disney tourist blog dining reservations

It just got easier to book the Disney dining reservations you want – here's how

If you've been wishing you had a fairy godmother so you could ask her for a better way to book dining reservations at Disney World and Disneyland , consider your wish granted. Disney just updated its dining reservation system to simplify planning your next trip (no pixie dust required!).

Related: The best restaurants at Disney World in 2024

This update is the latest in a string of improvements Disney has made to its dining system. Before these updates, it could be pretty difficult to snag the most coveted Disney dining reservations, like Cinderella's Royal Table , Story Book Dining at Artist Point or Space 220. That's because you could only search for one day and one meal period at a time. With so many people clamoring for the same restaurants when the booking window opened, availability would often disappear before you found an open spot.

Related: Tips for visiting Disney World in 2024: 19 ways to save money and have more fun

With the changes Disney has made to its apps and websites for Disney World and Disneyland, those frustrations may soon be a thing of the past. Here's what you need to know before your next visit.

Know when you can book your dining reservations

When can you book disney world dining reservations.

You can begin making dining reservations 60 days before your visit. If you are staying in a Disney World hotel , you can make dining reservations 60 days before your check-in day for your entire stay (up to 10 days), so it's possible to get a 10-day jump on everyone else waiting for the 60-day window to open if you've booked an extended Disney hotel stay.

Related: Is the Disney Dining Plan worth it? We put it to the test

Reservations open on Disney's website or the My Disney Experience app between 5:45 a.m. and 6 a.m. Eastern time, or you can call 407-939-DINE beginning at 7 a.m. Eastern time, but coveted reservations may already be snatched up by that time.

You can cancel most Disney World dining reservations up to two hours before your reservation. Note, though, that if you cancel less than two hours ahead of time, you'll be charged a cancellation fee of $10 per person. Exceptions will be noted in the confirmation email you receive at the time of booking, but it's important to know that for hard-to-get reservations like Cinderella's Royal Table, you'll be charged the entire cost of the meal if you don't cancel in time, and for super-gourmet options like Monsieur Paul at Epcot, cancellation fees can reach a lofty $100 per person if you cancel less than three days out, so be sure to read all the details .

When can you book Disneyland dining reservations?

Guests of the Disneyland Resort can also begin making dining reservations 60 days in advance. Disneyland does not give the same preferential treatment to on-site hotel guests as Disney World does, but hotel guests do get preferred access to a limited number of reservations at select table-service restaurants upon arrival.

You can view multiple meal times at once

Last year, Disney World and Disneyland rolled out the ability to see all available dining reservations for a specific day at one time rather than forcing you to choose a specific mealtime. You can still filter the search results to see only breakfast, lunch or dinner, but you can also view all available times if you are set on a specific restaurant. This can be especially helpful if there is a restaurant you've always wanted to try or if you have your heart set on a certain location and are flexible with when you visit.

You can search dining availability for multiple days at a time

Disney's newest dining reservation change is, well, a game changer. Rather than searching for availability one day at a time, you can now view availability for a specific restaurant for up to 10 days at a time. Paired with seeing all available reservations for a specific day, this makes it much more likely you'll get to dine at your favorite Disney World or Disneyland restaurant during your next visit.

You can start your search by choosing a specific restaurant or searching for dining reservations on a specific date. Once you choose a restaurant from the list, you will select your party size. From there, you can search for dining availability for a single day or up to 10 days at a time (within your 60-day booking window).

In the past, you would have had to perform 10 separate searches to see 10 days' worth of dining availability. Now, you can view up to 10 days of available dining reservations with just a few clicks.

You can join a walk-up list

This option has been around for a while, but it's worth mentioning here because it can help you get into a particular restaurant even if you didn't secure a reservation ahead of time. When you are in the parks and near the restaurant where you wish to dine, you can check availability via the My Disney Experience app at Disney World or the Disneyland app at Disneyland.

Related: The best restaurants at Disneyland in 2024

If you see in the app that there is availability on the mobile walk-up list, you can add your party to the list and receive a notification when your table is ready. Walk-up availability can change throughout the day. As they say, if at first you don't succeed, try, try again.

You can find the closest and earliest available pickup for mobile orders

Mobile ordering has also been available at Disney World and Disneyland for more than five years, but they continually find ways to improve the experience. Hungry Disney guests can use the mobile ordering service in Disney's app to order food from quick-service restaurants at a selected time. Usually, you can find pretty immediate mobile order availability, but when the parks are busy, you may have to wait a while for your meal.

With the most recent update to Disney's mobile ordering service, you can filter mobile order availability to show only nearby restaurants or those with immediate availability. Sometimes you just need to eat before "hungry" morphs into "angry," and now you can.

Bottom line

Whether you are planning out dining reservations for your next Disney vacation or you are visiting the parks soon and want to know how to find food when hunger hits, these latest changes will make quieting that "rumbly in your tumbly" (as Winnie the Pooh would say) that much easier.

Related reading:

• These Disney World discounts can help you save money on your next vacation
• We saved every receipt — here's how much it actually costs to go to Disney World
• How to rent Disney Vacation Club points and save hundreds of dollars on your vacation
• How to save money at Disney so you don't go 'bibbidi-bobbidi-broke'

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Disney World Won Its First-Ever Michelin Star for This Upscale Modern American Restaurant

It's a gourmet world after all.

Walt Disney World’s Victoria & Albert’s restaurant , at the theme park’s Grand Floridian Resort, made history last week when it was awarded a Michelin Star. 

The fine dining destination is the first and only restaurant owned and operated by a U.S. theme park to hold the prestigious honor, according to Disney Parks Blog . And while most visitors are more likely to associate Walt Disney World with Mickey Mouse rather than Michelin, the team at Victoria & Albert’s is changing that. 

The restaurant, just minutes outside the gates of Magic Kingdom, first opened its doors inside Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort in 1988 and since then, it has become an iconic destination for vacationers and locals alike. Last week, it became one of 26 Florida restaurants that have been awarded a star from the Michelin Guide. 

But don’t plan to arrive at the restaurant with your Mickey ears. The restaurant has a fairly stringent code, and children under 10 are not permitted. You can select between two multi-course prix-fixe menus, starting at $295 per guest.

The tasting menu, curated by chef de cuisine Matthew Sowers and pastry chef Ally Rogers, showcases modern American food at its finest. The menu is ever-evolving, changing seasonally based on market availability and at the discretion of the culinary team. Diners can expect dishes like a Langoustine Tartelette, a Cinco Jotas Iberico "Eclair," and Miyazaki A-5 Wagyu beef. 

“Being recognized by Michelin with a star is an affirmation of excellence. It’s an incredible honor to be the first Disney-owned location recognized by Michelin for the dining experience our team brings to life at Victoria & Albert’s,” Sowers said in a statement. “Everyone on our team earned this star, from our stewards and servers to our culinarians and pastry chefs, and we hope to inspire future generations of culinary professionals to follow their dreams.”  

The restaurant also boasts a winning wine list, and guests can opt to add a wine pairing to their meal for an additional $150. It features a collection of more than 500 wines from 35 regions, including selections that go as far back as the early 1900s. Diners can order handcrafted cocktails, zero-proof beverages, and even a selection of waters sourced from around the world. 

Veteran sommelier and maître d’hôtel Israel Pérez was also presented with the 2024 Florida Service Award. “Service at Victoria & Albert’s is like a dance — many tiny steps that come naturally after years of dedication,” he said in a statement received by Food & Wine . “Every movement has a purpose and is beautiful when the tempo is perfect. We also pay homage to a past legacy of talented people who have believed in our dream all along.”

Disney enthusiasts with a penchant for fine dining should plan ahead if they’d like to visit the restaurant on their next trip. The restaurant operates under the resort's current 60-day policy, meaning that guests staying at Disney can make reservations for the entire length of their stay up to 60 days in advance of their arrival. New reservation booking windows become available at 6:00 AM daily for select Walt Disney World restaurants.

Related Articles

The Case for Sleeping on Advance Dining Reservations

When it comes to Walt Disney World, dining is unquestionably the most stressful thing to plan. At the crack of dawn, 180 days before traveling, many of you will compete for the most-coveted Advance Dining Reservations, committing to where you’ll eat 6 months later. You’ll do this before park hours and Extra Magic Hours have been released, and before you have FastPass+ selections.

If this doesn’t sound absolutely nuts to you, that’s only because you’ve become so accustomed to this nonsense that even the asinine seems everyday. In this post, we’ll make the case for sleeping through that early morning wake up call 180 days before your trip, discussing what you lose and gain by waiting to make ADRs–or not making them at all. Before we delve into this, we want to stress that this strategy is not universally-applicable. This article should be read more as food for thought than imperative advice.

It’s been almost a decade since we made any Advance Dining Reservations 180 days in advance when we had a few must have reservations to score for our honeymoon. In fact, we seldom make ADRs in advance of trips at all, and when we do, it’s usually only a couple of reservations and only a month or so ahead of time. This approach works for us, and we think it could work for you…

Much like Kramer quitting the mail, one day I came to my senses on this, and yelled at my computer screen early one morning after Stitch ate yet another page. “Oh, no, no. I don’t think you get me. I want out, permanently .”

And like that, a new era of our vacation planning was born: one with me getting to sleep more.

First, the downside of fixating on Advance Dining Reservations so far in advance of your trip is that you’re doing so blindly. You won’t know park hours, where you’re going to be able to score FastPass+, or in which parks Extra Magic Hours are occurring. From our perspective, each of these things is more important than ADRs.

As we discuss in our Most Difficult for Advance Dining Reservations post, one work-around to this is the controversial practice of booking ‘spare’ Advance Dining Reservations as a contingency. While this doesn’t bother us in the least (for the reasons discussed there), we’re also not competing with you for those ADRs.

From our perspective, booking FastPass+ at the 60 day window is much more essential. This is only likely to become truer as more third party hotels are added to this pool, and as things become more competitive with Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge and other huge scale additions for Walt Disney World’s 50th Anniversary.

Planning and reserving a table once at the 180 day mark, then changing those plans again once park hours are released, then changing those plans again once FastPass+ selections are made is a hassle. Rather than doing that, we like to start by making our FastPass+ selections at the 60 day mark in coordination with park hours, and then making ADRs around those.

By that time, some sought-after Advance Dining Reservations will undoubtedly be gone. Dinner at Be Our Guest Restaurant is the big one that’s likely to be unavailable. There are several others that might also be tough. The point is, you won’t have everything as an option.

However, when I search for Advance Dining Reservations 60 days from today, there are over 100 restaurants with availability, including Be Our Guest Restaurant at breakfast or lunch, ‘Ohana at breakfast or dinner, and Akershus. The only choices that were unavailable were Artist Point, Capa (weird, but okay), Cinderella’s Royal Table, and various speciality experiences like tea and Dining with an Imagineer.

If I were willing to put more than 2 minutes of effort into my searching, I’m almost positive I could toy with days or times a bit and get into every single restaurant at some time or another during the day. The only possible exception is Storybook Dining at Artist Point, as that’s only at dinner and it still has that “new character dining experience” smell.

