In this episode of All Things Travel, hosts Ryan and Julie break down the complexities of Advanced Dining Reservations (ADRs) at Walt Disney World, offering expert advice for travelers planning their magical dining experiences.
Key Takeaways
- Advanced Dining Reservations can be made 60 days before your check-in date
- On-site resort guests can book dining for entire trip; off-site guests book one day at a time
- Reservations open at 6:00 AM Eastern Time
- Some popular restaurants book up quickly and require strategic planning
When and How to Make Reservations
- Timing: 60 days before check-in date
- Time: Reservations open at 6:00 AM Eastern Time
- Pro Tip: Log in to My Disney Experience app by 5:50 AM
- Recommended Strategy: Book most sought-after restaurants towards the end of your trip
Reservation Tips for Large Groups
- For parties larger than 6 people, split reservations into two groups
- Use separate My Disney Experience logins
- Try to book tables around the same time
- Restaurants are usually accommodating about seating groups together
Disney Dining Plan Options
Two primary dining plan tiers:
- Quick Service Plan
- One quick service meal credit per night
- One snack credit per night
- Refillable resort mug
- Table Service Dining Plan
- One table service credit
- One quick service credit
- One snack credit
- Refillable resort mug
Dining Plan Highlights
- Credits are per night of stay, not per day
- Some character meals may require two credits
- Alcohol and specialty drinks included
- Gratuity not included
- Children under 3 eat free
Recommended Restaurants by Park
Magic Kingdom
- Cinderella's Royal Table (for princess fans)
- Liberty Tree Tavern (family-style comfort food)
- Skipper Canteen (unique theming)
Epcot
- Via Napoli (excellent wood-fired pizza)
- Space 220 (unique dining experience)
Hollywood Studios
- Roundup Rodeo Barbecue (Toy Story themed)
- Hollywood Brown Derby (signature dining)
Animal Kingdom
- Tusker House (character dining)
- Yak and Yeti (diverse menu options)
Pro Tips
- Link resort reservations and tickets to My Disney Experience
- Have a credit card ready to guarantee reserv
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
j_1_03-25-2025_135730 (00:00):
Hello and welcome to All.
(00:01):
Thanks Travel.
Disney dining feels like a hottopic for many of our clients
and prospective travelers.
There's a lot of informationavailable on the internet or
from your family and friends whohave traveled to Disney
recently, and they're gonna tellyou where to go, how to do it,
and they're probably stressingyou out.
(00:22):
Today we're gonna break downadvanced dining reservations or
ADRs, to plan them and how tomake the dining experience
effortless for you.
ryan_1_03-25-2025_135730 (00:33):
Listen in with travel advisors and
destination experts.
Ryan and Julie.
I'm your travel professorteaching you everything you need
to know to have a magicalvacation, and she's a Disney
loving Maryland mom of three anda specialist in family travel.
Whether we're discussingincredible destinations, top
vacation tips or sharingpersonal stories, it's always
(00:55):
all things travel.
j_1_03-25-2025_135730 (00:59):
we are coming up fast on spring break
travel.
We're,
ryan_1_03-25-2025_135730 (01:03):
Yes.
j_1_03-25-2025_135730 (01:04):
in it by the time this episode comes out.
We are definitely in the thickof it.
this is the highest travelseason I have had since joining
the travel industry
ryan_1_03-25-2025_135730 (01:14):
Okay,
j_1_03-25-2025_135730 (01:15):
volume of travel for spring break, which
is amazing.
it's kept me very, very busy.
But I've also noticed that theclients I have that are not
currently traveling for thisspring break.
It feels like they're freakingout and planning for next spring
break because I've gotten somany clients reaching out about
next year and I'm like, Hmm,maybe they were like, oh, I'm
(01:36):
not going anywhere now.
I wish I was.
ryan_1_03-25-2025_135730 (01:39):
it's because they're avid.
All things travel listeners,Julie, and they know that our
number one piece of advice isbook early.
j_1_03-25-2025_135730 (01:47):
look early.
That's right.
Even for some of thedestinations, especially
cruises, the availability isalready getting tight.
so just another plug to bookearly,
ryan_1_03-25-2025_135730 (01:57):
Yeah,
j_1_03-25-2025_135730 (01:57):
but
ryan_1_03-25-2025_1 (01:57):
absolutely.
j_1_03-25-2025_135730 (01:58):
we're talking about Disney World As of
recording, this has not releasedtheir 2026.
Vacation packages yet.
So if that's somewhere that youwanna go next year on spring
break or really anytime in 2026,you can still reach out to us
now and we'll keep you in mindwhen those dates release.
today we're talking about one ofthe most fun parts of planning
(02:18):
your trip, and that is diningreservations.
Dining reservations, how to dothem, what they are, what the
dining plan is, our favoriteplaces to reserve on the dining
plan, and everything you need toknow because it's a really
stressful
ryan_1_03-25-2025_135730 (02:33):
It.
j_1_03-25-2025_135730 (02:33):
if you've never done it.
ryan_1_03-25-2025_135730 (02:35):
It is and I think you've mentioned
this before.
when we get people that want tobook Walt Disney World, it's
almost like they've thoughtabout dining first and they're
already stressing about thatbefore we even have.
j_1_03-25-2025_135730 (02:46):
Mm-hmm.
ryan_1_03-25-2025_135730 (02:47):
are you gonna stay and how many days
are you going to the park?
And I think it's just like whatyour intro said.
You know, they're hearing frompeople or they're seeing online,
you gotta do this and you gottado that.
Well, you don't gotta doanything.
we're really gonna give you thetools to decide what's right for
your group and the way that youwant to dine.
But before we do that, Julie, Iwanna remind folks if you did
(03:08):
not go back and listen to lastweek's episode, man, did we talk
about some amazing options wehighlighted.
Three around the worldvacations, we're going on cruise
ships, we're going on riverships, we're going on trains and
planes and automobiles to seethe world in one trip.
(03:28):
And I'm just, I'm still thinkingabout those trips.
j_1_03-25-2025_135730 (03:31):
I know that was a really fun episode
and I would love for one of ourclients to experience one of
those amazing trips and makethose truly unforgettable
memories.
ryan_1_03-25-2025_135730 (03:43):
All right, Julie, why don't you give
us a quick overview of thinkingabout dining, and then I'm gonna
talk specifically about theDisney Dining Plan, whether that
might be right for your group.
j_1_03-25-2025_135730 (03:55):
Okay, So let's start with why you need to
be thinking about AdvancedDining reservations at Disney.
This is kind of the firstquestion everyone asks.
It's when can we do it and do wehave to do the reservations?
I always recommend for myclients that they do make
advanced dining reservations.
At least for some of their days,yes, there will be availability
(04:17):
when you show up.
I have plenty of times been ableto get a same day dining
reservation,
ryan_1_03-25-2025_135730 (04:22):
a hundred percent.
j_1_03-25-2025_135730 (04:23):
there are a lot of people in those parks
and if you just wanna make surethat you've got what you want,
when you're sitting down to eat,you definitely are sitting down
to eat.
