How to Book Disney World Dining Reservations (ADR FAQ – Updated 2025)

***Updated 6/25/25 to include the latest updates to Disney's Advance Dining reservation system.

How to Book Disney World Dining Reservations (ADR FAQ – Updated 2025)

Planning where to eat at Walt Disney World is almost as important as choosing your park days! Whether you're planning a dream breakfast at Topolino’s Terrace, a character-filled brunch at Chef Mickey’s, or a romantic dinner at California Grill, this FAQ will walk you through everything you need to know to book ADRs (that’s Disney speak for Advanced Dining Reservation) a pro.

Make sure to check out our Disney Dining Plan Guide, and our Character Meals Guide, and our Table Service Recommendations for our dining favorites, best insights and Pixie Dust Tips! Whether you're after Mickey-shaped waffles, a character meal with the princesses, or fine dining with fireworks views, you'll need to know how to make an ADR—that’s Disney speak for Advanced Dining Reservation.

Good news! Disney just rolled out a brand-new dining reservation system in June 2025, and it's designed to make the whole process smoother and faster.

🆕 What’s New with Disney Dining Reservations in 2025?

Walt Disney World recently launched a redesigned dining reservation system on both the My Disney Experience app and the official Disney website. Here’s a breakdown of what’s new:

🔄 Custom Time Range Searches

No more toggling between “breakfast,” “lunch,” or “dinner.” Now, you can use a time slider to set your exact preferred dining window—like 10:45 AM to 12:15 PM—and the system will show you all available reservations in that range.

📸 [Insert new screenshot here showing the updated time slider]

📍 Filter by Location

Want to dine in Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, or Disney Springs? Now you can filter search results by park, resort, or general location so you don’t have to scroll through every restaurant on property.

📸 [Insert new screenshot here showing location filter options]

⚡ Streamlined Results

Instead of repeatedly searching for every time slot, the new interface displays all open times within your selected window in one place. This means fewer clicks—and more time dreaming about churros.

🧚 Pixie Dust Pro Tip: Want to dine during a fireworks show? Search for times that overlap with showtimes and filter by location (like Magic Kingdom or EPCOT).

✨ What Is an ADR?

An ADR stands for Advance Dining Reservation, and it’s your ticket to enjoying table service meals across Walt Disney World Resort. From character dining to fine dining, ADRs help you secure your spot ahead of time so you don’t miss out on your must-try meals.

🕒 When Can I Book Dining at Disney World?

• Guests staying at a Disney Resort hotel can book starting 60 days before check-in, for the entire length of their stay (up to 10 days).

• Off-site guests can book 60 days before each dining date, one day at a time.

🧚 Pixie Dust Pro Tip: Reservations open bright and early at 6:00 AM Eastern Time each day. Set that alarm!

🍽️ How Do I Make a Dining Reservation?

You can book in three ways:

1. On the My Disney Experience App

2. Through the Walt Disney World website

3. By calling Disney Dining at (407) WDW-DINE (though online is much faster)

📸 [Replace old step-by-step screenshots here with updated versions of the new booking interface]

🔁 Can I Modify or Cancel a Reservation?

Yes! Disney allows you to:

• Modify the time, date, or party size (based on availability)

• Cancel without penalty up to 2 hours before your reservation

  • My Disney Experience app

  • Online at disneyworld.com

  • By phone: (407) WDW-DINE

  • Or in person at Guest Relations

⚠️ For certain high-demand experiences (like Cinderella’s Royal Table or Hoop-Dee-Doo), cancellation policies may vary—check the fine print!

🎉 Which Restaurants Fill Up Fast?

These locations are known to book out quickly:

• Cinderella’s Royal Table (Magic Kingdom)

• Crystal Palace - Breakfast (Magic Kingdom)

• Akershus (EPCOT)

• Space 220 (EPCOT)

• Teppan Edo (EPCOT)

• Geo-82 (EPCOT’s newest lounge)

• Woody's Round Up (Hollywood Studios)

• Yak and Yeti (Animal Kingdom)

• Chef Art Smith’s Homecomin’‘ (Disney Springs)

• Boathouse (Disney Springs)

• California Grill during fireworks (Contemporary Resort)

• Chef Mickey's (Contemporary Resort)

• Topolino’s Terrace – Flavors of the Riviera - Breakfast (Riveria Resort)

• Ohana (Polynesian Village Resort)

• Story Book Dining at Artist Point (Wilderness Lodge)

  
  

🧚 Pixie Dust Pro Tip: Can’t find a time? Use the walk-up list feature in the app for same-day options or try again the night before - we've gotten many hard to book reservations then. Guests often cancel last minute!

🧾 Do I Need Park Tickets for Dining Reservations?

Only if you're booking a restaurant inside a theme park. You’ll need a valid ticket and park reservation (if required) to dine at locations like Be Our Guest or Le Cellier.

Dining at a Disney Resort Hotel or Disney Springs? No ticket needed.

🧾 Who Can Make an ADR?

Anyone can make an ADR—yes, even if you’re not staying at a Disney Resort hotel or don’t yet have park tickets. However, if your reservation is inside a theme park, you will need valid park admission and a park reservation to dine there.

✨ Pixie Dust Pro Tip: If you’re working with an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner, they can make ADRs for you!

⏰ When Can I Make an ADR?

ADRs open 60 days in advance of your desired dining date at 6:00 AM Eastern Time online (sometimes a bit earlier—start refreshing at 5:45 AM just in case!) or 7:00 AM by phone.

🛎️ If you’re staying at a Walt Disney World Resort hotel, you can book for your entire stay (up to 10 days) starting 60 days before check-in.

📱 How Do I Make an ADR?

