Heigh-ho Lisa, it's off to Walt Disney World you go!
Oh my gooseberry pie! It sounds like you'll be enjoying a grand gathering with a bigger crew than Snow White and all seven of her dwarf friends. Sitting down for meals is a great way to spend time together. I visited with a large group of extended family members just recently, and even though we frequently went our separate ways during the day, we enjoyed dinner together most nights. It was a fun and relaxing way to recap our day and discuss the next steps on our itinerary.
With a party of 9, you might want to try having a couple of folks in your group make two separate
dining reservations for around the same time or within 15-30 minutes of one another. My family of 12 had two or three reservations for each of our meals on our last trip, and we tried to coordinate times as best we could. My mom, my sister, and I each made reservations in our
My Disney Experience accounts, and when we arrived at a restaurant, we requested to be seated as close together as possible. Best wishes finding tables and times that work for you!
Lisa, when planning dining for a crowd, some restaurants might work better than others.
Biergarten Restaurant in
EPCOT, for example, seats parties at long, communal tables, and is a great choice for groups of six or more.
Whispering Canyon Café at
Disney's Wilderness Lodge is a fun restaurant with a spacious dining area and is another option I'd suggest for your party. My family also enjoys
Via Napoli Ristorante e Pizzeria in EPCOT and
Sanaa at
Disney's Animal Kingdom Villas - Kidani Village. Via Napoli has lots of seating, and Sanaa is a fantastic hidden gem that's a little out of the way, so it's usually easy to reserve several tables at both locations. If you need any more restaurant ideas, don't hesitate to reach out again; my panelist pals and I LOVE to talk about Disney food!
Thanks for stopping by
planDisney, Lisa. I hope everything works out for your family, and we can't wait to see ya real soon!
Betsy