-ins and are easier to pick at the last minute.

On the other hand, if you want to dine at one of the more popular restaurants in Disney World, then reservations are HIGHLY recommended and it will be extremely difficult to get in without one.

The time of year you are visiting also matters and the busier Disney World is when you visit, the more likely you will need an ADR. Just another reason to use a Disney Crowd Calendar before deciding when to visit.

Walt Disney World is not a great place for spontaneous eaters and you should familiarize yourself with how dining reservations work for the best results.

Which Restaurants Use Advance Dining Reservations?

The majority of dining reservations are found at table service restaurants and buffets. These are restaurants where you have a waiter for your table.

Occasionally, a quick service restaurant like Be Our Guest or a lounge such as Oga’s Cantina will require them too. ADRs are not usually required in restaurants where you have to go up to the counter and order your own food.

Advance Dining Reservations can be found in almost every area of Walt Disney World including:

• Theme Parks
• Resort Hotels

Disney Springs

As we are currently writing this post, Walt Disney World has over 440 restaurants including special dining experiences. Over 160 of those restaurants take advance dining reservations.

The bottom line is if Advance Dining Reservations are available, it’s a good idea to get one.

When Can I Book Restaurants?

Figuring out when you can book dining reservations in Walt Disney World is one of the most important steps because time is of the essence.

Right now, Advance Dining Reservations can be made up to 60 days in advance of your desired reservation date.

Before this latest change, dining reservations in Disney World were available 180 days in advance. Although it’s been around since 2020, we’d still expect that the 60-day booking window is temporary and at some point, it will probably go back to 180 days.

Disney Advance Dining Reservations can be made the following number of days in advance:

• All Guests (guests not staying in Walt Disney World – 60 Days
• Walt Disney World Resort hotel guests – 60 Days + 10

The best restaurants in Disney World always fill up quickly so try to make your reservations exactly on the 60-day window if possible. The sooner you make your advance dining reservations the more likely you are to get a table at the restaurant you want to dine in.

General Public

All guests can book reservations for Disney World restaurants at least 60 days in advance. This counts even if you aren’t staying in a Walt Disney World Resort hotel or if you are a Florida local just visiting for the day.

The rule is you can book restaurants 60 days in advance from today. For example, if today is June 3, the 60th day would be August 2. That means you can book a restaurant on any day, all the way through August 2.

Who counts as the general public? Anyone NOT staying at a Walt Disney World-owned and operated resort hotel . This includes:

• Staying at an off-site hotel
• Disney Springs-area hotels
• Swan & Dolphin hotels (they are on Disney property but not owned by Disney)
• Shades of Green
• Local Florida residents visiting for the day

If you are in any of the above categories, you can book dining reservations 60 days in advance from today, but you don’t qualify for the bonus 60+10 rule I will explain below.

Walt Disney World Resort Guests

If on the other hand, you are staying at a Walt Disney World Resort hotel, you have a slight advantage over other guests when it comes to restaurant reservations. You get to take advantage of the 60+10 rule

This used to be the 180+10 rule and will most likely go back to that at some point as we’d anticipate the ability to book restaurants at 6 months prior to the start of their trips hopefully soon!

Instead of only being able to book Disney restaurants 60 days in advance, you can book them 60 days in advance of your arrival date PLUS you get an additional 10 days bonus from that date. This allows you to book advance dining reservations for the entirety of your stay, as long as it doesn’t go over 10 days.

For example, if today is June 3 then 60 days out is still August 2. But if you have a trip planned for 10 days or less, you can book the restaurants for your whole trip on June 3 and call it a day.

Instead, if you were not staying at a Disney World Resort hotel, you could book your ADR for August 2 on June 3, but then for the restaurant on August 3, you’d have to wait to book that until the next day, June 4. And so on and so forth. That means waking up early for the next 10 days in a row just to book a reservation.

Do you see the advantage in staying on property in this case?

The 60+10 rule gives you a big advantage in getting hard-to-get dining reservations over non-Walt Disney World Resort guests. Of course, you’ll still be competing with other Disney World Resort guests, but the closer to the last day of your stay that you try to make a dining reservation, the fewer people are already going to have one, making it easier for you.

• TIP: Count back now 60 days from your Walt Disney World arrival date and mark it down on your calendar so you don’t forget.

Disney World Split Stays

If you are not sure what a split stay is, it is when you stay at two or more Disney hotels during your vacation. For example, 5-night at the Polynesian and 5 nights at Caribbean Beach.

In the case of a split stay, the 60+10 rule does NOT apply. On the 60th day from your arrival date, when are able to start making ADRs, you will only be able to book a restaurant for those first 5 days of your vacation at the Polynesian and not the last 5 at the Caribbean Beach.

Even though it would be logical to be able to book them all right away since you are staying all 10 days on Walt Disney World property, that is not the case.

In order to book the restaurant for the last 5 days at the Caribbean Beach Resort, you will have to wait until 60 days before your arrival at THAT resort. Even though we love split stays, this is one of the only downsides to doing it and is usually not a problem unless you are trying to book one of the absolute hardest-to-get reservations in Disney World.

Before You Book Dining Reservations

Now that you have your list of restaurants, there are just a few more things you need to prepare before the 60-day booking window starts.

1. Make a list of restaurants you want to try – Before you start making advance dining reservations you need to have a plan for which restaurants you want to eat at in Disney World.

The Walt Disney World website is a great resource with a list of every restaurant and all the menus. Go on there and through them to see which ones look the best to you.

Always put a few extra restaurants on the list than what you will be able to eat at. This gives you more options when it comes time to make ADRs.

2. Narrow down your list to the absolute must-try restaurants – Out of your whole list, write down the 4-5 most important ones that you HAVE to eat at. This will help you prioritize when booking.

3. Plan your vacation days – Write down which days are going to be park days, which parks you will be at on each day so you figure out where you are going to be. Once you know where you are going to be, you can start filling in the meals with restaurants from your list that are located in those places.

Will you be in the Magic Kingdom on Wednesday? That’s a great time to try Be Our Guest. EPCOT on Thursday? Grab some sushi at Shiki-Sai:Sushi Izakaya then.

4. You have to be flexible – We always have a list of the must-try restaurants for our next trip and make some of our plans around those. When we go to make the dining reservations we sometimes end up switching our park days around so we can get the ADRs we want.

5. Make a DisneyWorld.com account – Go on The Walt Disney World website and set up your account if you haven’t already. You can use this account with the My Disney Experience app which is essential to planning your vacation.

6. Sign in and get familiar with the website – Once you create your account, log in and get used to the Disney World website. The better you can navigate before you make dining reservations, the smoother things will go when your booking window opens.

7. Link Hotel Reservations to your account – Once you get your My Disney Experience account set up, you need to link your hotel reservations to your account. If you don’t do it, the system won’t know when your trip is and you can’t use the 60+10 days from your arrival rule.

• Go to “My Plans” under the “My Disney Experience” tab on the website or in the My Disney Experience app to do this.
• Click “Link a Reservation.”
• Enter your Walt Disney World confirmation number and the last name on the reservation.
• Once you link them, you can check the status to make sure it is all connected correctly. Check under “My Plans” to see if your reservation shows up.

You will need your Walt Disney World confirmation number, the last name on the reservation, your arrival date, and the name of your Disney Resort hotel.

What Time Can I Make Dining Reservations?

What time of the day can you start making advance dining reservations? That depends if you are making them online or on the phone.

• Online and My Disney Experience App Reservations – Advance dining reservations open each morning at approximately 6:00 am ET. Sometimes the window opens at 5:45 ET, so be prepared for that.
• Phone Reservations – Dining reservations are available on the phone each day starting at 7:00 am ET.

You may have noticed a time difference between making your advance dining reservations online or on the phone. The online reservation system goes online one hour earlier than phone reservations and starts at 6:00 am.

That may not seem like a big difference, but that one hour can mean the difference between you getting those hard-to-get ADRs or not.

How Many Restaurant Reservations Can I Have at Once?

You can have an almost unlimited number of dining reservations for your trip, just as long as they don’t overlap each other at the same time.

Disney World’s dining reservation system doesn’t allow you to book more than one restaurant within 2 hours of each other. That means if you have a dining reservation at 5:00 pm, any other reservations you have that day have to be before 3:00 pm or after 7:00 pm.

If you try to book two restaurants within that 2-hour window, the online system will tell you that you already have another reservation at that time, and you are given the choice to cancel one and keep the other.

If you are trying to make two separate reservations for different groups in your party, you will have to use the phone reservation system and explain the situation.

Do I Have to Have a Hotel Reservation?

No, anyone can make dining reservations at Disney World. Even if you don’t have a hotel reservation at a Walt Disney World Resort hotel, you can still use the dining reservation system and manage everything through your My Disney Experience account.

Do You Need to Have a Park Ticket?

Unless you are going to a restaurant inside one of the Disney Parks, theme park tickets are not required to dine in Walt Disney World.

Can I Make Disney Dining Reservations for Someone Else?

Yes, anyone can make a Disney World dining reservation for someone else. Just keep in mind that whoever’s credit card is used to hold the reservation will be charged if the party is a no-show or the reservation gets canceled with less than 24 hours notice.

Can I Get Into a Theme Park if I Have a Dining Reservation There?

No, having an Advance Dining Reservation doesn’t give you automatic entry into the theme parks, you still need a valid theme park admission.

