Hi Celia! Welcome to planDisney!
Oh my goodness, your visit to Walt Disney World Resort is right around the corner! You must be getting so excited. I know the last few weeks ahead of any trip can be exciting but also a little bit hectic as you iron out all of those trip details and start to think about packing. So, rest assured, we are here to spread a little pixie dust to help make your trip planning experience as enjoyable as possible. It is vacation, after all, so it should be fun!
I know it is a definite bummer to log in and not see your preferred restaurant available, but don't lose faith! Almost all of my visits to Walt Disney World are booked very last minute, so I hardly ever get to take advantage of the 60-day window for Advanced Dining Reservations. Still, I'm almost ALWAYS able to snag some absolutely fabulous reservations on each trip. My best tip would be to keep a close eye on the My Disney Experience app. Reservation cancellations come through all the time. So, if you are diligent and check in periodically, you'll likely see times for some of your favorite restaurants pop up. This is especially common in the week or two leading up to your visit, as Guests who change their plans must cancel reservations to avoid the late cancellation fee. I try to open the app about 2-3 times a day to check in and see what's available, and this approach works really well for me!
Celia, did you know that many dining locations throughout Walt Disney World have the Mobile Dine Walk-Up feature where you'll be able to add your party to a stand-by list and be notified when your table is ready? How great is that? While there is certainly no guarantee that Mobile Dine Walk-Up availability will be available, it’s definitely a good alternative when you don’t have a reservation. It certainly never hurts to check! To make things easier, I’ve broken down how to use this awesome feature below:
- Log into your My Disney Experience mobile app.
- Click on "Check Dining Availability."
- Select your party size.
- Select the date.
- Under "Search by Time," click on "Now."
- Then, you can view the current estimated wait times for participating restaurants and join the list.
- Once you successfully join the Mobile Dine Walk-up feature, you are free to walk around and explore a bit while you wait to be called. Just be sure you don't go too far, as the restaurant will only hold your table for so long.
I can honestly say that I have never had a meal I didn't love at Walt Disney World, and I say that as one of the pickiest eaters on the planet! So, no matter where you dine, I just know you will have a delicious meal! We have many foodies here at planDisney, so feel free to stop in again with another question, and we would love to share some of our favorites!
Bon Appétit!
Diana