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The Ins and Outs of Disney World’s Advance Dining Reservation System

by Mommy Frog on March 3, 2024 595 Orlando

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As you've probably learned by now, Walt Disney World vacations require lots of planning, and dining is no different. While the quick-service restaurants in the parks are always an option, most families visiting Disney World would like to include at least one table-service meal. For that, we highly recommend making Advance Dining Reservations, or "ADRs" for short. With dinner shows, character meals, fine dining, buffets, deluxe views and everything in between ... yeah, it's safe to say you'll want to book an ADR or two for your next trip!

Ins and Outs of Disney World Advanced Dining Reservations - Mobile Check-In Sign

 

Overview of Disney World Dining Reservations

With four theme parks, Disney Springs and multiple resort hotels, Disney World offers more than 100 table-service restaurants to choose from! There's a wide variety of cuisine, restaurant styles and theming.

For some of you, dining at Disney World is a big-time affair. If you see your trip as a once-in-a-lifetime experience and want to pull out all the stops, you should consider making reservations for at least one character dining experience and a few table-service restaurants, maybe for one of the hard-to-get restaurants or even for a romantic night out while the tadpoles stay with a babysitter. If this sounds like you, you'll want to make reservations as early as possible and consider staying on-site, especially during the busiest times.

Ins and Outs of Disney World Advanced Dining Reservations - Topolino's Bread Spread

However, if fine dining or character dining is less of a priority, you don't need to lose too much sleep over Disney World dining reservations. Unless you are visiting during one of the busiest times of the year, you should be able to find a few table-service options much closer to your actual trip date (especially at EPCOT), or even while you're there. If you're fortunate enough to be visiting during the least-busy times of the year, you'll have even more last-minute choices. You can also now cancel up to two hours before your reservation, allowing more flexibility with changing plans. And keep in mind that Disney has tons of tasty quick-service options, as well. Even if you don't book any dining reservations, you'll never go hungry!

Planning Your Disney World Dining Reservations

Guide to Advanced Dining Reservations - The Hollywood Brown Derby

All guests (even those staying off-site) can make Disney World dining reservations. Unlike some perks offered exclusively to those staying on-site at a Disney World hotel (such as the Early Theme Park Entry benefit), ADRs are available to all guests, regardless of where you're staying.

Park admission is required for in-park dining. Just to be clear, you must have valid theme park admission (and a Disney Park Pass reservation for select ticket types) for the location of your meal. So, if you're dining at the Jungle Skipper Canteen, you'll need to have the proper tickets to enter Magic Kingdom for the date of your meal.

You can make Disney World dining reservations for your trip starting 60 days in advance. (In the past, this window had been 180 days.) No matter what time of year you’ll be visiting, we recommend making reservations as close as you can to the magical 60-day mark. For guests staying at a Walt Disney World Resort hotel (including Shades of Green), you’ll have 60 days in advance of your check-in day ... plus, you can make dining reservations for your entire stay, up to 10 days. This is quite an advantage if dining is a priority, especially during the busiest times, so you'll want to make sure you book your Disney World hotel room before the dining reservation window opens for your trip. Then you can book all of your days at once (Hop Tip: Start with the most in-demand restaurants on your list first when reserving).

It's not uncommon to find that the most popular restaurants, such as Cinderella's Royal Table and Be Our Guest, fill up quickly. The longer you wait, the less chance you’ll have of eating at one of your favorite restaurants or experiencing a dinner show. That said, there are still ways of snagging those last-minute reservations, which we'll discuss below.

Be Our Guest Restaurant at Magic Kingdom

Making advance dining reservations is just one step of the planning process! For a full timeline of planning out your Disney World trip, check out our Jump Start guide, which has all of the info you need in one place.

If reservations are really important to you, make sure you have already planned which days you will be going to the parks before your 60-day reservation window opens. It is almost impossible to plan daily meals for your vacation without knowing where you’re going each day. You can use our Crowd Calendar to help you decide which parks to visit on which day. Keep in mind, reservations do sometimes start ahead of park opening hours, and you can get into the parks early. Sometimes you can also snag reservations close to or after the official park closure time, as well. (You'll find this is very common with Oga's Cantina in Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge, for instance.)

For those of you staying off-site, if you have a dining reservation in the park before it opens, you will be allowed in early (usually about 30 minutes before the start of your reservation). Look for cast members with signs for reservation check-in, or specially marked turnstiles. This can sometimes be a good strategy for getting a jump on popular attractions if the restaurant is further back in the park. Be Our Guest in Magic Kingdom, for example, offers early reservations and is right near two of the most popular attractions in the park: Seven Dwarfs Mine Train and Peter Pan's Flight.

Booking Your Disney World Dining Reservations

Ins and Outs of Disney World Advanced Dining Reservations - Les Chefs de France

Make sure you have the latest version of the My Disney Experience app. Several new features are only supported on the latest version of the app, so update the app before your trip to take advantage of them. For example, when you arrive for a dining reservation, you can use Mobile Dine Check-In at select restaurants through the app. From a push notification or QR code, you'll be able to check in. Once your table is ready, you'll be notified to proceed to a specified location. Note that you'll need to enable location services and be very close to the dining location to allow online check-in.

If, on the other hand, you did not get advance dining reservations and decide to eat at a participating table-service restaurant once you are there, you can use the app to add yourself to the Mobile Walk-Up List. You can scan a QR code in the restaurant lobby and proceed via the app. My Disney Experience is also where you can view menus for any restaurant and Mobile Order for quick-service restaurants.

Have your credit card ready when you make your Disney World dining reservations. Make sure you have a credit card ready before booking your dining reservations. You can also enter your credit card information in your My Disney Experience account in advance. Disney holds your reservation with a credit card guarantee, and if you do not show up to your reservation or cancel within two hours of your reservation, you will be charged $10 a person. Disney does not charge you in advance for your meal unless you are booking a dinner show (such as Hoop-Dee-Doo Revue) or dinner at Cinderella’s Royal Table inside Cinderella Castle.