To get into the theme parks you need a Park Reservation (no longer needed for most guests after January 9th, 2024) AND Park Admission Ticket. If you then want to go to one of that park’s restaurants, you will need an advance dining reservation (ADR).

If you show up to the Magic Kingdom with a dining reservation but no park reservation, you will not be allowed in.

Making Dining Reservations Online

Before you make your dining reservations, we’ll assume that you’ve already followed the above steps and registered your My Disney Experience account.

Make sure you book your dining reservations 60 days before your arrival date. That means being online 15 minutes BEFORE the 6:00 am ET starting time that day.

• Go to DisneyWorld.com/dining/ on your computer or open up the My Disney Experience app 15 minutes BEFORE the 6:00 am ET starting time that day.
• Make sure your account is logged in properly or the 60+10 days rule won’t work.
• Select your restaurant to book from the list. (You can type the name in the search bar for faster results.)
• Choose the date you would like to book and the number of people in your party.
• Select the time you would like to make the reservation for or choose the “Meal Period” (All Day, Breakfast, Lunch, or Dinner).
• Click “Find a Table”
• If there is a table available you will be given a choice of times. Select one that you prefer.
• Follow the prompts to confirm your booking.
• Write down the confirmation number or take a screenshot.

Now that you’ve made your first advance dining reservation, you can go down the list and book the others.

Once you have made your reservations a confirmation email will be sent to your email address. We suggest keeping a master list of dining reservation numbers and bringing them with you to the restaurant, just in case for some reason you aren’t in the system.

• TIP: If making reservations for your entire stay on the same morning, we suggest booking the most important reservations first and then write down the list in order.

Technical Issues – While we like the Disney World dining reservation system, it isn’t without its glitches. We always book our restaurants on the computer as it seems to be more reliable than the My Disney Experience app.

If for some reason the website is having issues, however, switch quickly to the app and try there. Try again on both and see if it eventually starts working. If not, you will have to try making a reservation on the phone at 7:00 am ET.

Reservation Lead Guest – All guests in your group can be added to the restaurant reservation, but only one will be labeled the “Lead Guest.” It’s important to note who you designate on the reservation because only the lead guest can cancel reservations for you if you have to make changes later on.

If you Use a Travel Agent – While using a travel agent is possible to make your Advance Dining Reservations for you, be aware they will be the lead guest on the reservation.

Searching for Times – When searching for available Disney World restaurants you can sort times by All Day, Morning Before 12:00, Afternoon 12:00 to – 4:00, or Evening After 4:00 If you are looking for a specific restaurant, sometimes switching between the options can help find a reservation.

Have your Credit Card Ready – All Disney World dining reservations require a credit card on file in case of cancellation. A few other restaurants and dining experiences will require full payment ahead of time. In either case, have your credit card handy when booking. To save time you can enter it into the system before booking ADRs. Once you insert it into the system, it should save your credit card for future reservations.

Website vs My Disney Experience

To book dining reservations online you can use the Disney World website or the My Disney Experience app. There isn’t much difference between the two.

Both options let you book ADRs, check the status of existing reservations, and cancel reservations you don’t want to keep. The booking window for both also starts at 6:00 am ET.

However, over the years we have found the website to be more consistent and quicker to make reservations with. The My Disney Experience app tends to timeout or freeze up more so we avoid it when we can.

We recommend you use the website if you have a computer, but both of them are better options than making phone reservations.

Reservations on the Phone

If you don’t have access to a computer or the mobile app, you can still make Disney World ADRs over the phone.

• The normal phone number for Disney Dining Reservations is: (407) WDW-DINE or (407) 939-3463.
• Phone reservations can still be made 60 days before your arrival date like online reservations.

The advance dining reservation booking window starts at 7:00 am ET daily, which is 1 hour later than online reservations. This means that many of the best restaurant reservations are likely to be taken by the time you call at 7:00 am.

Besides potentially missing out on some restaurants, you also may experience long wait times while waiting for a Disney representative to answer the phone. The times to call with the shortest wait are on weekday evenings after 8:00 pm ET. Weekends are busier and any day at 7:00 am ET.

Which Restaurant Reservations Require a Credit Card?

ALL Disney World Advance Dining Reservations require a credit card at the time of booking . This could be for restaurants, lounges, dinner shows, buffets, and any other dining experience.

That doesn’t mean that your credit card will get charged during the booking process, however. Disney World uses your credit card as a security in case you cancel your reservation at the last minute or decide not to show up.

If you don’t go to your reservation or fail to cancel within 24 hours, there will be a $10 charge per person applied to your credit card ($100 if the reservation is for Victoria & Albert’s).

Disney will NOT charge your credit card at the time of booking. Most restaurants in Disney World require payment at the end of the meal just like back home. Payments can be made with cash, credit card, Disney Dining credits, or a room charge using your MagicBand.

There are, however, a handful of restaurants that require payment upfront before actually going to the restaurant.

Here is a list of the Disney World restaurants that require pre-payment with a credit card:

• Cinderella’s Royal Table
• Hoop-Dee-Doo Revue Dinner Show
• Dessert Parties

Managing and Modifying Dining Reservations

Once you make your advance dining reservations, you can see your existing restaurant reservations online on the website or in your My Disney Experience app. On the website, go to the “My Disney Experience” section and check under “My Reservations.”

We recommend checking here once you make the reservations to see if everything is listed. If not, you can manually link your reservations to your account. To manually link them to My Disney Experience you will need your reservation confirmation number (that’s why we write it down when we book it).

On the website go to the “Link an Existing Reservation” section of the site and insert your confirmation number. This can be done for reservations previously made online or by phone.

Showing Up for Your Reservation

The only thing left to do once your book your ADRs is to go to the restaurant and eat!

Disney will send you a dining reservation reminder email 24 hours before your scheduled dining time. It includes your group size, time, and confirmation number. You also have the chance to modify or cancel the reservation at this point.

We like to keep a list of all our Disney dining reservations for the trip just in case the emails don’t go through or we forget.

What Time Do I Have to Show Up?

It’s important to show up in time for your dining reservations at Disney World. Disney will hold your reservation for up to 15 minutes past your original seating time.

If you are more than 15 minutes late, your dining reservation will be canceled and you will be subject to a no-show fee of $10 per person. Sometimes Disney is flexible with this rule, but it depends on the restaurant.

For that reason, we encourage you to show up 15-20 minutes early for your reservation , especially if it requires you to take transportation to get there. This will ensure you have enough time and you will not be late.

The check-in process might be faster now with the new Disney Mobile Dine Check-In app which allows you to skip the host stand and go directly to your table. We’ll update you when we have more experience using it.

Disney Dining Cancelation Policy

Sometimes your plans change in Walt Disney World and you now might not want the dining reservations you originally intended on using. Thankfully, you can cancel your restaurant bookings, you just need to do it the right way so as to not get charged.

• Advance dining reservations must be canceled 2 hours or more in advance of the scheduled dining reservation.
• No-shows or being more than 15 minutes late will incur a $10 fee per person.
• Some of the dessert parties and dinner shows might have a 48-hour cancellation rule so be sure to check the details at the time of booking.
• You will NOT be charged a cancellation fee as long as at least ONE member of your party shows up. Even if it was for 8 people, you just need 1 to not get a penalty.

If you cancel your dining reservation 2 hours in advance or more, you will not be charged the $10 fee.

You can cancel Advance Dining Reservations in Disney World in many ways:

• Online – Using the website or My Disney Experience app.
• On the Phone – Disney has a dedicated number for cancellations ( 407-WDW-CNCL ).
• At the Restaurant
• Hotel Front Desk
• Disney Guest Relations

One thing to keep in mind is canceling a Disney World Resort Hotel reservation DOES NOT automatically cancel any Advance Dining Reservations associated with your account. If you are not planning on taking your trip, make sure to log into My Disney Experience and cancel the dining reservations or you will be charged a fee.

Canceling at the Last Minute

Sometimes unexpected events come up at the last minute and you can’t make your scheduled reservation. This is less of a problem now that Disney recently changed the cancellation window from 24 hours down to only 2.

However, if you have to cancel less than 2 hours before your dining reservation, here are a couple of things that might work:

Explain the Situation – If there is some kind of emergency that happens where someone is sick or something similar, explaining what happened can often get you out of the penalty. Try stopping by the front desk of the restaurant, or calling them on the phone and explaining your problem. If that doesn’t work, you can also try calling Disney Dining Reservations at (407) WDW-CNCL and explain what happened. Results are mixed in both cases and it will all depend on the discretion of the Cast member you are dealing with.

Change Reservation Time – If there is still availability you can always try checking if there is a table available at a different time that day that might work better for you.

One More Trick – If you absolutely can’t make your reservation that day, one secret is to change the reservation for that same restaurant to another day and then cancel it. This usually works as your new reservation is now outside the 24-hour cancellation window and you can just cancel it and not be charged.

Hard to Get Reservations in Disney World

While there are hundreds of restaurants to dine in at Walt Disney World, a handful of them are what we’d call “Hard to get dining reservations.” Many people even plan their vacations around these restaurants, making them extremely hard to get.

If you are planning on eating in any of these restaurants during your trip, then advance dining reservations are absolutely 100% necessary!