I think it's important to atleast do a couple of
reservations during your travel.
ryan_1_03-25-2025_13573 (04:36):
Agreed.
j_1_03-25-2025_135730 (04:37):
making those reservations.
60 days in advance of yourcheck-in date, for the entire
length of your trip if you'restaying on site.
by on site, I mean at a WaltDisney World Resort, or the Swan
and Dolphin If you're stayingoffsite, so one of those Disney
Springs hotels, something likethat, or a condo Airbnb
(04:59):
situation, you can still makereservations 60 days in advance,
but it's one day at a time.
So if you want to do areservation on Monday, you can
make that one 60 days beforethat Monday.
But for your reservation onTuesday, you have to get up
again and do it the next day.
Reservations open at 6:00 AM soyou wanna make sure you're on
(05:21):
your computer or your my Disneyexperience app about five 50 in
the morning.
ryan_1_03-25-2025_135730 (05:27):
that's Eastern Standard Time.
j_1_03-25-2025_135730 (05:29):
correct?
You wanna be logged in and youwanna have a plan in front of
you.
So you really wanna think aboutmaking that plan about two weeks
in advance.
That's typically when I startreaching out and confirming the
itinerary with my clientsbecause this is really gonna be
when you're narrowing down whatpark you're going to each day.
(05:50):
and as your advisor, we arethere to say, this is the best
day to go to Magic Kingdom.
So let's do your Magic Kingdomdinner on that day.
Just a quick tossing this inthere, you do need a park ticket
to go to a restaurant withinthat park.
You can't go to a restaurant inthe Magic Kingdom just because
(06:10):
you've made the reservation.
You still need your theme parkticket.
when you're making your plan,you also wanna think about
placing your most sought afterreservations towards the end of
your trip.
the reason for that is just likeyour trip, you can make all the
days of your trip on that 60 daymark.
(06:31):
The people arriving four daysbefore you, their reservations
have already opened, and thosedays might overlap with the
beginning of your trip.
if you want something popular,like Chef Mickey's or
Cinderella's Royal Table, thatmight be something you wanna
build in towards the end of yourtrip.
Because if you try to put it onthe first day, there's a chance
you're not gonna get the timesyou want.
ryan_1_03-25-2025_135730 (06:52):
And I would also say with that.
Have a priority of what you wantto book, so you don't have to go
day one.
Then day two, you can do yourentire trip.
So decide what you think isgonna be the hardest or what you
have to have at this specifictime.
Book that first, and then go andgrab everything else.
j_1_03-25-2025_135730 (07:11):
Yes, and that's exactly what I do.
So I work with my clients tomake their plan and then behind
the scenes, they probably don'teven know this is happening as I
go back and I number them.
Okay, this one is the one I'mGoing for first.
This is the one I'm going forsecond.
and we kind of also have thatoffice knowledge to say, well,
(07:32):
this didn't work.
Let me move it to this day.
Let me move this around.
So when you log on at five 50 inthe morning, the day your
reservation's open, are going tosearch for that first restaurant
that you want to reserve, andyou're just gonna hold on that
page until the clock turns to6:00 AM.
it does, you're gonna click thecheck availability button, then
(07:56):
it will prompt you to select thenumber of guests and your date.
A new thing that Disney recentlystarted is that you can actually
choose a date range, which isreally helpful if you're looking
for those more sought afterreservations.
If you're looking for aCinderella's Royal table or a
tops Breakfast, you can say,these are all the days I'm
(08:17):
there.
What day can I get if that'syour priority, that will help
you plan your week.
ryan_1_03-25-2025_13 (08:22):
Especially if you have a park hop ticket
and you're looking for either,an early morning meal or a
dinner plan, that's reallyhelpful.
j_1_03-25-2025_135730 (08:31):
Right.
Exactly.
we do our best to make that planfor your park days and what days
you're gonna eat,
ryan_1_03-25-2025_135730 (08:36):
Okay.
j_1_03-25-2025_135730 (08:37):
we do our best to make that plan in
advance, I will say the majorityof the time, I am making changes
on the fly at six o'clock
ryan_1_03-25-2025_135730 (08:44):
Yeah.
j_1_03-25-2025_135730 (08:44):
the morning, and that is such a huge
benefit of working with a traveladvisor who is doing your dining
reservations for you.
ryan_1_03-25-2025_135730 (08:52):
I always tell clients, you're
gonna start getting emails andtexts when I reserve things.
And if there are times we didn'ttalk about if there's
restaurants, we didn't talkabout There's a method to my
madness.
I have an idea that I'm going tothen talk to you about, but
because of what was availableand when was available, I may
needed to make some executivedecisions and we can always
(09:15):
change things even up to the dayif you didn't get that chef
Mickey's, you know, 60 days out,that doesn't mean you're not
gonna chef Mickey's.
That just means we have a littlemore work to do.
j_1_03-25-2025_1357 (09:26):
Absolutely, and I do the same thing.
I preface everyone in the group.
You know, one of you was gonnabe getting all these emails, so
everyone else just hold tight.
Whatever account I'm logged intoto do these reservations.
your behalf is going to startgetting these confirmation and
potentially even a cancellationemail.
I've had that happen in the pastwhere somebody's like, wait, I
(09:47):
got that this one was canceled.
And I'm like, just be patient.
It's because I just moved thetime around.
I always check in when it's amore normal time of day and not
six o'clock in the morningbecause
ryan_1_03-25-2025_135730 (09:57):
Right.
j_1_03-25-2025_135730 (09:58):
don't wanna be reaching you at six
o'clock in the morning.
Just a few other things that youneed to know about your dining
reservations.
You do need to have a creditcard ready to go to guarantee
that reservation.
The only restaurant that chargesin advance is Cinderella's Royal
Table.
everything else, the credit cardis just there to hold the
(10:18):
reservation for you.
There is a no-show fee of$10 perperson, but like Ryan mentioned,
you can modify or cancel yourreservation up to two hours
before the reservation.
I will say I've had thatsituation, obviously with little
kids.
things happen or really withanyone where I have gone to talk
to the concierge at my resort ora guest experience, team member
(10:41):
and said, listen, my kids arenot feeling well.
we're not gonna make it to thisreservation.
And I've never been penalized.
But I just wanna throw out therethat they can charge
ryan_1_03-25-2025_135730 (10:50):
they have the option.
Yeah, absolutely.
j_1_03-25-2025_135730 (10:52):
Another thing that is really big and
complicated with diningreservations is when you have a
multi-generational family.
this is kind of my, my area, sohave friends, clients,
colleagues asking me how to dothis.
If you have more than sixpeople, I always recommend
splitting your reservations intoat least two groups.
(11:14):
So if you are a party of eight,you wanna think about splitting
into two parties of four.
Making reservations under twodifferent, my Disney experience
logins.
The reason for that is numberone, you're not gonna be able to
reserve a table for eight orhigher You're gonna have to call
(11:34):
in and that availability forcalling in doesn't open until
7:00 AM So now you've wastedsome time.