Disney World Advanced Dining Reservations

Here's how to book Disney World dining reservations online: Log into your My Disney Experience account and under the Things to Do tab, click Make Reservations under Dining. The reservation window opens around 5:45 a.m. ET each day (the reservation hotline opens up at 7 a.m. ET). This will take you to another page that lists all of the restaurants on property. You’ll then enter the number of people in your party, date and time of day, and can filter your results by park, resort hotel or area (such as Disney Springs or Disney's BoardWalk). The search results will show which restaurants have availability that day. You can then click on the desired time and create your reservation. Voila!

In a recent update to the website, you can filter to see all available times at a restaurant versus only a select few, making it easier to see all possible choices. You may also choose to look at only reservations for breakfast, lunch or dinner. If looking at one restaurant, you can also now select a range of dates and you'll be given a list of all available timeslots for those dates. We are very happy with this feature as it makes it easier when booking for your entire trip.

Disney World Dining Reservations - Dining Reservation

Once you finish entering your details, your reservation should appear on your My Disney Experience account. You can make same-day reservations for restaurants if they’re available. If you need to cancel your dining reservation or change the number of people dining, you can do so on the website, so long as your reservation is not within two hours. At that point, visit Guest Relations in the parks or call the reservation hotline to modify your existing reservation.

Here's how to make a Disney World dining reservation on the My Disney Experience app: Click on the plus sign in a circle at the bottom of the screen, which will pop up with different options. Choose Check Dining Availability and enter the number of people in the party, date and time of day — as well as an option for "now" to see same-day, walk-up availability. You can also search for reservations in the app by experience or cuisine and location. Just like on the site, you can make same-day reservations for restaurants if they’re available.

Making Disney World dining reservations over the phone: Making an ADR over the phone should be used only when you do not have access to the app or website, or need to cancel a reservation within two hours leading up to it. To make or cancel a reservation over the phone, call 407-WDW-DINE and listen to each of the options.

Tips for Disney World Dining Reservations

Disney World Advanced Dining Reservations — Date range selection

You can search through a range of dates. Available on either the website or app, you can now search for multiple dates when viewing a restaurant. On the website, once you select your initial date, you can click on "Check Availability for Multiple Days". This will take you to a calendar where you can select one to ten days. On the app, the calendar will pop up after you select "Reserve Dining". This makes it a lot easier to find reservations, especially if you are flexible with your dates.

You can now cancel your reservation up to two hours in advance. An update now allow guests to cancel dining reservations on the app up to two hours before with no penalty. If you cancel after that or do not show up, you will pay the cancellation fee of $10 per person. Previously, the window was 24 hours in advance. This feature is extra hopful for when plans change the day of.

Note that exclusions apply and certain dining experiences, such as Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue, Victoria & Albert's and Monsieur Paul, have their own separate cancellation policies.

Ins and Outs of Disney World Advanced Dining Reservations - Mobile Check-In and Availability Sign

How to snag last-minute reservations: We like to think there is an art to snagging last-minute reservations, but sometimes it's just good old-fashioned luck. If we have a last-minute trip to Disney or we've waited to book dining reservations, we've had luck scoring popular restaurants. As soon as we've finalized our plans for which park we'll be at on which day, we start checking My Disney Experience periodically for the week or so leading up to our trip (and refreshing a few times as well). This is when other guests are also finalizing their trip details, and sometimes end up deciding not to keep their dining reservations. You can sometimes grab day-of reservations as people cancel.

In a recent update to the website version, you can now see all available times on any given day, making it easier to find the best reservation timeframe for you. If looking on the My Disney Experience app, we recommend clicking on various times instead of only checking meal sections. So instead of only clicking on "lunch," we recommend clicking the 12 p.m. slot, then the 1 p.m. slot, and so on until something pops up.

We've also had luck obtaining same-day reservations by simply showing up and asking about availability. It never hurts. We've even been able to snag same-day reservations when there was rain. Because EPCOT has so many dining options, you can often find last-minute reservations for some of its restaurants.

The Mobile Dine Walk-up List is another option if you come across a participating restaurant. You can look for Mobile Dine Walk-up availability in the app. Scan a QR code in the restaurant lobby and add your party to the list.

Disney Dining Reservations - STK

If you want to dine at Disney Springs, also try Open Table. Many of the most popular restaurants at Disney Springs, such as The BOATHOUSE, Morimoto Asia and Raglan Road, offer additional reservation times on Open Table. So if you can't snag an ADR or the time you want isn't available in My Disney Experience, try Open Table.

Arrive on time. Disney is strategic with the way it schedules its reservations. Be sure to arrive on time, if not early, to make things easier for everyone! If your reservation is at the start of a dining period (some restaurants are only open for breakfast and dinner, with a break ending around 4 p.m.), there is likely to be a rush of new guests. We've also had good luck with checking in 15 minutes early and being sat fairly quickly.

So there you have it: our favorite tips for making Disney dining reservations. We want to hear YOUR favorite ADR spots in the comments. Have a question? Just ask. If you have tips we didn't mention, share them in the comments below.

Related: Our Complete Guide to Character Dining at Walt Disney World

Related: Start Your Planning With Our Jump Start Guide to Disney World

Hoppy planning!

Keep hopping, Mommy Frog!
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1–50 of 264 comments
Jan 25, 2024 at 4:05 a.m. Cristina Says...

We are going to Orlando but will not be visiting Disney this time around. Can I still book reservations to restaurants through the app for those that are not in any of the theme parks? We'd love to visit Disney Springs and we'd also love to visit Whispering Canyon for dinner.

Reply
Jan 25, 2024 at 8:11 a.m. FrogBlog Says...

Hi Cristina!

Yes, absolutely!

Hoppy planning!

Mommy Frog

Reply
Dec 3, 2023 at 11:20 a.m. Erin Says...

I snagged reservations for Cinderella’s Royal Table! I have a 2 year old so I selected the 0-2 age range which is $0. She is a big eater and will definitely want her own plate with her own food - not just an empty plate to share ours. Will I be able to add (and pay for) a food plate for her when we get there or should I try to adjust the res to be for a 3 year old?

Reply
Dec 4, 2023 at 9:37 a.m. FrogBlog Says...

Hi Erin!

Since Cinderella's Royal Table is a reservation that you pay for in advance, we would recommend trying to adjust the reservation. This particular restaurant does not allow modifications via the My Disney Experience app, but we'd recommend calling the dining hotline at (407) 939-3463 to see if they can assist. Alternatively, if you see another reservation, book it and cancel the original (you will be refunded if cancelled at least two hours prior to the reservation time).

Hoppy planning!

Mommy Frog

Reply
Jan 20, 2024 at 2:13 a.m. Danielle Says...

This response was wrong; keep your child at 0-2; the server will tell you your options when you get there. They gifted my child chicken nuggets and I paid for her to have a cupcake

Reply
Feb 13, 2024 at 11:57 a.m. FrogBlog Says...

Hi Danielle!

Thanks for bringing this to our attention. We looked further into this during one of our recent visits at Magic Kingdom, and the cast member we spoke to said that if a child under 3 wants their own food, you can add it on and pay the kids' meal amount at the restaurant, even if they were counted as 0-2 (and not paid for) in the pre-paid reservation.

Hoppy planning!

Mommy Frog

Reply
Sep 13, 2023 at 1:02 a.m. Stacey Says...

Hi! Wondering if we book an ADR does everyone in the party need to order a meal? For example if my 6yo doesn't want to eat, do I still have to buy him a meal. Or can you just buy a few appetizers and desserts as another example? Thanks!

Reply
Sep 13, 2023 at 4:13 p.m. FrogBlog Says...

Hi Stacey!

At table-service restaurants where you order individual items off the menu, it should be OK to order a few appetizers and desserts or for someone not to order — as long as it's not a set price per person. However, expect restaurants with prix fixe menus, buffets and character dining to charge per person regardless of how much or little they eat.

Hoppy planning!

Mommy Frog

Reply
Aug 25, 2023 at 2:02 p.m. Patti B Says...

We have tickets for Boo to You, but our dining reservation is at 3:30 at Skipper Canteen. Will we be allowed in the park before 4?

Reply
Aug 25, 2023 at 9:39 a.m. FrogBlog Says...

Hi Patti!

To enter before 4 p.m., you would need regular park admission and a theme park reservation. If you only have a Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party ticket, you should modify the reservation for a time after 4 p.m. (we'd recommend 4:15 or later to allow for some buffer time to get through the touchpoints and walk over to the restaurant).

Hoppy planning!

Mommy Frog

Reply
Aug 4, 2023 at 4:26 p.m. Stacy Malfitano Says...

We are staying off resort at a non-Disney hotel. We have an ADR for Crystal Palace at 9am. This is for the Aug. 8th when park has early entry at 8:30am for Disney Hotel guests.

Reply
Aug 4, 2023 at 1:39 p.m. FrogBlog Says...

Hi Stacy!

Not to worry! We'd still recommend that you arrive early. Rope droppers are usually let into Main Street before official opening time and are held back from other areas of the park (while Early Entry guests will be allowed in Tomorrowland and Fantasyland). So you should be able to get to your Crystal Palace reservation on time without any issues.

Hoppy planning!

Mommy Frog

Reply
Jul 27, 2023 at 3:25 a.m. Mary Says...

Hi we have reservations for 9:20 pm at the California grill on Sept. 3rd and fireworks at magic kingdom are at 9pm. If we show up at the restaurant at 9pm will we be able to watch the fireworks from the roof?

Reply
Jul 28, 2023 at 10:06 a.m. FrogBlog Says...

Hi Mary!

Yes, you should be able to — enjoy!

Hoppy planning!

Mommy Frog

Reply
Jun 20, 2023 at 3:35 p.m. Tara Says...

We have a dining res at 5:10 at the Polynesian. How early can we arrive at the resort to park? We were hoping to look around the resort for a few hours before we dine.

Reply
Jun 21, 2023 at 9:15 a.m. FrogBlog Says...

Hi Tara!

Generally, you're allowed to park at a resort with a dining reservation for up to three hours.

Hoppy planning!

Mommy Frog

Reply
Jun 5, 2023 at 4:21 p.m. Kim Says...

Anyone know if you are staying at Wyndham in Disney Springs can you book all your dining for the entire stay or just one day at a time?

Reply
Jun 5, 2023 at 11:57 a.m. FrogBlog Says...

Hi Kim!

You'd be able to make dining reservations one day at a time.

Hoppy planning!

Mommy Frog

Reply
May 29, 2023 at 4:53 p.m. Summer Says...

If we're following the 1-day park plans provided how do we know what time to schedule a lunch and dinner reservation?

Reply
Jun 1, 2023 at 1:29 p.m. FrogBlog Says...

Hi Summer!

We don't list exact set times in our park plans to allow for flexibility, so we'd recommend fitting meals in during a timeframe that works well for you. In some instances, we give restaurant recs, though those are often quick-service, which take less time than a table-service meal. Generally, our best advice for meal times is to dine during off-peak timeframes (roughly before or after 12-1:30 p.m. and before or after 6-7:30 p.m.) - so you don't hit the middle of a lunch or dinner rush. You may even find that reservations are easier to snag if you're not looking at peak dining times.

Hoppy planning!

Mommy Frog

Reply
May 26, 2023 at 3:22 p.m. Michele Says...

What are your best suggestions for making ADRs for a large party? Split into smaller groups of how many? and try to get the closest times? Notify them when you get there that you are a large party of x? thank you much!

Reply
May 26, 2023 at 2:59 p.m. FrogBlog Says...

Hi Michele!

For large parties, you may have to split the group into smaller reservations and try for similar times that are close to each other. Then once you arrive, we'd recommend checking in early. Let the host know you're all one large group and ask if you'd be able to sit together, as close as possible. While cast members will do their best to accommodate, you may need to wait longer or be OK with sitting separately if they're unable to arrange tables together. Otherwise, you could also try calling the Disney dining hotline at (407) 939-3463 and they can try to help you arrange dining reservations.

Hoppy planning!

Mommy Frog

Reply
May 26, 2023 at 3:16 p.m. Deb Says...

I did not see it mentioned that the app reservation system has a limit of 8 guests. If your party is larger than that, you have to make separate reservations. My family had a reservation for 7 at Shulas this past August. 2 family members decided to visit on that day. The reservation system would only allow us to add 1 person to the guest list. We had to call the restaurant directly to add the 9th person.

Reply
Apr 11, 2023 at 10:27 a.m. Elnora Lankford Says...

I have been trying for over two years to get dining reservations at 5:45 AM when I travel to Disney World every year every single time and error message shows at the 60 day mark. Why do you and every vlogger say you can get reservations starting at 5:45 AM 60 days out.

Reply
Apr 11, 2023 at 9:03 a.m. FrogBlog Says...

Hi Elnora!

It's the official policy that can be found on Disney World's website — select restaurants can begin to show reservations starting at 5:45 a.m. though it's not always the case. If the ones you're trying for are showing an error or aren't popping up exactly at 5:45 a.m., we'd check again at 6 a.m. (another common time for reservations to appear), call the reservation hotline (which opens at 7 a.m.) or keep checking periodically all the way up until your trip. During your trip, you may also be able to join Walk-Up lists on the day of.

Hoppy planning!

Mommy Frog

Reply
Mar 10, 2023 at midnight Kaitlin Says...

I have booked a stay at Art of Animation, but I haven't purchased my tickets yet. Will I still be able to make my dining reservations for the entire stay at the 60 day mark or do I need to purchase the tickets before then?

Reply
Mar 10, 2023 at 9:14 a.m. FrogBlog Says...

Hi Kaitlin!

You do not need to have already purchased tickets to book dining reservations (but of course, you will eventually need tickets and park reservations if the dining locations are inside the parks).

Hoppy planning!

Mommy Frog

Reply
Mar 4, 2023 at 2:27 p.m. Tracey Says...

Hi we are visiting Disney world in October with 3 young children, royal table, tuskers house breakfast and few other must have dining experiences am hoping to book, totally get the 60 day advance booking and have alarms set for the school day, but are the open times of 5:45 am. English time ? Is that what ETA stands for ? Sorry am new to the reservation booking I have been Disney 3 times but never pre booked meals xx

Reply
Mar 6, 2023 at 8:57 a.m. FrogBlog Says...

Hi Tracey!

Most dining reservations open at 5:45 a.m. ET (Eastern U.S. timezone).

Hoppy planning!

Mommy Frog

Reply
Feb 2, 2023 at 8:30 p.m. Eileen Says...

Do I have to have a Park Reservation in place before I can book a dining reservation? We would like to make our Park Reservations based on which days we are able to get seating at the restaurants we want. So if we try for a Monday, Tues. or Wed for Crystal Palace and get Tues, then I will make Park Reservation for Tues at MK. Is that possible? Thank you.

Reply
Feb 2, 2023 at 3:12 p.m. FrogBlog Says...

Hi Eileen!

Yes, you can make dining reservations before making park reservations.

Hoppy planning!

Mommy Frog

Reply
Dec 9, 2022 at 2:59 a.m. Billy W Says...

Hi! We are booked for the Polynesian for 4 days and the beach club for 4 days split stay back to back in July 2023. I bought my tickets a couple of days ago and asked about ADR's. I was told my the Disney ticket sales person over the phone that I should get on at MIDNIGHT on my 60 day out date. Did this change from the 5:45 or 6:00 am you recommend?

Also, a friend recommended that I work backwards from the last day we will be there (party of 6). Will I have a hard time getting Ohana for the first 4 days we'll be there?

Thanks in advance!

Reply
Dec 20, 2022 at 2:28 p.m. FrogBlog Says...

Hi Billy!

Most dining reservations typically go live around 5:45 a.m. ET. However, from our experience, it truly depends on the restaurant, as the timing can vary (it's not always right at 5:45 a.m. or even exactly 60 days in advance — some may open up at a later date).

Since you'll have a split stay, just keep in mind that you'll have two separate booking windows: 1) The first one starting 60 days in advance of checking into the first hotel (only covering those days) and 2) The second one starting 60 days in advance of checking into the second hotel (only covering those days). We also agree with your friend that you should work backward with the later dates of each booking window. If you don't get the reservations you want, then keep checking periodically! You could also join the Walk-Up list (if available) within the My Disney Experience app on the day of.

Hoppy planning!

Mommy Frog

Reply
Dec 8, 2022 at 1:08 a.m. Sherry Says...

Hi, I will be traveling with a super picky eater, can you tell me where I can get grilled cheese sandwiches? I heard a lot of restaurants will try to accommodate requests, not sure how accurate that is. I would love to book a character dining event but haven't seen gilled cheese on any of the menus and don't really want to pay $40-$60 for my daughter not to eat anything but I would consider making reservations if I could find a grilled cheese.

Thank you!

Reply
Dec 8, 2022 at 9:15 a.m. FrogBlog Says...

Hi Sherry!

One of our favorite quick-service restaurants has grilled cheese — Woody's Lunch Box at Hollywood Studios! As for character dining, restaurants are usually very accommodating, but of course, it's all on a case-by-case basis. Now that you can easily cancel dining reservations two hours in advance through the My Disney Experience app without late or cancellation fees, we'd suggest that you go ahead and make the reservation but stop by the restaurant in person to ask beforehand.

Hoppy planning!

Mommy Frog

Reply
Oct 31, 2022 at 7:16 p.m. Barrie Woodley Says...

Disney allows to put in a date for restaurants and it shows what is available for that date?

Does Disney have the facility to take a SPECIFIC restaurant and it shows pending dates and times that are available?

Thanks, stay safe, Barrie

Reply
Oct 31, 2022 at 3:54 p.m. FrogBlog Says...

Hi Barrie!

Yes! If you're using the My Disney Experience app, go to the search function (see the magnifying glass icon on the bottom right) and type in the restaurant's name in the search bar. Once it pops up, click on the name and you'll be taken to the restaurant's details page. There's an option to "Reserve Dining" and from there, you can input your party size and select a date to search for a reservation. If you're online on Disney's website, you can similarly use the search bar in the top right corner, type in the restaurant's name and it should pop up within the first few results. Then there's a button that says "Check Availability," which is where you can search for reservations.

Hoppy planning!

Mommy Frog

Reply
Oct 21, 2022 at 11:51 p.m. Heather Says...

I have a park reservation in Epcot in the days leading up to Thanksgiving. I have a reservation for Oga’s at 3:45. If Hollywood Studios reaches capacity and I can’t hop over, will I still be charged a fee for missing my reservation?

Reply
Oct 26, 2022 at 1:46 p.m. FrogBlog Says...

Hi Heather!

We don't think this would be an issue (ever since capacity increased to normal levels, we've only seen this a handful of times — Magic Kingdom on the 50th anniversary, Christmas Day), but in the event that it does hoppen, we would go to Guest Relations or find one of the cast members at a Guest Experience kiosk and they can assist.

Hoppy planning!

Mommy Frog

Reply
Oct 21, 2022 at 11:22 p.m. Shelby Says...

I would just like to send a huge thank you for the advice on snagging hard to get dining! I was able to get a 4:30 at Be Our Guest by selecting specific times! Previously I was just doing the lunch/dinner options which showed no availability. Thank you!!

Reply
Oct 24, 2022 at 8:15 a.m. FrogBlog Says...

Yay!! Have a frogtastic meal, Shelby! :)

Hoppy planning!

Mommy Frog

Reply
Oct 21, 2022 at 4:17 a.m. Cristen Says...

Can I make a 60 day advanced reservation if I have park tickets and theme parks reserved or do I have to also have a disney resort reservation to get the 60 days advanced dining reservation? I understand that you have 60 days to make a reservation if you have an on property resort stay booked, just wondering how I can get early reservations if I am off property.

Reply
Oct 21, 2022 at 9:26 a.m. FrogBlog Says...

Hi Cristen!

The short, simple answer is yes! You can make a dining reservation 60 days in advance of the date you wish to make the reservation. If you want to make a dining reservation for multiple days on your trip, then you'll have to calculate this 60-day window of each day. (This is where it differs from on-site guests, who can make reservations 60 days in advance, plus the length of their stay up to 10 days. They can make reservations for multiple dates 60 days from their arrival date, versus an off-site guest who needs to make reservations 60 days in advance of each day of their trip.) Let us know if you have any more questions!

Hoppy planning!

Mommy Frog

Reply
Oct 10, 2022 at 12:07 p.m. Russell Korba Says...

At what time can you make your reservation on that 60 days before date?

Reply
Oct 11, 2022 at 11:22 a.m. FrogBlog Says...

Hi Russell!

It can vary depending on the restaurant. We'd recommend that you start checking at 5:45 a.m. (ET), though most should be released by 6 a.m.

Hoppy planning!

Mommy Frog

Reply
Oct 5, 2022 at 6:51 p.m. Meagen Says...

Is the $10 fee/person put towards the meal? Or is it just a fee?

Reply
Oct 5, 2022 at 5:08 p.m. FrogBlog Says...

Hi Meagen!

The $10 no-show fee/person is only charged if you don't show up to your reservation or cancel within 24 hours of your reservation (while most places will allow you to cancel within 24 hours, always double check as each restaurant maintains its own cancellation policy).

Hoppy planning!

Mommy Frog

Reply
Oct 5, 2022 at 5:13 p.m. Suzie Bessette Says...

We managed to get a reservation at Be Our Guest, but very late. Is it possible to have only one dessert there?

Reply
Oct 5, 2022 at 1:18 p.m. FrogBlog Says...

Hi Suzie!

Currently, meals at Be Our Guest Restaurant are served as a 3-course prix fixe menu only.

Hoppy planning!

Mommy Frog

Reply
Sep 26, 2022 at 10:10 a.m. Aaron Sherman Says...

How can this be. Wanted Hoop Dee Do reservation. Timed it by atomic clock and at 5:45 site said I needed a hotel reservation. Kept trying and at exactly sox stated no tables available. Is there really no way to get reservations?

Reply
Sep 30, 2022 at 10:21 a.m. FrogBlog Says...

Hi Aaron!

It's most likely due to hotel guests who are able to make dining reservations 60 days out for the length of their stay for days that overlap with your date. Since Hoop-Dee-Doo is so popular, a reservation can be harder to find. You may be able to snatch up a cancellation (just keep checking periodically) or join a Walk-Up list on the day of (which is subject to availability).

Hoppy planning!

Mommy Frog

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Sep 6, 2022 at 2:18 p.m. Natalie C Jones Says...

If staying off site and have made your park reservations does the 60-day ADR window begin with your first reserved park day?

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Sep 6, 2022 at 9:41 a.m. FrogBlog Says...

Hi Natalie!

The window begins with the date that you wish to make the reservation for. Reservations for multiple dates may be booked up to 60 days in advance of each date.

Hoppy planning!

Mommy Frog

Reply
Sep 4, 2022 at 8:54 p.m. John Says...

Greetings, I have reservations at the Contemporary for Nov. 1st through Nov. 5th. Today is Sept. 3rd and I can make reservations for Nov. 3rd but not past that. Why not, since I am staying at a Disney Hotel?

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Sep 6, 2022 at 9:39 a.m. FrogBlog Says...

Hi John!

We're not toadally sure why, as the reservation system is supposed to allow Disney hotel guests to reserve 60 days out including the length of their stay. Have you linked your hotel reservation in My Disney Experience app? Also make sure that it includes everyone in the party.

Hoppy planning!

Mommy Frog

Reply
Sep 2, 2022 at 7:50 p.m. Chris Says...

If I’m making reservations for myself on a day pass, do my two friends who are on annual passes need to be connected to my park pass reservation? Or can I make a reservation for just three people?

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Aug 27, 2022 at 4:29 p.m. Maureen Says...

For the ADR - Is Shades of Green considered an on-site WDW resort? So, that we can do the 60 days + the amount of days for our vacation!

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Aug 30, 2022 at 8:57 a.m. FrogBlog Says...

Hi Maureen!

Yes! Guests of Shades of Green may make dining reservations 60 days + the length of their stay (up to 10 days).

Hoppy planning!

Mommy Frog

Reply
Aug 18, 2022 at 10:41 a.m. Sandi Says...

Any idea why WDW changed from 180 day out reservation option to 60 days? I booked Ohana for 10 people 7 years ago with no problem whatsoever and was staying off-property. Now I fear I won't be able to get a reservation at all and my 3 year old will miss out.

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Aug 18, 2022 at 9:13 a.m. FrogBlog Says...

Hi Sandi!

The reservation booking window changed from 180 days to 60 days upon reopening after the pandemic shutdown.

Hoppy planning!

Mommy Frog

Reply
Aug 18, 2022 at 10:28 a.m. Sandi Says...

I just tried to book a dinner rsvtn at Crystal Palace for 4 people for Oct 17. Today is the first day I could do that (60 days). I was in the my disney experience app and a friend was on my disney experience via the web. At EXACTLY 6AM we both tried to complete a reservation and both got that only 3:25pm and 8:25pm dinner reservations were available! How is this possible?? So extremely frustrating. I have to go through same process tomorrow for Ohana, which is more important to me, and I don't look forward to it!

Reply
Aug 18, 2022 at 8:52 a.m. FrogBlog Says...

Hi Sandi!

Unfrogtunately, reservations for popular restaurants such as Crystal Palace and 'Ohana can be hard to get! People staying on-site can book all of their reservations for their entire trip (up to 10 days), 60 days before their arrival date versus people staying off-site (they can only book 60 days out, each day of their trip). So it's more likely because there is overlap with people staying on-site and arriving up to 10 days before you, as they can make reservations 60 days out from their arrival date + dates that are later on during their trip. If you don't get a reservation, we encourage you to keep checking at random — sometimes restaurants release more reservations as it gets closer or people cancel, so it's possible a reservation could pop up. There's also the option to join the Walk-Up list on the day of.

Hoppy planning!

Mommy Frog

Reply
Aug 16, 2022 at 7:05 p.m. Teresa Says...

Does Disney campground count as on-site? It is only showing me reservation options that are 60 days out. Am I going through the wrong way? I want to book for my whole trip.

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Aug 16, 2022 at 3:26 p.m. FrogBlog Says...

Hi Teresa!

Yes! Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground is considered on property. Have you linked your reservation in My Disney Experience?

Hoppy planning!

Mommy Frog

Reply
Aug 16, 2022 at 4:15 p.m. Michelle Says...

I have reservations for Crystal Palace on October 6 at 3:55. We have tickets for the Halloween party at 4. We should be able to get in half hour early with the ADR right?

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Aug 17, 2022 at 9:47 a.m. FrogBlog Says...

Hi Michelle!

It's not a guarantee that they'd let you in that early (though it wouldn't hurt to ask when you arrive!), but they often start letting in party guests around 3:50 p.m. We'd recommend arriving at the entrance touchpoints by 3:30 p.m. regardless, so you're closer to the front of the crowd and can be one of the first inside.

Hoppy planning!

Mommy Frog

Reply
Aug 12, 2022 at 2:03 p.m. DisneyGuest Says...

Going To MK on A Halloween party day but don’t have party tickets. We scored a 6:20 reservation at skipper canteen - if we check in early will they still let us keep it? There was no alert msg when booking it- and this restaurant is not listed as one open during the party so technically we should be okay, right? I’m just scared of being turned away and charged but we reallly want to eat there without it cutting into our already short park day!

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Aug 12, 2022 at 3:54 p.m. FrogBlog Says...

Hi DisneyGuest!

We just ran this past Guest Relations (at MNSSHP), and they advised that 6:20 should be toadally fine. Enjoy!

Hoppy planning!

Mommy Frog

Reply
Aug 25, 2022 at 12:05 a.m. Dani Says...

Similar question, but I got a reservation for 6:50pm at Crystal Palace on a party day. Dinner reservations on the website show from 3pm-6:55pm. I know the park is listed as closing at 6, and the party starts at 7 (but lets ticket holders in at 4). Do you think we'll still be ok since it allowed us to make the reservation? It looks like normally the restaurant books until 9pm, but I don't know if it just closes early on MNSSHP days or if it's only showing me reservations that I'd be allowed to use.

Reply
Aug 26, 2022 at 1:40 p.m. FrogBlog Says...

Hi Dani!

We're seeing the same thing with different timeframes on a party night versus a non-party night, so we think it's safe to assume that it closes early on party nights. Since it let you make a reservation, we think it'll be OK! You could check with a host at the restaurant earlier in the day just to confirm.

Hoppy planning!

Mommy Frog

Reply
Aug 10, 2022 at 11:24 p.m. elizabeth Says...

I am going to log in tomorrow morning it is the start of my 60 days. I am staying at the swan can i make reservations for the duration my stay or will I have to do this daily? i have seen conflicting information on the web. If its a yes how does it work if my hotel is linked does it automatically open for the entire duration?

Also if I get the trip perk what is it base dont he start of your hotel window? if so that should have been today and my app is not letting me book so maybe swan is out?

We are staying one night at the hotel before our tickets start.

Reply
Aug 11, 2022 at 2:30 p.m. FrogBlog Says...

Hi Elizabeth!

Yes, the Walt Disney World Swan Hotel is eligible for making advanced dining reservations 60 days in advance of check-in and for the length of your stay (up to 10 days). Hope you were able to snag reservations!

Hoppy planning!

Mommy Frog

Reply
Aug 8, 2022 at 9:03 p.m. John G Says...

I have a 9 day reservation at Port Orleans in September. I have made ADRs for my entire trip, which I did 60 days prior to arrival. However, it appears I may have to change my trip to remove the first 2 days of the trip. Will I lose my dining reservations and have to rebook them? Thanks.

Reply
Aug 9, 2022 at 2:38 p.m. FrogBlog Says...

Hi John G!

Any dining reservations that are within 60 days should not be affected. However, any reservations that are more than 60 days out may be canceled with modifications.

Hoppy planning!

Mommy Frog

Reply
Jul 25, 2022 at 12:48 p.m. Wendy Smith Says...

I arrive 7 days before my sister. When I book my dining can I book for her on my dinning booking even through she can't book until 7 days after me?

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Jul 25, 2022 at 12:11 p.m. FrogBlog Says...

Hi Wendy!

If you'll be dining together, then you'd only need one reservation — it'll ask how many guests are in the party and you could even add her as a guest if you're linked together on your Family & Friends list. But say, if you're leaving earlier than her and she wants to make her own separate reservation, she would need to wait until she's able to book.

Hoppy planning!

Mommy Frog

Reply
Jul 24, 2022 at 9:17 p.m. Oscar Baumhackl Says...

I tried to do a reservation 60 days out from my reservation for Space 220 Lounge. My check-in date is Sept 18,2022 attempted to make reservation for last day Sept.24 and went back to Sept 18. No openings. Got online at 5:45am but wasn't allowed to reserve till 6:00am. No Luck. How do people get ahead of me at 66 days out?

Reply
Jul 25, 2022 at 12:35 p.m. FrogBlog Says...

Hi Oscar!

People staying on-site can book all of their reservations for their whole trip (up to 10 days), 60 days before their arrival date versus people staying off-site (they can only book 60 days out, each day of their trip). So, if someone's check-in date is Sept. 17 and they're staying on-site until Sept. 24, they would be able to make all of their reservations 60 days out from Sept. 17 (but if they were staying off-site, they'd only be able to make reservations for Sept. 17). But overall, Space 220 is a difficult reservation to get! We encourage you to keep checking (people can cancel) or check to see if there's any walk-in availability when you visit (sometimes the lounge is easier to get into via standby).

Hoppy planning!

Mommy Frog

Reply
Jul 23, 2022 at 9:57 a.m. David Says...

Hey! Thanks so much for putting this together, they're great tips. I'm staying off-site and logging into My Disney Experience on my phone and my laptop and trying to snap a Topolino's Terrace breakfast reservation 60 days out, checking at 5.45am ET, but I just get an error message saying 'please try again, we're having trouble loading this screen'. I keep refreshing, but nothing happens :( It's so frustrating. Am I doing something wrong, or is there a glitch? Thanks!

Reply
Jul 25, 2022 at 3:03 p.m. FrogBlog Says...

Hi David!

It sounds like it may be a frustrating glitch! If there aren't any reservations available, it should say so. We'd suggest either trying again at a later time or calling Disney Dining and they can help make reservations for you.

Hoppy planning!

Mommy Frog

Reply
Jul 17, 2022 at 5:36 p.m. Matthew Montgomery Says...

Good day, Ms. Frog!

For a party of 2 adults, does it make sense to try and make ressies for 3 or 4 guests. Just assuming the dining venues have lots more "4-tops" vs. "2-tops".

BTW, your site/info is AWESOME!

Reply
Jul 26, 2022 at 11:10 a.m. FrogBlog Says...

Hi Matthew!

Thanks for hopping by! We don't know exactly how many reservations Disney sets aside according to party size. Sometimes, Leap and I have made a reservation for a party of 2 and they've seated us at a table of 4 regardless (and other times we've been sat at a table of 2), so it's hard to say. When you do mobile check-in, you'll be asked to confirm the number of people in the party, as well (so if you've made a reservation for a larger party, you can confirm the actual party size then).

Hoppy planning!

Mommy Frog

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Jul 5, 2022 at 2:01 p.m. Kristen Says...

Silly question- does the app tell you when your 60 day mark is or do you just do the math?

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Jul 5, 2022 at 12:48 p.m. FrogBlog Says...

Hi Kristen!

Toadally valid question! We usually just do the math ourselves and double check it with the help of a calculator (enter -60 and the date of your trip to find out which date is exactly 60 days in advance).

Hoppy planning!

Mommy Frog

Reply
Jul 5, 2022 at 10:25 a.m. ChrisL Says...

Is there a trick to getting a reservation at 5:45 AM (60 days out)? I keep trying to get a reservation for Hoop-de-doo at a particular time (I am local, so I am not limited to specific dates within a trip). I will get on at 5:45 and get some message about a technical error, and I keep hitting refresh but not getting anything until 6AM. That would be fine, but all the Section 1 and 2 seating (which we want) is already sold out, so evidently plenty of other people have been able to make reservations before I get in at 6AM. (Fyi, I have tried on both Disney World app and on the website, and same thing.) Does anyone know how to make reservations before 6AM? Thanks!

Reply
Jul 5, 2022 at 12:56 p.m. FrogBlog Says...

Hi Chris!

It's most likely due to hotel guests who are able to make dining reservations 60 days out for the length of their stay. Since Hoop-Dee-Doo is so popular and has recently returned, your best bet as a local is snatching up a cancellation, going with a different seating section or making a same-day reservation (which is subject to availability).

Hoppy planning!

Mommy Frog

Reply
Jul 5, 2022 at 11:20 p.m. Chris L Says...

Thanks Mommy Frog! I had forgotten they could do that. Those are some great suggestions, and I will keep on trying for a good time in the meanwhile.

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Jul 6, 2022 at 9:50 a.m. FrogBlog Says...

No problem, Chris! We hope you're able to get a reservation and go soon!

Hoppy planning!

Mommy Frog

Reply
Jun 21, 2022 at 2:15 p.m. jennifer Says...

Tips for getting a reservation for a group of 11 - or should we split up?

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Jun 21, 2022 at 12:30 p.m. FrogBlog Says...

Hi Jennifer!

If you have trouble finding reservations for your large party, then we'd suggest either calling the Disney Dining hotline (407-WDW-DINE or 407-939-3463) - they may be able to help, or splitting the party into smaller groups.

Hoppy planning!

Mommy Frog

Reply
Jun 19, 2022 at 9:23 p.m. Simone Says...

Hi

We have a park reservation at magic kingdom

On 15th August but when when I checked on my Disney app it states that the park is open

9am to 6pm will they still do the firework show and if so do you know what time it will start.

Reply
Jun 21, 2022 at 8:49 a.m. FrogBlog Says...

Hi Simone!

On August 15, we're seeing 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. for Magic Kingdom's park hours, so you should be good! (You may have been accidentally looking at August 16, which is open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. due to Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party. On party nights, fireworks are not available unless you're staying as a party guest.)

Hoppy planning!

Mommy Frog

Reply
May 23, 2022 at 8:20 p.m. Craig Says...

What happens if not all of the guests who have reserved a seat at a restaurant are able to attend that day? I reserved for 4 people but only 2 can attend? Will I be charged for the extra people, or $10 each for the 2 who cant attend?

Reply
May 24, 2022 at 8:31 a.m. FrogBlog Says...

Hi Craig!

Generally, the no-show fee only applies if no one from your party shows. As long as you don't no-show the reservation entirely, you should be good to go. Be sure to let the hostess know your party count has changed when you check in!

Hoppy planning!

Mommy Frog

Reply
May 18, 2022 at 10:24 a.m. Graham Thomson Says...

My daughter and I both tried today, starting at 5:45 Eastern. Could not search until 6 AM. We trieda a total of about 15 things between us and got ZERO. Not very impressive. Wondering about what ride lines are going to look like. Based on experience so far, I'd cancel if it was up to me.

Reply
May 13, 2022 at 3:53 p.m. Nancy Says...

Thanks for this great info! My top choice restaurants have been impossible to get, so I have reserved other, lesser restaurants just so we’d have something. But if I keep on checking and lo and behold one of my top choices is suddenly available, what will happen when I try to quickly double book? Will Disney automatically allow me to cancel the first reservation while in the process of booking the replacement? Or will they just say “nope you’ve already got something there” and I lose out on the hot spot? Complicated!! Thanks again for your help!

Reply
May 13, 2022 at 2:48 p.m. FrogBlog Says...

Hi Nancy!

If you're trying to book a different dining reservation with a conflicting time, there will be a message that pops up and asks which one you'd like to keep. If you opt to switch, it will cancel the original reservation for you!

Hoppy planning!

Mommy Frog

Reply
May 7, 2022 at 6:47 p.m. Halina Says...

Hi do you know if there are three separate reservations all on site at deluxe DVC resorts of on day 1 of the 3 reservations you can book for any stay during those 8 nights?

Reply
May 16, 2022 at 10:10 a.m. FrogBlog Says...

Hi Halina!

Since each part of your split stay is recognized as its own separate reservation, the dining reservation window will only recognize the first stay at 60 days. Once it's 60 days from when the second stay starts, you may book dining reservations for those days and so on for the third stay.

Hoppy planning!

Mommy Frog

Reply
Apr 24, 2022 at 11:40 p.m. Keith Says...

Question: I have Star Wars Galactic Starcruiser booked for the first 2 days of my vacation, and Disney Yacht Club booked for the next 7 days after SWGS. Can I book ALL the restaurant reservations for my entire length of stay (inclusive of Beach Club days) 60 days from check in at SWGS? [FYI -- no one at Disney has been able to provide an answer to this]

Reply
May 9, 2022 at 12:54 p.m. FrogBlog Says...

Hi Keith!

When we chatted with Guest Services in the park, they said that yes, it should count as a regular hotel reservation and it would be inclusive of the split stay.

Hoppy planning!

Mommy Frog

Reply
Aug 11, 2022 at 2:31 p.m. Lia Says...

Do you know if Hilton lake buena vista at Disney springs counts as an on-site hotel? They get all the other benefits just not sure about dining 60 plus 10 day?

Reply
Aug 12, 2022 at 7:38 a.m. FrogBlog Says...

Hi Lia!

To our knowledge, Hilton Lake Buena Vista does not get advance access to ADRs.

Hoppy planning!

Mommy Frog

Reply
Apr 24, 2022 at 9:05 p.m. Christy Says...

We were lucky to get an ADR for 8:00am at Oga's Cantina (after refreshing constantly for a few weeks), but it throws our rope drop strategy out of whack. Would we be able to ride Runaway Railway on our way, even though we are not staying onsite? If not, I may need to keep refreshing until a later time in the day opens up (fingers crossed)!

Reply
Apr 26, 2022 at 2:31 p.m. FrogBlog Says...

Hi Christy!

If rope dropping Runaway Railway is too important, then we would suggest you keep searching for a later time in the day. But if Oga's is a higher priority, then we'd keep it. Usually, Runaway Railway is a ride that has lower waits in the evening. (For instance, we saw it was down to about 30 minutes around 6 p.m. when we were there yesterday.)

Hoppy planning!

Mommy Frog

Reply
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