Walt Disney World has a system for making dining reservations that may seem confusing at first. To help you manage the new online-only system for Disney World dining reservations, here’s what you need to know!

Disney World Dining Reservation Prerequisites
If you plan to dine in any of the Disney parks you will need a reservation. Not for the restaurant, but for the actual park. Although Disney strongly recommends restaurant reservations, park reservations and a valid ticket are mandatory before you can even get to the reservation stage.
If you are dining outside the parks at a Disney resort hotel, reservations are not required for guests at the resort, only recommended. However, if you are not a resort guest but only visiting, you must make your dining reservation before you go. You can make your Disney World dining reservations for table service restaurants up to 60 prior to your initial check-in or visit. Prior to your 60-day window, you will not have the option to make any reservations.
Making a Disney Dining Reservation Online
Once you’ve met the requirements for whichever Disney World dining reservations you want to make, you can look for available times online using the Walt Disney World dining reservations web page, or on your mobile device with the Walt Disney World app.
Disney no longer posts a general phone number for dining reservations. The only way to reserve a table at a Walt Disney World restaurant is online. The website is user-friendly and easily browsed. Although, if you have a specific restaurant you want to reserve, I recommend using the search bar as the filters sometimes leave out important options.
The website also includes the menus for each restaurant. If you are using the app, you can even find all dining locations on the interactive map and make reservations that way. This is a useful tool for visualizing where you plan to be at different times of the day so you can book the most appropriate restaurant reservations. Once you select your restaurant and the date, you can find available times and make the selection that works best for you.

Mobile Dine Check-In
When your reservation window arrives, you’ll get a push notification on the app. You can then check in remotely using your phone. You can also scan a QR code at the restaurant entrance and then check-in following the prompts. After you check in, you’ll be notified when your table is ready.
Pro Tip: Most dining reservations will allow you to check in up to 20 minutes BEFORE your scheduled arrival time. We have done this on multiple occasions when we have time to fill.

Joining the Walk-Up List
If you are not able to make reservations for the time you want, don’t worry. You can either book another reservation somewhere else, or wing it and join the walk-up list. Lots of times reservations get canceled. If a specific restaurant is important to you, it’s worth seeing if you can grab a table “at the last minute.” Joining the walk-up list is as easy as clicking on the restaurant in your Walt Disney World app.
We have had great success joining the walk-up list at Nomad Lounge in Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park. Don’t sleep on those Churros! They’re the best you’ll find at Walt Disney World!
Mobile Order
Mobile Order is an alternative to Disney World dining reservations for quick service venues. This feature on the app lets you pick a counter service location and place an order before you arrive. You simply pay through the app. You’ll receive a notification when your order is ready and you can then pick up your food! I am a HUGE fan of Disney’s mobile ordering. It’s a timesaver, for sure!
I hope you found these Disney World dining reservations tips helpful for your next visit to The Most Magical Place on Earth! Looking for more Disney planning tips? You’ll love these popular posts:
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