Walt Disney World tips: Restaurant reservations

Ever think about strolling up to the Crystal Palace restaurant (pictured) at Walt Disney World just to inquire how long the wait will be? Think again-- Disney World's most popular restaurants are booked days--sometimes weeks--in advance, especially during the busy summer travel period.

Restaurants that feature character dining, such as the Crystal Palace or the Cinderella Castle at Magic Kingdom, are rarely available for walk-in customers, and if they are, you are more than likely to have a reservation time right before the park closes. By calling 407-WDW-DINE at least one week or more in advance, your party can get reserved seating. When making a reservation through 407-WDW-DINE, keep the following travel tips in mind:

• Larger parties (usually eight or more people) are often told that the restaurant cannot guarantee that everyone will sit together. Disney usually manages to find a way to accommodate everybody in the end, but you've been warned.


• Don't expect to be seated immediately at your appointed time. Reserved seating at any of the Disney World restaurants usually means a 15 minute wait from the moment you check in.


• Make sure that everybody from your party is present when the hostess seats your group. Disney will not seat incomplete parties, and you could lose the reservation. For a dining companion who is running just a few minutes late, be prepared to say, "He's in the bathroom."