Hardest to Get Restaurants

Here is a list of the hardest restaurants to get dining reservations for in Disney World:

• Victoria & Albert’s – This restaurant has won countless awards and is a world-class dining experience. It is a favorite location for celebrating special events like anniversaries and birthdays. For that reason expect it to sell out immediately when the booking window opens. This is taken even to another level with the Chef’s Table experience at Victoria & Alberts. This special 10-course meal only has 1 table seating per night and sells out the first day it’s available. To book this, try booking online or by calling Victoria & Albert’s directly at 407-939-7707.
• Cinderella’s Royal Table – Almost just as hard as Victoria & Alberts. Situated in Cinderella Castle, it is a favorite of princess fans as it’s one of the only places to find them all together for a meal.
• Be Our Guest – Even though it may not be brand-new anymore, Be Our Guest remains just as popular. Reservations at any time of day are hard to get, but Dinner is especially hard since The Beast comes for photo-ops with guests.
• Chef Mickey’s – Character meals are one of the most popular dining reservations in Disney World, and these tables go fast.
• Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue – You might still be able to get tickets after the initial booking window passes, but the good seats go immediately.
• Ohana – Really popular, especially at Dinner.
• Oga’s Cantina – Even though it’s only a bar/lounge, this is probably the coolest dining experience in Disney World. Tables are extremely difficult to get and you’ll likely find yourself crowded at the bar. Definitely worth the effort though!
• Space 220 – This is one of the newest restaurants in Walt Disney World and it is definitely the most unique dining experience. The food is great here and the space windows will take your breath away.
• Storybook Dining at Artist Point with Snow White – Another highly popular character meal and one of the newest. The Wicked Queen steals the show here and is worth the hassle of getting an ADR.

These restaurants list above are what we’d consider to be the hardest-to-get reservations in Walt Disney World and should absolutely be made on the first day that booking is available (60-day window).

It’s very rare for them to take walk-in guests, and they can be quite difficult to get large groups into.

Here is what we would consider the “next-tier” of hard-to-get advance dining reservations:

• Akershus Royal Banquet Hall – Princess character meal in EPCOT’s Norway pavilion.
• Bon Voyage Adventure Breakfast at Trattoria al Forno – Another Princess character breakfast located at Disney’s Boardwalk Resort. *(The princess dining here has not yet returned.)
• California Grill – Beautiful location, great food, and stunning views of the Magic Kingdom fireworks make this one of the hardest tables to get in Disney World.
• Cape May Cafe – People line up around the block for a New England Clam Bake, and they also get online at 6 am to get the reservations.
• Le Cellier – Perhaps EPCOT’s most popular restaurant after all these years.
• Rose & Crown (Dinner) – This restaurant is located right on World Showcase Lagoon, making it a perfect place to see the fireworks right from your table.

Pretty much all character dining meals at Disney World are going to be hard to book. So if you like the idea of eating with the characters, be ready to book as soon as your window opens and keep checking for cancellations.

How to Get Hard Dining Reservations

Getting hard-to-book restaurants is where all your training so far on Advance Dining Reservations is going to come in useful to you!

• Book these restaurants online . You have a one-hour advantage over booking ADRs on the phone (6:00 am vs 7:00). It may not sound like a lot, but that will be the difference between eating at Cinderella’s Royal Table or seeing that look on your child’s face when they find out they won’t be eating there.
• Make reservations on the first day your booking window opens (60 days before arrival).
• Use the 60+10 booking rule. Getting to book past the 60 days into the rest of your trip will give you a big advantage over others staying off-site.
• Make hard-to-get dining reservations for the end of your trip. The more days into your trip you try to make a reservation, the less competition you will find. Hard-to-get restaurants are much more likely to have availability 69 days from now than they are only 60 days from now.
• Split up into two groups – Sometimes a restaurant will have two tables of 4 rather than one table of 8. You can try splitting up your group this way to get a reservation.
• Make sure your My Disney Experience account is set up and logged in ahead of time.
• Make sure your credit card is already on file so you don’t waste time entering the numbers at 6:00 am.

Advance Dining Reservations for Large Groups

Making advance dining reservations in Disney World can be a challenge with a big group, especially in one of the more popular restaurants. We’ve had to do this for extended family on vacation and it is not easy.

The Disney World reservation system allows you to search for up to 20 guests per dining party. The changes of you finding a restaurant that allows 20 guests to seat together isn’t too likely though. Making reservations for guests for more than 8 guests can be challenging….

We do have a few tips that might help if you are booking restaurants for a large group:

• Choose the Right Restaurants – Some restaurants are more accommodating to big groups of people. If you try to make a reservation for 12 people at Victoria & Albert’s for example, you are going to be disappointed. Restaurants like Hollywood & Vine , Whispering Canyon Cafe , and Biergarten for example are all accommodating for large groups.
• Use “Group Dining” – If you have 8 or more people in your dining party, you can make ADRs using Disney’s “Group Dining” number. “Group Dining” will help work with you to get a table all together, and make suggestions. Just Call 407-WDW-DINE and ask to be transferred to Group Dining. The only thing to keep in mind is that an 18% gratuity will be automatically applied to any dining party booked through Group Dining.
• Split Up Tables – As a last resort you could split up your group into 2 or more tables. Many restaurants are able to accommodate big groups if they don’t have to put them all at the same table.

Last-Minute Reservations

Disney World in general is not a place to be spontaneous most of the time and there is a lot of planning required, including restaurants. Back in the day, it was easy to get restaurant reservations in Disney World at the last minute.

Now with the popularity of the Disney Dining Plan and the Free Dining promotion, it’s gotten harder and harder to find a table at the last minute. Sometimes though, you don’t want to have everything always planned out and it’s nice to make a decision when you feel like it.

While I definitely don’t recommend it if you are planning a vacation, it is possible to get Disney dining reservations at the last minute. We often check a few hours before to see what restaurants are available, and many times there are some great reservations still out there.

• Advance Dining Reservations can be made up to 20 minutes before your desired dining time using My Disney Experience. This comes in handy if you are walking around one of the parks and browsing for where to have Dinner for instance.

Keep Your Expectations Low – If you deliberately are not making advance reservations because you don’t like planning that far ahead I get it. Just don’t go into it expecting to get an ADR for Ohaha, Cinderella’s Royal Table, or one of the more hard-to-get reservations in Disney World. If you have something in mind ahead of time, it’s always better to book right away and not wait. Sometimes you do get lucky however

Go to Disney Springs – Restaurants in Disney Springs are much easier to get a table for at the last minute than restaurants in the Disney Parks or resort hotels. Disney Springs has an amazing lineup of restaurants and many of them are quite large with big seating capacities.

What to Do if You Can’t Get a Dining Reservation?

Keep Checking

Sometimes people cancel reservations and they go back into the pool for others to get. Canceled reservations are released into the Advance Dining Reservation system every morning at 6:00 am ET. Check every day to see if something opens up. The more relentless you are at checking, the more likely you’ll find a table available.

Try at the 60 and 30-day Booking Windows

A lot of guests change dining reservations in Disney World at the 60 and 30-day points because of other trip planning moves. This is when plans change and they might be willing to let go of an ADR or two.

Check 24-48 Hours Before

This is an especially good tactic. Trying to get a reservation the day before or on the exact day you are trying to get a reservation for is a good strategy since many people end up changing their plans shortly before their reservation.

Unfortunately, many people hoard dining reservations early on in the process, and then if something else better opens up, they let the previous reservations go, reservation you may want.

Now with the 2-hour cancellation window, this works even a few hours before your desired dining time as some people let them go at the last minute.

Eat at an Unpopular Time

If you want to book a restaurant at the last minute the best thing to do is try for a table at an undesirable time for other guests.

Most guests, especially ones with kids will eat at the classic meal times. That means between 12:00 pm and 12:30 pm for Lunch and between 6:00 pm and 7:00 pm for Dinner. You are very unlikely to find much at those times at the last minute.

• Don’t look for a reservation at 12:00 pm for Lunch, try for 2:30.
• For Dinner either choose a very early time (5:00 pm or before) or a late time (after 8:00)

Ask the Concierge

When you arrive at your Walt Disney World Resort, press the “DINING” button on your room phone or dial *55 to connect directly with Dining Reservations. You can ask if they have any last-minute cancellations and tell them what you’re looking for. When you go down to the lobby, head over to the Concierge Desk and do the same thing. You never know what will turn up and they might recontact you if a table opens up.

Try Another Reservation System

Sometimes, Disney’s Dining Reservation system isn’t the only way to book a table at a Walt Disney World restaurant.

Many of the restaurants in Disney Springs and the Swan & Dolphin hotels use other reservation services like Open Table or you can call them directly to book. Some keep a separate reservation inventory across the different systems, and you might find they have an open table if you speak with them directly. And you don’t have to worry about charges for not showing up to a reservation!

Dining Without Reservations

Even with no dining reservation, not all hope is completely lost. With a little work, you won’t have to eat quick service Disney hot dogs for the entire trip and you can still get into a table service restaurant without a reservation.

Again, we do not recommend this method as the choices will be extremely limited, but somewhat doable.

Walk-Ups – Some restaurants take walk-ups so if passing by a place that sounds good, just pop in and ask the front desk if they have any free tables. If they take walk-ins they will ask you for a phone number and send you a text when your table is ready.

Get Lunch Instead – During the day many families prefer to eat at the quick service restaurants around the parks, leaving the table service restaurants with fewer guests. This is especially true back at the resorts or in Disney Springs. This is your best chance to be a walk-in diner in Disney World.