Arbitrarily, let’s say that even at the 60 day mark, we were to get shut out of 3 restaurants. For every restaurant you can’t book because of no availability, there are 10 more good alternatives that you can’t book due to a lack of time. Seriously, there are dozens of great restaurants at Walt Disney World, and vacation duration is your biggest “enemy” (well, and cost) in terms of ability to do them all. If one you really wanted is unavailable, choose a similar alternative.

This might sound like pretty flippant advice, but it’s really to underscore the wealth of options and great alternatives more than anything. We witness people getting so stressed out over ADRs, and it’s really not necessary. Unless you have a huge party or there’s a popular character meal with your children’s favorites that is absolutely essential, your options at or inside the 60 day mark are generally pretty good.

Additionally, dining flexibility at Walt Disney World is becoming greater. With new restaurants opening seemingly every week at Disney Springs, and more also being added to hotels, most restaurants have more openings now than they did 5 years ago. Longtime fans (us included) often grouse about how visiting is becoming less and less spontaneous, but that’s not the direction things are trending with regard to dining.

Certainly, if you compare today to 1987, there’s more planning involved with dining. However, if you compare today to 5 or even 10 years ago, it’s markedly easier. Not only is the online system (when it’s working! ) a comparative breeze over calling, but last-minute availability is more abundant. Even in the parks, you’ll now see signage advertising same-day reservations for restaurants.

To be honest, unless we are on the Disney Dining Plan for the express purpose of saving money (and thus, keyed in on certain restaurants to review), it’s exceedingly rare for us to make ADRs even a day in advance. We roll out of bed and shower (second step optional), get on the bus, look at our FastPass+ selections, see which restaurants are available, and book based upon that while en route to the park.

We’d never recommend that a first-timer do this, but as regulars who are flexible with where we dine, it works for us. Even same day, we’ve never found fewer than 2 options in each park that we really like. (Our favorite restaurants in Magic Kingdom, Epcot, and Animal Kingdom are almost always available day-of.)

Look, we enjoy planning for Walt Disney World trips, and we obviously highly recommend that you plan. Not only is it essential for saving time and being prepared, but it’s a fun way to build anticipation and hype for your trip. With that said, not all types of planning are good.

When it comes to making Advance Dining Reservations some six months in advance, it seems stress is the most common accompanying emotion. You compound this stress with that of FastPass+ selections and the inevitable modifying of other plans. Over time, in pursuit of the “perfect” daily itinerary changes, there’s also the tendency to develop sky-high and totally unrealistic expectations.

This certainly doesn’t happen to everyone, and veteran Walt Disney World planners may already know how to thread this needle to ensure they experience all of the joys of planning without the headaches, stress, and unrealistic expectations. Other veterans may dislike this degree of planning, but view it as a necessary evil.

This is pretty common, and one of the reasons we stress the concept of ‘planned spontaneity’ in our Being Spontaneous at Walt Disney World post. It’s easy to get so caught up in the fear of missing out that you don’t stop to think, missing out on what? Just because something’s popular doesn’t mean it’s essential (or even good!), and quite often the less popular alternatives provide unexpected delight (or are even better!).

With all of that said, ‘sleeping’ on Advance Dining Reservations is not one size fits all advice. For some people, this approach will create more uncertainty and stress. For others, convoluted and meticulous planning is part of the ‘getting hyped’ process. We are hardly suggesting our approach is the only one, or even the best one, for everyone.

Rather, we’re offering a different perspective on Advance Dining Reservations, and one you’ll probably seldom read on a Walt Disney World planning-oriented blog such as this one. The point is, opting out of the mad dash for ADRs at the 180 day mark is entirely possible, and in most cases, the negative ramifications will be insignificant. Whether potentially missing out on a reservation or three in exchange for less hassle is a trade you want to make is a personal question, and one we can’t really answer. We do know that, for us, it’s a no brainer.

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

Are you zealous about making all of your Advance Dining Reservations at the 180 day mark, or do you take a more laid back approach with planning meals? Do you agree or disagree with our advice? Think this could work for a first-timer to Walt Disney World? Any questions we can help you answer? Hearing your feedback–even when you disagree with us–is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!

Written by Tom Bricker

This is exactly what we do when we go without the kids! In fact, I haven’t even merged our DVC nights into one reservation yet for Dec though I know I’ll definitely get it done before our FP+ needs to be booked. However, when we go with the kids (so there are seven of us), I definitely put more effort into securing reservations early because it can be difficult to get what I want for a larger party. We’ve had fantastic luck booking things the night before though when we take a more last minute trip!

Some of our favorite dining experiences have been those that we made day-of. I miss the days of almost complete spontaneity but the past couple of years I have been lax on ADR’s and have enjoyed just winging it once we get to where we’re going for the day. Sanaa is the only place I really make ADR’s for any more, just because it is our absolute favorite and we make a day out of touring the AKL and enjoying Victoria Falls and then heading over to Sanaa. Other than that I rarely make ADR’s anymore. We’ve had great success so far and have pretty much always gotten great day-of ressies. I think this is a fun plan for those that have been too many times to count. It keeps it interesting and new.

We have gotten last minute reservations everywhere except CRT. We did do ADRs for our party of six for a Sat night, dinner timed to experience fireworks from within the castle. Very much worth it.

Some of the best table service dining is Flying Fish at the Boardwalk, Art Smith’s Home Coming In DS and Tiffins in AK. California Grille is another fabulous dining experience during fireworks but last minute reservations can be hard to get.

There is one ADR that I’m after and can start making my ADRs in 2 days! Is it worth the fight to get dinner at Cinderella’s Royal Table as soon as I can make a reservation? Or should I wait a little? Anyother tips for getting dinner at CRT?

I’d go for Cinderella’s Royal Table as soon as possible. Unlike most other dining reservations at Disney, people pay for CRT in advance. That means they’re less likely to cancel. I’d secure a reservation while you can if it’s important to you.

Still difficult to get reservations at CRT. Fun experience so make the ADRs.

Update- I snagged a ADR at CRT for our last day in the parks, we are all excited!

I totally agree with this “strategy.” We planned a trip with our 2-year-old just one month in advance, with the meal plan. We got everything we wanted: character meal at AK, dining with the fish at Epcot, three incredibly fancy meals at AKL, Chef Mickey, breakfast before HS opened with Doc McStuffins. The trick was to simply accept any time. We fed our daughter gold fish and other snacks whenever she was the slightest bit hungry, and went to restaurants for the experience, and we were all happy.

First timers to WDW in December 2019 for 6 days. We are on a budget and only planning 2-3 sit-down dinners, the rest of the meals hopefully will be quick service. Should we try for the crazy ADR character meal and 1 Epcot restaurant we want at the 180 mark, or just wing it the week prior to the trip?

My personal opinion is it depends how important those specific restaurants are. If you HAVE to eat there, then yes, get an ADR! If you are willing to settle for any character meal, sure you could probably find something after you make fast passes. My recent trips have been planned just 2-3 months out, but I know lots of restaurants I like. So not setting ADR 180 days out is ok with me, but I still make them though.

Totally agree that the 180 days out is absolutely bonkers and refresh can be your friend. We did stress about ADRs this upcoming trip in September because there are 8 of us going including my twin toddlers who will be turning 2 just after we go. We knew we wanted all of the character meals and with such a large party, we wanted to ensure we were set up. My girls will expect dinner at 5:30 no matter what so we’d have to stop and feed them to prevent a hangry meltdown.

Hi Tom, Do you think free dining will be offered in 2019?

Yes , I would LOVE it if you could post your favorite 3-5 places to eat in each of the 4parks. We live on the West Coast, and go to DL every year. We are going to WDW next year for the first time, and It seems OVERWHELMING! Yikes! It would be very helpful to have a short list of some of your favorites… thank you in advance!,

My problem with this is that we are on a very strict budget. So we got the free dining plan, which is the express one. So we only have a couple restaurants we can even get reservations at. We’ve never eaten at Be Our Guest. So I feel like I didn’t have a choice but to do the ADR’s. I have a love/hate relationship with ADR’s. LOL

I hate the 180 days out. I can give this perspective. Our last trip was Thanksgiving week with friends which made our group 10. When we decided to go it wasn’t less than 180 days so no Be Our Guest. We did try a few times there to walk up for lunch – no luck. Then Tuesday before Thanksgiving the gang didn’t want to go out to dinner (wanted to stay in). My husband and I called and go a last minute reservation at downstairs in Paris with no problem. It hit me that probably the biggest issue with most places Ian probably the size of your group. (Tom seems like it is often just you and your wife)

Forgive me if this post already exists Tom, but I would love to know what are your favorite restaurants at each of the 4 Parks at WDW. Both table and counter service. I know that when I’m at MK I sometimes feel that finding a table service restaurant for dinner can be challenging because of the availability/not being interested in what’s on the dinner menu.

I agree with a lot of the comments that ADRs are useful when you have kids that need to eat meals on schedule, or a larger family, as I have both. But I 100% agree with Tom that this 180 day thing is bonkers. We have gone to WDW 8 times, not a single trip planned more than a few weeks ahead. Each time, we eat at a character meal each day (using the dining plan for savings) and we have NEVER had a hard time getting into any restaurant at peak times just by checking regularly in the week leading up to the trip, and especially the night before, when so many rezzies are cancelled to avoid penalty. And yes, that includes the new character meal at Artist Point, which is delightful, Cinderella’s table, Akershus, Be our Guest, you name it, we’ve regularly gotten last-minute rezzies there.

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Watch CBS News

This Disney restaurant is first in theme-park history to win a Michelin star

By Kate Gibson

Edited By Alain Sherter

April 29, 2024 / 11:54 AM EDT / CBS News

A Walt Disney World restaurant is the first theme-park eatery to earn a Michelin star.

Victoria & Albert's at Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa last week joined 26 other restaurants in Florida to be awarded the coveted designation in the Michelin Guide. 

But even Mickey Mouse will have to leave his mouse ears behind if he wants to get a table at the restaurant, which has a strict dress code and doesn't allow children under 10. 

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Disney Parks (@disneyparks)

Opened in 1988, Victoria & Albert's is "by no means an easy reservation, but the reward is a kind of magic rarely seen these days," according to Michelin, which rates over 30,000 establishments across three continents.

As would be expected with pretty much anything at the Magic Kingdom, the restaurant is pricey, with its prix-fixe menus starting at $295 a person. 

Kate Gibson is a reporter for CBS MoneyWatch in New York.

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• Dining / Walt Disney World

Everything You Need to Know About Disney Dining Reservations

by David Mumpower · September 14, 2021

Have you done much googling about Disney World dining reservations? If so, you’re probably confused.

Much of the information seemingly conflicts. There’s a good reason for that. Disney quietly changed the rules, apparently permanently.

Sure, the parks can modify their policies again at any point, but we’re operating under the assumption that status quo will remain for a while.

As such, much of what you’re reading has grown outdated. You need better info.

So, let’s talk about Disney Advanced Dining Reservations during the 50 th anniversary of Walt Disney World!

The New Window

Okay, until early 2020, guests could book Advanced Dining Reservations (ADRs) as early as 180 days prior to a Walt Disney World vacation.

