Do you need to make dining reservations?

[riogirl]

Hi,

We have a Disney Dining Plan for our 2 week stay but although we think we know which parks we will visit on each day, this may change. Do we need to make dining reservations or can we just turn up? I don't really want to risk being charged on the credit card in case we don't turn up (it seems you have to make a reservation using a credit card) but don't want to find we can't get in either!

Thank you!

[bighal]

If you want to eat at any of the table service restaurants in any of the parks at 'normal' meal times you will need to book. You may get a walk up outside of busy meal times but even then you might have a bit of a wait. Popular restaurants at busy times will fill up pretty quick. So if you have any must do places you want to eat at then I would book as soon as possible. You can always cancel at a later date and as long as you cancel more than 24 hours in advance you won't be charged.

Quick service places you just turn up.

[Bozza]

There are quite a few popular restaurants that will get booked up, certainly at the kind of times most like to eat at so, if you don't book, then you may struggle to get them.

You will, however, get something but almost by definition it won't be one of the popular spots.

You do have to reserve with a card, but as long as you cancel more than 24 hours in advance, you won't be charged the $10 per person no-show fee.

Most of our sit-down meals are booked for evening dinners so it doesn't really matter what our park plans are for that day, or if they change as most days we do this...

1. Get up.
2. Go to a park.
3. Ride some stuff.
4. Have counter service meal or snack for lunch in that park.
5. Head back to the hotel after lunch / mid-afternoon.
6. Chill, swim etc.
7. Freshen up and head out for dinner.

It doesn't matter which park or resort the restaurant for dinner is as, simply, we're going out for dinner, generally jumping into an Uber and off we go.

[riogirl]

Thank you! So useful!

[bex85chelt]

You can also change your dining reservation right up to the day of for somewhere different or a different time / day (for whats available of course)

Again depending on availability of course but you can make a reservation for same day, better to do this if you can than to just do a walk up.

[Scottishmam]

If you get a Landry card then you can walk up at T-Rex and rainforest cafe which is handy for animal kingdom and Disney springs if you want a few days with no reservation

[Jaspercat10]

I think it depends how many people are in your party if there is just 2 of you there will be more availability, also o depends if you are bothered what and where you eat. It is very hard to get into some of the most popular restaurants even when the adr’s are released you have to be quick x