Again, you can’t get into a place like Victoria & Albert’s without an advance dining reservation, but at least you do have some choices, albeit limited.

Best Restaurants for Walk-Ups

Here is a list of the best restaurants to try in Disney World without a reservation. We’ll break them down by location:

Magic Kingdom

• Plaza Restaurant
• Monsieur Paul – France Pavilion
• Nine Dragons – China Pavilion
• Spice Road Table – Morocco
• Tutto Italia – Italy Pavilion

Hollywood Studios

• Hollywood & Vine

Animal Kingdom

• Rainforest Cafe
• Tusker House (Lunch and Dinner)
• Yak & Yeti
• Ale & Compass Restaurant – Disney’s Yacht Club Resort
• Grand Floridian Cafe – Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort
• Kona Cafe – Disney’s Polynesian Resort
• Olivia’s – Old Key West
• Rix’s Sports Bar & Grill – Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort
• Sebastian’s Bistro – Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort
• Shula’s Steak House – Dolphin Hotel
• Todd English’s bluezoo – Dolphin Hotel
• Whispering Canyon – Disney’s Wilderness Lodge Resort
• Just about any restaurant in Disney Springs will have walk-in, unless you come on the weekend when it is much more difficult to get a table.

Who says you have to eat in a “restaurant?” Why not try one of the amazing lounges in Disney World. Many of them share the same kitchens as the attached restaurant, but they talk walk-ins and have a minimal wait.

Some of our favorites are:

• California Grill Lounge – Disney’s Contemporary Resort. All the amazing views and the fireworks show, with incredible food offerings.
• Hollywood Brown Derby Lounge – Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Much overlooked but an incredible menu in the best restaurant in this park.
• La Cava Del Tequila – EPCOT’s Mexico Pavilion. Incredible margaritas and the best selection of tequila on property.
• Nomad Lounge – Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Very relaxing and low-key atmosphere. Awesome food for the more adventurous eaters.
• Territory Lounge – Disney’s Wilderness Lodge Resort. Get the cheese fondue and mushroom soup and thank me later.
• Tutto Gusto Wine Cellar – EPCOT’s Italy Pavilion. Great selection of wine and a full menu of Italian favorites. Great atmosphere too.

READ: Best Disney World Bars & Lounges

Will Disney Ever Go Back to the 180 Days Rule?

At this point, there is no telling if Disney will ever go back to making dining reservations available 180 days in advance. It might never return to how it used to be.

It’s already been years now that they are using the 60-day booking window, which means booking restaurants a bit closer to your arrival date. Given the more uncertain nature of things during this time, Disney will probably keep the advance dining reservation system like this until otherwise.

Just how long that is, remains to be seen. Until that happens we’ll just have to keep rolling with the changes.

Yes, Disney World Dining Reservations are available for all guests.

All guests can book dining reservations 60 days before. If you are staying at a Walt Disney World Resort Hotel you can take advantage of the 60+10 rule for an extra advantage.

You can make advance dining reservations on the Disney World website, My Disney Experience, or by calling the dining phone number.

You can have as many as you want. The only rule is you can’t have two reservations for the same time period and they must be spaced out at least 2 hours from each other.

Theme park tickets are not required for dining reservations unless you are making a reservation in one of the Disney Parks.

There is certainly a lot to digest when planning your Disney World dining reservations. In our opinion, the most important thing is to be organized beforehand.

• Have a plan for which restaurants are most important to you.
• Make sure to book them 60 Days ahead of the date or vacation arrival date.
• Use the Online reservation system when possible and be online before 6:00 am ET.
• If you don’t get what you want, keep trying until something opens up.
• Be flexible with your dining times, park schedule, and restaurant choices.

Overall, Advance Dining Reservations in Disney World are a life-saver and an absolute must if you want to eat in the best restaurants or if you are coming with a group. If you follow all these tips, you’ll be in great shape and end up with the reservations you want at Disney World.

There are some changes we’d like to see still, but overall it’s a good system and necessary to use.

Despite some of the changes that were implemented in recent years, you’ll still be able to enjoy incredible meals with your family and friends, the new way will just take some time to get used to.

Your Thoughts

I want to know what you think about Disney World Advance Dining Reservations…

• Do you like Disney’s system for restaurant reservations?
• What is YOUR favorite tip?

Let us know in the comments section below!

If you enjoyed this article, as always I appreciate it if you’d share it with others via social media.  I work hard at making this website into a useful resource for you and your family to plan your visit to the Disney Parks and I hope it can help you! Thanks 🙂

My name is Ziggy and I love Disney, everything Disney! I grew up on Disney and it has and continues to be a huge part of my life. I started young when my parents took me to Disney World when I was 18 months old. Little did they know that would be the first of an uncountable number of trips we would take. I have so many amazing memories going to Disney with my family and friends and it has been interwoven into my DNA.

Tuesday 11th of July 2023

If I have to make my first ADR for June 13, would the date the reservations are open be April 13 or April 14? Also, I noticed the 60 day mark right now is 2 days shorter than the date you would have expected. Is that normal? Thanks

Ziggy Oskwarek

Hi Jan, just count back 60 days from your Disney World resort arrival date (if you are staying on-site) to get the 60 days. If you are staying off-site, you have to count back 60 days from each meal you are trying to plan. You can't always say today is July 11 so 60 days from now is September 11 because some months have 30 days, some 31 and some 28 or 29. If you are arriving June 13, 2024, in this case your 60 days will start on April 14, 2024. That will be the first day you can start booking. Hope that helps!

Tuesday 22nd of February 2022

Is check-in day for ADRs considered day 0 or day 1 when staying onsite? I want to book Space 220 lounge for July 25th and my check-in day is July 15th. So, if check-in day is day 0, that means July 25th will be my 10th day when my 60+10 window opens on May 16th but if check-in day is day 1, then I cannot book it when my 60+10 window opens since it will be considered +11?!? If it's +11, when can I book it? On May 17th (good chances of getting it) or May 26th (no way I can get an ADR so will need to change my plans)? Thank you!

Rick Maffei

Tuesday 8th of February 2022

Ziggy - Great info. I wasn’t able to find a definitive answer to my situation though. I am staying at my DVC home resort in Jan 2023. I am retired military so I purchase park tickets through Shades of Green for the discounted prices. 2023 military Disney park tickets are not available for purchase until Nov 30, 2022, less than 60 days before my check in at the DVC. So here is my question…..Can I make dining reservations for inside of parks at the 60 days before check in, then buy park tickets after the reservations are made, and then make park entrance reservations to match the dining reservations? I understand there are no guarantees that it will all work out perfectly, but the parks in Jan should be uncrowded. If I don’t get park reservations to match the dining, I just cancel the dining, or keep trying for a park reservation. I just haven’t found any info that says, “ yes you can make dining reservations inside a park without having first purchased a park ticket and made a park reservation.” Thank you!

Wednesday 5th of January 2022

Thursday 12th of August 2021

Can you clarify? Your article says that cancelled reservations are not made available in the reservation system until 6am the following morning. But this Disney page claims they become available immediately. Which is accurate? Thanks.

Hi Dan, Thanks for your question. Yes, reservations are made available immediately if someone cancels them. However, it's still our experience that first thing in the morning there are reservations made available that were not there before going to bed the night before. So while it's true 90% of the time, we still think it's good practice to check early in the morning. Hope that helps

Forgot the link: https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/faq/dining-reservations/advance-reservation-restaurants/

10 Tips for Advanced Dining Reservations at Walt Disney World

Written by: DizBuzz

Disney World has two main types of dining: Table Service & Quick Service . Table Service includes any sit down restaurants as well as character dining and some dinner shows. Quick Service (also called counter service) includes all walk up options. Think of it as the fast food of Disney World.

It would be difficult to avoid Quick Service during your stay at Disney World, & rest assured you do not need any kind of reservation to partake in their services. For the purposes of this article whenever dining is mentioned it is referring to Table Service Dining for which you often need a reservation.

Advanced Dining Reservations ( ADR s) are reservations you make for Disney World's Table Service Restaurants to ensure a seat. These are very helpful if you are wanting to dine on Disney Property as seating can be very limited, & for some places impossible to get without a reservation. So without further delay, here are 10 tips to help you navigate the world of ADRs.

• Tip 1: Get them!

You are not required to have ADRs to dine at Walt Disney World, however, if there is a place that you really want to eat at it is HIGHLY recommended that you get an ADR as space is limited. Obviously, the more busy the season you travel the more booked up everything will be, but do not be fooled it is good to get them all year round. If you have the Disney Dining Plan getting ADRs is a MUST.

• Tip 1A: GET THEM!

This is the point where you might decide you don't want your trip micromanaged 6 months in advance. You might think that it would be exaggerating to say that all restaurants will be booked and you will not be able to get a seat. I assure you that it is no exaggeration & that it is really hard to get a seat at the last minute – especially to somewhere good.

• Tip 2: Do Research

Research the restaurants that are available in each park. Find out which ones your family would be interested in visiting based on your itinerary. If you are unsure of a specific venue try reading some reviews or looking at menus to get an idea what the flavor of the place is. Write a wish list of places you want to try. Find out which ones are popular & which ones need a deposit when you book. If you have the Disney Dining Plan make sure you know the ones which take more than one credit.

