Welcome to planDisney, Nathan!
What a great question for your large party! I frequently travel to
Walt Disney World with a big group of friends, extended family, or even colleagues chaperoning a senior class trip--and I am always the one who plans our meals together. You can do this!
First, know that there are a few ways that you can make this happen, although with a larger party it may take an extra step or two. If you'd like to get a little live assistance with
Dining Reservations, call Disney Dining at (407) WDW-DINE. (407-939-3463). While Cast Members there cannot access reservations that are not listed online or in your
My Disney Experience app, they are able to secure reservations that can accommodate larger parties.
In addition, you can see which locations have availability for your party of 12 by going to WDW's website and selecting
Make Reservations under the Things to Do tab. Enter 12 as your party size, then select the time of day and locations you'd like to check for dining. I looked just now and saw dozens of available reservations for that large group on various days, so you may find just what you need that way.
When I'm looking for enough seats at a particular dining location for a big group and can't get reservations online for that number, I'll divide the group into two parties. Then, using either the My Disney Experience app or on the Walt Disney World website, I'll book one reservation for a part of the group and have another member of the party book the same time/location for the rest of the party. You'll likely be able to find seating for a total of 12 people if you book two sets of 6 or one for 8 and one for 4. For example, I did just that over at
Rainforest Cafe at Disney's Animal Kingdom even though one party of 12 was not available. Because everyone is linked together in our
My Disney Experience accounts, we can see each others' dining reservations, so we all can confirm that our reservations are at the same time or within a few minutes of each other.
If you snag those sets of reservations, I recommend one of you heading to the restaurant's check-in area as early as you can that day. Let the Cast Member there know that you are actually one larger party and would like to dine together if possible. They may need to adjust your reservation time a bit, but if they can seat you together they will certainly do so. And oh, what a blast that dining experience will be!
Nathan, have so much fun sprinkling the last bits of pixie dust on your large party plans! As you think of additional questions, be sure to send them our way. We love to help!
Andrea H