You’ve got options:

• Online at disneyworld.com

• In the My Disney Experience app

• By calling (407) WDW-DINE / (407-939-3463)

📍 How to Make a Dining Reservation in the My Disney Experience App (2025 Update)

Making an ADR (Advanced Dining Reservation) in the My Disney Experience (MDE) app just got a whole lot easier thanks to Disney’s latest update.

Here’s a step-by-step guide to booking your meal with the new interface:

1. Tap the plus (+) icon at the bottom center of the home screen.

2. Select “Check Dining Availability.”

   

3. Choose your:

   • Party size

   • Date range – If you're staying at a Disney Resort, you can now book up to 10 days at once

   • Time window – Use the new sliding time range bar to search for a custom time block (from 6:00 AM to midnight)

   • Location – Filter by Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Hollywood Studios, Animal Kingdom, nearby resort areas, or Disney Springs

   • 

4. Browse the available restaurants. You can view different dates using the date bar at the top of the screen, making it easy to toggle between days.

5. Tap the filter icon (just above the “Sort By” button) to narrow down your options even more—by location, cuisine, or experience type (like character dining or signature dining).

   
   

🧚 Pixie Dust Pro Tip: The new date and time sliders make it super easy to check multiple options at once—no need to restart your search every time!

Once you’ve selected your restaurant and chosen a time that works for your group, here’s what to do next:

6. Tap on your preferred dining time to begin the reservation process.

7. You’ll be asked to:

   • Review your party (choose from your Friends & Family list or manually enter Guest info)

   • Confirm your contact info

   • Add any dietary requests or accessibility needs (optional)

   • Agree to cancellation terms – Most restaurants have a $10 per person no-show fee if you don’t cancel at least 2 hours before your reservation

8. Enter or confirm your credit card information. This is just a hold, and you won’t be charged unless you violate the cancellation policy.

9. Tap “Book Now” to finalize your reservation.

🎉 You’re all set! You’ll see a confirmation screen, and the reservation will also appear in your “My Plans” section of the app.

📧 A confirmation email will be sent to the address linked to your Disney account.

🧚 Pixie Dust Pro Tip: If your plans change, you can easily modify or cancel your reservation in the app—just tap the reservation under "My Plans" and select “Modify” or “Cancel.”

💳 Do ADRs Require a Deposit?

Not usually! Most ADRs don’t require a deposit, but they do require a credit card guarantee. If you’re a no-show and don’t cancel at least 2 hours ahead, there’s a $10 per person penalty.

🍽️ Exceptions: Some dining experiences, like Cinderella’s Royal Table and Victoria & Albert’s, are prepaid in full when booked. No-shows here are charged the full amount.

👑 How Does ADR Work for Cinderella’s Royal Table?

This one’s special! You must prepay in full when booking. Prices are:

• Breakfast: $69 (ages 10+), $42 (ages 3–9)

• Lunch/Dinner: $84 (ages 10+), $49 (ages 3–9)

Using the Disney Dining Plan? Your prepayment will be refunded to your card once 2 dining credits per person are deducted.

❌ How Do I Cancel an ADR?

You can cancel:

• In the My Disney Experience app

• Online at disneyworld.com

• By phone: (407) WDW-DINE

• Or in person at Guest Relations

Just make sure to cancel at least 2 hours in advance to avoid fees.

🔁 Can I Change an ADR?

Yes! You can modify your ADR:

• In the app

• Online

• Or by calling (407) WDW-DINE

💡 Nothing is changed until you confirm your update, so feel free to explore your options first.

😬 What If I Can’t Get the ADR I Want?

Don’t give up! People cancel all the time—even the night before—so check back often. We’ve landed coveted spots just by refreshing regularly and being persistent.

⌛ What If I’m Late for My ADR?

Most restaurants offer a 15-minute grace period. If you’re delayed (say, stuck on a ride), let the host know when you arrive. They’ll usually do their best to accommodate you.

🏰 What If My ADR Is Before Park Opening?

You’ll find a Cast Member with a dining reservation sign near the entrance (usually to the left of the turnstiles, or near the Castle in Magic Kingdom). They’ll check your name and let you in early—how magical is that?

🚌 Can I Get Back to My Resort After a Late ADR?

In most cases, yes! Disney transportation runs about 1 hour after park closing. If you finish dinner later than that, ask a Cast Member for help—they’ll usually assist you in finding a way back to your resort.

🍽️ Can I Use OpenTable?

Some restaurants at Disney Springs are available on OpenTable! If you can’t snag an ADR through Disney, it’s definitely worth a try there—you might get lucky.

🚶‍♀️ Can I Just Walk Up Without an ADR?

You can always ask! In-park restaurants are often booked solid, but resort hotel and Disney Springs restaurants sometimes have walk-up availability.

🌿 Pixie Dust Pro Tip: If you’re dining at Yak & Yeti or the Rainforest Café (Animal Kingdom or Disney Springs), or T-REX, and you’re a Landry’s Select Club member, you’ll get priority seating for walk-ups with a party of six or fewer.

✨ Final Tips Before You Book

ADRs may seem complicated at first, but once you understand the timing, tools, and tricks, they become one of the best ways to add a little extra magic to your Disney days. With this guide in hand, you’re ready to score those hard-to-get reservations and enjoy the meals you’ve been dreaming of. Make sure you pop over to our Disney Dining Guide for the best info and Pixie Dust Tips!

Pixie Dust Hugs,

Bren, Lyn, and Kim

🔗 Ready to Plan the Rest of Your Disney Day?

• ✨ Check out our full Guide to the Disney Dining Plan

• 🎉 Grab our Character Dining Cheat Sheet

• 💫 Book with Bren for personalized help planning your perfect park days!