• On Jul 9, 2019
    Randi from OR Asked Note: This answer was provided prior to the change to planDisney and may still contain references to Disney Parks Moms Panel.

    Experiences, policies, pricing and other offerings are subject to change and may have changed since the date of this answer.

    Hello, My adult daughter, and I, are visiting Disney World in August. It is a mother/daughter trip. My question is: Is it still a good idea to have dining reservations? We are not sure we want to plan our day around making a specific time for a meal.

    It's great to see you here today at the Disney Parks Moms Panel, Randi!

    What an awesome idea to plan a girls trip for you and your daughter this summer! I'm a firm believer that Walt Disney World Resort is fun for kids of all ages, and that includes the young at heart too. There are so many things to see and do that you don't always get a chance to experience when the kids are with you, like my favorite thing to do: relaxing in a beautiful lounge space with an incredible specialty cocktail!

    Dining is the highlight of my vacation at Walt Disney World Resort, and I know that there are a lot of people that feel the same way. If you are intending to have a meal at a Table-Service restaurant, advanced dining reservations are highly recommended. Reservations open up 180 days in advance, which gives guests a lot of opportunities to book those tables. That's why if there's a dining experience that you really want to try or a dish that you can't stop thinking about from your last vacation, you should go ahead and make that reservation if you can. Dining reservations are flexible and can be adjusted or canceled up to 24 hours in advance without penalty, so I recommend making plans for what you think you might want to do and adjust them as your trip gets closer. You can always ask at a restaurant's podium if there are any tables available on the day you'd like to dine, but be prepared with a backup plan in case there's a bit of a wait or you aren't able to get in.

    If you're planning to just go with the flow, you can still have some really delicious meals at Quick-Service dining locations at all four theme parks. Satu'li Canteen in Pandora - The World of Avatar at Disney's Animal Kingdom has a diverse, elevated menu and the Blueberry Cream Cheese Mousse is as beautiful as any dessert I've seen at a Table-Service restaurant. If you're at Epcot, create your own progressive meal by trying a snack from each of the 11 World Showcase nations! The School Bread from Kringla Bakeri Og Kafe in the Norway Pavilion is an absolute classic, and you can't leave without grabbing a Curry Chicken Pocket from Joy of Tea in the China Pavilion. Best of all, there are no reservations required!

    Have a magical day, Randi!

    Jessica
thumbnail image for Jessica

Meet the Panelist: Jessica, Texas

I'm a personal stylist and I live in Texas with my husband and our three rescue animals. We are Disney Parks-obsessed and love enjoying all the magic that's out there especially for grown-ups. In fact, we even opted out of a tropical honeymoon to spend a blissful week at Walt Disney World Resort instead! I'm thrilled to be on the planDisney Panel and I'm excited to share everything I've learned from all of our trips and help you plan a memorable family vacation.  Learn More About Jessica

Didn't find what you were looking for? Click the Ask a Question button to open the Ask a Question dialogue box. If you are not logged in a dialogue box will appear to signin in order to ask a question.

To submit your question, please sign in now if you have not already done so.

Ask a QuestionOpens the Ask a Question dialog box.
x

Update Browser

For a better experience browsing this website, please download an updated version of Internet Explorer.


Or you can continue browsing without updating.