Believe it or not, people did this! I was one of them, and I’ve been where you are on the subject.

When my brother warned me that Disney had changed, I thought he was being overly dramatic.

My traveling party booked dining reservations as a courtesy more than a belief that it was necessary.

You can imagine my surprise when I discovered that some of the restaurants had already booked 180 days out!

After that, I got smart about ADRs. My wife and I would have a plan for all our trips, booking our reservations as soon as possible.

Credit: Disney

At the time, guests could book beyond 180 days as long as they were staying onsite. Disney extended the window by another 10 days.

There were times when I knew where I’d be dining in 190 days but wasn’t sure what I’d have for lunch that very day. It was insane!

For this reason, I view the recent developments as a welcome policy shift at Walt Disney World.

During the pandemic, park officials chose to reduce the window, possibly because they knew what was coming next. I’ll get to that in a moment.

What’s important is how Disney dining reservations work now. You can book up to 60 days in advance of your trip.

However, the old rule still applies. When you’re staying at an official Walt Disney World resort – and you always should! – you get to book for up to 10 days.

Effectively, you can book ADRs for your arrival date and then the following nine days. That’s a fabulous bonus because many popular restaurants sell out!

How ADRs Work

What you’ll do is utilize My Disney Experience (MDE) to book your reservations. You also have the right to call 407-WDW-DINE, which is what usually do.

Disney wants you to book yourself. For this reason, the MDE booking window opens at 6 a.m. on the date of your visit.

Cast members start accepting phone calls at 7 a.m. So, you’re losing an hour by waiting for someone else to do it for you.

Does that matter? Believe it or not, yes. At least it can matter, depending on where you want to eat.

Popular restaurants like Be Our Guest, the Snow White meal at Artist Point, and ‘Ohana book almost immediately.

So, you should know when you’re at or near the opening of your 60-day window. Then, you should have a plan for where you want to eat.

I’m not exaggerating when I say that we plan all our meals a few days before the booking window opens.

We also add a list of contingencies in case some of our top targets aren’t available.

Photo: Disney

This aspect leads to a pro tip. When you’re staying for five days or more, try this approach.

Schedule your Disney dining reservations by targeting popular restaurants on the final days of your trip.

Anyone can book at the 60-day window for a restaurant. Only a small percentage of guests can book at 65 days or more.

Take advantage of this official Disney resort benefit to dine at the best restaurants!

Please understand when using MDE that you cannot book more than 60 days in advance unless you have a linked admission ticket on your account!

You’ll also need a valid official Disney hotel reservation to book 61 days and beyond since that’s an exclusive benefit.

Why This Policy Is Likely Permanent

Park officials just confirmed that Disney Genie will debut later this year.

One of the built-in features of this new virtual assistant is restaurant dining.

Theoretically, Disney Genie will know which restaurants have available and suggest one near you.

As such, the app can streamline the dining experience. If the system works well, you may not rely on Disney dining reservations as much from now on.

However, we have no way to know at this moment how effective it’ll be, particularly in the early days.

So, you should plan on making your own ADRs for at least the first year of Disney Genie’s existence. At least, that’s what my family will do.

Still, the mere existence of Disney Genie indicates that Disney has heard the most frequent complaints from park guests.

Many have lamented that Disney vacations require too much planning now.

This virtual assistant attempts to solve that problem by encouraging more free form visits.

For this reason, I think it’s safe to assume that the shorter 60-day dining reservation is here to stay.

At a minimum, I doubt that Walt Disney World changes anything until its 50 th anniversary celebration ends. And it’ll last until March of 2023!

What Happens If You Don’t Get a Dining Reservation?

For starters, please remember that you only book dining at Table Service restaurants as a rule.

A few exceptions like ABC Commissary exist, but it’s an almost airtight rule.

For this reason, anytime that you cannot schedule an ADR, you’re still okay! Walt Disney World has switched its priorities to Mobile Ordering anyway.

You’ll find plenty of delicious Quick Service food available. Sometimes, you want a nice meal, though.

About the New Options

When you want to dine at a place that lacks availability, you still have two ways to eat there.

First, you can join the Walk-Up Waitlist on My Disney Experience. This system works similarly to local restaurants in your area.

When the place doesn’t have an open table, it takes down your name and adds you to the waiting list.

When a table finally opens, you’ll get to sit down and eat there. Of course, there are a few catches. For example, you may need to wait an hour or more.

That’s fine when you plan for it, though. Pick a place near an attraction. Then, you can join the Walk-Up Waitlist before standing in line for the ride.

You’ll maximize your park visit with this approach.

Then again, sometimes you’re ready to leave and would rather eat in your room. You still want a nice meal, though.

Thankfully, Disney added Table Service to Go, which is exactly what it sounds like you. You place a mobile order at a Table Service restaurant.

When you arrive at the restaurant, your food should be ready for you to carry back to your room!

This program currently includes only a handful of participants. Still, it’s a phenomenal option when you’re tired but hungry for high-quality food.

Overall, making Disney World dining reservations at the 60-day window represents the best way to eat at the best places at Walt Disney World, though.

So, take advantage of this amenity whenever you can!

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Dining Reservations

You can relax—confident that your table is waiting for you—whenever you have a dining reservation at a Walt Disney World theme park or Resort hotel restaurant. Reservations can be made in advance for many table-service restaurants, but there is also a magical variety of quick-service dining and snack locations to choose from—so you can always find delicious selections at every meal!

View a list of all dining locations at Walt Disney World Resort.

As a special bonus, Guests of Disney Resort Hotels (including Disney Vacation Club Guests) can enjoy an extended window for making dining reservations. Advance reservations are highly recommended. Learn when advance reservations can be made. Be sure to sign in to your Disney account to book online .

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I order my food using the My Disney Experience app?

Which Walt Disney World restaurants take reservations?

When can I make advance reservations for experiences at Walt Disney World Resort, such as dining reservations and available Enchanting Extras Collection experiences?

How do I make arrangements for Disney Character Dining?

9 DO’s and DON’Ts for Making Advanced Dining Reservations at Disney World

Disney dining reservations are a serious business! Disney dining is fantastic, and many of the restaurants are extremely popular with all reservations gone minutes after the reservations open for that date. If you are anxious about making reservations or really want to make sure you get a particular one, then definitely check out this great list of nine DO’s and DON’Ts for making advanced dining reservations at Walt Disney World:

9 – DO determine the exact date for your 60-day mark.

You can begin making advanced dining reservations for Disney World restaurants exactly 60 days from the date of your arrival. If you are staying at a Walt Disney World resort hotel, you will be able to make your reservations for your entire stay at that one sitting. This can be helpful in snagging the restaurants that are tough to get. You will want to be sure that you have the exact right day so that you can plan to make your reservations.

8 – DON’T underestimate the need to plan out your preferred restaurant dates, times, etc.

It really is helpful to plan out everything in advance. I usually use a spreadsheet in Excel to map out all of the days of our trip and then plug in the preferred restaurants and times so that I have something to work off of when I make dining reservations. I try to pick Plan B options as well, whether that is a different time and/or a different restaurant or even moving a particular meal to a different day. I find that if I have a couple of backup options, it helps to make sure I get most everything we want. Early planning can help a lot!

7 – DO check park hours and calendars to help plan around show times, fireworks, etc.

Disney posts park hours and planned show times several months in advance. Keep in mind that these are always subject to change, but they at least give a great guideline as to when to expect fireworks shows and other events so that you can plan your meals around them. You wouldn’t want to miss out on all of the evening shows because you are having dinner, so having that information will help you a lot.

6 – DON’T forget to set your alarm to get up early to make reservations.

This is very important. You might be surprised if you are new to this, just how many people are crazy about their dining reservations. You will want to get up and be online just before the reservations flip over to the current date at  6 AM . This means you are up ready and online to get started. Set your alarm for a little bit before and get your cup of coffee ready. If you care about getting all of your preferred dining, it is VERY worth it!! Make your spouse or another member of your party get up, too, since you can both make reservations. You can split the list and work on different reservations, so you make sure to get them all.

5 – DO call if you are experiencing issues online.  

The reservations open online at 6 AM, but the phone lines don’t open until 7 AM. Try to keep working through any issues that you are having, but if you do experience issues, have the phone ready and call right at 7 AM, or even just before. If there is some sort of outage or other technical issues, many others will be calling, so you will want to get in the queue so that you can get help with your issue and likely have them make your reservations for you. Don’t wait until later in the day, if at all possible!

4 – DON’T give up if you didn’t get all of your preferred reservations.

Definitely don’t give up! You are still very likely to get any of the meals that you couldn’t find, but it just takes patience. When I was looking for Space 220 for a set meal time and date, I would just try every day when I thought about it. It only took a few minutes, and eventually, I got lucky and got what I was looking for. You can try this method even up to the same day that you are looking for. Disney charges a $10 fee per member of the party if you don’t cancel reservations that go unused at least two hours in advance. This deters individuals from making a bunch of reservations that they don’t intend to keep, so reservations keep opening up as plans change for different guests. Just keep trying!

3 – DO book the most popular restaurants first.

After you have made your plan of attack and desired dining reservations, then focus first on the restaurants that notorious get snagged first or the ones that you care about the most. Space 220, Be Our Guest, Cinderella’s Royal Table, and Ohana dinner are among the most popular restaurants on property. They are definite choices to focus on first if those are must-dos for you and your family. Then focus on the restaurants you care the most about so that you get those first. You don’t have to work in order by date, and you can bounce around. This is why mapping it out is helpful, so you can cross it off the list as you get one complete.

2 – DON’T forget to plan park admission, park reservation, or event admission that is required

If you plan to dine inside one of the Walt Disney World theme parks, you are required to pay for park admission. This is true even if you only plan to go to breakfast, and it is before park opening. You are still required to have valid park admission to enter the park. So be sure when you are planning and making your reservations that you plan to have park admission for all of the days that you have dining and that you purchase park hopper tickets if necessary. You will also need a park reservation. A dining reservation will not guarantee entrance to a theme park. Finally, if you are there during one of the special event parties like the Disney After Hours, be mindful of those times and dates for reservations. On the flip side, if you don’t plan on purchasing event admission, you may get kicked out of the park if you make a reservation during the event times and won’t be able to enjoy your reservation.

1 – DO have all of your information set up in My Disney Experience in advance.

This is definitely important. You will need to create a free My Disney Experience account. Once you do so, you will want to either create profiles for everyone in your party or have them create their own account and link yourselves together. This allows you to add everyone to the party when you create the reservations. You will also want to go ahead and link a credit card. A credit card is required to be on file for all dining reservations, so this will save you time and hassle. If you have all of this setup, you can make reservations without stopping to get all of these things set up.

For a no obligation, FREE Quote on a Disney vacation package, please contact our travel partner Magical Vacation Planner at 407-442-0227 (407-442-0215 for Spanish). You can also request a FREE quote online by Clicking HERE.

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Best Disney World Restaurants

Welcome to the Disney Food Blog! We’ve compiled many of our Disney dining tips and tools below. Feel free to dive into what we (and our readers!) consider to be the best Disney restaurants !

