For most people, having an idea of where and when to eat during a trip to Walt Disney World is part of the planning process. And if your plans include some sit-down restaurants, then you will want to consider making Advanced Dining Reservations (ADRs) to minimize the headaches and save you time.
If you plan to sign up for the Disney Dining Plan, however, making ADRs suddenly becomes far more important; the system is designed so that you forfeit any unused dining credits you might have at the end of your trip. Poor planning and lack of reservations might mean you spend the last handful of your meals at Quick Service locations, since they don’t require advanced reservations.
Even during the slow season, you are not guaranteed a seat at a sit-down restaurant. For example, on a previous visit to the parks with my daughter, we were at Animal Kingdom and decided to treat ourselves to a brunch-time meal at Tusker House. Despite low attendance and our off-hours request, they could not seat us as walk-ins. As is often the case, the restaurant had staffed the restaurant based on real and anticipated demand, and entire sections of restaurants were roped off and simply unavailable for patrons.
Fortunately for us, we were prepared to dine elsewhere—but making ADRs saves time and frustration if eating at a sit-down restaurant is important to you, you are traveling with a large group of five or more people, or you are on a dining plan.
Begin your planning
By determining your priorities as well as park hours and special events for your trip, you can get a general idea of where you will be on each day. You can then plan to make your ADRs based on this information. For example, it doesn't make sense to have a reservation for breakfast at the Crystal Palace in the Magic Kingdom on a day you plan to be at Animal Kingdom, especially since changing your mind at the last minute will cause Disney to charge you a no-show fee.
[Disney requires a credit card to make ADRs for many sit-down restaurants, and charges $10 per person for no shows or cancellations less than 24 hours in advance. Other popular and expensive dining options (such as Cinderella’s Royal Table in the Magic Kingdom and the Hoop Dee Doo Musical Revue at Fort Wilderness) continue to require full payment for no shows or cancellations less than 24 hours in advance. Details of these policies are explained at the time you make the reservation.]
Save four hours a day
You can save considerable hassles by using a “one large meal at off-hours” strategy.
First, make ADRs for one big meal each day at a favorite, new, or popular restaurant.
Second, always make your reservation for the beginning of the reservation window. Eating lunch at 11:30 a.m. or dinner at 5:00 p.m. means a shorter wait for a table and faster service overall. You are also more likely to encounter magical moments when your server is not yet overwhelmed by a crowd and has more time to interact with your family.
Another option is to schedule a late breakfast (10:30 a.m.) or lunch (2:30 to 3:00 p.m.). This is often close to final seating for these meals, and you may end up paying a lower price but have a wider menu selection (for example, special dinner offerings at lunch prices), in addition to fewer guests at the changeover. Crystal Palace and Tusker House are favorite buffet meals for this strategy. Akershus Royal Banquet Hall in Epcot, Kona Café at the Polynesian Resort, and the Grand Floridian Café are favorite non-buffet restaurants that also serve all three meals.
With this strategy, you can eat a light in-room breakfast and choose counter-service options for the remainder of the day while enjoying some great Disney dining at a slower pace for one larger meal. This strategy allows for you to anchor your day's meals around the ADR location, and leaves you with a lot of flexibility for the rest of the day. It gives your group a dining destination to look forward to, without feeling overwhelmed with overplanning.
Best of all, this strategy saves time because you don't spend hours getting to the restaurant, waiting for a table during peak dining times, sitting at a table waiting for service, or standing in long buffet lines. All of these hassles could easily take up four hours of your day; four hours you could spend going on more attractions or doing some other enjoyable activity.
Before you arrive, figure out your priorities and your rough itinerary, then make those ADRs to get peace of mind and extra ride time.
Previous articles from Margie Binder:
- Saving Time Through Smart Planning (November 11, 2011) – tips on understanding expectations and setting priorities.
- Save Time Before You Even Leave Home (January 17, 2012) – tips on when to go and where to stay.
