How to Navigate Walt Disney World Dining Options Like a Pro
When it comes to food, there is something for everyone.
One of the biggest decisions when planning a vacation to Walt Disney World is where to eat. Disney offers several options for every budget level, each with its own pros and cons. The choices can be overwhelming, so I have broken them down to make it easier.
BYOF
You can bring your food to the park. There are restrictions on cooler sizes, and you can rent lockers at the front of each park to stash things you don’t want to carry around. Check Disney’s website for rules on food, containers, and such.
Grocery delivery from several companies makes it convenient to stock your hotel room with food and can save you some money. Many of the options have discounts when you place an order several months in advance of your trip. Deliveries are delivered to the hotel’s bellhop services and placed in a refrigerator until you pick them up at your convenience.
There are several grocery stores a short ride share away, and are great options if you don’t want to pay the higher resort prices for items you may have forgotten to pack.
My top grocery item is jugs of water because Florida’s drinking water is not the best. I use them for water at the hotel (stay hydrated!) and for refilling our water bottles before we head out.
Food Courts
All resorts will have a food court or food shop available. Many of them have mobile dining within the app. Food options include standard pizza, hamburgers, pasta, hot dogs, and chicken nuggets, and seasonal offerings, like chili in a bread bowl. They also have grab-and-go items like deli sandwiches, yogurt parfaits, and pastries.
Food Carts
Within the parks, you will find small food cart vendors selling things like cheeseburger eggrolls, pretzels, popcorn, and ice cream bars. These may be in the same location with limited hours or roaming the parks.
Quick Service
This option is like a fast-food restaurant. You order at one window (or mobile order) and pick up your food at another and find a spot to sit and eat.
An important note about discounts and the above food options: If you are a Disney Visa cardholder or an annual passholder, the dining discounts will not apply to food courts, food carts, or quick service locations.
Reserved Dining
Now, this is where things get serious. Most sit-down restaurants in the parks and Disney Springs require a reservation. Sometimes, you can get lucky and get a spot the same day (check the app), but likely, you need an Advanced Dining Reservation (ADR) to get in.
If you are staying at a Disney resort (including gateway resorts), you can make ADRs 60 days in advance of the first day of your vacation. Reservations open at 5:45 a.m. Eastern Standard Time.
Everyone who has the same arrival day as you will be logging in and scrambling to get those coveted hard-to-get restaurants. The key here is to prioritize and get the most popular restaurants booked first, no matter what day of your trip they are on.
Make sure you have your credit card on hand when booking and be prepared to use a desktop and a tablet or mobile device. If one has glitches or times out, you can quickly jump to the other device to get your reservations booked.
Character Dining
One great way to meet characters is to do it when you need to eat. There are several character dining options – most of them at resorts, so no park ticket is required! They may require you to pay for the meal upfront. These are also difficult to get because everyone wants them. Add them to your ADR and prioritize them, as they will go fast.
EPCOT specialty events
You may have heard the phrase “eating around the world.” This isn’t a global culinary trek, but one that takes place in the World Showcase at Disney’s EPCOT park. Throughout the year, EPCOT hosts various festivals, including Arts, Wine and Flower and Garden. Each country in the World Showcase will have a selection of festival themed foods exclusive that festival. When people eat around the world, they hop from one country area to another, stopping by the quick service food options. Offerings are small-bite sized portions and often a creative mix of culture and flavors.
How much should I budget for food?
If you tend to stick to three meals a day and plan to use a mix of your own food, quick service and a few reserved dining options, the general guidance is $100/day per person. If you plan to indulge in any of the offerings at any of the EPCOT festivals, I suggest you add $50 to that daily budget – those Instagram-worthy treats are not cheap.
Disney does allow adults to order off the kid’s menu or share an adult meal with another person. This can cut down on food spending. You can also look for the restaurant options that offer family-style dining to match varying appetites in your travel group.
Most Disney food offerings post their menu and prices on their website, making it easy to estimate your dining costs during the planning process.
Rest assured; your family won’t go hungry when visiting Disney World.