Two, you're gonna need twologins because if I go in and I
make a reservation for fiveo'clock for dinner at you know,
Liberty Tree Tavern in the MagicKingdom.
(11:55):
I go to make a secondreservation for the second half
of my group.
It's not gonna let me, it'sgonna say, Hey, you already have
a reservation.
You can't make another one.
that's why you need to be on twoseparate profiles.
So the trick here is you justtry to get something around the
same time and.
I'm very successful at doingthat.
(12:15):
maybe one's at 5:00 PM, one's at5:05 PM
ryan_1_03-25-2025_135730 (12:18):
Yep.
j_1_03-25-2025_135730 (12:18):
up to the restaurant, you just say, Hey,
we're all together.
Could you seat us together ornear each other?
And I've only had one where Iwasn't sat with my family.
As in, we were broken up intoour actual four and four, and we
were just across the aisle fromeach other.
so yeah, that's just somethingelse to think about if you do
have a larger group.
ryan_1_03-25-2025_135730 (12:37):
if you have a group of eight that are
going to Walt Disney World andyou've been together all day,
maybe sitting four and four isnot such a bad idea, Julie.
j_1_03-25-2025_135730 (12:46):
Agree.
a lot of times clients will jokelike, okay, we'll put all the
kids over there,
ryan_1_03-25-2025_135730 (12:50):
Yeah,
j_1_03-25-2025_135730 (12:51):
Okay, so Ryan's gonna give us a rundown
on the Disney Dining Planbecause this is the other thing
that is always like, Ugh, whatis it?
ryan_1_03-25-2025_135730 (12:58):
So Disney has an option for you to
prepay for most of your food.
they have two different tiers ofthis.
The first is the.
quick service option, and withall of these plans, this is per
person per night, not day.
(13:18):
So the nights of your resortsstay.
So with the quick service plan,each person gets a certain
number of credits.
So per night, they get one quickservice, meal credit, one snack
credit.
They get a resort refillablemug, so there's basically coke
freestyle machines at theresorts.
(13:39):
They can go, you can fill thatwith soda.
You can fill that with tea, youcan fill that with coffee as
much as you want while you'reenjoying the resort.
You get all of those credits atthe beginning of your stay.
it's based on the number oftotal credits that you have.
If you want more sit downoptions, you can get the table
service Dining plan, which hasone table service credit, one
(14:03):
quick service credit, one snackcredit, and that mug for each
night of your stay.
The way that people get trippedup here is they think they have
to go by day.
They don't.
Most restaurants that are sitdown restaurants take one
credit.
Often the character meals taketwo.
even if you're not big eaters,if you're planning on doing
(14:26):
multiple character meals, reallythink about that, dining plan as
an option to get those tableservice credits
j_1_03-25-2025_135730 (14:34):
Mm-hmm.
ryan_1_03-25-2025_135730 (14:36):
when you log in to do your ADRs or
advanced dining reservations.
It will still take your creditcard to hold the reservation.
You haven't paid for anything.
If you're getting cinder rowsRoyal table, and you already
have the dining plan on yourpackage, it will ask you, are
you using the dining plan forthis reservation?
And you can click it, yes, oryou can click a credit card.
(15:00):
Once you go to the restaurant,they will ask you, are you using
a dining plan again?
You don't have to.
Maybe you're saving credits for,a character meal later in the
week.
You're not locked into thosecredits.
You decide when you use them.
If you want to use your snacksor you want to use your quick
service meals, you can do thaton the mobile app, or you could
do that in the standby line atthe counter.
(15:23):
It's very easy to do.
People, I think just kind ofpsych themselves out a little
bit about it.
j_1_03-25-2025_135730 (15:29):
And the cast members are great at
guiding you through using them.
They'll tell you exactly whateach meal entails.
So they will tell you,
ryan_1_03-25-2025_135730 (15:38):
Yeah.
j_1_03-25-2025_135730 (15:39):
this is a table service dinner, and.
At this restaurant this is whatyour table service credit gets
for you.
ryan_1_03-25-2025_135730 (15:46):
So a couple things to keep in mind.
Alcohol and specialty drinks areincluded, at locations that
offer it.
That's for both quick serviceand table service meals.
Some signature restaurants, aretwo table service credits.
so what do you do if you've usedall of your credits?
You can pay with cash.
You can always pay with cash.
(16:06):
one thing to keep in mind iswith table service credits, that
does not include the gratuity.
You are still paying thegratuity.
on that meal.
Kids under three are free, sothat means that buffets or
family style meals, you don'tpay a la carte.
Restaurants, they're encouragedto eat off the plate of someone
else.
They're not free there, per se.
(16:27):
you can't just order themsomething and they're free.
j_1_03-25-2025_135730 (16:30):
It also means that when you add a dining
plan to your vacation package,you are not paying for them.
So that's kind of where it getsa little tricky if you have
younger kids, especially ifthey're like, you know, two and
10 months and they're so closeto three that they eat like a
3-year-old would.
ryan_1_03-25-2025_135730 (16:49):
Yeah.
j_1_03-25-2025_135730 (16:49):
a lot of times clients will say either I
don't wanna pay for mythree-year-old because they
don't eat a lot.
Or they'll say, I'm worriedbecause my 2-year-old eats a
lot.
that's where we work together tochoose your restaurants.
based off of where you canmaximize your credits.
when I say maximize your diningcredits, that's where it gets
complicated.
don't recommend sitting down anddoing the math and saying, this
(17:13):
is how much the dining plan is,and this is where I wanna eat
because it's not gonna be worthit.
The whole point of the diningplan is you're prepaying for
your food so you don't have tothink about it on site, and the
convenience of having it
ryan_1_03-25-2025_13573 (17:27):
Agreed.
Yep.
I it, it can save you money.
depending on the types of meals,if you're going to lots of
character meals or things likethat.
But yes, it's more for theconvenience than just knowing
that it's taken care of andbeing able to pay that off over
time.
j_1_03-25-2025_135730 (17:42):
sometimes I'll even say, it looks like the
restaurants we chose are a lotof two credit restaurants.
I don't think the dining plan isgonna work well for you guys
'cause you're gonna blow throughall your credits.
Ryan mentioned character dining.
There are a good bit that areonly one table service credit.
So if those are the ones we'rechoosing, then absolutely.
It's a great use of the diningplan.
ryan_1_03-25-2025_135730 (18:01):
Yep.
Sounds great.
All right.
We are gonna talk about some of.
Our suggestions for maximizingyour dining at Disney.
And then Julie's gonna wrap upwith some tips.
But first, as I do every week, Iwanna talk about where in the
world is all things travel.
So Julie, when I looked at newlocations today, one that popped
up and I liked seeing this'causeI just went for my walk this
(18:23):
morning and it's nice and sunny,but boy, it's still cold.
And so I was excited to see NewSmyrna Beach pop up.
that's a small town in Florida.
It is a classic small beachtown.
Just has lots of charm.
It has miles and miles ofbeaches.
It is about an hour south ofDaytona Beach.
(18:44):
It is about an hour away fromOrlando.
So anything that you're doing onthe Space Coast, this is a great
launching point as far as havinga small town beach experience.
