One of the most exciting parts of planning your Walt Disney World vacation is booking your Advance Dining Reservations. Especially since Disney shortened the window of when you make your reservations from 180 days prior to arrival to just 60 days prior to arrival, making those reservations truly signals that your trip is right around the corner!
Booking those reservations, as exciting as it can be, is also a bit of a harrowing experience. These restaurants only have so many tables, and Disney World attracts tens of thousands of on any given day. That means being right on top of your reservation window opening up, which means waking up before the sun rises to hop online and start refreshing your page. And, depending on how popular the restaurants are that you’re looking for, you may wind up disappointed when your top choices are already booked.
That’s right: some Walt Disney World restaurants are far more popular than others, whether it’s because of their unique and immersive environment, their highly-rated menu, or because they offer character dining. Whatever the reason may be, you will want to review which reservations will be among the hardest to get in 2024 so you’re prepared to have backup options ready. Speaking of backup options, I have included alternatives for each restaurant that you may want to research and keep in mind as Plan B’s should your Plan A be fully booked.
Be sure to keep reading to the end, where I provide my tried-and-true tips for scoring your top-choice Advance Dining Reservations.
The Hardest Disney World Dining Reservations To Get in 2024
Space 220
Why everyone wants a reservation here:
- Opening in 2021, Space 220 still has that novelty of being the new restaurant in town. If you haven’t been to Walt Disney World in the last couple of years, Space 220 is likely at the top of your list of new things to check out. Unfortunately, it’s also on everyone else’s list.
- Space 220 is an immersive dining experience which starts with all guests boarding an elevator that takes you 220 miles above Earth to the Centauri Space Station. Once you reach your table, you’ll order off a menu that boasts unique outer-space-themed items (note: the dining room includes a prix-fixe menu, while the lounge includes an a la carte menu).
Alternatives
- Space 220 Lounge (walk-up availability) – Space 220 Lounge will also be tricky to grab a reservation for ahead of your visit, but you can always check the front desk the day you visit EPCOT and see if they’re taking walk-ups. That’s how I managed to visit Space 220 for the first time: I showed up with no reservation and was sat at the bar in about 10 minutes. And we could order off the entire lounge menu.
- Oga’s Cantina: If you want another immersive experience, head to Oga’s Cantina in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge in Disney’s Hollywood Studios. It’ll feel like you stepped into an authentic cantina from the Star Wars universe. Keep in mind that Oga’s Cantina is primarily a bar with no food to order with the exception of some lite bar snack-type items.
‘Ohana
Why everyone wants a reservation here
- ‘Ohana has been a long-standing tough reservation to grab. Located in Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort, it’s a quintessential Disney World dining experience. For breakfast, guests can meet Mickey, Pluto, Lilo, and Stitch.
- Breakfast at ‘Ohana is served all-you-care-to-eat and family-style, featuring the ‘Ohana Breakfast Skillet.
- Conveniently located near Magic Kingdom, ‘Ohana is a popular choice for families looking for a character breakfast before heading into the parks.
Alternatives
- Tusker House: Tusker House is another character dining option that includes a buffet-style breakfast (as well as lunch and dinner). If dining with Mickey is the goal and you don’t necessarily care which restaurant that happens in, you’ll probably find a reservation for Tusker House more easily.
- Whispering Canyon: While Whispering Canyon is not character dining, it still offers a lively atmosphere to enjoy a meal with your family. Whispering Canyon is also known for their skillets, though they are not all-you-care-to-eat. The wild and zany antics from the wait staff will make for a memorable dining experience. Whispering Canyon is also located in close proximity to Magic Kingdom, found at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge.
- Kona Cafe: Kona Cafe is not a character dining meal but it is located at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort, close to ‘Ohana. If you are staying at the Polynesian or you want to dine at the resort during your Magic Kingdom day, Kona Cafe is a great alternative with easier-to-grab reservations.
Topolino’s Terrace (Breakfast)
Why everyone wants a reservation here:
- Located at the top of Disney’s Riviera Resort, Topolino’s Terrace hosts Breakfast à la Art each morning, a character dining experience with Mickey, Minnie, Donald, and Daisy. The characters are even dressed in adorable artist outfits you won’t find anywhere else!
- The breakfast menu offers top-notch, highly-rated entrees including Quiche Gruyère, Wood-fired Steak and Eggs, and Wild Mushroom Scramble.
