cinderellas royal table
  • On Oct 12, 2022
    Emmanuel from NSW Asked Please note that experiences, policies, pricing and other offerings are subject to change and may have changed since the date of this answer.

    I understand dining reservations open 60 days in advance but how much time should I (or does Disney) allocate for a reservation? We plan on doing both character dining and non character dining. Just don't know how much time to allocate to it.

    Hey Howdy Hey Emmanuel and welcome back to planDisney!

    Thank you so much for stopping by with your question about dining reservation times. I will be happy to give you a little more insight into what to expect for your next trip. 

    You got it right Emmanuel, Disney opens up dining reservations to you 60 days from your arrival date and 10 days in the future from that date as well. Regarding expectations on how long each dining experience will take, that would depend on the experience. I will say that in most cases, character dining takes a bit longer just because of having the opportunity of meeting, talking, hugging and taking pictures with each character. It is a phenomenal experience that you and your family will not soon forget, but I would plan for these to take maybe 60-90 minutes. 

    When you are at other table service locations, this would highly depend on the location and your ordering preferences. If you were to have an experience such as Be Our Guest in Magic Kingdom, this a pre-fixe meal so ordering is more efficient just like preparing the meal. I would plan on that taking 45-60 minutes to sit back or walk around and check out the full restaurant and all 3 dining locations. A place such as The Plaza Restaurant in Magic Kingdom may be a bit shorter, say 40-50 minutes depending on your order. If you are dining at The Plaza Restaurant, I would advise you to stay for some amazing desserts, the milkshakes are worth it! 

    A word of caution as you continue to plan for your big trip and dining reservations has to do with time. These times are approximate times that you may experience during your vacation. If you can, I would try to keep a good 20-30 minute buffer between when you think you will be finished with your meal and the next planned experience, such as Lightning Lane selections. Things happen, you might get stuck in a conversation with a character or the dining room is just really busy and things may get delayed a bit. Just know that Disney tries to get you in and out efficiently as many vacationers want a casual dining experience that does not take them away from the Magic of the parks for too long! 

    I hope this helps give you some general timeframes to plan around. Please feel free to reach back out with any further questions you may have, we would be happy to help!

    Have a Magical Day, 

    Nick 
thumbnail image for Nick

Meet the Panelist: Nick, Ohio

Hey howdy hey, I’m Nick! My happy place will always be Walt Disney World Resort and is where we call “Home”, but we do vacation exclusively in Cincinnati, Ohio for most of the year. My happily ever after is shared with my 3 girls, my beautiful wife and my career in Physical Therapy. I love any excuse to talk about Walt Disney World Resort and am so excited to help you discover the Magic of the Resort. Learn More About Nick

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