So.
I don't really even need tochoose an activity, I just wanna
sit on the beach.
and have a good time and enjoythe day with our listener.
So new Smyrna Beach, do us afavor, reach out to us at all
(19:08):
things travel.
You can do that on our website,all things travel podcast.com
because I would love to send alittle thank you to new Smyrna
Beach for being featured on theshow.
And with the weather right now.
I may just drive over there.
so some of our favorite, choicesfor dining at Magic Kingdom.
(19:30):
I would say for families,Cinderella's Royal table, if you
have princess lovers and youhaven't been there before, I
think if you've been therebefore, you may not need to go
again.
That's my personal opinion.
I wanna put Liberty Tree Taverndown as a great family meal
because it's comfort food, servefamily style.
(19:51):
Everybody's gonna enjoy it.
There's gonna be plenty of food.
You're gonna feel like you gotyour money's worth.
I think a good alternative ifyou have more interesting eaters
or maybe a group of adults, Iwant to say Skipper Canteens
should be on this list.
there's just a lot more themingin this restaurant.
There's the Congo beer.
There's some really good,cocktails.
(20:13):
They have really good appetizersthat you can share amongst the
table, so it's just a differentdining experience.
Epcot is an embarrassment ofriches when it comes to dining,
but a really good option forfamily dining is VE Napoli.
Why?
Because it's excellentwood-fired pizza that feeds a
(20:34):
crowd.
It is just absolutely great.
I think an interestingalternative is Space two 20.
If you have not been there yet,it is an experience.
Really, really good food, uniquetheming.
I think you should check it outthe next time you go to Epcot
Hollywood Studios.
The family winner here for us isRoundup Rodeo Barbecue, which is
(20:58):
the toy story themed familystyle restaurant.
I've heard nothing but greatthings from both Julie and
clients who have gone here.
another option maybe for adultsor people who want a little
elevated dining experience isthe Hollywood Brown Derby.
They have excellent food.
This is a signature diningoption at Walt Disney World.
(21:19):
If you don't want to sit down atthe restaurant, the lounge is a
great option.
at Animal Kingdom.
We've talked about this before.
Tusker House is the winner.
You've got great.
Character interaction, uniquefood and very unique theming me.
I think Yak and Yeti is a reallyclose runner up because there's
(21:41):
so many different options offood for everybody in your
party, I think this is a greatplace to go.
Resorts.
I'm talking ohana over at thePolynesian I had this for the
first time in January and.
I loved this meal, CaliforniaGrill at, the Contemporary
Steakhouse.
71.
I absolutely love if you gothere for lunch, you gotta get
(22:04):
the burger.
I can't say enough aboutSteakhouse 71 and then Sana at
Animal Kingdom is just a greatdining experience.
j_1_03-25-2025_135730 (22:14):
I feel like we ran through so many
restaurants, but the great thingis.
you can always re-listen to thisepisode.
ryan_1_03-25-2025_135730 (22:22):
Yes.
j_1_03-25-2025_135730 (22:22):
if you're a client of ours, these
restaurants are always going
ryan_1_03-25-2025_135730 (22:26):
Oh.
j_1_03-25-2025_135730 (22:26):
list of restaurants.
ryan_1_03-25-2025_135730 (22:28):
Now I'm gonna throw an honorable
mention here.
This is a restaurant that peopledon't talk enough about.
And when we were at DisneySprings, what food were you
surprised that you fell in lovewith
j_1_03-25-2025_135730 (22:39):
Sole.
ryan_1_03-25-2025_135730 (22:41):
Fell in love with Spanish food.
And I'm gonna throw in anhonorable mention, go over to
Coronado and go to Toledo, whichis the top floor of the tower.
That is a fantastic restaurantthat people don't know about,
and it's okay that they don'tknow about it because then you
can get a reservation.
j_1_03-25-2025_135730 (23:02):
It's really great for a date night.
because you can go there.
They have the lounge up top aswell.
It's a nice location.
We're gonna wrap up with just acouple of pro tips, before you
even make your reservations, loginto your My Disney experience.
Make sure that your resortreservation or tickets are
linked.
To your account and that yourentire party is on your friends
(23:24):
and family list.
A lot of times I'll have clientsgive me their login so that I
can go in and make sure this isall set up for them.
there's also the My DisneyExperience Internet help desk.
They are amazing to work with.
I don't know what capabilitiesthey have, but I wish we had
them because they fix things inseconds.
ryan_1_03-25-2025_13573 (23:42):
they've got a lot of pixie dust.
j_1_03-25-2025_135730 (23:44):
They do, make sure you have a credit card
linked to your profile and allyour contact information is
updated within your profile.
It just makes going throughthose reservations a lot easier
if you don't have to type thatcredit card in, while you're
doing the reservation.
As always, work with a traveladvisor.
We'll help you pick the bestrestaurants for your family and
(24:04):
select the best order to makethose reservations in.
We mentioned this earlier,you'll need that credit card to
guarantee your reservations, butyou do have to pay for
Cinderella's Royal Table inadvance.
And if you don't wanna doCinderella's Royal table, but
you still want the full Princessexperience, a great alternate is
Aker Shoes over in Epcot.
(24:26):
It is Norwegian food.
So check the menu, but it's abuffet, so they will likely have
something that you will like onthe buffet.
A lot of times people get reallyoverwhelmed and they wanna do
all the reservations that theycan, had someone recently that
wanted be our guest for lunchand Cinderella's Royal table for
dinner, and
ryan_1_03-25-2025_135730 (24:45):
Oh goodness.
j_1_03-25-2025_135730 (24:46):
this is way too much food.
You wanna allow 90 minutes foreach reservation and even up to
two hours if you're gonna docharacter dining.
Sometimes you're waiting acouple minutes for that
character to make their round toyou.
It's not like you sit down andthey come away.
they've got an order that theyhave to see the room in, so it
doesn't always take two hours,but.
(25:08):
it might, in that sense, youdon't really want more than one
reservation per day.
There used to be the deluxedining plan
ryan_1_03-25-2025_135730 (25:16):
Yeah.
j_1_03-25-2025_135730 (25:16):
you two table service credits per day,
and it was just reallyexcessive, because everyone was
making breakfast reservationsand dinner reservations, and you
felt like you were just eatingall day long.
ryan_1_03-25-2025_135730 (25:29):
I definitely agree it can be a
lot.
It can definitely be a lot.
j_1_03-25-2025_135730 (25:34):
I've got one more tip.
So going back to the diningplan, a lot of people think that
it's not gonna be enough foodbecause I get my table service,
my quick service, and my snack.
This is how you kind of hackthat.
You use your snack for yourbreakfast.
ryan_1_03-25-2025_135730 (25:49):
Yep.
j_1_03-25-2025_135730 (25:50):
muffins, croissants, bagels, all of those
things are snacks.
You've got your
ryan_1_03-25-2025_135730 (25:54):
I.
j_1_03-25-2025_13573 (25:55):
refillable mug, you can go grab your coffee
or lemonade, water, whatever.
And then you've got your quickservice and your table service
to still use throughout the day.
