Nobody likes to plan for something over half a year away. An outcry from longtime Walt Disney World guests laments the changing nature of the park. Some of the best restaurants in the park no longer cater to walk-in customers. Instead, you’ll have to wait for 60 minutes or longer during peak business hours to get a table. Since wasting time during a Disney vacation is the worst thing you can do, making advance dinner reservations has become a necessary evil.
Yes, there is a certain kind of madness in not knowing what you’ll eat for dinner tonignt but knowing where you’ll eat in seven months, but Disney fans have to make their peace with this behavior oddity. Some restaurants are harder to get than others as well. For those, you should plan to call Walt Disney World at 7 a.m. 180 days ahead of your first day at the park. If you’re staying onsite, you can create up to 10 days of reservations during the phone call, meaning that you can make reservations up to 190 days in advance. Here is a list of the eight restaurants where you must get advance dinner reservations if you want to eat there.
1. Rose and Crown for Illuminations seating
According to Amusement Today’s esteemed Golden Ticket Awards, Illuminations is the best outdoor show production at any theme park in the world. Since visitors at Epcot have a tendency to swarm the areas providing the best views of Illuminations, finding a great seat is something of a challenge. Experienced Disney veterans, on the other hand, know that there is a trick.
Several of the restaurants at the World Showcase provide an exceptional view of the proceedings as well as alcohol. Did I mention alcohol? I should mention alcohol. Yes, you can sit around and order drinks and dessert while awaiting the start of the show. The trick is to schedule a reservation about 90 minutes before Illuminations begins, which is currently 9 PM EST.
The best restaurants for this trick are Tokyo Dining, Monsieur Paul, La Hacienda de San Angel, and Rose and Crown. Judging from the header, you can guess which one I suggest, but I would note that La Hacienda de San Angel has its supporters. Your choice depends upon the style of food you enjoy. To me, Rose and Crown’s English cuisine in combination with what I consider the best view of Illuminations makes it the clear choice.
All you need to do is pick the day you want to watch Illuminations and schedule a reservation for 7:30 or so. Upon arrival, inform the host that you prefer seating by the water. It should take another 20 minutes or so to accommodate this. They’ll seat you before 8, you’ll have your food by 8:30 and around the time you’re finishing up, Illuminations begins. It’s a perfect night, and all that is required is a bit of planning.
2. California Grill
The issues with Illuminations seating are duplicated and expanded upon with California Grill. One of the most elegant restaurants at Walt Disney World, California Grill is located at the Contemporary Resort on the 15th floor. If you know anything about Walt Disney World, you understand that this positioning provides guests at California Grill with a breathtaking view of Cinderella’s Castle. Follow that line of thinking to its logical conclusion. Yes, California Grill offers haute cuisine combined with the view of Wishes, the most viewed fireworks show at any theme park in the world. If you have any intention of eating dinner there, you’ll need to get your name at the front of the list, which means that Advance Dinner Reservations are a must.
3. ‘Ohana
While the Best Friends Character Breakfast featuring Lilo & Stitch is the most popular feature at ‘Ohana for my family, most others vote for the vaunted family-style dinner. Whichever one you prefer, you’ll need to act quickly if you want to enjoy one of the most beloved meals at Walt Disney World. ‘Ohana is legendary for its Polynesian flavors, fitting for an establishment located at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort.
This restaurant offers one of the greatest meal services you’ll ever get to enjoy. They bring you giant cuts of grilled meat on elongated skewers. Rounds of food include pork dumplings, wings, sirloin, shrimp, and turkey. Plus, they ceded to complaints and recently re-introduced sweet-n-sour chicken, which was briefly removed from the menu in 2014. Since ‘Ohana delivers one of the best table service meals at Disney in terms of bang for the buck, it books up quickly, making an ADR a must.
4. Chef Mickey’s
While virtually all character meals at Disney are popular, this meal at the Contemporary Resort outpaces the rest. The primary Disney characters are enticing to most people, while the inimitable view of the monorail running directly through the building heightens demand even more. Chef Mickey’s is also one of the best meals for children in terms of food and activities, starting with an introduction to Mickey Mouse right when you enter the hosting section. After the initial Mickey greeting, Minnie, Goofy, Pluto, and Donald all interact with guests during the meal. Since family photos and the other aspects of character meals are so memorable, Chef Mickey’s towers above the other character meal options. As such, demand guarantees sellouts during all but the slowest times of the year at Walt Disney World. You’ll need an Advance Dinner Reservation to secure you and your children’s happiness during the trip.
5. Spirit of Aloha/Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue/Mickey’s Backyard BBQ
Disney’s shows are extremely popular, especially with frequent guests of the park. They present an opportunity to enjoy something new and original the first time. On return visits, they offer the comfort of memories of prior Disney trips. As an example, the Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue has provided roughly the same jokes since the Nixon administration. Employees brag that the script is largely untouched over the past four decades. So, the same experience you enjoyed a child is one you can pass along to your children and grandchildren when you take them to the show.
Attaining a reservation to one of these beloved shows is tricky. Mickey’s Backyard BBQ is a seasonal show, so you’ll have to verify that you’re traveling at the right time. Theoretically, that’s March to December, but this is an outdoor event. Inclement weather can wreak havoc with your plans. Targeting late spring or summer is your safest bet. Meanwhile, Spirit of Aloha and Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue have tiered seating options, and if you’re on the Disney Dining Plan, not all of them are covered. All the shows also cost two credits, even if you pick the right tier.
So, look at a seating chart for the show prior to calling to book and allow for potential usage of the Disney Dining Plan when you make your selection unless you’re absolutely confident you won’t purchase it. Also note that prepayment is expected for all Disney shows, so you’ll pay the instant you make your reservation. On the plus side, you’ll have diner paid for seven months before you eat it.
6. Victoria and Albert’s
Arguing which of Walt Disney World’s many fine dining experiences is best is akin to picking your favorite child. To wit, each time anyone provides a list of “Best” or “Worst” restaurants, internet villagers grab their torches and pitchforks and head the writer’s way. While everyone has a favorite, food critics have identified the best of the best.
Victoria and Albert’s claims some of the highest accolades in the culinary world. It has earned the coveted AAA Five Diamond Award every year for more than a decade. Zagat’s identified it one of the 15 most iconic restaurants in America, and it’s a Tripadvisor Traveler’s Choice Award winner. Doing the math on this one isn’t complicated. The most popular theme park in the world offers some of the finest dining in the world. Obviously, people want to eat there. If you want to be one of them, you’ll want to book your reservations the first moment you possibly can.
7. Cinderella’s Royal Table
While I cannot prove that the first Advance Dinner Reservation ever made was for Cinderella’s Royal Table, it stands to reason. The legendary restaurant is the anchor of all things Magic Kingdom. The moment you enter the park, your line of sight is drawn to the building that houses it. Every meal there is a memory that will last a lifetime. If you have any hope of eating there, you’re going to need to get a reservation seven months out. Note that like the dinner shows above, Cinderella’s Royal Table requires immediate payment when you make the reservation. This is not an expense you will ever regret, though. As much as anything else at any Disney theme park, eating at Cinderella’s Royal Table is magic.
Due to its status, reputation, and continued excellence, Cinderella’s Royal Table maintained the alpha position as the premiere reservation at Walt Disney World right up until the end of 2012. At which point, it was surpassed by…
8. Be Our Guest
Since debuting at the end of 2012, Be Our Guest has usurped Cinderella’s Royal Table to become THE hardest ticket in town. If you have any hope of eating there for lunch, dinner, or the recently added breakfast option, you must plan ahead. Out of all the selections listed here, Be Our Guest is the one that you should prioritize.
You’ll want to call exactly at 7 a.m. on the morning 180 days out from your stay. The instant you reach a Disney customer service agent , ask for Be Our Guest reservations first. Because the +10 days count for other guests oftentimes precedes yours, the early days of your trip may already be booked. Still, the last day of your trip should have availability as long as you call right at 7 AM. You may not feel quite the onus if you are booking during the off-season, but this is the ultimate example of better safe than sorry.
Is Be Our Guest worth all the fuss? Yes. Whether you are eating with small children or as a single adult, the experience will feel just as special. Disney has spared no expense in recreating The Beast’s castle, with three dining rooms that each bring to life a key scene from the movie. I also maintain that the best special effect at any Disney restaurant is a simple outside snowflake addition that makes the entire experience more magical for me.
