Heigh-ho, Lindsay, it's off to Walt Disney World you go!
It's wonderful to see you here again! You must be whistling while you work all day long just thinking about next year's grand gathering. As far as I'm concerned, when it comes to vacations, the more the merrier! You'll have more fun than Snow White and her seven dwarf friends when they danced in the cottage.
Since you'll be traveling with a large group, sitting down for a few meals is a great way to spend time together. Last summer, I visited Walt Disney World with extended family, and even though we often went our separate ways during the day, we had dinner plans as a group most nights. It was a fun and relaxing way to recap our adventures and discuss the next day's itinerary.
With a party of nine, you can still use the online reservation system, but I recommend having several people in your crew make
Advance Dining Reservations for the same time or within 15-30 minutes of one another. My family of 10 had two or three reservations for each of our meals, and we tried to coordinate times as best we could. My mom, my sister, and I each made reservations in our
My Disney Experience accounts, and when we arrived at a restaurant, we requested tables as close together as possible. In some cases, they were able to seat us all at the same table. I suggest having two or three members of your group attempt to make reservations for parties of 3, 4, or 5. I hope you can find tables and times that work for you!
Lindsay, when planning dining for a large group, some restaurants might work better than others.
Biergarten Restaurant in
EPCOT, for example, seats parties at long, communal tables, so this might be a great choice.
Whispering Canyon Café at
Disney's Wilderness Lodge is a fun restaurant with a spacious dining area and is another option I'd suggest for your crew. My family loves to dine at
Sanaa at Disney's Animal Kingdom Villas - Kidani Village. It's a fantastic hidden gem that's a little out of the way, so it's usually easy to reserve several tables here. At
Disney Springs,
Raglan Road Irish Pub & Restaurant is always fun with a crowd. If you need any more restaurant ideas, don't hesitate to reach out again; my panelist pals and I LOVE to talk about Disney food!
I hope this is helpful! Stay tuned to the
Disney Parks Blog and
social media for updates and information as more restaurants come back online. You're sure to enjoy a wide array of culinary delights next September. Thanks so much for stopping by, and we look forward to seeing ya real soon!
Betsy