Booking the most popular Walt Disney World dining reservations has always taken a fair bit of planning. Add in the 50th Anniversary Celebration, capacity limits, increased demand, and finding hard-to-get dining reservations at Walt Disney World can feel impossible.
Perfecting the Magic has your back with the hottest Walt Disney World reservations and the strategic tips you’ll need to book the top Walt Disney World restaurants as efficiently as possible!
The Hardest to Get Dining Reservations at Walt Disney World
PTM’s tips will work no matter what Walt Disney World dining reservation you’re looking to book; however, many Walt Disney World restaurants are especially tough to secure.
If you’re interested in the hottest Walt Disney World dining reservations, you need to prioritize them first. We’ve gathered six of the hardest-to-book restaurants here, so you’ll have the list at your fingertips!
Book a Reservation at Topolino’s Terrace
The prix fixe Breakfast and brunch at Topolino’s Terrace is incredibly popular for a good reason! It’s a character breakfast with Minnie, Mickey, Donald, and Daisy atop Disney’s Rivera Resort, and the gang is dressed to impress in custom outfits. The food is spectacular, too, which is why it’s in-demand.
Cinderella’s Royal Table Reservations (Magic Kingdom)
While character dining is on hold at Cinderella’s Royal Table in Magic Kingdom at the time of publishing, there’s still something about dining inside Cinderella Castle at Walt Disney World that whips up excitement in Disney fans. WDW offers a photo-op with Cinderella separate from dining, and the experience (coupled with the setting) makes their prix fixe meals popular, especially with families.
Jiko—The Cooking Place Reservations
After an extended closure, Jiko, located in Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge, is back open! The fan-favorite is beloved for its oak-grilled filet mignon, mac and cheese, and inspired African flavors. Perfect for date nights, the romantic setting feels a world away from the hustle and bustle of Walt Disney World theme parks while still being on Disney property. It’s easy to see why their reservation slots get filled so quickly!
Booking a Reservation at California Grill
Speaking of date night, with Victoria and Albert’s closed, the most luxurious dining reservation you can book at Walt Disney World is the California Grill located at Disney’s Contemporary Resort. Featuring spectacular fireworks views (with music piped in!) and a 50th Anniversary Celebration menu that is a culinary masterpiece, the California Grill is consistently popular. It’s essential to book early if you’re interested.
A Reservation at Space 220 (EPCOT)
This immersive dining experience near Mission: SPACE provides the feel (and atmosphere) of being 220 miles above the Earth. Featuring breathtaking simulated views, in-depth storytelling, and an exciting prix fixe menu for both lunch and dinner, Space 220 has proven itself a must-dine experience while in EPCOT. If you’d like to step away from it all, and by that we mean Earth, it’s worth booking.
Advanced Dining Reservations at Oga’s Cantina (Hollywood Studios)
If you’re a diehard Star Wars fan, you may find ‘the local watering hole’ that is Oga’s Cantina in Hollywood Studios to be irresistible! Featuring unique, out-of-this-world drinks and cocktails, it’s imperative that you have a reservation. Otherwise, you’re not getting in!
How Early Should You Book Walt Disney World Dining Reservations
It’s never too early to start thinking about booking your Walt Disney World dining reservations. We suggest you begin by planning which restaurants you’d like to dine at while prioritizing the harder-to-book dining reservations first. Disney allows guests to book 60 days in advance for dining, and if you’re staying at a Walt Disney Resort hotel, you can add the number of days you’re visiting (up to 10 days) to that number!
If you’re staying at Walt Disney World for five nights, you can book your dining reservation 65 days in advance! It might sound a bit outrageous to do so, but we highly recommend you take advantage of all the time allocated to you and your party.
It’s a good idea to bookmark the Walt Disney World restaurants you are interested in before making your reservations, and ordering the bookmarks in order of priority can be especially useful. Reservations open at 5:45 am (EST) online and at 7 am over the phone each day. So, mark your calendars and set that alarm—it’s the surest way to book the hardest Walt Disney World dining reservations.
You can book your Walt Disney World dining reservations here or through My Disney Experience.
If you prefer to book by phone, you can call (407)-939-7529, and if you’re a Disney Vacation Club (DVC) member, you can book by calling (800)-800-9800 as well.
Remember that in-park dining like Cinderella’s Royal Table and Space 220 require park ticket reservations, so be sure to have them in place before attempting to book. If you are dining with a large party, we recommend making your Walt Disney World dining reservations over the phone.
How to Get Impossible to Find Walt Disney World Dining Reservations
Sometimes planning isn’t enough. There will be exceptional circumstances where finding a dining reservation at the hardest-to-find Walt Disney World restaurants proves nearly impossible. Don’t give up! You have options. If your advanced dining reservation time is booked, consider moving your meal to an off time. If you’re having lunch, consider 11 am. Dinner? Consider dining early or late.
Flexibility can make all the difference. If you’re visiting Walt Disney World at a particularly busy time, consider shifting your dates to less busy periods if possible. Holidays and weekends will always draw significant crowds to Walt Disney World, and it’s best to avoid them. If you’re traveling with a large group, consider splitting your Walt Disney World dining parties into two (or three) smaller groups to make dining reservations easier to come by.
If you’re still feeling stuck, you can use a free reservation finder like Mouse Dining or Touring Plans. These tools allow you to input your desired time frame (remember to be flexible whenever possible) and dates to alert you via email when a reservation has opened. They’ll link you straight to Walt Disney World dining reservations, and you handle your booking from there. They’re fantastic tools, and we’ve found that when we’re flexible, they really help!
Which Walt Disney World Dining Reservations Do You Love?
Walt Disney World is filled with can’t-miss dining experiences. From character meals to romantic dinners with fireworks views, a little planning can make all the difference so you spend more time having unforgettable meals and less time scrambling for quick-service options.
We’d love you to share your top picks over on our Instagram!
