How to Secure Hard-to-Get Disney Dining Reservations
Enjoying a yummy meal at your first-pick restaurant is usually the cherry on top of a perfect Disney vacation, but with the high demands and increasingly large crowds, getting a seat at your favorite spot can seem impossible, especially if you or someone in your crew has their heart set on a place as special as Be Our Guest or Cinderella’s Royal Table. Well, fear no more because I have a solid game plan to help you tackle this task correctly! Here’s how to secure hard-to-get Disney dining reservations:
STEP 1: Decide Which Day You want to Dine
First, you need to know which day you want to dine; otherwise, booking in advance is impossible. If you need help deciding when to go on your Disney vacation, refer to my handy dandy crowd calendar.
Step 2: Set a Reminder for Two Months in Advance
Set a phone reminder to book your reservation two months in advance. This may seem extreme, but trust me when I say available seats are filled immediately. Even better, if you’re staying at a Disney hotel, you can book reservations three months in advance, so take advantage of that perk!
Step 3: Book Your Spot at 6 am Sharp!
Disney dining reservations are released daily at 6 am EST, so plan to be at your computer by no later than 5:55 am (or have your phone and credit card set aside on your nightstand 😅) and get ready to hit that refresh button on www.disneyworld.disney.go.com or www.disneyland.disney.go.com depending upon where you plan to go for your trip (reservations can also be made on the My Disney Experience and Disneyland apps).
Do NOT wait until 6:05 am or even 6:01 am to get started because those popular places will get booked out asap. You can also try calling (407) WDW-DINE (939-3463) but I’d recommend doing that as your second attempt since the hotline opens at 7 am EST.
STEP 4: Be flexible about your dining table
The Disney website and apps allow you to set certain filters when you book dining reservations, but I’d recommend viewing all times available. This means you may have to settle for eating brunch at a particular place instead of dinner or vice versa. Try not to limit your options; just be happy that you can eat at said establishment altogether!
Step 5: Check Back Daily
Realistically speaking, there’s a good chance you won’t be one of the lucky ones and get the reservation right away (because hundreds, if not thousands, of others, will also be trying to get on those lists), but don’t let that discourage you. Set a daily reminder to check back, and do not slack off because people cancel all of the time. Even if it’s the day before your trip, it’s still worth the try because you never know if a spot just became available.
(FYI, it also helps if you can occasionally check at very odd hours, like 2 or 3 am. This is how I was able to get a reservation at Be Our Guest in Magic Kingdom.)
Step 6: Consider Third-Party Reservation Alerts
For those extra EXTRA hard-to-get-into-places like Cinderella’s Royal Table, it may be worth using an alert system like Mouse Dining.
Now, Mouse Dining is free and works like a charm, but for a joint like Cindy’s, it wouldn’t be a terrible idea to pay for the text alerts. I say this because I once used it for Space 2020 and did get email alerts twice for openings. However, since they only went to my email inbox, I was about four or five minutes late and missed both opportunities. Had I received the text alerts, I would have been able to book right then and there.
Step 7: Try the Walk Up Wait List
If all else fails and you can’t get the reservation you wanted, you can still walk up to the restaurant when it opens (try to be first in line if you can) and ask a cast member if they can pencil you in. This is when they’ll know about last-minute openings. They may also add you to the walk-up waitlist and text you when it’s your turn to dine in later.
Where Do I Go to Book the Reservations?
Disney dining reservations can be booked in three different ways:
- On your desktop via the www.disneyworld.disney.go.com or www.disneyland.disney.go.com websites (make sure you’re logged in, then click on the “Things to Do” tab at the top > Make Dining Reservations > set your filters as needed).
- On your mobile device through the My Disney Experience or Disneyland apps.
- Over the phone when you dial (407) WDW-DINE (939-3463).
Do I Need Park Tickets To Make Dining Reservations?
Not always! While many restaurants (including the aforementioned Cinderella’s Royal Table) are in the actual theme parks and, therefore, require a parking ticket, many Disney restaurants are not, and they’re a great way to get your Disney magic fix without actually forking over the cash for a full-on park ticket.
You can enjoy the hotel restaurants (even if you’re not a hotel guest) and places throughout Downtown Disney and Disney Springs without a theme park ticket. My personal favorites include Goofy’s Kitchen, Sanaa at the Animal Kingdom Lodge, and Chef Mickey’s.
Have you ever scored hard-to-get Disney dining reservations? Where’s your favorite place to grab a bite when visiting Disney World or Disneyland?
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