Hi Clinton! Welcome back to planDisney.
Just hearing the words “large party” makes me smile because some of my very favorite Walt Disney World Resort memories were made during visits with extended family members and friends. You are going to have a fantastic time together!
As part of the
phased reopening of the Walt Disney World Resort, restaurants have had to shift some logistics to safely accommodate diners with physical distancing and other health and safety measures in place. Because of this, larger party reservations have become more difficult to make. My advice is to split into two groups of four when making your
dining reservations. You are welcome to
call and ask to add a note to your reservations that you are one party of eight and request to be seated together if possible. You may also let your host know this upon check-in. Please note that while they will try to make magic for you, it may not be possible to seat your party together. Having traveled with large groups before, though, it’s never been a big deal when we’ve needed to dine in smaller groups – it’s a nice chance to chat with others you may not have spent as much time with throughout the day.
If you’re not able to secure every
dining reservation you’re wishing for, be sure to check often in the
My Disney Experience mobile app. I find that checking specific times rather than windows like “dinner” helps unlock more availability. I also find that dining at “off” times works well – we will often have an early dinner and then enjoy some late-night snacks in the theme parks or our resort hotel room (I also love to enjoy a snack by the pool in the evening – it just feels like a vacation luxury).
I’m sending pixie-dusted wishes that your dining reservations line up beautifully. If you’re looking for some dining inspiration, we’re sharing
our favorite Disney meals in the Panel Extras. I also recommend reading the
Disney Parks Blog for all the latest news and updates, including delicious foodie features recommending yummy new snacks, drinks, and treats. Yum!
Wishing you a magical vacation,
Robyn