Disney Dining Reservation Tips

Below is a listing of Disney Dining Reservation Tips. Due to the extreme popularity of the table service restaurants in Disney World, reservations are absolutely required.

Character Dining, Signature Dining, and the Dinner Shows are all very popular meal choices. Most of the table service restaurants start booking 180 days in advance – and often fill up a couple of months in advance.

Be prepared! Read through the Disney dining reservation tips below to ensure that you and your family secure seating for the restaurants at which you want to dine!

If you have a tip that you would like to share, please click here or use the Submit a Tip form at the bottom of this page. I will gladly post your tip. If you wish, include your name (first name is good enough), so we can give you recognition.

• Check out all of the wonderful dining opportunities at Disney World. Select the ones you want to experience.
  

• Don’t dismiss the Resorts! Some of the best culinary treats offered at Disney are at the Resort hotel restaurants.
  

• Familiar yourself with the ADR policy and procedure. ADR stand for Advance Dining Reservation.
  

• Make your ADRs at your 180 day point. Here is a cool tool to help you calculate your 180 day date. (Link takes you to an outside resource not affiliated with Plan a Magical Vacation)
  

• If you are using a Disney Dining Plan (basic or deluxe option), it is extremely important that you make ADRs. If you don’t, and can’t use your table service credits during your vacation because you can’t get into a restaurant, you lose them! That would be a shame!
  

• If you are staying at a Disney resort, you can take advantage of the 180 plus 10 feature. This means that you can call 180 days in advance of your check-in date and make up to 10 days worth of ADRs! (Note that this special does not apply to Cinderella's Royal Table – you should book that one exactly 180 days before).
  

• Have your reservation number on hand when calling for reservations. The cast member on the phone has to verify that you will be staying at a Disney resort before they will allow you to use the 180 plus ten feature.
  

• Put the Disney Dining phone numbers on your speed dial.
  
  

  Disney Dining:	(407) WDW-DINE
  Disney Toll Free:	1-877-939-3732

• The reservation center is open from 7:00 am to 10:00 pm Eastern time. It is busiest first thing in the morning but tends to be less busy after 8:00 pm.
  

• Start dialing before 7:00 a.m. Eastern time, especially if you are trying for Cinderella’s Royal Table, Le Cellier or any of the other more popular restaurants.
  

• Do not make the mistake in thinking that you can just walk up to a table service restaurant and be seated, even if it is during a slow time at Disney.
  

• The Chefs Table at Victoria and Albert’s and Cinderella’s Royal Table book up completely within a matter of minutes every day. Plan accordingly.
  

• Have a credit card ready. Some reservations require prepayment or the use of a credit card to hold the seating. No credit card – no reservation! Also, be sure to cancel these ADRs if your vacation plans change – they do charge for no-shows!
  

• If you don’t get the restaurant you want, keep trying! People make multiple ADRs and often change or cancel reservations, especially at the 45 day point or closer. That is because payment for a Disney Vacation package is due in full 45 days before arrival. If somebody cancels their trip – they often cancel all of their ADRs!

• Lunch ADRs are easier to get than dinner ADRs. Try to schedule a really early lunch instead of breakfast, or a really late lunch instead of dinner.
  

• If you have prepaid or put a credit card hold on a reservation, make sure you call and cancel it if you have changed vacation plans. When you cancel a Disney trip your ADRs are not automatically cancelled! Don’t get charged for not showing up!
  

• If you know that you will not be able to use an ADR, please call and cancel it. This will free up a slot for somebody else.
  

• If you have a large party, you may be split up. This is not as big a deal as it sounds! The staff will usually push tables together or at least try to seat you near (if not next to) each other. You may have to wait a little longer than normal for tables to become available. We traveled with a party of 13 and had no trouble whatsoever – even at the Castle and Le Cellier. I would suggest making your ADR for the first seating tiime.
  

• Not securing a specific dining experience will not ruin your vacation! Try a new restaurant – you might just love it!
  

Do you have a great Disney Dining Reservation Tip to share?

If you have a Disney Dining Reservation tip that you would like to share, please use the Submit a Tip form below. I will gladly post your tip. Please include your name (first name is good enough), so we can personally thank you. If you have a tip for a different category, that's cool too. If you'd like to suggest a new category, you can do that on this form also.

More Info:

Disney World Dining
Disney Resorts Dining
ADR – Advance Dining Reservation
Disney Dining Plan – Basic Option
Disney Dining Plan – Deluxe Option

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