Thanks for dropping by planDisney, Wen! It sounds like you're ready to ring in 2023 at the Most Magical Place on Earth!
I recently went on a trip with my fellow panelist,
Alyssa, who enjoys spontaneity when it comes to her Walt Disney World dining reservations. Instead of booking her meals ahead of time, she prefers to live in the moment and use the
Mobile Dine Walk-up Availability, which is essentially a waitlist option in the
My Disney Experience app. She encouraged me to try it out when we were visiting Disney's Hollywood Studios, and I was shocked at how many last-minute options popped up! We simply added the number of guests in our party to the walk-up list and included special dietary requests, and off we went to 50s Prime Time Cafe after receiving a push notification to proceed to the restaurant (in most cases, the app will provide you with an approximate wait time). Easy peasy!
Sometimes, a location's waitlist reaches capacity and is unavailable, especially on busy days during the holidays. If this happens, try refreshing or checking back often throughout the day. You'll have better odds if you try to dine during off-peak times, such as in between mealtimes or later in the evening. Remember that you need to be in the vicinity to join the waitlist; for example, you can't select Nomad Lounge if you're in Disney Springs.
Best of luck, Wen! I hope your New Year's trip is a blast!
Eean