Disney World

DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining

And don’t forget to check out our updated Disney Food Blog Guide to Walt Disney World Dining eBooks for answers to all of your questions, bonus reusable worksheets, planning advice, little-known tips and tricks, and more!

It’s guaranteed to help! Now, we’ve got a TON of details, and we’re just scratching the surface here! But we’ve broken everything down in some basic categories to help you find what you’re looking for! If you’d like to jump to a specific topic, simply click any of the links below: 

• What’s NEW  

What’s UNDERRATED

What’s affordable, what’s popular, what’s surprising us right now, what’s familiar, what’s entertaining, what’s sophisticated, what’s refreshing, what’s sweet, what’s new, roundup rodeo bbq in hollywood studios.

Roundup Rodeo BBQ  is the newest Table Service restaurant in Disney’s Hollywood Studios. You can find it over in   Toy Story Land  (also known as Andy’s backyard) ! 

Roundup Rodeo BBQ

Guests dine among “play sets” of a western town and train station while “rodeo festivities” take place during the meal of All-You-Care-to-Enjoy  BBQ fare served family-style !

Plant-based options

Platters feature house-smoked meats,  classic sides , and miniature “sweet surprises,” and you can  see the FULL MENU with food photos here .

Click HERE for Our Latest Review on Roundup Rodeo BBQ

Rosa mexicano at walt disney world dolphin hotel.

Rosa Mexicano  has opened its first Orlando-area location at the  Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin !

Rosa Mexicano Drinks Menu

The new restaurant offers “an elevated fiesta dining experience,” which includes signature menu items and award-winning margaritas. Rosa Mexicano also has locations in New York, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Maryland… with more on the way across the United States!

What Do YOU Think?

The menu at Rosa Mexicano offers a contemporary interpretation of authentic Mexican cuisine, which includes beloved classics and innovative dishes that pay tribute to Mexico’s richly varied culinary regions. Over 100 varieties of tequila and agave-based spirits are featured. The restaurant’s signature frozen pomegranate margarita (which was named the best in New York City!) is also available.

Click HERE for Our Latest Review on Rosa Mexicano

Trail’s end at fort wilderness.

After a long day on the range, there’s nothing better than coming home to a hearty — and affordable! — meal. Come to think of it, there’s nothing better than starting out a long day with the same!

Trail’s End

Previously a Table Service restaurant featuring a full buffet, Trail’s End has been entirely transformed. In July of 2023, Trail’s End debuted its NEW serving style and menu items , featuring a market concept with Quick Service items (including meals to serve the whole family!) along with both hot and chilled Grab-and-Go eats.

NEW EATS at Trail’s End!

You’ll even find hand-scooped ice cream and the famous Strawberry Shortcake made famous at  Hoop-Dee-Dee Musical Revue !

Click HERE for Our Latest Review on Trail’s End

Shiki sai: sushi izakaya in epcot’s japan pavilion.

A new restaurant is  NOW OPEN in EPCOT’s Japan pavilion :  Shiki-Sai: Sushi Izakaya  is a table-service restaurant presenting, according to Disney, a  “festive dining experience in a sharable Izakaya-style.”

Winter decor and menu at Shiki Sai

The menu features “Japanese delights” such as sushi and teppan items, plus an open sushi bar and grill. Sushi fans can enjoy the Kobore Sushi, Tokyo Negi Roll, and Funamori. Not only that, but you’ll be able to enjoy Japanese Izakaya, a type of casual pub-style restaurant that puts an emphasis on drinks and conversations with friends.

Tokyo Negi Roll from Shiki-Sai

Izakaya menus typically feature small dishes, and that is the case at Shiki-Sai: Sushi Izakaya, too. Karaage Chicken, Salmon Misoyaki, and Tomato Salad with Avocado are  among the Izakaya (sharable) plates . At the open sushi bar, you’ll find highlights like the Kobore Sushi, the Tokyo Negi Roll, a Monster Roll, and the Funamori (a sushi boat with a presentation of sashimi and sushi).

Click HERE for Our Latest Review on Shiki Sai: Sushi Izakaya

Summer house on the lake in disney springs.

You’ll find  Summer House on the Lake  on the West Side of  Disney Springs . 

©Summer House on the Lake

Here, you can look forward to  California-inspired bites including everything from pizza and pasta to fresh salads and sandwiches  during your next visit to Disney Springs! You can enjoy any of these meals inside the eatery or on one of the spot’s three expansive patios.

Summer House on the Lake

And tucked inside Summer House on the Lake, you’ll find  The Cookie Bar !  The Cookie Bar serves a variety of the restaurant’s oversized cookies, bars, and other sweet treats in popular flavors like Sea Salt Chocolate Chip, Birthday Cake, Oatmeal Scotchie, Apple Oatmeal, and Vegan Snickerdoodle, along with a few rotating seasonal flavors.

Click HERE for Our Latest Review on Summer House on the Lake

Eet by maneet chauhan in disney springs.

eet  — a new restaurant by James Beard Award-winning chef and Food Network star  Maneet Chauhan  together with hospitality entrepreneur (and Chauhan’s husband) Vivek Deora — is now open in  Disney Springs !

Spread from eet by Maneet Chauhan

Shareables include a bread service, DIY Pani Puri, and Tandoori Chicken Poutine. On the Pizza & Breads menu, you can order an array of different naan options or opt for a Chicken Tikka Naan Pizza. If you’re a do-it-yourself kind of person, then you might enjoy the BYOB (Build-your-own-BOWL) option!

Click HERE for Our Latest Review on EET by Maneet Chauhan

1900 park fare at grand floridian resort.

It is not “new” per se, but it is definitely an exciting return to the Disney World dining line-up. 1900 Park Fare reopened in April 2024 after a four-year closure with some of our favorite 1900 Park Fare eats and some new characters to meet. Buffet dining with Disney characters is offered for both breakfast and dinner.

Let’s go to 1900 Park Fare!

Characters at this recently refreshed dining experience include Aladdin (in his Prince Ali look), Cinderella, Mirabel from  Encanto , and Tiana in her new outfit for Tiana’s Bayou Adventure . They are all present to  “celebrate the power of a wish”  at Wish Makers Enchanted Dining!

For breakfast and dinner, guests enjoy a buffet meal, including the restaurant’s iconic Strawberry Soup.  New menu offerings pay homage to the new characters and their stories.

Click HERE for Our Latest Review on 1900 Park Fare

Coming soon.

The Cake Bake Shop is ANOTHER new eatery that’ll be opening over in the Boardwalk Inn area in early 2024 — and will serve items for brunch, lunch, and dinner featuring both sweet and savory options (and an afternoon tea service, too)!

The Cake Bake Shop is coming right along!

Blue Ribbon Corn Dogs ALSO is also gonna show up over at the BoardWalk Inn by 2024, as well! 

Blue Ribbon Corn Dogs should be opening soon!

Finally, we learned back in September — during Destination D23 — that a new tavern is in the works for Adventureland in Magic Kingdom . This tavern will be a new Pirate-themed area available for guests of all ages to expand on the lore around the classic Disney dark ride, Pirates of the Caribbean.

Yachtsman Steakhouse at Yacht Club

Yachtsman Steakhouse comes highly recommended by yours truly. I find the steaks here to be some of the best on property, and the service is often excellent.

Yachtsman Steakhouse

This craftsman-inspired dining room at Disney’s Yacht Club Resort caters to all tastebuds with a variety of dishes, incredible sides, and amazing, cut-in-house steaks.

Click HERE for Our Latest Review on Yachtsman Steakhouse

Steakhouse 71 at contemporary resort.

Steakhouse 71 is located at Disney’s Contemporary Resort. The name “71” refers to Walt Disney World’s opening year.

Steakhouse 71

Steakhouse 71 offers casual dining for breakfast, lunch, and dinner (with  varying menus for each meal  and  a steakhouse focus in the evenings ) just steps away from the Magic Kingdom.

Steakhouse 71 Stack Burger

If you opt for dessert (which is always a good idea), you may want to try the Steakhouse 71 Chocolate Cake, made with “15 layers of whiskey-infused chocolate cake, chocolate mousse, and raspberries—one layer for every floor at Disney’s Contemporary Resort.” The accompanying  Steakhouse 71 Lounge  also provides a spot to enjoy a few bites and unique cocktail

Click HERE for Our Latest Review on Steakhouse 71

Sanaa at animal kingdom lodge.

Tucked into the  Animal Kingdom Lodge’s Kidani Village, Sanaa , which means  “Work of Art” in Swahili , is a beautiful restaurant serving a  fusion of African and Indian cuisine  made with authentic cooking methods like slow-roasting and tandoori oven cooking.

Although the food here is not your typical American fare, even picky eaters will find things they’ll enjoy on the menu. While Sanaa is a table service restaurant serving lunch and dinner, the spot offers the  Sanaa Kuamsha Breakfast in the mornings  — a quick-service experience for which reservations are not required.

Indian-style Bread Service

The best part:  the view from the restaurant is of Animal Kingdom Lodge’s Sunset Savanna  — enjoy the ever-changing scenery of some of the most beautiful African plains animals you’ve ever seen.

P.S. Don’t miss Sanaa’s Indian-style Bread Service, served with NINE different dipping accompaniments!

Click HERE for Our Latest Review on Sanaa

Jiko at animal kingdom lodge.

Jiko—The Cooking Place i s hands-down one of the most romantic and delicious restaurants on Disney World property. We highly recommend it if you enjoy excellent gourmet food and a lovely and tranquil atmosphere.

Botswanan Short Rib

Sharing  tastes of Africa with a special Jiko flourish , this restaurant doesn’t offer a great view or any characters, but it does offer truly beautiful food — and the  Animal Kingdom Lodge  savanna is right outside…

Click HERE for Our Latest Review on Jiko

Grand floridian cafe at grand floridian resort.

A relaxing restaurant in a beautiful hotel,  Grand Floridian Cafe  doesn’t tout characters or upscale cuisine; however, this charming spot does serve tasty, moderately priced options for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Grand Floridian Cafe

Hearty brunch fare is served during both breakfast and lunch meal times, with breakfast items available among the selections through 2PM. A Cafe favorite served throughout the day is the Buttermilk-fried Chicken , which is served as a dinner entree with sides and as Chicken and Waffles during breakfast and lunch.

Buttermilk Fried Chicken

Another perk: this place isn’t very well known, so it is relatively easy to score an  Advance Dining Reservation  here, or even see if they are accepting walk-ins.

Click HERE for Our Latest Review on Grand Floridian Cafe

Three bridges bar and grill at coronado springs resort.

This on-the-water restaurant is accessible via  three bridges  from various areas of the resort. It was constructed on an island in the middle of Lago Dorado, the resort’s 14-acre lake.

Sangria Flight at Three Bridges Bar & Grill

Three Bridges Bar & Grill is a casual restaurant serving upscale, Spanish-inspired bar food like queso, braised pork tacos, and other shared plates and burgers. The robust beverage menu features specialty cocktails and sangria which can be ordered by the pitcher.

Click HERE for Our Latest Review on Three Bridges Bar and Grill

Geyser point bar and grill at wilderness lodge resort.

Geyser Point Bar & Grill  — located near the Copper Creek Springs Pool at  Disney’s Wilderness Lodge  — offers open-air, shaded dining, a fireplace for cool evenings, and waterfront views… all in one rustic, cozy, and altogether lovely setting.

Geyser Point

This Table Service lounge offers more than just a place to grab a drink at the bar. It’s worth mentioning that the lounge’s Featured Cocktail list boasts beverages unique to Geyser Point, featuring spirits from Northwest distilleries in keeping with the resort’s theme.

Full spread at Geyser Point

Hearty appetizers (“Small Bites” including Cheese and Charcuterie) and full entrees (“Rustic Fare” including the popular Bison Cheeseburger) are typically available until 10PM daily.

Click HERE for Our Latest Review on Geyser Point Bar and Grill

Skipper canteen in magic kingdom.

The  Jungle Navigation Co., Ltd. Skipper Canteen  is located in Magic Kingdom’s Adventureland. This restaurant is based on a classic Disney attraction: the Jungle Cruise!

Skipper Canteen

As the story goes, Alberta Falls (the granddaughter of Dr. Albert Falls) took over the family business: the Jungle Navigation Co., originally a cargo shipping venture. When business took a downturn, it was decided that the company should offer Jungle Cruises to eager passengers. The cruises met with such success that the Jungle Navigation Co., Ltd. Skipper Canteen now hosts passengers for meals before or after their Jungle Cruise!

Skipper Dan’s Dan Dan Noodles

The Skipper Canteen features three dining rooms, including the Falls Family Parlor, the Crew Mess Hall, and a once-secret meeting room of the Society of Adventurers and Explorers. In these rooms, guests dine on “World Famous Jungle Cuisine” with Asian, South American, and African-influenced dishes. Best of all, the famous, wacky Jungle Cruise Skippers serve up some fun (and, of course, PUNS!) along with globally-inspired cuisine!

Click HERE for Our Latest Review on Skipper Canteen

Il mulino new york trattoria at the walt disney world swan hotel.

Il Mulino New York Trattoria  — located in Walt Disney World’s Swan Hotel — serves traditional dinners from the Abruzzi region of Italy.

A second location for the original Il Mulino New York in Greenwich Village, this restaurant offers rich, authentic flavors amid brick walls, dark wood tones, and rustic lighting.

Arancini di Carne

The  Il Mulino Lounge features a wine bar and an outdoor terrace where guests can enjoy their beverage of choice. Small-batch bourbon, cognacs and brandy, signature cocktails, and much more are among the offerings.

Click HERE for Our Latest Review on Il Mulino New York Trattoria

Connections Cafe and Eatery in EPCOT

Connections Café and Eatery  is a brand new fast-casual Quick Service restaurant (and home to Starbucks coffee) in EPCOT’s World Celebration! The Connections Cafe side serves as the NEW home to Starbucks in the park.

Connections Cafe in EPCOT

At  Connections Eatery  (the restaurant side), look for  dishes inspired by global flavors , including a selection of sandwiches such as a French Bistro Burger, a Mediterranean Burger, and a Banh Mi Burger. Salads include a Niçoise-style Salad and General Tso Chicken Salad. Craving pizza? You’ll find a Meatball Pizza and even a Curry Spice Pizza, in addition to Pepperoni! Classic Chicken Nuggets and Cheeseburgers are up for grabs on the Kids’ Menu, as well.

Ready for dessert? The spot features  Liege Waffles  as an option, made with brioche yeast dough stuffed with pearl sugar and finished with sweet toppings. Gelato Shakes are also an option for dessert (or a  very filling  beverage)!

Click HERE for Our Latest Review on Connections Cafe & Eatery

Cookes of dublin in disney springs.

Rich in tradition, the Cooke family of Dublin has been serving hearty fresh fish battered in a secret family recipe for generations. Now is your opportunity to try it state-side, with a hearty helping of chips!

Cookes of Dublin

Located next to Raglan Road in Disney Springs, Cookes of Dublin offers traditional Irish entrees in a quirky quick service format.

Traditionalists will be interested in the dish that has well-earned its name: the Famous Fish & Chips. Unique twists on the classic burger and savory pies are also on offer. A limited amount of outdoor and indoor seating is available

Click HERE for Our Latest Review on Cookes of Dublin

Capt. cook’s , at polynesian village resort.

Capt. Cook’s offers unique island-inspired quick-service meals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner in a casual yet fun environment.

Capt. Cook’s

For breakfast, Capt. Cook’s serves a signature dish: Tonga Toast! Polynesian favorites (like an Aloha Pork Sandwich and Pulled Pork Nachos), along with classic quick-service eats like burgers, are served for lunch and dinner.

Pulled Pork Nachos

While you can always pick up a cupcake or pastry here, too, don’t forget that you can grab a Dole Whip for dessert right next door at  Pineapple Lanai !

Click HERE for Our Latest Review on Capt Cook’s

Boardwalk deli at disney’s boardwalk inn.

Located on Disney’s nostalgic BoardWalk—a 9,000-square-foot district of shops, restaurants, and entertainment venues—the BoardWalk Deli serves fresh hot and cold deli sandwiches, baked breads, and select bakery items.

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffin

Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are offered, and guests enjoy items like house-baked bagels, an “overstuffed warm pastrami Reuben” or a hand-piped cannoli. In Disney’s words, the menu takes us on  “ a road trip of classic sweet and savory flavors from New York to the Jersey Shore,”  and  you can check it out here . 

Click HERE for Our Latest Review on BoardWalk Deli

Banana cabana at caribbean beach resort.

Thanks to a refurbishment in 2018, this bar has become a destination in its own right, even beyond providing beach drinks in a lounge setting (though you can still enjoy the pool right next to it as well!).

Pineapple Coconut Bread Pudding at Banana Cabana

The menu boasts several signature cocktails and a robust appetizer and sandwich menu. Enjoy your selections while you take in the unique setting, which features cool accents like steel drums on the ceiling! Recently, we had a Pineapple-Coconut Bread Pudding here that reminded us of everything we love about the ‘Ohana Pineapple Bread Pudding, but without needing a reservation!

Click HERE for Our Latest Review on Banana Cabana

Cinderella’s Royal Table in Magic Kingdom

Once you enter into the castle’s waiting chamber, you get to  meet the beautiful Cinderella  to start this  Fairytale Dining  Character Meal ! From here, you walk up the winding stone staircase to the dining which, which is hung with plush tapestries, outfitted in red and purple velvet, and sparkling with light coming through stained-glass castle windows. Yes, you’re REALLY here!

Food tends to be simply adequate, but that’s not really what you’re paying for anyway. You’re paying to eat INSIDE the castle (complete with vaulted stone ceilings, banner flags from the kingdom, and all!), and meet some Disney Princesses while you’re at it. Though characters may vary,  Princesses spotted at this restaurant have included Ariel, Aurora, Jasmine, and Snow White. 

It truly is a royal experience, and we’ve got  several TIPS for your Cinderella’s Royal Table experience here ! We also have  tips to landing a reservation this incredibly popular restaurant HERE .

Click HERE for Our Latest Review on Cinderella’s Royal Table

Chef mickey’s at the contemporary resort.

Chef Mickey’s  is one of the most difficult reservations to get on property, and the reason is that at this  all-you-care-to-enjoy  restaurant, you can meet every single one of  The Fab Five  character set:  Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Goofy, and Pluto .

Hey, Chef Mickey!

Serving a full Buffet for both breakfast and dinner, this long-standing character restaurant location is a favorite for kids and adults alike.

The buffet in the middle

The food is good (and getting better), the close-to-the-Magic-Kingdom location at  Disney’s Contemporary Resort  is good for a quick respite from the parks, and the celebration songs and parades are fun for everyone.

Click HERE for Our Latest Review on Chef Mickey’s

Space 220 in EPCOT

Space 220 is a futuristic restaurant that takes guests on a dining adventure 220 miles above EPCOT! Guests  board the “Stellavator”  (elevator) that simulates real-time rocketing into orbit as they travel to the Centauri Space Station hovering above the Earth. Diners will take in  daytime and nighttime views of Earth  as they’re surrounded by a full panoramic view of space.  Take a look INSIDE Space 200 HERE !

A  multi-course, prix fixe menu  (with two courses for lunch and three for dinner) allows guests to enjoy the cuisine of Executive Chef Marc Kusche through modern, upscale dishes.

Space 220 Dining Room

Starters include options such as Big Bang Burrata, Space Greens, and Starry Calamari. The Star Course (Entrees) features dishes like Seared Tuna (Lunch), Steak & Frites (Lunch), Space Pad Thai (Lunch and Dinner), Filet Mignon (Dinner), Tomahawk Pork Chop (Dinner), and Slow Rotation Short Rib (Dinner).

Pad Thai at Space 220

Dinner’s third course features Supernova Sweets with choices like Chocolate Cheesecake and Carrot Cake. (Oh, and we’ve  ranked every dinner menu item from best to worst  for you!)

Click HERE for Our Latest Review on Space 220

Via napoli in epcot.

Via Napoli  offers authentic Neapolitan wood-fired pizzas, pasta, and meat dishes that are sure to satisfy any Italian food friend.

The restaurant’s soaring ceilings, rustic frescoes, and massive wood ovens—named Vesuvio, Etna, and Stromboli after three active volcanoes in Italy—offer a casual and flavorful dining experience for EPCOT guests.

A huge pizza

Seriously, the pizza here is fantastic—it’s our favorite in Disney World —and offers great value, to boot.

Click HERE for Our Latest Review on Via Napoli

Story book dining with snow white at artist point at wilderness lodge resort.

Story Book Dining at Artist Point with Snow White  is a  Character Meal  at Disney World’s beautiful  Wilderness Lodge !

Hi, Snow White!

Guests enjoy a  prix-fixe meal  and can look forward to  Snow White, Dopey, and Grumpy  stopping by throughout the dinner. And  The Evil Queen  is even present for a unique photo opportunity.

Formerly a signature restaurant, Artist Point’s setting and menu have been entirely transformed with a  Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs  theme for this experience.

Click HERE for Our Latest Review on Story Book Dining

Fairfax fare in hollywood studios.

In the ominous shadow of the Tower of Terror sits a bright, open-air quick service restaurant:  Fairfax Fare . Enjoy a hearty meal in the style of a California outdoor market while you hear the distant screams of guests on an elevator ride gone awry. Only in Hollywood!

Fairfax Fare

The menu here currently features an assortment of  savory Waffle Bowls , including a plant-based option. Do note that seating is open-air, and while it offers plenty of shaded spots, it provides limited protection from inclement weather.

Fairfax Fare is just one of several quick service locations that make up Sunset Ranch Market, so this is a great area to visit when each member of the group wants something a little different to eat.

Click HERE for Our Latest Review on Fairfax Fare

Abc commissary in hollywood studios.

At the ABC Commissary , grab a quick service bite surrounded by posters featuring favorite shows presented by the ABC network!

