Hello Stephanie,
I'm so glad you stopped by planDisney with your question. May will be here before you know it, and so will your visit to join in
The World's Most Magical Celebration!
EPCOT has so many fantastic restaurants, it's easy to see why you chose to kick off your vacation with a meal here. Plus, during the
EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival the park is particularly stunning. However, you do need to have a park reservation and a ticket to be able to dine at any of the restaurants inside EPCOT.
Fortunately, you've found this out sooner, rather than later, and you have a few options. If you haven't already planned to visit a park on your first day of vacation, you may consider adding an additional day to your tickets and then make a reservation for EPCOT. If you do already have tickets for that first day but are visiting a different park, maybe consider adding the
Park Hopper Option to your existing tickets. That will give you the freedom to visit multiple parks in a single day.
The last option, and probably the most practical, is to switch your dining reservation to a restaurant either in one of the Walt Disney World Resorts or at Disney Springs. There are some fantastic options that will get your vacation off to a great start.
Topolino's Terrace at Disney's Riviera Resort is a delicious option with a fantastic view. If you're looking for something a little more casual and relaxed,
Boma - Flavors of Africa at Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge or
Whispering Canyon Cafe at Disney's Wilderness Lodge could be great options. There are a ton of
restaurants in Disney Springs that will start your vacation off right:
Morimoto Asia,
Raglan Road, and
The Edison are just a few delicious and different options.
I know this wasn't the news you were looking for, but I hope it helped. Have a magical vacation!
Diane