Hi there, Dave!
Wow, that sounds so frustrating! Without a doubt, a character dining experience is one of the most popular things to do at Walt Disney World Resort. The downside to the popularity of the experience is that reservations can be a little hard to come by.
Dave, I do have a couple of tips for you. First, I want you to not worry. I have never been on a Walt Disney World Resort vacation where I was unable to snag a last-minute reservation and I am here to give you all of my insider tips and tricks!
What you will want to do is to keep checking. Check during the day, check at lunch, check before bed, and check early in the morning. You see, people's plans change all the time. Some families may have decided to skip their EPCOT day in favor of another day at Disney's Hollywood Studios. So when they cancel their reservation at
Garden Grill Restaurant, you can sweep in and snag it.
If you do a Google search, you will also find a couple of third-party companies that will alert you of open reservations. While these websites may not be a bad idea to try, I will be honest and say that I have had more luck simply checking the
My Disney Experience Mobile App as our trip gets closer.
You may be surprised to hear that I actually make most of my dining reservations the day or two before I wish to dine. When we get back from a day at the park, I hop on my app and see if anything has opened up for the next day.
You will also have greater success depending on which character meal that you want to experience. I have found that
Topolino's Terrace and Cinderella's Royal Table are the hardest reservations for me to get. The easiest character dining reservations are usually Garden Grill Restaurant and
Tusker House Restaurant.
Chef Mickey's and
Hollywood & Vine are worth keeping an eye on, as well.
If you have a car, or are open to a taxi or ride-share service, it is also worth calling over to Ravello at the Four Seasons. They have a
fabulous character breakfast with all your favorite pals. Since this spot is not as advertised, they often have a little more availability. While I haven't had the chance to experience this meal, I have heard nothing but rave reviews about the quality of the food and the character interactions.
If you are still unable to get a reservation, make sure that you check out the
walk-up wait list feature in your My Disney Experience Mobile App. You can list your party on the wait list, play the day away, and be called back when it is your family's turn to dine.
Dave, I am crossing all my fingers and toes for you that you get the reservations that you would like.
See you real soon!
Sarah B.