- Topolino’s Terrace is on the top floor of Riviera, boasting sweeping views of the surrounding Walt Disney World property.
Alternatives:
- Garden Grill: Garden Grill is located in The Land Pavilion at EPCOT and is another great character breakfast option where you can meet Mickey in a unique outfit (a cute farmer outfit at that). In addition to Mickey, guests can meet Pluto, Chip, and Dale. Garden Grill serves family-style, all-you-care-to-eat dining, which many families find to be more convenient than a traditional buffet.
- Tusker House: You’ll find Tusker House at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. This character buffet includes Donald, Mickey, Goofy, and Daisy dressed in safari outfits. Tusker House includes unique African-inspired food items along with breakfast favorites (including Simba and Nala waffles).
- Topolino’s Terrace (Dinner): If your goal is to dine at Topolino’s Terrace and don’t mind missing out on the character breakfast, you may have better luck grabbing a reservation for dinner. Evening meals at Topolino’s Terrace does not include Mickey and friends, but still comes with a great menu and those top-floor views.
Cinderella’s Royal Table
Why everyone wants a reservation here:
- Few restaurants can hold a candle to Cinderella’s Royal Table when it comes to iconic Walt Disney World restaurant locations. You are literally dining inside Cinderella Castle. That alone is one of the biggest draws to getting a reservation here.
- It is only of the only restaurants where you can meet Cinderella, along with a lineup of other Disney princesses.
Alternatives:
- Akershus Royal Banquet Hall: Located in the Norway Pavilion at EPCOT, Akershus is a great alternative to Cinderella’s Royal Table. You’ll still meet several Disney Princesses, and depending on your preferences, you may find the menu at Akershus to be more unique (Akershus is also a buffet, offering more bang for your buck, whereas Cinderella’s Royal Table is a plated meal).
- Storybook Dining at Artist’s Point: Open only for dinner, Storybook Dining at Artist’s Point is another great alternative that offers princess vibes. You’ll dine with Snow White, the Evil Queen, Dopey, and Grumpy and enjoy a multi-course prix-fixe menu. Storybook Dining is located at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge, so you can easily hop over for dinner on your Magic Kingdom day.
California Grill
Why everyone wants a reservation here
- California Grill is a classic Walt Disney World restaurant that has been a tough table to grab for many years. Located on the fifteenth floor of Disney’s Contemporary Resort, California Grill boasts panoramic views of Magic Kingdom. Guests of California Grill can return that evening for picturesque view of the fireworks from an observation deck reserved exclusively for California Grill patrons.
- It’s a great spot if you’re looking for a romantic dinner, or a more upscale dining option. As of 2023, the menu is currently comprised of a three-course prix-fixe selection.
Alternatives
- Steakhouse 71: You won’t get those fifteenth-floor views, but Steakhouse 71 is another great dining option at Disney’s Contemporary Resort. You’ll also find that the menu comes in at a lower price point, while still including excellent dinner options.
- Cítricos: Found at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa, Cítricos is another signature dining experience not too far from Magic Kingdom. The restaurant recently went through a refurbishment, and the newly re-imagined space features designs inspired by Mary Poppins Returns.
Chef Mickey’s
Why everyone wants a reservation here:
- Dining at Chef Mickey’s is almost like a rite of passage. Located in the middle of Disney’s Contemporary Resort, everything about this restaurant is iconic, from the open-air layout to Mickey’s chef outfit.
- Speaking of Mickey, dining at Chef Mickey’s is an easy way to meet many characters at once, including the full Fab Five: Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Pluto, and Donald. Chef Mickey’s is also an all-you-care-to-eat buffet dining, a popular choice for families looking for a little more bang for their buck.
- Chef Mickey’s follows the three rules of real estate. Located in the Contemporary, it’s a quick walk or Monorail ride away from Magic Kingdom, making this a popular choice for families looking for a big breakfast before heading to the parks.
Alternatives:
- Garden Grill: Garden Grill also offers an all-you-care-to-eat menu, with the added bonus of family-style dining where the food comes to you. Many also prefer the food at Garden Grill to Chef Mickey’s.
- Tusker House: Tusker House is another character buffet location with a few more unique food items. You’ll still meet Mickey, as well as Goofy, Donald, and Daisy (one of the few restaurants where you can meet Daisy).
