Planning a trip to Walt Disney World and not sure about how to go about dining? This list of my Top Disney World Dining Tips will give you some inside tips on how to plan for your Walt Disney World vacation.
When I am planning a trip, the first thing that I do is make a list of all the places that I want to eat at while I’m there. Trying new restaurants and foods is my favorite thing about traveling, especially at Disney World. If you haven’t been to Disney in along time, you might not know how amazing the food scene is there. My family often gets asked how can you travel to Disney so much and the food is one of the top reasons we go back year after year.
Over the years, I have learned a few tips and tricks when it comes to dining at Walt Disney World. I hope that you find these tips helpful when it comes to planning your next Disney vacation.
make reservations as soon as possible
This is definitely the most important tip. You want to make your dining reservations as soon as you can. You can make your dining reservations 180 days in advance for Disney World. If you want to dine at a specific restaurant, it is really important to book at the 180 day mark. I like to make a plan of what table service restaurants I want to dine at each park day. Having this list made before I can make dining reservations really helps keep things organized.
If you are trying to make reservations and aren’t having much luck, don’t give up. Keep trying. Sometimes reservations can open up as it gets closer to your vacation.
It might seem crazy to book your reservations 6 months in advance. If you want to dine at specific table service restaurants, it is very important to book in advance. If you don’t book any reservations, you might be very disappointed on your trip when there are no tables available for that day.
Research
It is so important to do your research. There are so many great restaurants and dining experiences to pick, it can be overwhelming! Also, be sure to check the menus before leaving. Things change at Disney all the time and it is really disappointing when the menus change.
If you are traveling with anyone who has a specific food allergy or dietary restrictions, it is very important to research and find the best restaurants that suit your needs the best. There are so many great resources online. I love searching on YouTube for Disney food related videos. Also, Instagram is a great resource to check!
As a vegan, I love researching new vegan options at the parks. This will determine what restaurants I will eat at on my trip. It is amazing how vegan-friendly Disney is now!
Note any dietary restrictions
When making your dining reservations, be sure to be honest and note any dietary restrictions and food allergies. It’s a lot easier to make a note when booking your reservations. The cast members are amazing will make sure that your dietary restrictions are taken care of and you won’t go hungry!
Disney really does an amazing job accommodating food allergies. It is one of the reasons that I love going to Disney World!
Eat at unpopular times
Eating at unpopular times is something that my family has been doing for years. We prefer to eat a late lunch, usually between 2-3. This has become one of our favorite times for dining for a few reasons. It is usually less crowded at the restaurants. This makes it easier to get a reservation and you don’t have to feel rushed as you eat.
Budget
I think it is really important to make a food budget for each day of the trip. Disney is expensive, including the food. How much do you want to spend each day? This will determine which restaurants to dine at. Be sure to budget in drinks too, especially alcohol. Cocktails, beer and wine are on the expensive side as well.
Bring a water bottle
Bring your own water bottle will not only save you money, it also helps the environment! Bottle water is expensive and it can add up very quickly.
When you are dining at a quick service restaurant, ask for a cup of water. They will gladly give you a cup for water from the fountain drinks.
Dine at one of the resorts
I love dining at the different Disney resorts. There are so many unique restaurants at the resorts. The resorts offer great character dining for kids too. Sometimes we will leave the park to have dinner at one of the resorts.
Dine at a new restaurant
I definitely have my favorite restaurants at Disney World that I love to go to each trip, but I always make sure to try different restaurants that I haven’t been to before. It is fun trying out new restaurants, especially those with unique cuisine like Tiffins!
I hope that these tips will help you plan your next Disney World Vacation. If you have other tips or tricks about Disney dining planning, please share them in the comments section below. I’d love to hear them!
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