Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
If you don't have access to a computer at 6 a.m. on the morning you need to make
reservations, Disney's phone agents begin taking calls at 7 a.m. Eastern time. Call
407-
WDW
-
DINE
and follow the prompts to speak to a live person. You may still get
placed on hold, and you'll be an hour behind the early birds with computers. Still,
you'll be well ahead of those who couldn't make it up before sunrise.
Also, if you're on the Disney Dining Plan and you want to book the
Fantasmic!
package, Cinderella's Royal Table, or one the dinner shows, you may be better off re-
servingbyphone.Theonlinesystemmaynotrecognize yourtable-service credits, but
you can book and pay with a credit card and then call 407-
WDW
-
DINE
after 7 a.m.
and have them credit the charge for the meal back to your card (a potential hassle if
you get an uncooperative cast member). When you get to Walt Disney World, you'll
use credits from yourdining plan to “pay” forthe meal. (Sometimes the online system
has glitches and shows no availability; in this case, call after 7 a.m. to confirm if the
online system is correct.)
Last-Ditch Efforts
Because a fee is charged for failing to cancel an Advance Reservation in time (see be-
low), you can often score a last-minute reservation. As long as the reservation-holder
calls to cancel before midnight the day before, he or she won't be charged, so your
best shot at picking up a canceled reservation is to repeatedly call 407-
WDW
-
DINE
or
ping
disneyworld.disney.go.com/dining
as often as possible between 10 and 11 p.m.
If you
still
can't get an Advance Reservation, go to the restaurant on the day you
wish to dine and try for a table as a walk-in (most full-service restaurants take walk-
ins between 2:30 and 4:30 p.m.). This is a long shot, though it's possible during the
least busy times of year. There's also a fair shot at success on cold or rainy days dur-
ing busier seasons, when there's a good chance of no-shows. If you try to walk in
then, your chances are best during the last hour of serving.
Landing an Advance Reservation for Cinderella's Royal Table at dinner is some-
what easier than for breakfast or lunch, but the price is a whopping $73 for adults and
$43 for children ages 3-9. As at the other two meals, five photos of your group, a
photo of Cinderella Castle, and a Cinderella-themed photo holder are included in the
price—like itornot.Ifyou'reunable tolockupatable forbreakfast orlunch,adinner
reservation will at least get your children inside the castle.