• Tip 3: Prioritize

Now that you have the list of places that you would like to dine, it is time to prioritize. The highest priorities should the ones that are the most popular & therefore hardest to book (Character Dining, Dinner Shows, Popular Restaurants) as well as the restaurants you really have your heart set on attending. Write out a schedule with the days you would like to have a reservation (that would be probably every day if you are on the Disney Dining Plan) & on your schedule jot in the place you'd like to go, as well as the time you would like to dine.

• Tip 4: Have a Backup Plan

For every restaurant on your schedule remember to put a back-up choice in case you cannot get a reservation to your first choice. As crazy as it may sound the place you have your heart set on may already be booked so it does not hurt to have a backup. Also, try to be somewhat flexible with your reservation time. Remember the time YOU desire to eat your breakfast, lunch, or dinner is the time EVERYONE wants to do the same…being flexible will make your reservations go more smoothly.

• Tip 5: Book Early!

ADR's can be booked up to 180 days in advance. The earlier the better! Many people call at 7am at the 180 day mark, especially if they are trying to book something popular like Cinderella's Royal Table or dinner at Le Cellier. Book as soon as you have the opportunity to do so to try to get the optimal amount of options.

• Tip 6: Book It!

Now that you have your list all sorted out & written down you can make your reservations! You can book online or by phone. If it is your first time it may be easier to book by phone (407) WDW-DINE) so that the Disney Representative can help you & answer any lingering questions. Make sure you have your credit card ready for reservations that require a downpayment.

• Tip 7: Make Accurate Reservations

Be sure to give an accurate headcount which means remember to include any infants or toddlers. Because Disney still has capacity limits and must adhere to them it is necessary to include everyone in your party! Also, you cannot book at multiple locations for one time. Disney will not allow you to book 2 meals within 2 hours of each other, and it's not fair to other guests to monopolize the system.

• Tip 8: You May Cancel

If you change your mind you CAN cancel. Disney asks that you call and cancel at least 1 day ahead of time out of politeness. For dining experiences that require a deposit you should make sure you know the refund policy before you cancel. Be assured that you are not locked into a commitment with most restaurants in Disney World.

• Tip 9: Stick to It!

I would suggest that you try to stick with the places that you picked for simplicity's sake. Once you cancel a reservation it can be very hard to pick up another one the closer you get to your trip (or during your trip!) so cancel at your own risk!

• Tip 10: Work (and Play) Around Your ADR

This is not as hard as it sounds. If you have an ADR for 5 o clock in the Magic Kingdom make sure that you are at your destination 15 minutes ahead of your ADR to make sure you get seated. Disney only asks for 5 minutes, but it's probably better to plan to be a little early because traveling times may take longer than expected. Disney will try to seat you if you are late, but you might have to wait, & hey, it's rude!

Whatever you decide, dining in Disney is a pleasure. Make your vacation easy and have all of your Table Service Meals planned before you go. If you love to live on the fly there is always the possibility that there will be a last minute cancellation, & obviously there is always Quick Service. Bon Appetit!

For more from me,  DizBuzz , follow me on Twitter !  Or visit my blog: WDWLoVE.com

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6 comments add your comment

But… if you happen to not have a plan and are just winging it, I’ve found that the official Disney phone app “Disney Parks Mobile Magic” works well for ADRs you can search for and make ADRs from your smart phone by park or resort.

Last time I was in Epcot I tried a search for what was available and it brought up 8 or 9 available restaurants within an hour or so.

Excellent Tip! That’s great to know for the tech savvy!

Also, I probably made myself sound really anti-winging it which I’m not. I just think if you have your heart set on certain places you should make an ADR to be on the safe side!

Great tips! We make a spreadsheet and plug in our info and backups for when we call. I prefer phone for the most important ressies…computer for all the rest. I called the other day…not at 7 AM but at 10 for NYE and Le Cellier was completely booked. Also, the only time left for Christmas dinner at the Royal Table was 5 PM or 9:15 PM. Ahhh! You do need to call at 7 AM for the best ressies during peak season visits!

It is really important to book early, as the article says.

Thanks for the comment! I think it’s very important for guests to understand this. I remember on the first trip I had the DDP I was so naive to think we could just walk into restaurants. We made ADR’s but I really thought it was exaggeration that they’d be booked, and it really is true! Thanks for the info.

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Disney in a Minute: What is an ADR?

We’re here with a series of quick posts, “Disney in a Minute,” bite-sized nuggets of information that can better help you understand a Disney term or planning topic. Enjoy!

What is an ADR?

ADR is an abbreviation for “Advance Dining Reservation.” For many years, Disney called restaurant reservations “Advance Dining Reservations.” After more than a decade of using this term, someone at Disney finally realized that it was redundant and confusing. Of course you make a reservation in advance, that’s what a reservation is!

While you won’t find Disney itself talking about ADRs much these days (now they mostly call a reservation a reservation), you will still see “ADR” used on fan sites and in Disney-related chat forums .

For more information on Walt Disney World dining and dining reservations, take a look at our Disney World Restaurants page. If you want to eat at any sit-down, table service restaurant at Walt Disney World, it’s best practice to make an ADR – I mean, a reservation.

Let us know what Disney topics you think need just a bit more explanation.

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Erin Foster

Erin Foster is an original member of the Walt Disney World Moms Panel (now PlanDisney), a regular contributor to TouringPlans.com, and co-author of The Unofficial Guide to Disney Cruise Line. She's been to WDW, DL, DL Paris, Hong Kong Disneyland, Aulani, DVC Vero Beach, and DVC Hilton Head. She's a Platinum DCL cruiser and veteran of 10 Adventures by Disney trips. Erin lives near New York City, where she can often be found indulging in her other obsession - Broadway theater.

One thought on “ Disney in a Minute: What is an ADR? ”

Erin, Thank you so much for explaining the backstory to the ADR name! About 3 years ago, I approached the check-in area for Be Our Guest and said to the Cast Member, “I have an ADR for 11am.” The Cast Member gave me a confused look and asked, “What is an ADR.” I looked bewildered back at her and I responded, “An Advance Dinning Reservation: ADR.” I couldn’t understand why a Disney Cast Member would not know ADR since it was my understanding that it was Disney’s term for all dinning reservations. Until I read this blog post, I didn’t know they stopped using it! This explains EVERYTHING!

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• Magic Kingdom
• Hollywood Studios
• Animal Kingdom
• Disney Springs
• Islands of Adventure
• Universal Studios Florida

This Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge restaurant is one of the best experiences on property, with an interesting and adventurous menu that has us coming back time and time again.

I’m actually updating this list after our most recent trip and although other reservations may have had us impressed – Sanaa was memorable in many ways.

The dining room is full of authentic African decor and has floor to ceiling windows that give you a view onto the savanna. Getting to dine with zebra, giraffes, kudu and ostriches (to name a few) is a huge part of the experience, especially in the early evening during feeding time!

You have to try to the famous Bread Service, which is definitely a hit! 9 accompaniments and 3 different types of naan bread.

VICTORIA & ALBERTS

This signature dining experience at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort is back, which means that you should definitely keep an eye out for future reservations!

Victoria & Alberts is by far and away one of the best experiences that we have had on Disney property – ever! This is not an understatement, and although just our experience, we were able to find a second reservation while sitting at the table for a time 3 months in the future and booked an entire vacation around it.

There are three dining options to Victoria & Alberts, and we’ll suggest that if you can get a reservation to ANY of the rooms…do it!

18 tables in the main dining room, 8 seats in Queen Victoria’s Room and the 10-seat Chef’s Table. Now you understand why this is an incredibly hot-ticket ADR to try to get. Starting at $250+ before you even walk through the door, this is classified as a “splurge” item while at the Walt Disney World resort. Put this on your Disney bucket list ASAP because you’ll see the best that Disney has to offer in this experience.

So far, we’ve had the opportunity to dine in both the Queen Victoria Room and the Main Dining Room (2x), and both are incredible experiences that I just love to talk about! If you can swing a reservation and be able to allocate the budget for this, you’ll never forget it:)

Related Article: Our Queen Victoria Room @ Victoria & Albert’s Review

‘OHANA

‘Ohana means family, and this is by far one of the hardest ADRs to get!

Check out the menu, read reviews, ask friends. It’s so much easier to cancel a reservation than it is to wait until 3-4 months before your trip to get your ADR because you just won’t have the opportunity!

Tip: Try to get a table by the windows, as having a meal with a view of the Magic Kingdom is really memorable.

STEAKHOUSE 71

The former Wave dining room at Disney’s Contemporary Resort was redesigned with a nod to the 50th anniversary and renamed ‘Steakhouse 71’.

On our last vacation, we had lunch at the restaurant twice, with both being incredibly memorable. The food was a nice change from the typical fare found at the Magic Kingdom, which can be seen as some of the most boring and uninspiring on property. A 5-minute walk across the street from the turnstiles can gain you access to a restaurant that provides options for your entire party and really nice air conditioning.

I had the Stack Burger and the Prime Rib Sandwich, while Jill had the Vegetable ‘Wellington’ and the off-menu veggie stack burger. We found ourselves comparing other dining experiences against our time at Steakhouse 71, which should show the quality of the restaurant.

TUSKER HOUSE

This was BY FAR one of the best buffet meals that we’ve had at Walt Disney World. Granted, we were there at 11:05am during the changeover and had a plate of breakfast and then a plate of lunch. Outside of that bonus, both my partner and I had a great meal that focused on more than typical “theme park food” that you’ll see at most buffets.

