6 Insider Tips to Booking Your Disney Dining Reservations

Planning a trip to Disney can be magical, but securing those coveted dining reservations? That’s where the real magic comes in! As a frequent traveler to Walt Disney World, I’ve learned some insider tips. Dining at the most popular restaurants requires strategy, timing, and a few insider secrets.

I personally LOVE booking my Disney Dining Reservations. It’s like when that 60-day window opens, and I am setting up our table service meals, my trip seems SO much closer! And, there’s such a satisfaction to seeing them lined up nicely in my My Disney Experience account! But, those dining reservations also come with lots of experience and strategy! Here are six tips that will transform your Disney dining experience.

The 60+10 Day Booking Strategy

Walt Disney World’s dining reservation system allows guests to make Disney dining reservations 60 days in advance of their arrival date. However, if you’re staying at a Disney resort, you gain a significant advantage: you can book reservations for your entire stay (up to 10 days) once your 60-day window opens. This means if you’re staying for 7 days, you can actually book dining for your final day nearly 67 days in advance!

In order to open this booking window, it is CRUCIAL that your Resort Reservation is linked in your My Disney Experience. This is the key that unlocks your length of stay for booking.

Pro tip: Identify your must-have reservations and schedule them for later in your trip. This gives you a crucial edge over other guests who haven’t reached their 60-day window yet.

The 6:00 AM EST Reservation Drop

Disney’s reservation system refreshes at exactly 6:00 AM Eastern Time online. Set your alarm, have multiple devices ready, and be logged into your Disney account before 6:00 AM strikes. Those precious first seconds can make the difference between scoring a table at Cinderella’s Royal Table or settling for quick service.

Pro tip: Use a world clock to ensure you’re working with the correct time zone, especially if you’re planning from outside the Eastern Time Zone. Also, keep in mind that Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique and Savi’s Workshop open at midnight. SO, save yourself some time, and book those around 5:45AM before you start booking your meals.

The Strategic Cancellation Window

Many guests don’t realize that Disney has a 24-hour cancellation policy. This creates a golden opportunity: check for reservations at around 24 hours before your desired dining time. You’ll often find that other guests are canceling to avoid the no-show fee, opening up slots at even the most exclusive restaurants. This strategy works well when you are in the theme parks and you want to make a last minute change to your current reservation OR book whatever is available.

Pro tip: Set a daily reminder to check the app at strategic times, particularly early morning and late evening when people tend to finalize their plans.

Book a Lunch Reservation

Everyone wants dinner at Disney’s table service restaurants, but lunch often offers the same menu at a lower price point and with much better availability. Restaurants like Le Cellier, Tiffins, and California Grill provide exceptional lunch experiences with significantly less competition for reservations.

Also, booking a super late breakfast or a lunch will give you a nice break from the parks while they start to get crowded for the day. Some character dining, such as Chef Mickey’s, Crystal Palace, & Garden Grill offer all 3 meals of the day! A lunch at any of these is a great way to take a break and see some characters.

Pro tip: For character dining experiences, breakfast or lunch typically offers more personal character interactions than the busy dinner service.

Utilize the Walk-Up Waitlist

Disney’s relatively new Walk-Up Waitlist feature on the My Disney Experience app is seriously underutilized. Once you’re within approximately 1 mile of a restaurant, you can join the waitlist through the app, even if the restaurant showed no availability when you checked earlier.

Pro tip: This works especially well during off-peak dining hours (2:00-4:00 PM for lunch/dinner) or during major parade or fireworks times when no-shows are common.

Split Your Dining Party for Better Availability

Can’t find a table for your entire party? Try breaking your group into smaller parties and booking separate reservations at similar times. Upon arrival, politely ask the host if your party can be seated together. While this isn’t guaranteed, hostesses will often accommodate these requests when possible.

Pro tip: This works best at larger restaurants with more flexible seating arrangements. Always be kind and understanding if they can’t accommodate the request.

Remember, securing dining reservations at Disney requires persistence and flexibility. Even with these insider tips, always have backup plans and be open to discovering new dining experiences. Sometimes the unplanned meals become the most memorable parts of your Disney vacation!