Hello! I’m trying to book an advanced dining reservation for a group of 13. I split the party into two groups of 6, with 5 minutes between reservation windows. All parties of 7 showed unavailable. Will we be able to add one more guest at the front desk?”

Hiya Camden - welcome to planDisney!

Thanks for swinging by with your question for our team of panelists today. We love to help Guests just like you plan your very own, very magical, Walt Disney World Resort vacations!

I love all things food at the Walt Disney World Resort, and while I definitely have some favorites, I love trying all of the new and exciting offerings along with the tried and true classics! The Disney Parks Blog is a great place to keep up with everything new that might be available during your trip.

Camden, I really feel for you - planning for a larger group can be a challenge, especially with Advance Dining Reservations, but there are a few things you can do to help meet your crew's needs. First, if you're flexible in dining location and time, you're more likely to find availability for larger parties at non-standard meal times (e.g., 3 p.m.) or at locations that can more easily accommodate them, such as Biergarten Restaurant in EPCOT's Germany pavilion.

What you've already done is my next suggestion - splitting up the group. I'm not sure where these reservations are for, but my guess is that your trouble finding a reservation for a party larger than six is due to physical constraints. That is, it may not be possible to safely seat more than six Guests together while still keeping all walkways clear. For this reason, I have two recommendations.

First, you can always call and speak to a friendly Cast Member to see if there are any options, including finding out if your full party can be accommodated at any other dining location. If you can't find any other options before the day of your reservation, I suggest stopping by the restaurant as early as you can to explain your situation to a Cast Member at the host stand. You'll technically only have reservations for a total of 12 Guests, and thus need to be prepared for one person to sit out. That being said, with advanced notice, the Cast Members at the restaurant may be able to find a way to accommodate your needs. Please know that there are many factors that come into play, and it might not be feasible to add an additional Guest.

I hope this information is helpful as you continue planning. Also, keep in mind that other Guests' plans change all the time, so additional availability does open up, especially closer to your trip - keep checking!

Ryan J.