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Disney World Dining Reservations

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How do you make Disney World Dining Reservations? If you are visiting Walt Disney World and plan to eat at one of the wonderful Disney restaurants then you really do need to plan ahead. It is becoming increasingly difficult to get a ‘walk in’ for a Disney restaurant these days so to avoid disappointment then you really should think about making reservations ahead of time.

Do I Really Need to Make Disney World Dining Reservations?

The simple answer is yes. I know that for some the thought of planning so far ahead is not a great prospect but with the popularity of the Disney Dining Plan for guests a lot of the restaurants book out 6 months ahead of time.

If you want to book a character meal or dinner show then it is particularly important to book ahead. The most popular restaurants are:

Cinderella’s Royal Table

To get a reservation here you have to be very quick and book as soon as the booking window opens. I do mean as soon as it opens because they have usually gone in minutes!

Other very popular restaurants are Epcot Le Cellier Steakhouse, the adult only dining at Victoria and Albert’s, the dinner who Hoop De Doo Review and California Grill.

How Do I Make A Disney World Dining Reservation?

You can call 407 WDW DINE or book online on the Disney World website.

Everyone can book up to 180 days ahead. If you are staying at a Disney World resort hotel then you can book up to 190 days ahead of time – you have to provide your booking reference when you book your dining. This does give Disney World resort guests a big advantage to booking those very popular restaurants such as Cinderella’s Royal Table.

What If You Do Not Have a Disney Dining Reservation?

Perseverance can sometimes pay off. Even if it looks like an impossible task to get a reservation at a particular restaurant keep trying. Guests do cancel reservations and so if you keep checking online or by phone you may get lucky. In my experience it is a lot easier to check what is available online. You can see what is available for your chosen time if your first choice is not available. The phone system is in my experience more time consuming than booking online.

You can always try a walk in and sometimes you will get lucky. When you arrive at a theme park try Guest Services first to see what reservations they have. I also use my iPhone a lot so that I can try to get reservations online the morning we arrive. I often do this whilst standing in line for the attractions so I can see what is available ( this only works at quieter times and if you are prepared to be flexible though).

You can always go to the restaurant directly and see if they have any walk ins available. This does some times work. I even once got a walk in for the very coveted Le Cellier Steakhouse for lunch.

Remember too that you can go to any restaurant podium to see which restaurants are available. So for instance you could go to Le Cellier and ask if there is anything available at Jiko as their system should show all Disney restaurants.

Let us know your experience with the Disney World Dining Reservations system by leaving us a Comment!

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