ABC Commissary

Themed as a simple commissary for a production studio, ABC Commissary has a quick service menu featuring a few twists with an international flair. The dining room has a generous air-conditioned seating area indoors to accommodate the large crowds that dine during peak meal times.

Click HERE for Our Latest Review on ABC Commissary

Tony’s town square in magic kingdom.

Pull out your pasta craving for  Tony’s Town Square Restaurant ! This restaurant represents the Disney animated film,  Lady and the Tramp , and you’ll find plenty of references to the movie throughout the place.

They’re a foot long!

Serving Italian food and offering both indoor and porch dining, this is a great spot to watch parades in the Magic Kingdom. The food, in my experience, hasn’t always been stellar, but you can’t beat the views of Main Street, U.S.A.!

Click HERE for Our Latest Review on Tony’s Town Square

Olivia’s cafe at old key west resort.

Olivia’s Cafe  — a beachy, breezy, casual restaurant in Disney’s Old Key West Resort — offers yummy dishes and a family atmosphere that anyone’s bound to love.

Olivia’s Cafe

This Table Service restaurant serves classic American fare and items inspired by the Florida Keys, including Shrimp Fritters, the Duval Street Burger, and a Key Lime Tart for dessert during lunch and dinner. This spot also serves a great breakfast, featuring Banana Bread and French Toast among the offerings.

Brunch could be our favorite meal

And here’s some great news:  Olivia’s Brunch is a DAILY offering,  making it one of the only spots in Disney World that offers Brunch every day!

Click HERE for Our Latest Review on Olivia’s Cafe

Garden grill in epcot.

Located in The Land pavilion in EPCOT, Chip ‘n’ Dale’s Harvest Feast at  Garden Grill Restaurant  is hosted by the friendliest chipmunks around… and they’re joined by none other than Mickey Mouse and Pluto! These four characters provide ample entertainment at this family-style restaurant.

Farmer Mickey at Garden Grill in EPCOT

The food is served tableside in skillets here, and it’s an all-you-can-eat feast with your family for Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner.

Harvest Feast at Garden Grill Restaurant

Since the earliest days of EPCOT Center, this restaurant has had many different styles, but has always been Disney World’s only rotating restaurant! Throughout your meal, you’ll see several of the different scenes from the Living with the Land ride below.

Click HERE for Our Latest Review on Garden Grill

Regal eagle smokehouse in epcot.

It’s all in the name of Regal Eagle Smokehouse: Craft Drafts & Barbecue  at  The American Adventure pavilion  in EPCOT!

Located inside

This fast-casual restaurant celebrates the regions of American BBQ and serves craft brews on tap. Guests are encouraged to try any of the four house-recipe sauces while they enjoy their Memphis Dry-Rub Pork Ribs, Sliced Texas Beef Brisket Sandwich, or Kansas City Half-Smoked Chicken—to name just a few entrees on the menu. Classic sides like Baked Beans with Burnt Ends and dessert options are available to complete the meal.

An abundance of seating is available indoors and out, with the outdoor seating area boasting a large smoker AND even more sips available at an outdoor walk-up bar. (The outdoor bar even offers a few selections and cocktails that you won’t find inside.)

Loaded Burnt End Fries at Regal Eagle

And who, you may be wondering, is the Regal Eagle? Why, it’s  Sam Eagle of  THE MUPPETS  fame! You’ll find nods to Sam and the whole gang around the eatery

Click HERE for Our Latest Review on Regal Eagle Smokehouse

Homecomin’ in disney springs.

Celebrity Chef Art Smith  (known as a BBQ Pitmaster Judge, author of  Art Smith’s Healthy Comfort  and other cookbooks, founder of Art and Soul in Washington, D.C. and Table Fifty-Two in Chicago, and former Chef to Oprah Winfrey) celebrate s Southern and Floridian cuisine  and “farm-to-fork” food at his Disney Springs restaurant.

The name Homecomin’ refers to Chef Smith’s roots as a Florida native. (Fun fact: Chef Smith participated in the Disney World College Program as a culinary intern, and is a Florida State University alum!)

Enjoy open-air patio seating at the connected  Shine Bar and Social ! And the  Rise ‘n Shine Brunch  is served inside the restaurant on Saturdays and Sundays.

Click HERE for Our Latest Review on Homecomin’

Chicken guy in disney springs.

Chicken Guy!  — headed by  Guy Fieri and restauranteur Robert Earl — has its Flagship location in  Disney Springs .

Cool like Guy

The menu puts the spotlight on fresh, all-natural Chicken Tenders paired with a variety of sauces. The tenders are “hand-pounded to maximize crunch,” brined in lemon juice, pickle brine, and buttermilk, and infused with herbs. Sandwiches, salad bowls, mac-and-cheese, frozen treats, and more are also on offer.

The location is tucked right next to  Planet Hollywood , where Guy Fieri created the burger and sandwich menu.

Click HERE for Our Latest Review on Chicken Guy!

Biergarten in epcot.

If you’re ready for an exciting, fun-filled meal, visit Biergarten in EPCOT’s Germany !

so cool to watch

The Biergarten is a theater-style restaurant with long, family-style tables. Up on stage, German performers showcase authentic Oktoberfest numbers throughout the day—lederhosen and all!

Lots of food too!

The full buffet features your favorite German dishes, including bratwurst, spaetzle, potato salad, and more. Don’t forget to wash it down with your favorite German beer!  Prost!

Click HERE for Our Latest Review on Biergarten

Raglan road in disney springs.

Welcome to  Raglan Road … an authentic Irish pub right in the heart of  Disney Spring s! Classic Irish dishes are presented with a contemporary twist, and you’ll enjoy your terrific food and lively  craic  in a spot that often features live Irish music and dancing!

Live music and Irish Dancers at Raglan Road in Disney Springs

The Rollicking Raglan Brunch is served on Saturdays and Sundays. No matter what time of day you plan to dine,  Advance Dining Reservations  are highly recommended for this popular spot which is beloved by many Walt Disney World guests.

Our Appetizers

P.S. When we say that this pub is authentic, we mean it. The bars and furniture in the pub were actually built in Ireland!

Click HERE for Our Latest Review on Raglan Road

Whispering canyon at wilderness lodge resort.

Whispering Canyon Cafe  at the  Wilderness Lodge is one of Disney World’s “funnest” restaurants 😉!

The Heritage

With a crew of wayward servers who make up their minds to make you laugh and all-you-can-eat down-home grub served skillet-style (guests may also choose from a la carte selections), this restaurant is a great one to book for a casual good time—especially if you’re with a group!

Click HERE for Our Latest Review on Whispering Canyon

Hoop dee doo musical revue at fort wilderness cabins & campgrounds.

Giddy up, partner, and get ready for a rootin’ tootin’ good time! The  Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue dinner show made its debut on June 30, 1974, and has been  delivering wonderful vacation memories to Walt Disney World guests ever since .

Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue Dinner Show

Disney’s Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue is an extravaganza of food and entertainment that the whole family will love. Seriously, it’s hard not to have a good time here.

We love that fried chicken!

Located in Pioneer Hall at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground , the setting is a huge barn complete with stage and musical numbers, and there are (literally!) buckets of food for the table to share, serving up an all-you-care-to-enjoy meal  of  fried chicken  ( find the recipe here !), ribs, mashed potatoes, and MUCH more. Round up the little ‘uns and get ready for a show!

Click HERE for Our Latest Review on Hoop Dee Doo Musical Revue

Topolino’s terrace at riviera resort.

Topolino’s Terrace — Flavors of the Riviera  is located atop  Disney’s Riviera Resort !

Welcome to Topolino’s!

This rooftop restaurant features signature dining for dinner, fireworks views in the evening, and a  prix fixe Character Breakfast  — Breakfast à la Art with Mickey & Friends! Mickey, Minnie, Donald, and Daisy start the day with you in art-inspired costumes unique to Topolino’s!

Filet Mignon at Topolino’s Terrace

Topolino’s Terrace is inspired by “cliffside restaurants of the Riviera,” and the cuisine features regional favorites. The name Topolino means Mickey Mouse in Italian, so this elegant dining experience still has a Disney flair!

Click HERE for Our Latest Review on Topolino’s Terrace

Morimoto asia in disney springs.

Morimoto Asia  is located at  The Landing in Disney Springs . This is  Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto ’s first Pan-Asian restaurant focusing on Chinese, Japanese, and Korean cuisines.

Morimoto Asia

The waterfront restaurant showcases selections from across the entire continent of Asia. The two-story venue features show kitchens where chefs exhibit traditions like Peking Duck Carving. Dim Sum also features on the menu. Guests can enjoy waterside seating or grab a drink in the cocktail lounge.

In 2022, Morimoto Asia was  recognized by the Michelin Guide . And you can  check out our EXCLUSIVE interview with Chef Morimoto by clicking here !

Click HERE for Our Latest Review on Morimoto Asia

Hollywood brown derby in hollywood studios.

One of the most delicious and historic dining experiences at Walt Disney World,  The Hollywood Brown Derby  in  Disney’s Hollywood Studios  meets all expectations.

The Hollywood Brown Derby

While it’s only a replica of the famous Hollywood landmark restaurant, the food and service, I have to believe, are just as good at this Signature Restaurant.

Highly recommended. Make your reservations as soon as you can! (And note that the connected  Hollywood Brown Derby Lounge  is located outside and welcomes walk-up guests.)

Click HERE for Our Latest Review on Hollywood Brown Derby

Takumi tei in epcot’s japan pavilion.

Takumi-Tei brought fine signature dining to  EPCOT’s Japan pavilion when it opened in 2019.

Takumi-Tei — which means “house of the artisan” — is inspired by Japan’s natural beauty. Guests are seated in one of five rooms inspired by a natural element: water, wood, earth, stone or washi paper.

Look at THAT

Takumi-Tei currently features a prix-fixe menu consisting of  two omakase* multi-course meal options : an omnivorous meal for $250 per person (including the diner’s choice of Japanese A5 wagyu steak, Roasted duck, or Grilled Chilean seabass), and a plant-based meal for $150 per person.  Wine pairing  is also an option with the omasake meals. (*Omasake dining is a style where you “leave it up to the chef” and let them curate your meal!)

Click HERE for Our Latest Review on Takumi Tei

California grill at the contemporary resort.

The  California Grill  at  Disney’s Contemporary Resort  is truly a masterpiece of fine dining, and has been  recognized by the Michelin Guide .

California Grill at Disney’s Contemporary Resort

It’s been a top-notch location since the early days of Disney World (albeit under two different names, as it was originally known as The Top of the World), and continues to rake in awards and honors for its innovative chefs, market-inspired menus, and incredible quality.

California Grill is serving a 3-course  selection menu featuring “contemporary, market-inspired cuisine.”  The meal costs $89 per adult (ages 10 and up) and $39 per child (ages 3-9), plus tax and gratuity.

California Grill Fire Roasted Venison

It’s especially nice to try to book an  Advance Dining Reservation  so you’ll be there during Magic Kingdom’s nighttime spectacular, Happily Ever After. Seeing the fireworks show from your perch atop the Contemporary Resort is really something.

Click HERE for Our Latest Review on California Grill

Victoria and albert’s (aka: the most hoity-toity restaurant of them all) in grand floridian resort.

