From character dining experiences to fine dining venues serving authentic cuisines from around the world, you’re spoiled for choice when it comes to eating out at Walt Disney World. But if you want to try some of the most in-demand restaurants at Disney World, you’ll need dinner reservations. Making “Advanced Dining Reservations,” or ADRs as they are popularly called, is an important part of the planning for your Disney vacation. If you’ve been wondering – How do I make dinner reservations at Disney World? – we’ve got you covered.
You can make advance reservations for dinner and other special experiences at Walt Disney World online, by phone, and through the My Disney Experience app.
Continue reading to get the answers to all your questions about dining reservations at Disney World, including how soon you can book a table, what time the reservation window open, what happens if you need to cancel, and whether you’re charged if you don’t show up.
How to make advanced dining reservations at Disney World?
There are three ways to make dinner reservations at your favorite restaurants in Walt Disney World.
- Make Disney dining reservations and book Enchanting Extras online. The website allows you to reserve your table at a restaurant or book your tickets for seasonal events, unique tours, and recreational activities.
- Use the phone to make dinner reservations at Disney World by calling (407) 939-6690 or (407) WDW-DINE. Disney Vacation Club Members should call (800) 800-9800.
- Login to the My Disney Experience app.
How to make dinner reservations through the Disney app?
Make sure you have the latest version of the My Disney Experience app so that you have all the new features. Keep your credit card handy. Click on the plus sign at the bottom of your screen. Various options will pop up. Choose “Check Dining Availability” and enter the details such as date and time and your party size. You’ll also have the option of choosing “Now” to see if any walk-up spaces are currently available. If a table is available at the restaurant you want, go ahead and confirm your reservation. You’ll be asked to give credit card details to hold your place but you won’t be charged anything just yet.
How to make advance dining reservations for Disney World on the phone?
Call (407) WDW-DINE or (407) 939-6690 and follow the instructions. Disney phone lines are open Monday through Friday 7 am to 11 pm ET and Saturday and Sunday 7 am to 8 pm ET. Use the phone only if you don’t have access to the website or the smartphone app, because it’s much quicker to do that way.
How soon can I make dining reservations at Disney World restaurants?
You can make advance dining reservations 60 days in advance. Guests staying at a Disney Resort hotel can make dinner reservations 60 days plus the length of their stay (up to a maximum of 10 days). Meaning, Disney onsite guests have 10 bonus days or a total of 70 days to book a dinner table in advance. (The advance reservation window for all guests used to be 180 days in the pre-pandemic era).
When do Disney World dining reservations open?
The reservation window opens at 5:45 am ET on the My Disney Experience app. The phone hotline opens at 7 am ET. If you want to snag a table at the most popular Disney World restaurants, plan on making your dining reservation as early as possible as soon as the booking window opens 60 days before your planned dinner date.
What’s the cancellation policy for advance dinner reservations at Disney World?
Each restaurant at Disney World has its own cancellation policy. Be sure to check the policy before paying for your dining reservation. The cancellation policy will be mentioned in your email confirmation as well. There may be a per-person cancellation charge if you cancel after the designated window or are a no-show. This is usually $10 per person if you cancel within 24 hours of your arrival time. You can cancel a dining reservation online by logging into your Disney account.
10 Things to Know about Advance Dining Reservations at Disney World
#1: You need a valid theme park admission ticket for every member of your party. A dining reservation does not guarantee admission to the theme park where the restaurant is located. If you’re planning to eat at a table-service restaurant in Disney World on a specific day, be sure you have tickets for that theme park for that day, a reservation for park entry through the Park Pass system, and a dining reservation.
#2: If you’re planning to dine at any of the restaurants in Disney Resort hotels, an advanced reservation is mandatory for day guests (i.e., if you’re staying off site). Advanced dinner reservations are also highly recommended for guests staying overnight at a Disney Resort hotel.
#3: Be sure to arrive on time for your dinner reservation at Disney World, especially if your booking is close to opening time when there is typically a rush of guests.
#4: Not much of a planner? You can try your luck at even the most in-demand Disney World restaurants by simply showing up and asking about walk-in availability.
#5: If there’s a favorite restaurant you absolutely don’t want to miss and dinner reservations are hard to come by, consider going for lunch. That’s when most people are in the theme parks and are grabbing quick meals. You might get lucky at a fine dining venue with table service that’s open for lunch.
#6: It’s useful to have the latest update on the My Disney Experience app on your smartphone. You can check in through the app when you arrive at the restaurant and receive push notifications when your table is ready. If you don’t have a reservation, you can check current dining availability and add your party to the mobile walk-up waiting list. It’s also possible to view Disney World restaurant menus and place mobile orders from quick service restaurants through the app.
#7: If you’re not having any luck with dinner reservations at Disney Springs restaurants, try Open Table, a real-time online restaurant reservation system.
#8: You cannot make more than one dining reservation at Disney World for the same meal. Your advance dining reservations will need to be at least 2 hours apart.
#9: You can view and modify dinner reservations at Disney World restaurants through the My Disney Experience app. Note that your reservation is linked to a specific Disney account. If you can’t see it, check if you made the reservation on another account. Made dining reservations over the phone? They might not show up in the app. If you have a confirmation email but the reservation doesn’t show up in the app, you can link the reservation to your Disney account.
#10: You will need a credit card to make advanced dining reservations at Disney World. Disney uses your card as a placeholder. You will be charged a cancellation fee if you don’t show up or cancel after 11:59 pm ET on the day before your reservation date.
If you’re planning to dine at a table-service restaurant in Disney World, we highly recommend making dinner reservations in advance. Now that you know the ins and outs of Disney World advanced dining reservations, this should be easy.