Victoria & Albert’s
Why everyone wants a reservation here:
- If your goal is to find the fanciest restaurant in Disney World, look no further than Victoria & Albert’s. Receiving the AAA Five Diamond Award since 2000, Victoria & Albert’s is a highly sought-after reservation by foodies and those looking for a romantic, intimate dinner at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa.
- The difficulty of booking a table at Victoria & Albert’s is due in part to its limited capacity. There is limited seating per night — Queen Victoria’s Room, for example, only takes four couples each evening, and the Chef’s Table only takes one party of up to 6 people per evening.
- No matter which room you are sat in, you’ll dine off of a personalized menu. Simply put, Victoria & Albert’s is the epitome of fine dining.
Alternatives
- Narcoossee’s: Narcoossee’s is another signature dining experience found at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa. It is a much more readily-available reservation than Victoria & Albert’s, but you’ll still find romantic vibes at this waterfront restaurant.
- Flying Fish: Found at Disney’s BoardWalk Inn, Flying Fish is a signature dining experience with a menu that is largely comprised of seafood and seaside-inspired dishes. Due to its location, reservations don’t vanish as quickly as some other signature restaurants, but don’t let that lead you to believe that Flying Fish is any less worthy of recognition. Many claim that Flying Fish is among the best restaurants on Disney World property.
- Monsieur Paul: Tucked away in the France Pavilion at EPCOT, Monsieur Paul is a pricey prix-fixe signature dining experiences that pulls out all the stops. In addition to its classic French cuisine, Monsieur Paul includes sweeping views of World Showcase. Definitely take a mental note to dine here one day if you want to complete your “signature dining at Disney World” BINGO card.
- Takumi-Tei: If you’re looking for a substitute for Victoria & Albert’s that goes all out in a multi-course dining experience, you may want to take a look at Takumi-Tei, house in the Japan Pavilion at EPCOT. I include it here as an alternative, but note that it may also be tricky to find a reservation here.
Click here to read about what prices have increased at Walt Disney World ahead of your 2024 vacation.
General Advance Dining Reservation Tips
Know when your ADR window opens and have your alarm set early
The first step in making sure you have as early of a chance at grabbing your top-choice dining reservations is to know when your dining reservation window opens and to be ready when that time comes. Disney World allows all guests to book dining reservations 60 days ahead of time. For guests staying at Walt Disney World Resorts, your dining reservation window opens 60 days prior to your arrival. Once your window opens, you can book for your entire trip (or up to 10 days, whichever is shorter).
Reservations open daily early in the morning. The exact time is not consistent, but it is usually around 6:00 AM. I would personally set my alarm for 5:30 AM (maybe 5:20 if you’re like me and hit snooze) and start checking a little before 6, just in case.
Consider booking your must-have reservations for the end of your trip.
You can book the entire length of your trip when your Advance Dining Reservation (ADR) window opens (or 10 days, whichever is shorter). That means your first few days of vacation are the same as other people’s last few days, people who had a few day’s head start with their ADR window. To have the best chance at getting the reservations you want, look at the last few days of your vacation first, as those will be more likely to have more availability. This may change the order you visit the parks, but if dining at your top-choice restaurants is a priority, you may have better luck starting to book the end of your trip first and then move backwards.
Have backup plans ready
You’ll have your first choice picked out, but have your second and third choices ready as well. That way, you will at least have something booked in the event that you log on and your first choice is booked up. Backup plans also apply when you visit your top choice restaurants. You may wind up finding a reservation at an off-peak time (like 3 or 4 PM), or you may find that it’s easier to snag a breakfast reservation, etc.
You may just find a new favorite restaurant! This is how I discovered many of my current favorite restaurants around World Showcase in EPCOT. You can also always swap your reservations if your first choice becomes available, which brings me to my next tip…
Keep checking.
This is the one tip about ADRs that I will reiterate until I’m blue in the face. People’s plans change all the time. My plans change all the time — I have personally had to let go of really good dining reservations in the past because my itinerary had to change. This means that dining reservations, even the hard-to-get ones, can and will pop up last minute. If there’s a reservation you really want, keep checking Disney World’s website on a daily basis. There are other websites and services available that will do the checking for you. If you don’t get your first choice when your 60 day window opens up, don’t fret!
Click here to start planning your 2024 Walt Disney World vacation!
