What you need to know about dining at Disney World in 2021
So much for all the years you’ve spent becoming an expert at planning the perfect Disney World vacation. The past year brought so many changes to the resort that all of us are basically beginners again.
That’s especially true when it comes to dining.
Lots of things have changed, including your window for making reservations, how to check in for your reservation, and how to order food at quick-service locations. And that’s just for a start.
Here’s what you need to know about dining at Disney World in 2021:
Dining plan: Disney’s pre-paid meal plan was one of the first things to go when Disney World reopened in July. Likely this is because, at half capacity, restaurants simply couldn’t accommodate the number of guests on a dining plan. We expect the dining plan to come back once restaurant capacity increases.
Tables in Wonderland: Much to our dismay, we think this amazing discount program may be going away permanently. Memberships were extended by four months to account for the park closure, but as we understand it, no renewals have thus far been allowed. The Tables in Wonderland website promises to share information about future membership at a later date, but I’m not holding my breath.
Mobile ordering: This is one change we really like. Quick service restaurants — both in the parks and resorts — now require mobile ordering, and you can’t go in to claim a table until your food is ready. This makes it easier to find a table, and just a lot less aggravating. You have to stand around outside waiting your turn, but it typically doesn’t take long. I admit to ordering cupcakes to take home more than once. It’s almost too easy!
Character dining: There are only a few character dining experiences now, and they are all modified — the characters stroll through the dining room and wave, but they don’t stop by your table. If you want to see characters while you dine, your options are limited to Garden Grill Restaurant, Hollywood & Vine, Topolino’s Terrace (at brunch) and Chef Mickey’s.
Reservation window: You used to be able to get a table at a restaurant 6 months out. Now your window opens just 60 days in advance. If you’re staying at a Disney resort hotel, you get a jump on the crowd: You can make reservations up to 60 days in advance plus the length of your stay (up to 10 days). If you’re dining at an in-park restaurant, you also need a park reservation for the day. You won’t be allowed into the park without one.
Mobile check-in for reservations: When you arrive for your dining reservation, instead of going to a check-in stand, you can now use the My Disney Experience app to check in, confirm your party and any details (including allergies or a special occasion). Once your table is ready, you’ll be notified to proceed to a specified location. Easy peasy.
Signature dining: In our experience, Disney World’s signature restaurants have never been better. Since July, we have found the food and service to be consistently excellent (we’ll let the new creamy barley at the California Grill slide). The improvement is likely because menus have been somewhat curtailed, but it’s also because these restaurants are serving half the number of guests — at most. This has also resulted in a much more relaxed, intimate dining experience; there’s no more sitting elbow-to-elbow with other diners and having to hear every word they say. (I hate to say it, but the absence of fireworks is one of the best things to have happened to the California Grill — no more crowds gathering to catch the show.) Unfortunately, a number of excellent restaurants remain closed, including Victoria & Albert’s, the Flying Fish, the Yachtsman Steakhouse (and pour one out for the Crew’s Cup Lounge next door), Artist Point, Ohana, and more.
Walk-up availability: If you want to join a wait list for a table-service restaurant, this new feature allows you to do so using the mobile app. Simply check dining availability for “now” and see what pops up. The wait lists fill up fast, so you may not have a ton of choices. You can check availability at resort hotels and parks, but you need to be in close vicinity to join a waitlist (and sometimes even to see if there’s availability).
Stay in the parks late: As the holidays end, so do extended park hours. But you can still get a restaurant reservation up until — and sometimes past — closing time. This can be a great way to spend some extra time in the parks, and get a chance to meander out of the park after-hours. Big plus: Great photo opportunities!
Food delivery to resorts: If I’m honest, I never would have thought of getting food delivered to my Disney resort before last summer. We sometimes got those pizza delivery fliers under the door of our room, but they seemed a little sketchy. Plus, when there are so many good food options at the resort, who needs delivery? Well, that was then, this is now. Dining options are limited now, and so are menus. If you’ve had your fill of hamburgers and flatbreads, there are a lot of good local restaurants that will deliver, thanks to the proliferation of delivery services. (Here are more specifics on getting food delivered to the resorts.)
Disney Springs: The restaurants at Disney Springs are mostly open for business and observing social distancing guidelines — though they sometimes get pretty crowded. (While Disney has so far kept its restaurant capacity to 50%, most of the restaurants at Disney Springs are not Disney-owned and are free to return to 100% capacity if they so choose.) One of our favorite dining spots is the dock at the Boathouse — sitting out on the water at the first-come, first-served tables is absolutely the way to go. Another good choice: Sitting outside at Jock Lindsay’s Hangar Bar for drinks and small bites. If you’re having trouble finding a reservation, check OpenTable, which often has reservations that aren’t available on the Disney app. One final note: Disney Springs does reach capacity pretty frequently on weekends; at that point, they will not allow you in, even with a dining reservation, so give yourself plenty of time to get in.
