Hi David, welcome to planDisney!
Let's dig a little deeper into the details about dining at Walt Disney World Resort. Advance reservations for dining can be made
online 60 days in advance. A new day of reservations typically populates between 5:45 a.m. and 6:00 a.m. The early bird gets the most options. Guests staying at a Disney Resorts Collection hotel can book for their entire stay (up to 10 days) 60 days before check-in.
For restaurants that are located inside one of the
four theme parks,
valid admission, a
theme park reservation, and a
method of entry (MagicBand, MagicBand+, Disney MagicMobile pass, or admission card) are required to access the restaurant. Note that those things do
not need to be in place before you make your reservation. I can make a reservation for
Garden Grill Restaurant without a theme park reservation for EPCOT, for example, but I can't actually get to Garden Grill on the day of my reservation without one.
Here are my top picks for dining with busy toddlers throughout Walt Disney World Resort:
1.
The Crystal Palace at Magic Kingdom Park (theme park reservation required) - here you can have breakfast, lunch, or dinner with Winnie the Pooh and friends. There's even a kid-sized buffet!
2.
Via Napoli Ristorante e Pizzeria at EPCOT (theme park reservation required) - authentic Italian cuisine in a kid-friendly atmosphere (translation - loud with space to wiggle).
3.
Tusker House Restaurant at Disney's Animal Kingdom Theme Park (theme park reservation required) - adventurous character dining for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
4.
50's Prime Time Café at Disney's Hollywood Studios (theme park reservation required) - family favorites in a restaurant themed like Mom's kitchen from the 1950s. The Cast Member interactions at this restaurant are unforgettable. Don't forget to eat all of your vegetables!
5.
Chef Mickey's at Disney's Contemporary Resort (no theme park reservation required) - a classic character dining experience for breakfast or dinner.
For all table-service restaurants, kids under three are not charged unless they order something off of the menu, but they do need to be included in the reservation total. In addition to table-service options,
quick-service dining is a great option for in-park dining. Quick-service options give you flexibility with timing, which is especially important when dealing with toddlers, and
mobile food and beverage ordering keeps the wait to a minimum.
I hope this is helpful information, David. If you have any additional trip-planning questions,
you know where to find me!
Plan magic; planDisney.
Jennifer