Disney offers a variety of dining options ranging from snack carts and counter service locations to fine dining experiences. The table service restaurants can be very popular and a table can be difficult to find during peak times.
During the planning of your Disney World vacation, we suggest that you take a look at the restaurants offered and make an “advance dining reservation” (or ADR) for the restaurants of your choice. Dining Reservations can be made at all of the Walt Disney World Table Service restaurants 60-days* in advance. Guests staying at a Walt Disney World Resort can make all of their dining reservations for their entire length of their stay (up to 10 days of your vacation) at 60-days* from their arrival date. Dining reservations can be made by either calling Disney Dining at (407) WDW-DINE, online using the official Disney website, or booking via the My Disney Experience app.
*The Walt Disney World Resort has switched from a 180-day booking window to a 60-day booking window in order to allow guests to make plans closer to their visits. Please visit our Walt Disney World Reopening Information and Updates page for more detailed information.
Dining Reservations Frequently Asked Questions:
Advance Disney Dining Reservation Tips
We have assembled a list of tips that might help you in getting the reservation you want.
- Be flexible in your dining time. The most popular times will certainly book first. For lunch, that will be between 12:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. and for dinner, it will typically be between 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. The less popular dining times will be easier to secure.
- Be aware of special events surrounding the restaurant of your choice. Getting a window seat at the California Grill (at the Contemporary Resort) during the Magic Kingdom fireworks show might take some advanced planning.
HOT TIP: Even if you dine at California Grill at 5:00 p.m., you can return to the restaurant later in the evening to watch fireworks from the observation decks by simply showing your receipt (from the same evening) at the check-in desk.
- Be practical in booking your family's reservation. Generally, breakfast is less expensive than lunch and lunch is less expensive than dinner. Booking a late reservation at one of the breakfast buffets might serve as your midday meal allowing you to beat the lunch rush and pay the less expensive amount. The same is true for a late lunch. Booking the last lunch seating might allow you to dine at the restaurant of your choice and pay the lower lunch prices. The other benefit to this is that you might find shorter wait times at the popular attractions during the popular dining times.
- Be prepared to split large parties. Many Disney restaurants have a limited number of tables accommodating large parties. It might be necessary to book two tables for 4 rather than one table for 8. Disney restaurants are usually very accommodating when seating large parties. Just let them know that you booked two tables and they will usually do their best to seat your party at the same table or near one another.
- Be aware that Disney’s dining reservation system is not perfect. You might find difficulty in booking a table for two, but have no trouble finding a table for three. The reservation system will attempt to find a table appropriate for your party size and when it doesn’t, it will tell you that there are no available tables. This is often not the case. There may be plenty of space available, but no tables for two. There isn’t a restaurant anywhere that would deny a party of two a table for four if it is available. Occupancy is also a factor. Each restaurant has a maximum capacity regulation in accordance with fire codes. The reservation system will not let the restaurant go over it's maximum capacity at any given time.
- Keep in mind that certain times of the year are much more crowded than others. Getting a table during the 2nd week of January will be much easier than getting the same table the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day. Reservations are available 60-days out and 60-days + 10 for guests staying at a Disney Resort. (This extra 10 days allows Disney Resort guests to book all of their ADRs on the same phone call as opposed to calling/checking back each day as the 60-day mark passes) Be aware of the 60-day mark and make your ADRs.
- Be persistent. If you are faced with your chosen location being booked, call/check back at a later time. Plans change and people cancel. Also…keep in mind that most Disney reservations need to be paid in full 45 days prior to arrival. Many reservations are canceled at the last minute. Try checking again 45-days prior to your chosen date.
- Be courteous to other guests and cancel any unwanted reservations. There is a family just like yours waiting for the reservation that you will not be using. Along the same lines…making duplicate reservations for the same time frame so you having dining options rather than a single reservation is frowned upon and bad form. This is not something that can easily be done, but folks still somehow find a way to make it happen. Also - if you don't cancel within the appropriate cancellation period, you will be charged $10 per person; in some cases, the charge is more depending on where you've booked.
- Don’t assume that you won’t get what you want. It is often possible to get a last-minute reservation at the restaurant of your choice. It is not unheard of to get a table for 8 during peak lunch hours at a popular restaurant. It doesn’t hurt to keep checking back.
- Children under 3 ALWAYS need to be included when making your reservation. Sometimes folks don't include the baby when making their dining reservations and are surprised when the restaurant is unable to accomodate their party size upon their arrival. Just because the baby will sit on someone's lap and not take up a chair does not mean they don't count as a person when it comes to the occupancy of the restaurant. Remember, a person is a person no matter their age.
- If all else has failed and a reservation just doesn’t happen…try walking up to the podium and ask about being seated. Again, it doesn’t hurt to ask and you never know how many “no shows” have occurred. This is especially true when it is raining. Many guests leave the parks when it begins to rain and restaurants find themselves with empty tables.
We hope these tips and tricks help you get the Disney dining reservation you want.
Bon appétit!
Call (407) WDW-DINE
Disney Dining Reservation Cancellation Policy
For all table service restaurant reservations, guests will have to provide a credit card guarantee. If the reservation needs to be cancelled, but isn't done one day in advance [at most dining locations], a $10 per person charge will be made to the card. Reservations can be cancelled up to 11:59 p.m. the day before the reservation to avoid the charge. To cancel, guests can call (407) WDW-CNCL, stop by any table service restaurant front desk, call (407) WDW-DINE, or use your My Disney Experience app. You may want to consider modifying your reservation to a different date as well. Reservations can also be made and cancelled online at www.DisneyWorld.com/Dining.
Some locations require pre-payment, such as Cinderella's Royal Table, Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue, and the Spirit of Aloha Dinner Show. If these reservations aren't cancelled one day in advance, the full amount will be charged.
This policy is in place for both Disney owned and operated restaurants, as well as operating participants.
Whenever you make a dining reservation, you want to be sure to read the cancellation policy for each restaurant as it can vary by location and is subject to change at any time.
Guests can make dining reservations for the following restaurants by using the OpenTable app on their smart phone: