What do I need to know about Disney dining reservations? Walt Disney World is not just about rides and characters, it’s also about delicious food in a variety of cuisines and atmospheres. Dining at Disney is a fun and unique experience that can also take careful planning and consideration before you even leave your home. Below is a beginners guide to dining at Disney…
What is a Counter Service Meal?
A counter service meal does not accept reservations. These are restaurants where you go up to a counter to order your meal and then select your seat after you are given your food. You are not issued a pager and usually wait at the counter to be served (they are quick!). This compares to fast food or food courts. A lot of counter service restaurants are themed and the food is delicious.
What is a Table Service Meal?
A table service meal accepts/requires advance dining reservations. You are seated by a hostess and served by a waiter. These meals sometimes include characters or a special theme. This compares to restaurants like Applebee’s, Logan’s, etc.
What is an ADR?
ADR stands for Advance Dining Reservation. You can make your dining reservation up to 180 days before you arrive.
Am I required to make ADRs?
No, but if you want to eat at a certain table service restaurant at a specific time, you might want to make an ADR. You can cancel your ADR however you will be charged a per-person cancellation fee if beyond the designated cancellation period, fee amount varies by restaurant. No-Shows are subject to same fee.
I am so overwhelmed by all the dining options. Where do I start?
Start with one park. Check out all the restaurants that are available in that park and decide if you want to dine at any of them. Once you make it thru that park, move on to the next park. Taking things one area at a time will help to simplify things.
Learn more about Walt Disney World Dining and get suggestions for where to eat, how to use the Disney Dining Plan and more.
This kinda needs updating, as there are new cancelation rules with $10 fees per person if you don’t cancel 24 hrs in advance for everywhere now.
I find the people taking the reservations to be most helpful. One of our last trips was a spur of the moment trip for my son’s 16th birthday. The lady was helping me with reservations for that night was great. Because we had just gotten in and did not want to use a ticket untill morning she got us a table at Bongo’s. She asked were we had eaten in the past, what we liked and our budget.
The point being that even if you don’t want to plan out each night with a little “faith hope and pixie dust” you are still going to have a great last minute meal.