Disney Planning 101: Why You Should Pick Your Meals Before You Pick Your Parks

As a vacation planner, it’s my job to help families make the most of their Disney vacations and fit in as many experiences as possible. And let’s face it – food is a big part of the Disney experience. Whether you’re looking for character meals, signature dining, or just festival treats, you could spend your whole week eating your way around the “World” (or “Land”).

So how do you make sure you can enjoy all of the great dining options during your visit? You plan! Here’s why you should pick your meals before you even pick your days at the Disney Parks.

 

Disney Dining Options

There are several different types of dining options available throughout the parks and resorts. These include:

• Table-Service Dining
• Quick-Service Dining
• Carts & Kiosks
• Bars & Lounges

Table-Service Dining includes casual dining, character dining, and signature dining. You’ll typically want to reserve these meals well in advance, particularly if you want to visit a popular restaurant such as Be Our Guest, California Grill, or Cinderella’s Royal Table.

Other notable dining options include the booths at any of Epcot’s festivals, special dining experiences, and dessert parties. You can reserve events such as culinary demonstrations, chef’s tables, or even dining with a Disney Imagineer. These make wonderful additions to your Disney vacation and will make it truly memorable.

 

Do Your Homework

Disney homework is the best kind of homework! Before you set your park plans in place, you’ll want to do some research to determine what kinds of experiences you want to include in your Disney vacation.

Don’t have time to spend hours caught in the Disney research rabbit hole? That’s okay! Work with an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner who can help you find the perfect experiences for your family. I get to know the families I work with and I help them to do as much or as little research as they like.

The first thing you’ll want to decide (in terms of dining) is which table-service restaurants or dining experiences you may like to include. This is key to designing a park plan that won’t have you running around the entire resort (more on this in a minute).

Character meals are very popular, and generally are a great value since you can meet anywhere from 4-10 characters at once (which saves you time waiting in all those individual lines). If anyone in your party has a favorite character, check to see if they may be able to dine with them during your visit (princesses and Mickey & Friends can be found in several locations).

If you enjoy fine dining, be sure to look into Disney’s many signature restaurants. They range from classic steakhouses to modern cuisine, so there’s a perfect fit for everyone. Don’t worry about bringing the kids to most of these, particularly ones located in the parks – they’re designed for families.

Don’t forget to look into popular snack and quick-service options too. While most of these can be decided upon later in the game, you may find a location you want to visit at the resorts or Disney Springs/Downtown Disney that could affect your park plans.

 

How to Plan Your Parks Around Your Dining

So at this point you should have a nice long list of dining options that would make your Disney vacation more fun. Now what?

Separate your dining options by park/area so you have a better idea of what you’re looking at. Note if they are limited time reservations (such as breakfast only or an event with a set schedule). Highlight dining options that are “must do’s” for your family.

The next steps depend on where you are in your Disney vacation planning journey:

You Are More Than 180 Days from Your Vacation (60 Days for Disneyland)

You can begin making Advanced Dining Reservations (ADRs) 180 days in advance of your trip for Walt Disney World and 60 days in advance for Disneyland. If you’ve got some of the popular restaurants or events on your “must do” list, you’ll want to book as soon as this window opens.

In this case you’re going to determine your park plans and your dining simultaneously. Decide which parks you want to visit and choose dining options from your list that are located in (or nearby) each of those parks. If you know you’ll want extra time in Epcot for the festival or an event is only being held one day during your visit, that will help you determine which parks to enter each day.

For resort dining, reserve restaurants on days you’ll be located at the closest park or plan in a break day to explore areas outside of the parks. For example, I love to plan a stop at the Polynesian for breakfast before I head to Magic Kingdom.

You Are Less Than 180 Days from Your Vacation (60 Days for Disneyland)

If dining reservations have already opened up for your trip and you have some popular “must do’s” on your list, you’ll want to search for availability before your finalize your park plans.

For example, let’s say you really want a dinner at Be Our Guest. This restaurant books up very early, so the closer your are to your trip the harder it is to find a table. Before you decide which day you’d like to visit Magic Kingdom, check for any openings at the restaurant. This will keep you from feeling like you have to hop parks unnecessarily just to make a dinner reservation (although it is an option if other plans are already in place and you have a Park Hopper).

If you can’t find any availability at a favorite restaurant – don’t panic. Leave an opening for a meal in your plans and keep searching for a table. Or book a different restaurant (many are comparable) and simply swap it out if your first choice becomes available. Just aim to swap for a restaurant in the same park/area.

 

As Always, Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – one dining reservation will not make or break your vacation. But with a little planning you can incorporate a wide variety of dining experiences into your visit.

And yes, you may even get a chance to dine in a castle.

 

Ready to start planning your next Disney vacation? I’d love to help you make it the trip you dream of. I am a concierge vacation planner specializing in all Disney Destinations. My booking, planning, and concierge services are completely free to clients who book with me. Request a free consultation and quote or send me an email at jtullino@themouseexperts.com.