The sheer size of this restaurant will shock and amaze you, but this will give you a great opportunity to enjoy your meal in a quite area. Compared to Be Our Guest , where you’re in three huge themed rooms, Tusker House has multiple side rooms. OH, and I haven’t even mentioned that this is a character experience too!!

Another new addition to the list, but Boma has taken the place of other ‘All you care to enjoy’ dining experiences due to the consistency and quality.

It is a splurge, but if you’re going to give a Disney buffet a chance – why not do the best of property. There are no characters here, but the rule that we’ve learned is that Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge is the single best collection of dining on property.

Plus – zebra domes are part of the dessert section….aka unlimited zebra domes!

Le Ceillier

EPCOT has been known for its dining options for years, including memorable quick service and authentic food from around the World Showcase.

Canada’s Le Ceillier signature restaurant is a highlight and definitely worth getting a reservation for. In addition to a wide range of appetizers and being one of the best steakhouses on property – this is one of the best spots to get a good poutine! Do it…you’ll thank me later!

Oga’s Cantina

This is a controversial one in the household, but I still think that Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge Oga’s Cantina is an experience that you should definitely check out…once.

Don’t go for food.

Don’t go for an amazing drink.

Just go to take in the immersive environment that the Disney Imagineers created for Star Wars fans!

CINDERELLA’S ROYAL TABLE

When I first experienced this Magic Kingdom signature restaurant, I was glowing! It was a one and done, but when you think about dining in the castle – it’s worth it.

This experience changed the way that I looked at the Walt Disney World resort. I would 100% recommend this experience for any die-hard Disney fan because nothing’s better than eating in Cinderella’s Castle!

Is it the best on every single list? Nope. But is it cool? Yup.

Beaches & Cream

A hop skip and a jump from EPCOT, Disney’s Beach Club Resort is home to a cool spot that has been consistent for milkshakes, desserts and burgers. Go in with expectations of great air conditioning and a fun environment and you’ll be fine.

Oh, and they have the kitchen sink!

Theme Park Advanced Dining Reservations Options

Magic kingdom.

• Be Our Guest
• Cinderella Royal Table
• The Crystal Palace
• The Diamond Horseshoe
• Jungle Navigation Skipper Canteen
• Liberty Tree Tavern
• Tony’s Town Square

Our Article about Magic Kingdom Dining Recommendations

• Akershus Royal Banquet Hall
• Chefs de France
• Garden Grill
• La Creperie de Paris
• La Hacienda de San Angel
• Monsieur Paul
• Nine Dragons
• Restaurant Marrakesh
• Rose & Crown
• San Angel Inn
• Spice Road Table
• Tokyo Dining
• Tutto Italia

Our Article about EPCOT Dining Recommendations

DISNEY’S HOLLYWOOD STUDIOS

• 50’s Prime Time Cafe
• Hollywood Brown Derby
• Hollywood & Vine
• Mama Melrose
• Oga’s Cantina (Lounge)
• Sci-Fi Dine-In

DISNEY’S ANIMAL KINGDOM

• Rainforest Cafe
• Tusker House
• Yak & Yeti

So, there you have it, fellow Disney fans—a carefully curated list of the top 10 must-try Disney advance dining reservations for an unforgettable experience. Remember to plan ahead, keep track of the reservation calendar, and be ready to secure your spot as soon as the booking window opens. Whether you choose to dine amidst wildlife at Sanaa, indulge in a fine dining experience at Victoria & Albert’s, or immerse yourself in the Star Wars universe at Oga’s Cantina, these ADRs are sure to add an extra sprinkle of magic to your Walt Disney World vacation. Enjoy and bon appétit!

• Advanced Dining Reservations

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Lengthy Construction Permit Filed for Journey into Imagination

Walt Disney World has filed a long construction permit for a location corresponding with the Imagination Pavilion. This post covers details of the permit and reasons both for and against it being for Journey into Imagination 4.0, along with possible alternative projects for the permit.

Some words of warning: the rumor mill is going to be working overtime between now and the 2024 D23 Expo. The company won its proxy battle, streaming is almost profitable, other issues have been addressed, and cash flow is improving. Disney filed a 60-page document reiterating its $60 billion investment plan for the next 10 years . Walt Disney World has repaired its relationship with Florida; ditto Disneyland and California. On top of all that, Iger is back in ‘Bob the Builder’ mode to turn things around and grow the company–with an emphasis on Parks & Resorts–to cement a positive and enduring legacy before his time as CEO ends.

It’s basically a perfect storm–but for once, that’s in a good way for Walt Disney World. The money spigot is about to be turned wide open, and you need to buckle up for a roller coaster ride over the next few months. There are going to be some crazy rumors ( there already are! ) as pitches are made internally and leak out with more certainty suggested than actually exists. Even though this is going to be a blockbuster D23 Expo, it’s still the case that only a fraction of what’s rumored ends up being announced.

While we’ve yet to hear anything credible rumor-wise about Journey into Imagination, there is a concrete development. In mid-April 2024, Walt Disney World filed a new permit for extensive construction at 1990 Avenue of the Stars, which is the address for the Imagination Pavilion at EPCOT. This notice of commencement lists the scope of the work as “general construction” and the contractor as Poli Construction, LLC (credit to danlb_2000 on WDWMagic, the main source for permits in the Walt Disney World fan community).

Poli Construction is a frequent contractor at Walt Disney World, working on a range of projects in the parks and at the resorts. Most of their work has involved interior remodels, with recent projects including restaurants at Disney Springs, Four Seasons Orlando, BoardWalk Inn’s reimagining, and the recent conversion of Trail’s End Restaurant.

The most interesting aspect of the construction permit is that it lists an expiration date of November 28, 2025. For those who aren’t math whizzes or calendar enthusiasts, that’s more than one year from now. That year-plus duration is notable because the default expiration, and what most projects without fully-defined timelines get, is one year.

There have been high-profile exceptions to this, most recently with the Test Track Reimagining that specifies a shorter timeframe. Before that, Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster had a similarly shortened permit. The default 1-year timeline is never noteworthy, but shorter or longer ones always are, as they’re extended or reduced purposefully. Meaning that there’s a reason for doing so.

In this case, that’s because the work is expected to take longer than one year. Obviously, that suggests a project that’s larger in scope and scale. This permit’s expiration date being over a year and a half–19 months!–into the future is a really big deal, and inevitably leads to EPCOT enthusiasts like us imagining a reimagined Journey into Imagination. I mean,  how could you not?! 

Honestly, I’m more than a little skeptical that this is for Journey into Imagination 4.0 (JII4). Although it seems like the stars are aligning–between the $60 billion and hints we’ve seen in the past year that suggest JII4 is on the horizon–I don’t think this is it. Trust me, I want to believe . I would trade Beyond Big Thunder, Tropical Americas, and every other rumor I’ve heard for this  one  reimagining.

Unfortunately, I just don’t think this is it. Part of that could be that I’ve been burned too many times by Figment false starts. I should’ve learned my lesson back when the “done deal” reimagining got reallocated to Frozen Ever After, but the last few D23 Expos–two of which revolved around the EPCOT overhaul–further disabused me of the notion that Journey into Imagination was a top priority. I want to believe and I’m holding out hope, but what I  want to happen and is not always what I think will happen.

In this case, there are a few reasons for skepticism. First of all, this permit being filed on the Walt Disney World side by Facility Asset Management instead of Imagineering is itself suggestive that it’s something other than an attraction. Second, nothing in Poli Construction’s portfolio leads to a logical conclusion that this is a ride reimagining. Yes, there is that longer timeline, but there could be other explanations for that.

The biggest reason for my skepticism is that the Test Track reimagining starts next month and will probably last around one year. I would also hazard a guess that no other EPCOT attractions will go down for reimaginings until Test Track 3.0 debuts.

While Test Track is down, EPCOT can’t really afford to close any other attractions–namely, Spaceship Earth or Journey into Imagination. While it is possible  that they expect CommuniCore Hall to pick up some slack, that’s not a bona fide attraction, so it’s not the same.

One thing we’ve observed time and time again is that when Test Track is down, the other rides in the former Future World have longer waits. This is true even of Journey into Imagination, which goes from being underutilized capacity (e.g. is often a walk-on) to having a measurable wait time without Test Track.

I know some people are going to doubt this, claiming that the current Journey into Imagination is a perpetual walk-on, but it’s really not! The monthly average for Journey into Imagination is 15 minutes, compared with 18 minutes for Spaceship Earth, and 67 minutes for Test Track.

Before anyone claims that’s just the posted wait time and it’s actually a walk-on, it’s (again) really not! Above and below are photos of the overflow queue in use on two days  after  spring break ended. We did Journey into Imagination multiple times and had actual waits that were above 15 minutes (!!!) twice. I was surprised given that we visited on 2/10, 4/10 and 5/10 crowd level days (pre thrill-data.com ).

That’s only going to worsen once Test Track closes, and all of the guests that are normally riding or waiting in long lines for Test Track are displaced to other parts of the park. (It would be a really good time for Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind to ditch the virtual queue and move to standby!)

Personally, I hope another attraction goes down during the Test Track closure. Even though the front of EPCOT is feeling fresh thanks to recent additions, it still has several shows, rides, and pavilions that are long overdue for updates. Nevertheless, I think it’s more likely that Spaceship Earth and Journey into Imagination go down simultaneously.

