Hey there, hi there, ho there, Gilbert! Thank you for coming to planDisney with a dining question, they are my favorite!
Making dining reservations for a larger party has become quite a challenge. You did everything right by making separate reservations for your two families. When you get to the restaurant, simply notify the Cast Member at check-in that your parties are together, and you’d prefer to sit together. They will try their best to accommodate you.
When we were at Walt Disney World in October, I was able to secure a reservation for 4 for
Olivia’s Café at Disney's Old Key West Resort for dinner, while my friend was able to also get a reservation there for 5 people. We wanted all nine people to dine together, and our reservations were about 10 minutes apart. The cast members were fantastic! Not only did we not really wait any longer, but we also had a fabulous table for 9 in the back room where there was only one other table occupied. It felt like a private dining experience.
When making reservations, I have often found that some of my favorites that are outside the theme parks are easier to book.
Whispering Canyon Café at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge has a fabulous bison burger for lunch or delicious skillets for breakfast.
Boma – Flavors of Africa inside Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge has the BEST breakfast buffet, perfect for a day that you’re headed to Disney’s Animal Kingdom Park. Trattoria al Forno on the Boardwalk never disappoints and is a quick walk from EPCOT or a boat or
Skyliner ride from Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
We also were able to book many reservations for our favorites while ON our vacation. So, if at first you don’t succeed, keep trying! I snagged Steakhouse 71 for a lovely dinner, as well as Toppolino’s dinner another night on a recent visit to Walt Disney World. Cancellations happen ALL the time.
I hope you have a wonderful visit in less than two months to The Most Magical Place on Earth.
Happy Traveling (& eating!),
Tracy