And then, you know, maybe youpay for whatever snack everyone
would like to share in the park.
ryan_1_03-25-2025_1 (26:07):
Absolutely.
Or you bring your breakfast oryou instacart your breakfast.
I mean, you get protein bars orPop-Tarts or fruit I like having
a portable breakfast'cause Iwant to get out to the bus.
so it's usually what I will dois I'll choose one day on the
trip to have a sit downbreakfast.
Every other time it's on the go.
(26:27):
We get into the parks, we getmoving, and then we use our
snack credit for a mid-morningsnack.
j_1_03-25-2025_135730 (26:32):
That's a great plan.
ryan_1_03-25-2025_135730 (26:34):
You wanna plan a trip to an amazing
destination, but you don't knowhow to get started.
As your travel advisor, we workwith you to create a customized
itinerary for your vacation andtake the stress of all these
dining plans out of the way soyou can focus on the fun and
creating memories.
You can reach out to us at allthings travel podcast.com.
(26:54):
We look forward to talking toyou next week on all Things
travel.
Hello and welcome to All.
(00:01):
Thanks Travel.
Disney dining feels like a hottopic for many of our clients
and prospective travelers.
There's a lot of informationavailable on the internet or
from your family and friends whohave traveled to Disney
recently, and they're gonna tellyou where to go, how to do it,
and they're probably stressingyou out.
(00:22):
Today we're gonna break downadvanced dining reservations or
ADRs, to plan them and how tomake the dining experience
effortless for you.
ryan_1_03-25-2025_135730 (00:33):
Listen in with travel advisors and
destination experts.
Ryan and Julie.
I'm your travel professorteaching you everything you need
to know to have a magicalvacation, and she's a Disney
loving Maryland mom of three anda specialist in family travel.
Whether we're discussingincredible destinations, top
vacation tips or sharingpersonal stories, it's always
(00:55):
all things travel.
j_1_03-25-2025_135730 (00:59):
we are coming up fast on spring break
travel.
We're,
ryan_1_03-25-2025_135730 (01:03):
Yes.
j_1_03-25-2025_135730 (01:04):
in it by the time this episode comes out.
We are definitely in the thickof it.
this is the highest travelseason I have had since joining
the travel industry
ryan_1_03-25-2025_135730 (01:14):
Okay,
j_1_03-25-2025_135730 (01:15):
volume of travel for spring break, which
is amazing.
it's kept me very, very busy.
But I've also noticed that theclients I have that are not
currently traveling for thisspring break.
It feels like they're freakingout and planning for next spring
break because I've gotten somany clients reaching out about
next year and I'm like, Hmm,maybe they were like, oh, I'm
(01:36):
not going anywhere now.
I wish I was.
ryan_1_03-25-2025_135730 (01:39):
it's because they're avid.
All things travel listeners,Julie, and they know that our
number one piece of advice isbook early.
j_1_03-25-2025_135730 (01:47):
look early.
That's right.
Even for some of thedestinations, especially
cruises, the availability isalready getting tight.
so just another plug to bookearly,
ryan_1_03-25-2025_135730 (01:57):
Yeah,
j_1_03-25-2025_135730 (01:57):
but
ryan_1_03-25-2025_1 (01:57):
absolutely.
j_1_03-25-2025_135730 (01:58):
we're talking about Disney World As of
recording, this has not releasedtheir 2026.
Vacation packages yet.
So if that's somewhere that youwanna go next year on spring
break or really anytime in 2026,you can still reach out to us
now and we'll keep you in mindwhen those dates release.
today we're talking about one ofthe most fun parts of planning
(02:18):
your trip, and that is diningreservations.
Dining reservations, how to dothem, what they are, what the
dining plan is, our favoriteplaces to reserve on the dining
plan, and everything you need toknow because it's a really
stressful
ryan_1_03-25-2025_135730 (02:33):
It.
j_1_03-25-2025_135730 (02:33):
if you've never done it.
ryan_1_03-25-2025_135730 (02:35):
It is and I think you've mentioned
this before.
when we get people that want tobook Walt Disney World, it's
almost like they've thoughtabout dining first and they're
already stressing about thatbefore we even have.
j_1_03-25-2025_135730 (02:46):
Mm-hmm.
ryan_1_03-25-2025_135730 (02:47):
are you gonna stay and how many days
are you going to the park?
And I think it's just like whatyour intro said.
You know, they're hearing frompeople or they're seeing online,
you gotta do this and you gottado that.
Well, you don't gotta doanything.
we're really gonna give you thetools to decide what's right for
your group and the way that youwant to dine.
But before we do that, Julie, Iwanna remind folks if you did
(03:08):
not go back and listen to lastweek's episode, man, did we talk
about some amazing options wehighlighted.
Three around the worldvacations, we're going on cruise
ships, we're going on riverships, we're going on trains and
planes and automobiles to seethe world in one trip.
(03:28):
And I'm just, I'm still thinkingabout those trips.
j_1_03-25-2025_135730 (03:31):
I know that was a really fun episode
and I would love for one of ourclients to experience one of
those amazing trips and makethose truly unforgettable
memories.
ryan_1_03-25-2025_135730 (03:43):
All right, Julie, why don't you give
us a quick overview of thinkingabout dining, and then I'm gonna
talk specifically about theDisney Dining Plan, whether that
might be right for your group.
j_1_03-25-2025_135730 (03:55):
Okay, So let's start with why you need to
be thinking about AdvancedDining reservations at Disney.
This is kind of the firstquestion everyone asks.
It's when can we do it and do wehave to do the reservations?
I always recommend for myclients that they do make
advanced dining reservations.
At least for some of their days,yes, there will be availability
(04:17):
when you show up.
I have plenty of times been ableto get a same day dining
reservation,
ryan_1_03-25-2025_135730 (04:22):
a hundred percent.
j_1_03-25-2025_135730 (04:23):
there are a lot of people in those parks
and if you just wanna make surethat you've got what you want,
when you're sitting down to eat,you definitely are sitting down
to eat.
I think it's important to atleast do a couple of
reservations during your travel.
ryan_1_03-25-2025_13573 (04:36):
Agreed.
j_1_03-25-2025_135730 (04:37):
making those reservations.
60 days in advance of yourcheck-in date, for the entire
length of your trip if you'restaying on site.
by on site, I mean at a WaltDisney World Resort, or the Swan
and Dolphin If you're stayingoffsite, so one of those Disney
Springs hotels, something likethat, or a condo Airbnb
(04:59):
situation, you can still makereservations 60 days in advance,
but it's one day at a time.
So if you want to do areservation on Monday, you can
make that one 60 days beforethat Monday.
But for your reservation onTuesday, you have to get up
again and do it the next day.
Reservations open at 6:00 AM soyou wanna make sure you're on
(05:21):
your computer or your my Disneyexperience app about five 50 in
the morning.
ryan_1_03-25-2025_135730 (05:27):
that's Eastern Standard Time.
j_1_03-25-2025_135730 (05:29):
correct?
You wanna be logged in and youwanna have a plan in front of
you.
So you really wanna think aboutmaking that plan about two weeks
in advance.
That's typically when I startreaching out and confirming the
itinerary with my clientsbecause this is really gonna be
when you're narrowing down whatpark you're going to each day.
(05:50):
and as your advisor, we arethere to say, this is the best
day to go to Magic Kingdom.
So let's do your Magic Kingdomdinner on that day.
Just a quick tossing this inthere, you do need a park ticket
to go to a restaurant withinthat park.
You can't go to a restaurant inthe Magic Kingdom just because
(06:10):
you've made the reservation.
You still need your theme parkticket.
when you're making your plan,you also wanna think about
placing your most sought afterreservations towards the end of
your trip.
the reason for that is just likeyour trip, you can make all the
days of your trip on that 60 daymark.
(06:31):
The people arriving four daysbefore you, their reservations
have already opened, and thosedays might overlap with the
beginning of your trip.
if you want something popular,like Chef Mickey's or
Cinderella's Royal Table, thatmight be something you wanna
build in towards the end of yourtrip.
Because if you try to put it onthe first day, there's a chance
you're not gonna get the timesyou want.
ryan_1_03-25-2025_135730 (06:52):
And I would also say with that.
Have a priority of what you wantto book, so you don't have to go
day one.
Then day two, you can do yourentire trip.
So decide what you think isgonna be the hardest or what you
have to have at this specifictime.
Book that first, and then go andgrab everything else.
j_1_03-25-2025_135730 (07:11):
Yes, and that's exactly what I do.
So I work with my clients tomake their plan and then behind
the scenes, they probably don'teven know this is happening as I
go back and I number them.
Okay, this one is the one I'mGoing for first.
This is the one I'm going forsecond.
and we kind of also have thatoffice knowledge to say, well,
(07:32):
this didn't work.
Let me move it to this day.
Let me move this around.
So when you log on at five 50 inthe morning, the day your
reservation's open, are going tosearch for that first restaurant
that you want to reserve, andyou're just gonna hold on that
page until the clock turns to6:00 AM.
it does, you're gonna click thecheck availability button, then
(07:56):
it will prompt you to select thenumber of guests and your date.
A new thing that Disney recentlystarted is that you can actually
choose a date range, which isreally helpful if you're looking
for those more sought afterreservations.
If you're looking for aCinderella's Royal table or a
tops Breakfast, you can say,these are all the days I'm
(08:17):
there.
What day can I get if that'syour priority, that will help
you plan your week.
ryan_1_03-25-2025_13 (08:22):
Especially if you have a park hop ticket
and you're looking for either,an early morning meal or a
dinner plan, that's reallyhelpful.
j_1_03-25-2025_135730 (08:31):
Right.
Exactly.
we do our best to make that planfor your park days and what days
you're gonna eat,
ryan_1_03-25-2025_135730 (08:36):
Okay.
j_1_03-25-2025_135730 (08:37):
we do our best to make that plan in
advance, I will say the majorityof the time, I am making changes
on the fly at six o'clock
ryan_1_03-25-2025_135730 (08:44):
Yeah.
j_1_03-25-2025_135730 (08:44):
the morning, and that is such a huge
benefit of working with a traveladvisor who is doing your dining
reservations for you.
ryan_1_03-25-2025_135730 (08:52):
I always tell clients, you're
gonna start getting emails andtexts when I reserve things.
And if there are times we didn'ttalk about if there's
restaurants, we didn't talkabout There's a method to my
madness.
I have an idea that I'm going tothen talk to you about, but
because of what was availableand when was available, I may
needed to make some executivedecisions and we can always
(09:15):
change things even up to the dayif you didn't get that chef
Mickey's, you know, 60 days out,that doesn't mean you're not
gonna chef Mickey's.
That just means we have a littlemore work to do.
j_1_03-25-2025_1357 (09:26):
Absolutely, and I do the same thing.
I preface everyone in the group.
You know, one of you was gonnabe getting all these emails, so
everyone else just hold tight.
Whatever account I'm logged intoto do these reservations.
your behalf is going to startgetting these confirmation and
potentially even a cancellationemail.
I've had that happen in the pastwhere somebody's like, wait, I
(09:47):
got that this one was canceled.
And I'm like, just be patient.
It's because I just moved thetime around.
I always check in when it's amore normal time of day and not
six o'clock in the morningbecause
ryan_1_03-25-2025_135730 (09:57):
Right.
j_1_03-25-2025_135730 (09:58):
don't wanna be reaching you at six
o'clock in the morning.
Just a few other things that youneed to know about your dining
reservations.
You do need to have a creditcard ready to go to guarantee
that reservation.
The only restaurant that chargesin advance is Cinderella's Royal
Table.
everything else, the credit cardis just there to hold the
(10:18):
reservation for you.
There is a no-show fee of$10 perperson, but like Ryan mentioned,
you can modify or cancel yourreservation up to two hours
before the reservation.
I will say I've had thatsituation, obviously with little
kids.
things happen or really withanyone where I have gone to talk
to the concierge at my resort ora guest experience, team member
(10:41):
and said, listen, my kids arenot feeling well.
we're not gonna make it to thisreservation.
And I've never been penalized.
But I just wanna throw out therethat they can charge
ryan_1_03-25-2025_135730 (10:50):
they have the option.
Yeah, absolutely.
j_1_03-25-2025_135730 (10:52):
Another thing that is really big and
complicated with diningreservations is when you have a
multi-generational family.
this is kind of my, my area, sohave friends, clients,
colleagues asking me how to dothis.
If you have more than sixpeople, I always recommend
splitting your reservations intoat least two groups.
(11:14):
So if you are a party of eight,you wanna think about splitting
into two parties of four.
Making reservations under twodifferent, my Disney experience
logins.
The reason for that is numberone, you're not gonna be able to
reserve a table for eight orhigher You're gonna have to call
(11:34):
in and that availability forcalling in doesn't open until
7:00 AM So now you've wastedsome time.
Two, you're gonna need twologins because if I go in and I
make a reservation for fiveo'clock for dinner at you know,
Liberty Tree Tavern in the MagicKingdom.
(11:55):
I go to make a secondreservation for the second half
of my group.
It's not gonna let me, it'sgonna say, Hey, you already have
a reservation.
You can't make another one.
that's why you need to be on twoseparate profiles.
So the trick here is you justtry to get something around the
same time and.
I'm very successful at doingthat.
(12:15):
maybe one's at 5:00 PM, one's at5:05 PM
ryan_1_03-25-2025_135730 (12:18):
Yep.
j_1_03-25-2025_135730 (12:18):
up to the restaurant, you just say, Hey,
we're all together.
Could you seat us together ornear each other?
And I've only had one where Iwasn't sat with my family.
As in, we were broken up intoour actual four and four, and we
were just across the aisle fromeach other.
so yeah, that's just somethingelse to think about if you do
have a larger group.
ryan_1_03-25-2025_135730 (12:37):
if you have a group of eight that are
going to Walt Disney World andyou've been together all day,
maybe sitting four and four isnot such a bad idea, Julie.
j_1_03-25-2025_135730 (12:46):
Agree.
a lot of times clients will jokelike, okay, we'll put all the
kids over there,
ryan_1_03-25-2025_135730 (12:50):
Yeah,
j_1_03-25-2025_135730 (12:51):
Okay, so Ryan's gonna give us a rundown
on the Disney Dining Planbecause this is the other thing
that is always like, Ugh, whatis it?
ryan_1_03-25-2025_135730 (12:58):
So Disney has an option for you to
prepay for most of your food.
they have two different tiers ofthis.
The first is the.
quick service option, and withall of these plans, this is per
person per night, not day.
(13:18):
So the nights of your resortsstay.
So with the quick service plan,each person gets a certain
number of credits.
So per night, they get one quickservice, meal credit, one snack
credit.
They get a resort refillablemug, so there's basically coke
freestyle machines at theresorts.
(13:39):
They can go, you can fill thatwith soda.
You can fill that with tea, youcan fill that with coffee as
much as you want while you'reenjoying the resort.
You get all of those credits atthe beginning of your stay.
it's based on the number oftotal credits that you have.
If you want more sit downoptions, you can get the table
service Dining plan, which hasone table service credit, one
(14:03):
quick service credit, one snackcredit, and that mug for each
night of your stay.
The way that people get trippedup here is they think they have
to go by day.
They don't.
Most restaurants that are sitdown restaurants take one
credit.
Often the character meals taketwo.
even if you're not big eaters,if you're planning on doing
(14:26):
multiple character meals, reallythink about that, dining plan as
an option to get those tableservice credits
j_1_03-25-2025_135730 (14:34):
Mm-hmm.
ryan_1_03-25-2025_135730 (14:36):
when you log in to do your ADRs or
advanced dining reservations.
It will still take your creditcard to hold the reservation.
You haven't paid for anything.
If you're getting cinder rowsRoyal table, and you already
have the dining plan on yourpackage, it will ask you, are
you using the dining plan forthis reservation?
And you can click it, yes, oryou can click a credit card.
(15:00):
Once you go to the restaurant,they will ask you, are you using
a dining plan again?
You don't have to.
Maybe you're saving credits for,a character meal later in the
week.
You're not locked into thosecredits.
You decide when you use them.
If you want to use your snacksor you want to use your quick
service meals, you can do thaton the mobile app, or you could
do that in the standby line atthe counter.
(15:23):
It's very easy to do.
People, I think just kind ofpsych themselves out a little
bit about it.
j_1_03-25-2025_135730 (15:29):
And the cast members are great at
guiding you through using them.
They'll tell you exactly whateach meal entails.
So they will tell you,
ryan_1_03-25-2025_135730 (15:38):
Yeah.
j_1_03-25-2025_135730 (15:39):
this is a table service dinner, and.
At this restaurant this is whatyour table service credit gets
for you.
ryan_1_03-25-2025_135730 (15:46):
So a couple things to keep in mind.
Alcohol and specialty drinks areincluded, at locations that
offer it.
That's for both quick serviceand table service meals.
Some signature restaurants, aretwo table service credits.
so what do you do if you've usedall of your credits?
You can pay with cash.
You can always pay with cash.
(16:06):
one thing to keep in mind iswith table service credits, that
does not include the gratuity.
You are still paying thegratuity.
on that meal.
Kids under three are free, sothat means that buffets or
family style meals, you don'tpay a la carte.
Restaurants, they're encouragedto eat off the plate of someone
else.
They're not free there, per se.
(16:27):
you can't just order themsomething and they're free.
j_1_03-25-2025_135730 (16:30):
It also means that when you add a dining
plan to your vacation package,you are not paying for them.
So that's kind of where it getsa little tricky if you have
younger kids, especially ifthey're like, you know, two and
10 months and they're so closeto three that they eat like a
3-year-old would.
ryan_1_03-25-2025_135730 (16:49):
Yeah.
j_1_03-25-2025_135730 (16:49):
a lot of times clients will say either I
don't wanna pay for mythree-year-old because they
don't eat a lot.
Or they'll say, I'm worriedbecause my 2-year-old eats a
lot.
that's where we work together tochoose your restaurants.
based off of where you canmaximize your credits.
when I say maximize your diningcredits, that's where it gets
complicated.
don't recommend sitting down anddoing the math and saying, this
(17:13):
is how much the dining plan is,and this is where I wanna eat
because it's not gonna be worthit.
The whole point of the diningplan is you're prepaying for
your food so you don't have tothink about it on site, and the
convenience of having it
ryan_1_03-25-2025_13573 (17:27):
Agreed.
Yep.
I it, it can save you money.
depending on the types of meals,if you're going to lots of
character meals or things likethat.
But yes, it's more for theconvenience than just knowing
that it's taken care of andbeing able to pay that off over
time.
j_1_03-25-2025_135730 (17:42):
sometimes I'll even say, it looks like the
restaurants we chose are a lotof two credit restaurants.
I don't think the dining plan isgonna work well for you guys
'cause you're gonna blow throughall your credits.
Ryan mentioned character dining.
There are a good bit that areonly one table service credit.
So if those are the ones we'rechoosing, then absolutely.
It's a great use of the diningplan.
ryan_1_03-25-2025_135730 (18:01):
Yep.
Sounds great.
All right.
We are gonna talk about some of.
Our suggestions for maximizingyour dining at Disney.
And then Julie's gonna wrap upwith some tips.
But first, as I do every week, Iwanna talk about where in the
world is all things travel.
So Julie, when I looked at newlocations today, one that popped
up and I liked seeing this'causeI just went for my walk this
(18:23):
morning and it's nice and sunny,but boy, it's still cold.
And so I was excited to see NewSmyrna Beach pop up.
that's a small town in Florida.
It is a classic small beachtown.
Just has lots of charm.
It has miles and miles ofbeaches.
It is about an hour south ofDaytona Beach.
(18:44):
It is about an hour away fromOrlando.
So anything that you're doing onthe Space Coast, this is a great
launching point as far as havinga small town beach experience.
So.
I don't really even need tochoose an activity, I just wanna
sit on the beach.
and have a good time and enjoythe day with our listener.
So new Smyrna Beach, do us afavor, reach out to us at all
(19:08):
things travel.
You can do that on our website,all things travel podcast.com
because I would love to send alittle thank you to new Smyrna
Beach for being featured on theshow.
And with the weather right now.
I may just drive over there.
so some of our favorite, choicesfor dining at Magic Kingdom.
(19:30):
I would say for families,Cinderella's Royal table, if you
have princess lovers and youhaven't been there before, I
think if you've been therebefore, you may not need to go
again.
That's my personal opinion.
I wanna put Liberty Tree Taverndown as a great family meal
because it's comfort food, servefamily style.
(19:51):
Everybody's gonna enjoy it.
There's gonna be plenty of food.
You're gonna feel like you gotyour money's worth.
I think a good alternative ifyou have more interesting eaters
or maybe a group of adults, Iwant to say Skipper Canteens
should be on this list.
there's just a lot more themingin this restaurant.