As for what else this construction permit could cover, the same address is also home to the Disney Vacation Club Lounge upstairs in the Imagination Pavilion, as well as the Disney and Pixar Short Film Festival, Disney Visa meet & greet space, and the ImageWorks post-show area on the ground level after the attraction.

I doubt this has anything to do with the DVC Lounge. They’ve been refreshing that over the last several months, and there’s now new furniture and other updates that have it looking fresh. Honestly, I don’t think any other cosmetic changes in there would require permits, anyway. It’d have to be something bigger.

What  would require a permit is expanding the lounge, and that may not be a bad idea given that there’s still a lot of unused space up there where the former upstairs ImageWorks used to be. There also could be non-DVC plans for that space, but I don’t know how feasible that would be.

Everything else seems like a more obvious candidate. The Magic Eye Theater is long overdue for a new tenant. Same goes for the ground-level post-show, and overhauling that would make a lot of sense once CommuniCore Hall and its Mickey & Friends meet & greet space opens. More to the point, redoing the post-show  before reimagining the ride makes sense, and would mean keeping that capacity while Test Track is closed. In fact, that’s the most logical sequence of events, assuming that we’re getting Journey into Imagination 4.0.

The only thing that’s tripping me up with that is Poli Construction’s experience, which is overwhelmingly with restaurant interiors. I don’t think EPCOT  needs  more dining capacity, but I also didn’t think that before Space 220. And yet, it’s one of the most popular ADRs in all of Walt Disney World.

Creating an imaginative and exclusive niche restaurant carved out of the Imagination Pavilion would be  hugely  popular. Can you imagine how many fans would pay big bucks to walk through that Rainbow Corridor to enter an imaginative dining room with inspiration from the original attraction?! It would be a license to print money…I just don’t know how it would work.

While I cannot say whether this construction permit is further false hope or a sincere sign that Journey into Imagination is being reimagined, what I can say is that it should be. That it’s time to reimagine the Imagination pavilion ( Figment called–wants changes! ).

That’s hardly a bold assertion–it’s been time for well over a decade. The last version was only a band aid, meant as a quick fix for the truly abysmal second version. That third version–again, a temporary solution–is now the longest-running version of Journey into Imagination.

It’s no secret that even as diehard Figment faithful, we don’t love the current incarnation of the ride. It made our lists of the 10 Worst Attraction Replacements at Walt Disney World and  10 Attractions That Have Aged Poorly at Walt Disney World . We recently (half-heartedly) defended Journey into Imagination as one of several attractions at EPCOT that you should not skip , which is a “controversial” opinion because the attraction truly is divisive.

The current Journey into Imagination has low guest satisfaction scores relative to other rides of its kind. We’ve routinely remarked that first-timers confuse Figment for a Spyro the Dragon knock-off, which is really only a half-joke.

Unless you’re a child of the 1980s or 90s who experienced the original attraction– which has been gone for far longer than it existed! –or are a voracious consumer of Disney history videos, you likely have zero affinity for Figment and might even be confused by why the current character has such a strong fan following. (He doesn’t! It’s the old Figment we love!)

Not only is guest satisfaction low, but the current Journey into Imagination attraction and the pavilion as a whole are underutilized. The ride routinely is a walk-on or has an actual wait time of under 5 minutes. The theater has been showing the Pixar shorts for a while now, which was also meant to be a band aid following the removal of Captain EO.

Last year, Disney leadership expressed a desire to increase capacity of the parks by reimagining areas that are currently underused . There are several such spots in EPCOT, but aside from Wonders of Life, I can’t think of any that have as much potential for absorbing more crowds as the Imagination Pavilion. There’s so much untapped potential with Journey into Imagination!

Moreover, if you look at the current Disney Parks Project Timeline , you’ll notice absolutely no major attractions on the horizon after Tiana’s Bayou Adventure opens in Summer 2024. If rumors are to be believed and that attraction is able to open early, that leaves at least a 2-year gap between that attraction and the  Tropical Americas at Animal Kingdom , which is likely to start opening in 2026 or 2027.

In the meantime, Universal is opening Epic Universe in Summer 2025. Walt Disney World won’t have a direct ‘answer’ to that new park . Whether they should is another topic for another day. But it’s already too late for a new ride or land to debut at Walt Disney World alongside Epic Universe. That ship sailed at least two years ago.

About the only thing that could be accomplished in that timeframe is reimaginings. Several are possible at EPCOT, as discussed in our List of What EPCOT’s Overhaul Needs in Phase 2 . That is unsurprisingly topped by JII4, but also on the list are updates to other former Future World pavilions as well as additions to World Showcase.

Some of this could be accomplished between now and late 2025 or 2026. (It’s not like Epic Universe is going to stop being popular its second summer–if anything, positive word of mouth will lead to a stronger 2026. That’s what happened the second year of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter!)

As we’ve said before, the final reason why a reimagining of Journey into Imagination could and should happen is repairing relations with fans and positive PR. For Bob Iger, this should be a no-brainer move. Although it’s unlikely he himself is a Figment fan, Iger has demonstrated upon returning that he does care about guest goodwill and fan disenchantment– but there’s more work to be done on that front . More importantly (to him), Iger is also concerned about his legacy.

Likewise, Josh D’Amaro is in the running as a successor CEO. Regrettably, that’s not a position fans vote on, but there have been a lot of mainstream media pieces about fan complaints about the parks. If D’Amaro becomes the heir-apparent, you better believe that CNBC, Wall Street Journal, etc., will all be running pieces about the guy who presided over a period of fan unrest being promoted.

Bringing back Figment and Dreamfinder is a surefire way of undoing a lot of the outrage and brand damage from the last few years, quieting the complaints and criticism. I can’t think of any other single positive announcement that would outweigh so many prior negatives ones. A lot would be forgiven by fans in the blink of an eye.

An overhaul of Journey into Imagination would be both a legacy project and something that would define the otherwise underwhelming World Celebration neighborhood of the EPCOT transformation, tying it together into a more cohesive project. Figment would become the face and mascot of the new-look EPCOT, elevating the otherwise underwhelming central spine in the process. Not only that, but Figment has already “proven” that he can really move merchandise and is a highly successful meet & greet character .

Walt Disney World has done enough dipping its toes into the pool to test the popularity of Figment. It’s beyond time for a redone ride. There are several incredibly compelling reasons to move forward on this in 2024. It’s the second-best time to do something, with the most logical time being a decade ago. Nevertheless, I don’t think this permit is a sign that it’s happening. I’m still crossing my fingers for the D23 Expo, but am not overly optimistic that this is a project that starts before mid-2025.

Planning a Walt Disney World trip? Learn about hotels on our Walt Disney World Hotels Reviews page. For where to eat, read our Walt Disney World Restaurant Reviews . To save money on tickets or determine which type to buy, read our Tips for Saving Money on Walt Disney World Tickets post. Our What to Pack for Disney Trips post takes a unique look at clever items to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney World Ride Guides will help. For comprehensive advice, the best place to start is our Walt Disney World Trip Planning Guide for everything you need to know!

YOUR THOUGHTS

What do you think of this permit for the Imagination Pavilion? Do you think JII4 will be announced at the 2024 D23 Expo? Or is this just more false hope for fans? Do you agree or disagree with our assessment that now is the second-most logical time for a Journey into Imagination overhaul? Any questions? Hearing from you is half the fun, so please share your thoughts in the comments!

Written by Tom Bricker

I haven’t been to.Disneyworld since 1993, but I hit Tokyo Disneyland 4times during the 90s through 2000 when my husband was,stationed in Japan. In fact I spent b the day before myb50th birthday there. I ‘m another Figment fan. I hope they bring him back. I may be turning 74, but the moment I walk through the gates,,I become an Instant Child.

Make Figment great again.

We might be the only family, but we don’t hate the current version of Journey into the Imagination. Granted, I never went to Epcot until 2001 and didn’t see prior versions. My family currently consists of my husband and I (mid 30s) and my 13yo mildly autistic daughter who does test as high IQ (just so people don’t put her in a box). We know it’s annoying but just find it ridiculous and every time we ride, we can’t stop laughing. We love the messaging and we do feel some awe. We never ride more than 2x a trip (we like to relax so it’s due to timing) & we don’t go super often. We go every few years it seems, though we’d love to go more. I feel almost embarrassed to be my age and love it the way it is now, but I would have loved to experience it in it’s original form. I also wouldn’t mind an update. Updating the shop area is desperately needed for sure though because the merch is under utilized.

As someone who doesn’t get to the parks often and has a trip planned for early 2025, I really hope that they don’t take more than one ride down in EPCOT at a time. The lines will be a problem, but it would also just be more rides we will miss out on. Not everyone gets to go to the parks often and closures mean that many don’t get to experience as much of the parks.

Time to let go of Figment. There’s too much IP that’s more relevant than this character that kids have zero connection to outside of Epcot. Re-imagine World of Imagination…Let Pixar go nuts. If Inside Out 2 does decent at the box office- make it an Inside Out ride or 3D show there. Put Monsters Inc. ride there. Plenty of under-utilized IP that’s relatable to kids.

Wreck it Ralph 3D theater where you transport through power cords into several different video games and/or Sugar Rush, Up- balloon ride ala’ Soarin’, Wall-E, Elemental ground breaking animation and immigration story at the pavilion bordering world showcase.

I respectfully disagree. That’s not what Epcot is about. Shoving Pixar characters and other IP in every cranny is what is frustrating long time parks fans. And given the popularity of the figment meet and greet, and people’s willingness to stand on line for hours for a figment popcorn bucket, it’s hardly time to let him go. He’s still the beloved mascot of Epcot.

