Hiya Jennifer,
It's always nice to see a familiar name at planDisney! You'll be starting summer off right this year with a visit to Walt Disney World Resort. The
EPCOT International Flower and Garden Festival will still be in bloom. Be sure to check out the
Garden Rocks Concert Series lineup;
dining packages are available Fridays through Mondays.
One of my favorite ways to manage the summer heat is to make advance dining reservations for at least one table service meal per day. I rely on that time spent enjoying icy beverages, delicious food, and precious air-conditioning to get me through full park days. Guests of
Disney Resorts Collection hotels can make dining reservations online for the duration of their trip, up to 10 days, up to 60 days in advance. All other Guests are eligible to make reservations as each day hits the 60-day mark.
Officially, reservation availability is said to open up at "approximately 5:45 a.m." In my experience, though, it rarely happens before 6:00 a.m. EST. Just to be safe, set your alarm and be logged in to your My Disney Experience account by 5:45 a.m. that morning.
In terms of strategy, I recommend booking
online as opposed to via the
My Disney Experience mobile app. I would have your phone nearby just in case, though, because Stitch-uations arise where the website's not working the way you want it to and it's nice to have a Plan B. If booking for multiple days, I don't necessarily recommend booking in chronological order. Instead, start with the hardest to get reservations such as Character Dining experiences. To maximize availability, it's also best to try and schedule these as late in your 10-day window as possible.
I hope you experience success on your advance reservation booking day(s), Jennifer. If you are unable to book a specific dining experience, don't lose heart. I encourage you to just keep trying as dining availability is constantly changing in real-time to reflect changes in Guest itineraries.
Please let planDisney know if there are any other trip-planning questions we can help you with.
Choose magic,
Jennifer