With its  AAA five-diamond rating , Victoria & Albert’s is one of the three most critically acclaimed restaurants in Florida. (It has also been  recognized by the Michelin Guide .) During your meal, you will be served by two dedicated servers and treated to personalized menus.

You wouldn’t want to be late for your fancy meal at Victoria & Albert’s

There are three dining options and tailored menus available. The main  Dining Room is available for only two seatings per evening and features the Chef’s Tasting Menu, which allows guests to choose anywhere between eight and twelve courses. The  Queen Victoria Room   is a slightly more secluded option here. It only accommodates up to eight guests at a time spread out over four tables of two, and guests also enjoy a version of the Chef’s Degustation Menu.

Cheese Course

Finally is the   Victoria and Albert’s Chef’s Table , an  ultra-exclusive 3-hour dining experience  where your party is seated  in the kitchen . The chefs that the guests interact with at the Chef’s Table craft their very own degustation menu that features all of their fresh and rare ingredients, depending on the party’s tastes.  There is one seating per night for parties of up to 6 guests (with a minimum of 4), and bookings need to be made as close to 60 days ahead as possible. Wine pairings can be added to the meal for an extra cost. You can find our most recent review of this experience here .

Click HERE for Our Latest Review on Victoria and Albert’s

Wine Bar George  in Disney Springs

Wine Bar George is the only Master Sommelier-owned wine bar in the state of Florida. The “George” in Wine Bar George is  Master Sommelier George Miliotes . Miliotes was previously best known in the Disney culinary scene as a member of the opening team of the Contemporary Resort’s signature restaurant,  California Grill .

Wine Bar George

The inviting 210-seat wine bar offers more than 130 choices by ounce, bottle, and glass. A menu of small plates and shareable entrees—created in partnership with Executive Chef Ron Rupert—complements the wine selection with terrific food. On Saturdays and Sundays, guests can enjoy the Wine Country Brunch.

Cheese Board from Wine Bar George

Wine Bar George never fails to impress, and provides a comfortable and welcoming atmosphere to wine novices and connoisseurs alike. In fact, The  World of Fine Wine  announced its awards for the World’s Best Regional Wine Lists for 2022, and  Wine Bar George won TWO awards in two categories : Best Wine Bar List In North America 2022 and Best By-The-Glass Wine List with Coravin in North America 2022.

Click HERE for Our Latest Review on Wine Bar George

Nomad lounge in disney’s animal kingdom.

Hand-crafted cocktails, as well as non-alcoholic specialty drinks and small plates, are on offer. African, Asian, and South American wines and beers are served, and these regions also feature in the flavors of the specialty cocktails.

Nomad Lounge

The experience of travel is celebrated at Nomad Lounge , so bring your sense of adventure! That said, the spot itself is so relaxing and welcoming, whether you choose to sit inside or on the outdoor covered patio offering views of Discovery River, you may want to abandon the desire to travel so you can sit and stay awhile in this truly lovely lounge.

Click HERE for Our Latest Review on Nomad Lounge

Jock lindsey’s hangar bar in disney springs.

So, who  is  Jock Lindsey? He’s an oft-trusted pilot for Indiana Jones from the popular film franchise, and he found his waterfront hangout while searching for the Fountain of Youth with Indiana himself. Tales of the travels of Jock and Indiana are told through the decor of this uniquely themed lounge.

Cocktails and tapas are the focus of the menu, with themed drinks like Reggie’s Revenge among the specialty beverages. Air Pirates Everything Pretzels, served with house-made mustard and beer cheese fondue, and Snakebite Sliders (“Why did it have to be snakes?”) are just two of several small plates available for noshing.

Click HERE for Our Latest Review on Jock Lindsey’s Hangar Bar

Trader sam’s grog grotto at polynesian village resort.

Trader Sam  — the famous Head Salesman of Jungle Cruise fame — has collected artifacts from all over the globe in his travels and has brought them to his “happy hideaway” in  Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort !

Disney details abound all over  Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto, a 51-seat bar that also features interactive elements from special effects throughout the room and zany antics from the bartenders in response to the ordering of certain libations (many of which are served in highly collectible souvenir tiki glasses)!

Zambezi Sour

While seating is limited, Trader Sam’s offers food as well as an extensive cocktail menu based on Trader Sam’s passion for mixology which developed as an offshoot of his professional interest in head-shrinking potions. The same menu is featured outside at  Trader Sam’s Tiki Terrace .

Click HERE for Our Latest Review on Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto

Dahlia lounge at gran destino tower, over in coronado springs.

This rooftop lounge is located next to the Tower’s  Toledo — Tapas, Steak, & Seafood  restaurant and offers lovely views across Walt Disney World.

Dahlia Lounge

Tapas and specialty cocktails crafted by mixologists are available, and Spanish cavas receive the spotlight on the wine list.

Click HERE for Our Latest Review on Dahlia Lounge

Sebastian’s Bistro at Caribbean Beach Resort or Ohana at the Polynesian  

We’ve already told you all about Sebastian’s Bistro, it’s a great hidden gem that usually has dining reservations available. And ‘Ohana at the Polynesian has its own following for the fun tiki atmosphere and delicious island-inspired food.

We recommend both of these spots specifically for the Bread Pudding. Sebastian’s serves Coconut-Pineapple Bread Pudding with a luxurious caramel sauce.

Click HERE for Our Latest Review on Sebastian’s Bistro

Scat cat’s club at port orleans french quarter.

Scat Cat’s Club Lounge  at  Port Orleans Resort—French Quarter serves drinks, live jazz, and more!

We didn’t expect to like it, but totally did

On select evenings (typically Fridays through Sundays), guests can listen to live musicians while sipping on specialty cocktails. A small menu of terrific New Orleans-inspired pub grub is also up for grabs, but we come here for the beignets.

Click HERE for Our Latest Review on Scat Cat’s Club

Beaches and cream at beach club resort.

Ah,  Beaches & Cream Soda Shop … THIS is the place to go for classic diner eats and GIGANTIC ice cream sundaes in Walt Disney World!

Kitchen Sink

Make a plan to stop here for the famous Kitchen Sink : an eight-scoop ice cream sundae (made for sharing with the whole group) served up with EVERY TOPPING in the house!

Click HERE for Our Latest Review on Beaches and Cream

Full lists of disney restaurants.

We’ve put together the best resource on the web for learning about Disney restaurants. Each of our pages includes reviews, little-known facts, menu links, and even dishes that each restaurant is famous for, so you can be sure you’re trying the best at every restaurant!

Click Here For a full list of Disney World Restaurants, Dining Reviews, and Official Menus

Click Here For a full list of Disneyland Restaurants, Dining Reviews, and Official Menus

Disney World Restaurant Search Tool

We developed this tool so that you could narrow your search to the restaurants that fit your family. Use it  to search Disney World restaurants based on criteria that’s important to you and your vacation style!

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We know disney. you can, too..

Oh boy, planning a Disney trip can be quite the adventure, and we totally get it! But fear not, dear friends, we compiled EVERYTHING you need (and the things to avoid!) to plan the ULTIMATE Disney vacation.

Whether you're a rookie or a seasoned pro, our insider tips and tricks will have you exploring the parks like never before. So come along with us, and get planning your most magical vacation ever!

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The only disney dining planning tool you’ll need is here – get the dfb guide to walt disney world dining, see our complete disney world restaurants guide, the best magic kingdom restaurants, the best epcot restaurant restaurants, the best restaurants in disney’s hollywood studios, the best restaurants in disney’s animal kingdom, the best disney springs restaurants, the best (and worst) disney world hotel restaurants, check out dozens of disney dining tips and tools, learn all about tipping at disney restaurants, how to use mobile order in disney world, join the dfb newsletter to get all the latest disney food news right in your inbox click here to subscribe, check out our other ebooks.

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Guide To The Disney Dining Plan

V acation mode = vacation food! For many travelers, the best part of taking a trip is experiencing the unique cuisine of their destination. While the phrase "theme park food" might conjure a connotation of gross hot dogs and generic funnel cakes, Walt Disney World's food options are a significant step above its industry's reputation. The Disney Dining Plan provides a convenient way to indulge in Disney's many unique dishes and signature snacks.

The sprawling Walt Disney World property near Orlando, Florida, offers plenty of quality food across its four theme parks, two water parks, over two dozen hotels, and entertainment district. From the international flavors of Epcot's World Showcase pavilions to a royal breakfast inside Cinderella's Castle, there's something to fit every taste, every age group, and every budget.

The Disney Dining Plan is an add-on that guests can attach to their Walt Disney World vacation package. With an allotment of meal credits for every day of the trip, many guests enjoy the Disney Dining Plan's convenience of paying for food up front. It's not quite "all-inclusive," but it's Disney's closest thing to it. How do you get the most of the Disney Dining Plan? Is it worth it in the first place? Let's find out. Please keep your hands and arms inside the ride vehicle at all times.

How Does The Disney Dining Plan Work?

Choose your own adventure between two plans. The first option, simply known as the Disney Dining Plan, comes with credits for one table-service meal, one quick-service meal, and one snack per person, each night of your vacation (the cost for 2024 is $94 per adult each night, $30 per child each night). The second option, the Disney Quick-Service Dining Plan, comes with credits for two quick-service meals and one snack per person, per night ($57 per adult each night, $24 per child each night). Both plans also come with a refillable resort mug (more on that later).

At a "table-service" restaurant, a server shows you to your table, and either a waiter takes your order or you enjoy a buffet. In contrast, at a "quick-service" dining location, you stand in a line to order food at a counter or a cash register, pick it up at a serving window, and seat yourself.

Table-service locations almost always require a reservation, while quick-service spots are walk-ups only. Also of note, the Dining Plan doesn't include gratuity, so plan on tipping your Cast Members at table-service restaurants. Children ages 3-9 are required to eat off the kids' menu, while children ages 2 and under are not eligible for a Dining Plan at all. However, these smaller travelers can eat free at buffets. If you're visiting with little tykes, plan to pay for their food on the go, even if the rest of the family is on a Dining Plan.

Is The Disney Dining Plan Worth It?

The ultimate question! This answer is subjective, but we'll do our best to help you decide. Disney says you'll save up to 20% on your food purchases with a Dining Plan. This is true, but only to a point. A table-service credit qualifies you for an entrée and a drink (or, in many cases, access to a buffet) at a sit-down restaurant. During lunch and dinner, you also get a dessert. A quick-service credit similarly qualifies you for an entrée and a drink at a walk-up location. A snack credit is eligible for quick bites or soda.

If you're already going to eat as much food as the Dining Plan gives you, it's a deal. Otherwise, you're paying for more food than you'll eat. On the flip side, the Disney Dining Plan is a great value if: 1. You typically order full meals on vacation; 2. You plan on frequenting at least one table-service restaurant every day of your trip regardless; or 3. This is a once-in-a-lifetime Disney trip and you'd like to experience as much as you can.

Beyond just the bottom dollar, the ease of paying for (almost) all of your meals before your vacation begins is enough of a selling point for many visitors to justify a Dining Plan, even if the math doesn't actually make it cheaper in the end. There's something to be said for less hassle while on vacation.