WDW isn’t only for kids & kids do enjoy Figment. That ride is insane. How could they not? He’s so camp.

Honestly, one could blame the popularity of Figment merchandise sales in Epcot over the past twenty-plus years for why Journey 3.0 has remained, even if the only theme holding it together is “Journey 2.0 was terrible.”

Merchandising, that’s where the real money is made!

Related(ish) question – is Figment still doing meet and greets? I’ve been looking at the app and never see them listed/times for them. If he’s not doing his thing anymore I need to stop telling my four year old (who is VERY excited) that we’re going to meet him when we’re there this summer.

Yes, Figment is still meeting! I believe the current schedule is around 9am to noon and 1:30 to 4pm (give or take and subject to change).

Allow me to dream for a second: What if they opened up the 2nd floor to lengthen the ride back to its original track AND put in a restaurant with views into the ride much like Garden Grill, San Angel Inn, Blue Bayou, etc?? Go ahead and take my money.

I am fully on board with that idea!

I don’t think it’s what’ll happen (keeping the existing track/layout but changing the show scenes seems more likely to me), but we can dare to dream!

Not really relevant but I miss Honey I Shrunk the Audience – wasn’t that in this pavilion. Best thing in it by far.

At this point, I’m excited that it sounds like 4.0 has a yellow light, even if it’s not green yet. Given how relatively modest the original Kodak lounge at the Imagination pavilion was to the other corporate lounges around Future World, I’m hoping that this is a lounge for the next sponsor. I could see Spaceship Earth and Journey into Imagination getting upgrades one after the other, but in the end that might come down to if there will be any sponsor money there is to add to the CapEx budget. (SE desperately needs that mechanical overhaul.) Since neither currently has a sponsor, it will probably come down to when the bigger projects are planned on the 10 year schedule.

I believe the Kodak lounge is currently offices–moving those out and redoing that area could make a lot of sense. Either as a space for a sponsor or repurposed as something else. Offices can go anywhere–only so much in-pavilion space like that!

Good guess!

Why do you want Guardians to go on standby so badly? If it does I am sure it will have Avatar like lines.

While the random return times based on your boarding group can be an issue planning the day, it still beats waiting in a 2 hour line.

I think virtual queues are guest-unfriendly and just another layer of complexity that’s overwhelming to first-timers. They’ve outlived their necessity at both TRON and Cosmic Rewind IMO.

On top of that, if a 2-hour standby line provides the “capacity” needed to take SSE or JII down at the same time as Test Track, I am fully on board. I’ll take the short term sacrifice for long-term gain.

Guardians of the Galaxy being at avatar level honestly seems appropriate. It’s just what happens when top of the line attractions with high tech open. It’s just the reality of the situation. I get the use of it at the very beginning. I won’t begrudge that, but now it’s just ridiculous.

This is just starting to feel like an abusive relationship, Disney! You knew exactly how this information would make my heart beat faster and send my mind racing. The same old mental struggle would ensue – desperate wishing, ecstatic imaginings, fond rememberings, followed by doubting, then terrible visions of how insulting a lazy, IP-focused replacement could be, and, finally, disappointment in myself for ever hoping in the first place. You knew all this would happen and STILL you didn’t take the time to quietly announce that a permit was being filed to enable code-required sprinkler upgrades, new energy-efficient HVAC equipment, or some other run of the mill, permit triggering facilities project.

Sadly, you’re not wrong. At least I didn’t frame this as definitely being for JII4…right? (Also, I’m skeptical that it’s a run of the mill project given the 19-month duration.)

For what it’s worth, I’m reasonably confident that delaying this beyond the Chapek (as head of Parks & Resorts) era averted the worst disaster, which would’ve been a lazy, IP-focused replacement. There’s a window of opportunity, and so long as the project occurs within that, it’s going to feature Figment.

I don’t see JII4.0 happening just yet. This will probably tackle other parts of the pavilion which you mentioned. I honestly think it would do them a great benefit to close the whole pavilion and gut it and do a full rethemed attraction. They would have to leave the front part of the building as iconic as it is (with the pyramids), but the rest of it is fair game to me! I think the magic eye theater general area is going to get whatever this update will be. I am guessing a restaurant.

“I honestly think it would do them a great benefit to close the whole pavilion and gut it and do a full rethemed attraction.”

Same. I don’t think that’s what’ll happen, but it would be the right call.

I can think of one thing that would surpass a new Figment ride in terms of restoring guest satisfaction and good will and that is the elimination of Genie+. Replacing it with 3 “free” any time any ride Lightning Lanes per day. “Free” as in I’d expect ticket prices to be increased $10-$20 per person per day. But yes, the entire beautiful Imagination pavilion is way underutilized and that ride needs to be replaced. I hope they can create a beautiful, haunting movie on par with Magic journeys for the theatre too.

I feel a little like Charlie Brown trying to kick the football Lucy is holding in regards to JII. This time she won’t pull the ball away again! And then she does…

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Everything to Know About Disney's Disability Access Service Changes — and Why They're Dividing Fans

The updates to the DAS program will go into effect on May 20 at Walt Disney World and June 18 at Disneyland

David Roark/Walt Disney World Resort via Getty 

Disney is updating its Disability Access Services (DAS), and reactions to the change from fans have been mixed.

On April 9, the company announced changes to their policies for guests using DAS, which has historically allowed guests with various disabilities to avoid waiting in long lines that may be difficult for them while visiting the parks. The changes will take effect on May 20 at Walt Disney World and June 18 at Disneyland.

According to Disney's website , DAS passes will now be reserved for "guests who, due to a developmental disability like autism or similar conditions, are unable to wait in a conventional queue for an extended period of time." They've also reduced the number of people who can accompany a guest using DAS to skip the line. Parties must be made up of immediate family members only and a maximum of 4 individuals.

While the change means DAS will be automatically availability to a much more limited group of people, Disney says it is simultaneously expanding other support options for guests who require assistance navigating attraction queues. One of those updates is extending the DAS enrollment period for eligible guests from 60 days to 120 days prior to a visit to the parks.

Disney is also planning to work with a team of specially trained health professionals from Inspire Health Alliance to assist Cast Members, when necessary, with the conversations needed to determine a guest’s eligibility for DAS on a case by case basis.

Disneyland officials told PEOPLE last week, "Disney is dedicated to providing a great experience for all Guests, including those with disabilities, which is why we are committed to delivering a wide range of innovative support services aimed at helping our Guests with disabilities have a wonderful time when visiting our theme parks."

Never miss a story — sign up for  PEOPLE's free daily newsletter  to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Matt Stroshane/Bloomberg via Getty

Since the announcement, people have taken to social media to share their thoughts on the news.

One content creator and accessibility advocate, Natasha Caudill , who was born with a rare eye disorder called achromatopsia, told PEOPLE that while these changes won't stop her from going to the parks, they've affected her view of the company. According to the Cleveland Clinic , her condition limits people's ability to see color vision and also causes other vision issues, such as rapid eye movements. Caudill says she struggles to be in bright light for any period of time and used DAS to wait for rides indoors or in darkened areas.

"I feel like it’s still a little unclear why Disney changed the DAS pass," Caudill, 26, says. "People are speculating that too many people are lying to use the service,"

"I wish Disney was more upfront about the change. Disney World offers such a welcoming atmosphere, but as a disabled person, I just don’t feel as welcome now," she continues.

Hannah Culp also took to TikTok to speak about how the changes will affect her family.

In her video, Culp explains how she uses DAS for her postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), which according to the Mayo Clinic causes symptoms including dizziness, headaches, and nausea.

"Now they're saying that because I have a physical limitation due to my POTS and I pass out from standing for long periods of time, I just need a wheelchair.

"That's not an accommodation," she adds. "An accommodation is removing a barrier for access. Telling me to get a wheelchair is telling me to spend $60 on an EVC because there is no way that my puny little biceps that have never pushed a manual wheelchair in their life are going to be able to push it around for 12 miles a day for five days."

Another frequent user of DAS, Jessica Kiss — a doctor and mother of 2 kids with disabilities — shared her complicated thoughts on the updates on TikTok.

Kiss says she feels park-goers who may be abusing the DAS system have made it "almost impossible" for families like hers to use the resource effectively. For instance, for her daughter who has autism.

"The needs of autism can be really complex. Let's say for my older daughter, we have worked up to the fact that we are going to do this thing specifically," Kiss says. "We've primed about how long it's going to be until we get to do those things...we've even talked about the fact that we won't get to go right on the ride," Kiss adds. "But then if we get to the line and we know it's going to be too much for her to handle, now we have to deal with the tantrum or the meltdown."

"I know there's no easy fix to this problem, but it's not unique to our family," she continues.

Kiss is hopeful the DAS changes will help people with autism, but she also expressed her concern about how they will affect those with invisible disabilities. "It sounds like they will still accommodate those things, but it's not clear how," she says. "Potentially, it's making it very difficult for those types of accommodations."

Once the new policy is officially launched, Disney's website will feature a range of tools that guests can utilize to plan their visit, enhance their experience, and identify the services they need.

Leading up to the release date, Disney says it encourages guests to explore the website, where they can prepare for every aspect of their visit, including planning in advance, understanding parking and transportation options, selecting mobility devices, accessing attractions, exploring hotel services, and more.

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