Advanced Dining Reservations - (ADR)

Disney does not take reservations for their on-site restaurants. Some of the restaurants in the non-Disney owned Dolphin and Swan hotels DO take reservations (such as Gulliver's at the Swan).

Disney has it's own dining system in place, which is called "Advanced Dining Reservations". They are available at just about every sit down restaurant in Disney World. Advanced Dining Reservations means that you are given the first available table once you arrive for your meal. (Depending on the restaurant and the time of year you are visiting, the wait can be long.)

To help you in this process we've created the INTERCOT Advance Dining Reservation Planner.

Calling:

Advanced Dining Reservations can be made before your visit by calling 407-WDW-DINE Or you can make them once you are in the world by pressing *88 at any Disney payphone or *55 from your hotel room (as long as it's a Disney resort).

Some dining experiences are more popular than others, which is why Advanced Dining Reservations is a necessity in certain instances. The Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue at the Fort Wilderness Campgrounds is extremely popular and advanced seating can be arranged two years in advance! The same applies for the Polynesian Resort's Luau Dinner Show.

If you are staying on a concierge level within Disney World, the Staff can help make your priority seating arrangements for you.

When to Call:

The majority of the restaurants within Disney World take Advanced Dining Reservations 180 days in advance. Check here for a time guide. Currently one of the most sought after dining experiences is the Princess Breakfast at Cinderella's Castle. If this is an experience you cannot miss, be sure to start dialing at 7 a.m. EST (when the office opens) and EXACTLY 180 days before the day you would like to have your meal. Dining slots have been known to "sell out" by 7:05 (and no, we're not kidding).

Beginning October 28, 2005, Walt Disney World Resort guests can now call 180 days in advance of their check in date and book Dining Reservations for their entire trip up to 10 days. Please note; some Non Disney owned restaurants do not participate in the +10 day policy.

Confirmation Numbers:

Once you have made your arrangements with the Advanced Dining Reservations operator, you will be given a confirmation number for each priority seating you have made. It's a good idea to write the number down and take it with you (in case anything goes wrong, you will be able to show the restaurant host or hostess your confirmation number).

Arriving:

The day of your Advanced Dining Reservation, it is a good idea to show up at the restaurant 10-15 minutes before your seating time. The host or hostess at the podium will check you in and let you know where to wait. (Some restaurants issue pagers, others just call out your name when your table is ready).

Your wait time really does depend on the popularity of the restaurant and the time of year. Obviously, at the busier time of year, your wait may be longer than 20 minutes.

Try Again:

What if you can't get a Advanced Dining Reservation for the restaurant or time that you want when you call? Try again approximately a week before the day you would like to dine. Cancellations do happen. You could be one of the lucky ones. It is also possible to benefit from a last minute cancellation. Try walking up to the podium at the restaurant – and ask.

Cancellations:

Which brings us to the topic of cancellations. If you have made a priority seating and later decide that you don't want it, just call 407-WDW-DINE again and cancel. This way someone else may get that Advanced Dining Reservation that they wanted and couldn't get.

Credit Cards:

Starting  August 29, 2004 when you make an Advanced Dining Reservation for any of the Dinner Shows, full payment will be expected. There is a 48 hour window to cancel for a refund.

Most of the time a credit card is not needed to make a Priority Seating Arrangement at a Walt Disney World restaurants. However, the below list of establishments are exceptions.