Research Menus Before Your Trip — And Make Reservations As Early As Possible

Are you a planner, or do you prefer to wing it? If you're on the Quick-Service Dining Plan and you really don't care where you eat, you can still get by with some degree of spontaneity, since quick-service locations are walk-up. If you're on the higher-tiered Disney Dining Plan, though, you'll need to plan ahead if you want to make the most of your vacation package.

Even if you purchased the Dining Plan upfront when you booked your trip, you still need to actually make dining reservations for each table-service restaurant you'd like to eat at. Guests can book reservations for Walt Disney World table-service restaurants 60 days before their resort check-in date beginning at 6 a.m. Eastern Standard Time, and spots fill up fast. If you wait until the last minute, you'll be left with slim pickings. This guidance goes for any guest, Dining Plan or not. Make those ressies early! You can do so on Disney's website, through the My Disney Experience app , or by calling 407-WDW-DINE.

Here in the digital age, you can peruse menus for each and every restaurant on Disney property on the destination's official website. Once you know which parks you'll be visiting on which days, map out how you'd like to allot your dining credits, table-service and quick-service alike. (When you view the online menus, be sure to select the filter of Dining Plan-eligible locations. It's most places, but better safe than sorry.)

Which Table-Service Restaurants Should You Use Your Dining Credits On?

With a few exceptions (more on those in a sec), most table-service restaurants "cost" the same amount in the eyes of the Disney Dining Plan — one credit. That being said, not all restaurant experiences are equal, financially speaking, when contrasting what each establishment charges guests who aren't on the Dining Plan. When exploring menus on Disney's website, pay attention to how many "$" symbols are next to each restaurant's name. If you're on the Dining Plan and deciding between two restaurants that both "cost" one credit, you'll be getting a better value for that credit by choosing whichever restaurant has more "$" symbols.

Beyond financial reasoning, you might be looking for restaurants that feel more "Disney" than others. If you prefer dining locations themed with an über-creative atmosphere, consider these table-service options: Be Our Guest at Magic Kingdom (inside the Beast's castle), Roundup Rodeo BBQ in Toy Story Land at Disney's Hollywood Studios, Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater at Disney's Hollywood Studios (the dining room is set up like a drive-in movie), or any character meal.

Speaking of characters, you can filter the menu selection on Disney's website to just show character dining. Our favorite character meal? Garden Grill at Epcot. The atmosphere is super chill, the unlimited food is locally grown, and the fun lineup of characters includes Chip, Dale, Pluto, and Mickey Mouse himself.

Some Table-Service Restaurants Cost Double-Credit

A handful of table-service eateries require two credits on the Disney Dining Plan. Since the Plan grants one table-service credit per night of your vacation, this means that if you dine at a double-credit location, you'll have one less table-service credit allotted elsewhere during your trip.

Restaurants in the double-credit category are typically premium experiences in one way or another. A few examples of locations costing two credits: Cinderella's Royal Table at Magic Kingdom (makes sense; it's inside Cinderella's Castle and you dine with the Disney Princesses), as well as restaurants that one might consider " fine dining " with a more formal atmosphere than traditional Disney fare (like Tiffins at Disney's Animal Kingdom).

Like many decisions on a Disney vacation, choosing whether to use up two dining credits on a single meal is largely subjective. It all depends on your idea of a dream vacation. That vision will look different for different people. You can check if the dining location you've got your eye on requires two credits by scrolling to the bottom of the eatery's individual page on Disney's website. (Unfortunately, the company doesn't have a handy list of them all.)

Tips For Refillable Mugs

Both the Disney Dining Plan and the Disney Quick-Service Dining Plan come with a refillable mug for every person in your travel party. These plastic cups with handles and lids are good for unlimited non-alcoholic drinks at any Disney resort hotel the length of your vacation. They also double as a great souvenir.

You can fill up your mug inside your resort's food court, where you'll find either a self-serve soda fountain or a Coca-Cola Freestyle machine. Nearby, you can alternatively help yourself to tea, hot chocolate, or Joffrey's coffee. Refillable mugs qualify for drinks at any Disney resort — even those you're not personally staying at — but they don't qualify for drinks inside the theme parks. Keep this in mind, especially in terms of bag space, as you think about when you'd like to bring your mug with you on the go, and when it might be best to leave it in your room.

A plastic cup in and of itself doesn't necessarily scream "Disney," but to us, the ritual of heading to the food court first thing in the morning to fill our mug with coffee — when the sun is first peeking out, and the resort campus is mostly quiet — is an experience as synonymous with a Disney vacation as meeting Mickey. Note: Refillable mugs are included with any Dining Plan, but they're also available for purchase separately by any guest for around $20. These same tips apply for anyone with a refillable mug, not just those using a Dining Plan.

Keeping Track Of Your Credits

You can check your remaining Dining Plan credits in the My Disney Experience app at any time. Additionally, each time you eat somewhere, you can see how many credits you have left at the bottom of your paper receipt.

Credits roll over day to day, so you can plan them strategically if you'd like. In other words, Disney allots you a certain number of meal and snack credits for each night of your vacation, but you can divvy those credits up however you prefer. Since, at their maximum, Disney Dining Plans provide two meals a day, maybe you'd rather use all your credits on three meals per day early in the trip, and then pay out of pocket for all meals on your final days. You can do that. Maybe you're not hungry for a snack today at Magic Kingdom, but tomorrow at Epcot there are two snacks you want to try. You can do that, too. It's up to you!

That being said, credits roll over within your vacation dates, but if you have any leftover credits at the end of the trip, they'll expire at midnight on your last day of vacation (the day you check out of your hotel). If you have leftover snack credits, at the very least make a pitstop by your resort's gift shop and grab some individually packaged items (like crackers or candy) for the road so that your credits don't go to waste.

The Disney Dining Plan Is For Disney Resort Guests Only

Disney only offers the Dining Plan as a vacation package option for guests staying at a Disney resort hotel . At the time of this writing, there is no multi-day dining package for offsite guests and no single-day dining package for daytrippers. We've visited other parks in America that offer all-day dining as an add-on to a one-day ticket. Some parks even offer a season-long dining package for annual passholders. No such program exists at Walt Disney World.

On one hand, it's logical that Disney would want to incentivize guests to stay at one of its own hotels as opposed to taking business elsewhere for overnight accommodations. On the other hand, even if the approach makes sense, it's a bummer that offsite guests don't have any comparable Dining Plan options available.

If having a Dining Plan is top-priority for you, but you also don't want to break the bank with your hotel selection, consider the three most economical resorts within Disney's "value" category: Disney's All-Star Sports Resort, Disney's All-Star Music Resort, and Disney's All-Star Movies Resort. Rates start around $160 per night and increase depending on the day of the week, time of the year, and room location.

What's The Difference Between The Disney Dining Plan And Tables In Wonderland?

Disney lingo can be confusing. Sometimes we feel like we need a dictionary to keep track of the ever-changing terminology. Quick-service? Refillable mug? Genie+ and Lightning Lanes ? What does it all mean? When researching the ins and outs of the Disney Dining Plan, you may come across the phrase "Tables In Wonderland" in various out-of-date resources. Though the term is defunct (for now, at least), it's still worth clarifying, if for no other reason than to emphasize Tables In Wonderland is not interchangeable vocabulary for the Disney Dining Plan if a guide you're reading happens to reference it.

Tables In Wonderland refers to a discontinued program in which Florida residents, Disney Vacation Club Members, and Walt Disney World Annual Passholders could save 20% on dining. In 2022 , a representative from Plan Disney, an official website operated by Disney itself, said, "The beloved Tables In Wonderland has not returned to Walt Disney World Resort at this time. I am sad to report I do not have any updates on the return timeframe of this wonderful program."

While we're on the topic of knee-deep Disney planning, make sure to bookmark our list of underrated Disney experiences to try on your trip.

When Does Disney Offer Free Dining?

Free? Disney? You're not imagining things. Pre-pandemic, Disney annually offered the Dining Plan for free if you booked a resort package on select dates (typically autumn). You might be wondering, "Ok, but what's the catch?" Other than staying at an eligible resort, there's really no catch. "Yeah, but there's gotta be something they're not telling you, right?" Most things that seem too good to be true probably are, but in this case, free dining really does mean free dining.

We took advantage of this glorious deal during a trip with extended family. We practically felt like we won the lottery by bringing 10 people to Disney for five days and eating free food the whole time! We visited restaurants we would've never thought to try without a Dining Plan, and found many new favorites that we returned to in later trips.

Post-pandemic, there's currently no word on when Disney might offer free Dining Plans in the future. However, for as frequently as Disney offered it in the past — literally every year for a decade — we wouldn't be surprised if the company reinstated the free dates sometime after the Dining Plan's big 2024 return settles down.

Ways To Save Money On Disney Food If You're NOT On The Dining Plan

If you think the Disney Dining Plan comes with too much food than you'll be able to eat, or if its cost isn't in your budget, there are other ways to cut costs on Walt Disney World food. For starters, order water as your drink with all meals. Cups of water are free at every dining location. (Besides, your body needs water way more than carbonated soda, especially in the Florida heat.) Also in the beverage realm, if you can't go without soda, you can purchase a refillable mug for about $20 at your resort (see above), even if you're not using the Disney Dining Plan. If you use it enough, the mug will save you some money compared to paying for soda, tea, or coffee individually.

Quick-service restaurants are less expensive than table-service restaurants. Additionally, while the kids menu at some quick-service spots have the standards that you'd expect (chicken nuggets, pizza, etc.), other locations opt for a kids menu simply consisting of smaller portions of the same food on the adult menu. If you tend to eat small meals, this is a great hack. (And you can use it at Satu'li Canteen in Pandora - The World of Avatar, one of the best quick-service hangs in all of Walt Disney World.) You can also plan to use groceries for some meals (see below).

Bringing Food From Home

You're welcome to bring food from home, helping to save money and/or supplement that third meal each day that the Dining Plan doesn't comp. Sometimes a protein bar and some fruit makes for a more practical on-the-go breakfast when you're trying to make it to the parks early anyway.

Disney resort hotel rooms come with a mini-fridge, but be aware that the rooms don't have any other kitchen appliances (with the exception of villas). However, some resorts have a microwave and toaster in their food court that any guest can use themselves.

If you plan on making a stop for groceries on your way into Orlando, most supermarkets in the immediate vicinity of Disney property are absolute nightmares. Like, horror stories . Our go-to is the Publix at Regency Village Shopping Center, near the outlet mall close to Disney Springs. It follows the typical crowd patterns of any given grocery store around the country. Read: you won't feel the need to scream into a pillow when you get back to your car, as would be the case if you visited the always-freakishly-busy-even-in-the-dead-of-night Wal-Mart on Vineland Road. Additionally, an up-and-coming area known as Flamingo Crossings is located immediately off the western side of Disney property. It will likely boom into a more touristy district in the future as it continues to develop, but for now, its Target is relatively low-key. And then, of course, there's always Instacart or similar grocery delivery services.

Read this next: Tips For Spending Less On Food When Traveling