How to Make Disney World Dining Reservations

1. Make your choices.

Research the restaurants in each park, Downtown Disney, and the Boardwalk. They’re all interesting in their own way. Consider full-service restaurants, character dining experiences, and Disney dinner shows. Determine your top choices and back-ups for every meal. You’ll need this list handy to make reservations before they fill up.

2. Check the map.

Make your dining reservations at restaurants where you have theme park admission that day. A ticket is always required, even for dining. No ticket, but still itching for that Disney flair? Disney resort restaurants don’t require admission. For example, Sanaa is a short Disney shuttle away from Animal Kingdom and they serve delicious, memorable food. To manage time, also remember to research average meal lengths (30min-3hrs) and book a maximum of two reservations per day.

Pro Tip: Didn’t get the reservation you wanted? Check periodically for cancellations. Still no luck? Bring snacks and eat food from the quick-service booths. To save even more time, order quick-service food through the Disney app instead of waiting in line.

3. Set an alarm.

Start reserving at exactly 6:00am EST, 180 days before your vacation begins. Either hop on the app at 6:00am EST or call 407-WDW-DINE at 7:00am EST. While offsite guests must book one day at a time, Disney Resort guests may book dining reservations and “Enchanting Extras” for their full vacation (up to 10 days) on this first day. Consequently, reservations for day one of your trip will be the hardest to book. Set on dining at Cinderella’s Royal Table? Perhaps schedule Magic Kingdom for day two of your vacation.

Follow these steps, and you’ll be an absolute pro at making Disney World dining reservations!