Welcome to planDisney, Laura! Thanks so much for coming to us with your question today. I'm so glad to hear that you're planning to dine at
Garden Grill in
EPCOT! This restaurant is such a hidden gem with delicious food, character appearances from Chip, Dale, and friends, and an occasional glimpse of my favorite attraction at Walt Disney World:
Living with the Land.
The great news is you don't actually need to pay in advance to make a reservation at Garden Grill. When booking, you'll be asked to provide a credit card number, but it's just to hold the reservation, and you will not be charged at that time. This is a standard policy for Table Service restaurants, and the only time your card would be charged is if you don't show up or cancel too close to your reservation, in which case a no-show fee could apply.
The only dining experiences that require full prepayment at the time of booking are
Cinderella's Royal Table in
Magic Kingdom and
Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue at
Fort Wilderness. Those two are prepaid meals, but everything else, including Garden Grill, just needs a card on file to confirm.
So, you're all set to go ahead and book that farm-fresh, family-style meal without worrying about upfront payment! I hope you have an amazing time at EPCOT, and please let us know if you have any more questions about planning your magical vacation.
Jessica