Welcome Home, Alexis! Thanks so much for stopping by planDisney - it's always great to hear from a fellow
Disney Vacation Club Member! I love that you are already getting organized for your 2027 trip to
Walt Disney World Resort, and I'm here to share some tips and tricks for handling
dining reservations with your big group.
A vacation with lots of friends and family is a recipe for memories and magic, but it definitely requires some logistics to keep everything on track. Staying in DVC accommodations helps, as you can have plenty of space for everyone! When we're with a bigger group, I always appreciate having a full kitchen (available in 1-Bedroom or larger Villas) and dining area to allow for some meals in the room and late-night snacks when everyone is relaxing at the end of a busy day.
The booking window for restaurant reservations opens 60 days before your check-in date at 6:00 AM (Eastern Standard Time). The online system has a maximum party size of 20, so your best bet is to split up your group. You can assign a couple of people in your party to make reservations and log on via your own
My Disney Experience accounts to book your dining experiences. Be sure that anyone booking reservations has the resort reservation linked, and the most up-to-date version of the
app. Some restaurants at the Resort Hotels and
Disney Springs may also use Open Table for reservations, so be sure to check out that option if it applies to any of your preferred dining locations!
I recommend arriving at the restaurant early for your reservations and letting the Cast Members at the host stand know that your groups are part of the same party and would like to be seated near each other, if possible. While this isn't always an option - especially at restaurants with many smaller tables that can't be easily combined - they will do their best to help if they can!
Alexis, I hope that you're able to snag some reservations at your favorite Disney restaurants! If our planDisney crew can help with any other questions before your trip, please come see us again anytime. We're always here to help!
Stay Magical,
Susan