What You Need to Know About
Booking Dining Reservations

When you stay on-site, you get to make dining reservations for your entire trip 60 days before you check-in → that means everyone checking in before you will have first dibs on the reservations during your trip.

Because of this, those super hard to get reservations can be completely booked before your dining window even opens.

We want to make your reservations as soon as possible when your reservation window opens to have the best chance to get you want you want.

Tips on choosing your reservations:

• If you have an extremely popular dining destination on your must-do list, I recommend scheduling it for later in your trip (Day 5+) when it is more likely to have availability. Those first few days (1-4) will always have lower availability.

• Unless your trip is designed around food, I recommend only making one Table Service or Character dining reservation daily. I like having at least one because it lets you get out of the heat, rest your feet, and relax.

• You can make a reservation at any resort, you do not have to be a guest to eat there!

• You do need to have a park ticket to eat inside of a park.

When should you have a sit-down meal?

Option 1: Eat at off times (between 2-4 p.m.) and grab a table service reservation for mid-day when it's hot and the lines are long. This is my preferred option.

Option 2: Take advantage of park time and have a nice reservation waiting for you when the parks close in Disney Springs OR any resort! You can also consider a just before park closing reservation time so that you can walk out to an empty park!  (between 8-10 pm)

Option 3: Have a nice long breakfast, particularly if you're doing a character breakfast like Chef Mickey's or Topolinos. This is best done on a rest day. I like to book them on my checkout day as a good way to say "goodbye, Disney!"

I don’t recommend an early table service breakfast on a park day. You want to use that morning time to maximize your time in the parks. If you do want a long, sit down breakfast, book it for after 10 am, when the park begins to get more crowded.

Please also make sure you have a credit card on file under”My Profile - Payment Method” in your Disney app. There is no fee to book dining reservations (except for select reservations like Cinderella's Royal Table - I will let you know if you choose a reservation with a booking fee) but there must be a card on file to make dining reservations. 

I may need to split you into multiple reservations if you have a large party. I will make them as close together as possible. When you check in at the restaurant, you can ask to be seated together, and Disney will do their best to accommodate.