There's the Congo beer.
There's some really good,cocktails.
(20:13):
They have really good appetizersthat you can share amongst the
table, so it's just a differentdining experience.
Epcot is an embarrassment ofriches when it comes to dining,
but a really good option forfamily dining is VE Napoli.
Why?
Because it's excellentwood-fired pizza that feeds a
(20:34):
crowd.
It is just absolutely great.
I think an interestingalternative is Space two 20.
If you have not been there yet,it is an experience.
Really, really good food, uniquetheming.
I think you should check it outthe next time you go to Epcot
Hollywood Studios.
The family winner here for us isRoundup Rodeo Barbecue, which is
(20:58):
the toy story themed familystyle restaurant.
I've heard nothing but greatthings from both Julie and
clients who have gone here.
another option maybe for adultsor people who want a little
elevated dining experience isthe Hollywood Brown Derby.
They have excellent food.
This is a signature diningoption at Walt Disney World.
(21:19):
If you don't want to sit down atthe restaurant, the lounge is a
great option.
at Animal Kingdom.
We've talked about this before.
Tusker House is the winner.
You've got great.
Character interaction, uniquefood and very unique theming me.
I think Yak and Yeti is a reallyclose runner up because there's
(21:41):
so many different options offood for everybody in your
party, I think this is a greatplace to go.
Resorts.
I'm talking ohana over at thePolynesian I had this for the
first time in January and.
I loved this meal, CaliforniaGrill at, the Contemporary
Steakhouse.
71.
I absolutely love if you gothere for lunch, you gotta get
(22:04):
the burger.
I can't say enough aboutSteakhouse 71 and then Sana at
Animal Kingdom is just a greatdining experience.
j_1_03-25-2025_135730 (22:14):
I feel like we ran through so many
restaurants, but the great thingis.
you can always re-listen to thisepisode.
ryan_1_03-25-2025_135730 (22:22):
Yes.
j_1_03-25-2025_135730 (22:22):
if you're a client of ours, these
restaurants are always going
ryan_1_03-25-2025_135730 (22:26):
Oh.
j_1_03-25-2025_135730 (22:26):
list of restaurants.
ryan_1_03-25-2025_135730 (22:28):
Now I'm gonna throw an honorable
mention here.
This is a restaurant that peopledon't talk enough about.
And when we were at DisneySprings, what food were you
surprised that you fell in lovewith
j_1_03-25-2025_135730 (22:39):
Sole.
ryan_1_03-25-2025_135730 (22:41):
Fell in love with Spanish food.
And I'm gonna throw in anhonorable mention, go over to
Coronado and go to Toledo, whichis the top floor of the tower.
That is a fantastic restaurantthat people don't know about,
and it's okay that they don'tknow about it because then you
can get a reservation.
j_1_03-25-2025_135730 (23:02):
It's really great for a date night.
because you can go there.
They have the lounge up top aswell.
It's a nice location.
We're gonna wrap up with just acouple of pro tips, before you
even make your reservations, loginto your My Disney experience.
Make sure that your resortreservation or tickets are
linked.
To your account and that yourentire party is on your friends
(23:24):
and family list.
A lot of times I'll have clientsgive me their login so that I
can go in and make sure this isall set up for them.
there's also the My DisneyExperience Internet help desk.
They are amazing to work with.
I don't know what capabilitiesthey have, but I wish we had
them because they fix things inseconds.
ryan_1_03-25-2025_13573 (23:42):
they've got a lot of pixie dust.
j_1_03-25-2025_135730 (23:44):
They do, make sure you have a credit card
linked to your profile and allyour contact information is
updated within your profile.
It just makes going throughthose reservations a lot easier
if you don't have to type thatcredit card in, while you're
doing the reservation.
As always, work with a traveladvisor.
We'll help you pick the bestrestaurants for your family and
(24:04):
select the best order to makethose reservations in.
We mentioned this earlier,you'll need that credit card to
guarantee your reservations, butyou do have to pay for
Cinderella's Royal Table inadvance.
And if you don't wanna doCinderella's Royal table, but
you still want the full Princessexperience, a great alternate is
Aker Shoes over in Epcot.
(24:26):
It is Norwegian food.
So check the menu, but it's abuffet, so they will likely have
something that you will like onthe buffet.
A lot of times people get reallyoverwhelmed and they wanna do
all the reservations that theycan, had someone recently that
wanted be our guest for lunchand Cinderella's Royal table for
dinner, and
ryan_1_03-25-2025_135730 (24:45):
Oh goodness.
j_1_03-25-2025_135730 (24:46):
this is way too much food.
You wanna allow 90 minutes foreach reservation and even up to
two hours if you're gonna docharacter dining.
Sometimes you're waiting acouple minutes for that
character to make their round toyou.
It's not like you sit down andthey come away.
they've got an order that theyhave to see the room in, so it
doesn't always take two hours,but.
(25:08):
it might, in that sense, youdon't really want more than one
reservation per day.
There used to be the deluxedining plan
ryan_1_03-25-2025_135730 (25:16):
Yeah.
j_1_03-25-2025_135730 (25:16):
you two table service credits per day,
and it was just reallyexcessive, because everyone was
making breakfast reservationsand dinner reservations, and you
felt like you were just eatingall day long.
ryan_1_03-25-2025_135730 (25:29):
I definitely agree it can be a
lot.
It can definitely be a lot.
j_1_03-25-2025_135730 (25:34):
I've got one more tip.
So going back to the diningplan, a lot of people think that
it's not gonna be enough foodbecause I get my table service,
my quick service, and my snack.
This is how you kind of hackthat.
You use your snack for yourbreakfast.
ryan_1_03-25-2025_135730 (25:49):
Yep.
j_1_03-25-2025_135730 (25:50):
muffins, croissants, bagels, all of those
things are snacks.
You've got your
ryan_1_03-25-2025_135730 (25:54):
I.
j_1_03-25-2025_13573 (25:55):
refillable mug, you can go grab your coffee
or lemonade, water, whatever.
And then you've got your quickservice and your table service
to still use throughout the day.
And then, you know, maybe youpay for whatever snack everyone
would like to share in the park.
ryan_1_03-25-2025_1 (26:07):
Absolutely.
Or you bring your breakfast oryou instacart your breakfast.
I mean, you get protein bars orPop-Tarts or fruit I like having
a portable breakfast'cause Iwant to get out to the bus.
so it's usually what I will dois I'll choose one day on the
trip to have a sit downbreakfast.
Every other time it's on the go.
(26:27):
We get into the parks, we getmoving, and then we use our
snack credit for a mid-morningsnack.
j_1_03-25-2025_135730 (26:32):
That's a great plan.
ryan_1_03-25-2025_135730 (26:34):
You wanna plan a trip to an amazing
destination, but you don't knowhow to get started.
As your travel advisor, we workwith you to create a customized
itinerary for your vacation andtake the stress of all these
dining plans out of the way soyou can focus on the fun and
creating memories.
You can reach out to us at allthings travel podcast.com.
(26:54):
We look forward to talking toyou next week on all Things
travel.
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