Tips for Big Groups Dining at Disney World

In this post I will share my tips for big groups dining at Disney World. I like to know as many details as I can before I take a trip. I had many questions about Walt Disney World. Things like can strollers go into shops and restaurants or how long does it take to get to the parks from the Resort? The one question I didn’t even think about was, would I have trouble finding seats when eating. We are a family of 6 and there were a few times we had to stand and eat.

We ate dinner at D-Luxe Burger on a Sunday. It was extremely busy at Disney Springs. Moreover, when we finally found a small table it only had 3 chairs. Once again when we ate at Flame Tree Barbecue we could only find a small table with 2 empty chairs. Needless to say, I knew we needed to plan better for next time.

For this reason, I wanted to create a post with tips for big groups dining at Walt Disney World. I want to make sure you don’t make the same mistake I did. Although, maybe you don’t mind eating while standing. However, these are mostly tips for counter service restaurants because table service requires a reservation. Which means you won’t have to worry about finding a place to sit.

Eat at Off Times

Choose to eat during times when there won’t be large crowds. Eat breakfast late, lunch late, and dinner early or late. With so many wonderful snacks at Walt Disney World, it’s not hard to wait a little later to eat a meal. Snacking in between meals is a great way to keep from being too hungry.

The best times to eat breakfast are around 10 or 11 a.m., or you could just call it brunch. Breakfast meal rush is around 8 to 9 a.m. Avoid the big lunch crowds from 12 to 1:30 p.m. Crowds will be lower around 2 to 4 p.m. so you can enjoy a late lunch or early dinner. Best times to eat dinner late are at 8 or 9 p.m.

These times will also work if you want to make a reservation at a popular table service restaurant. Such as, Be Our Guest or ‘Ohana. You may have a better chance getting a reservation if you pick off times.

Dine at Locations Outside the Parks

Another great tip for big groups dining at Disney is to eat at locations outside the parks. Majority of crowds will stay in the parks for meal times. There are great places to eat at various Resorts on Disney property. Some great places include, Kona Cafe at the Polynesian Resort, Geyser Point at Wilderness Lodge, and pretty much any restaurant at Animal Kingdom Lodge. Just to name a few. Also at Kona Cafe is the famous Tonga Toast. That is a must try on my list.

Scout for Seats Ahead of Ordering

Before you go to Walt Disney World, you should always know where you want to eat ahead of time. It will make life less stressful. However, I know there are people who like to do things on the fly. And that works to, however you do your trip, scout for seats before ordering. Before getting in line or making a mobile order, look for an empty table. Once you find a table, have someone save the seats while someone else orders food.

Dine at Restaurants with High Capacity Seating

In order to have a higher probability of finding a seat no matter what time of day, eat at restaurants with high capacity seating. We ate at Sunshine Seasons in Epcot and there was plenty of places to sit. The food wasn’t bad either. I really enjoyed it because they have so many options to choose from. Sunshine Seasons also has a grab and go section, if you don’t want to wait in line. Here is a list of counter service restaurants with plenty of seats.

Magic Kingdom

• Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Cafe
• Columbia Harbour House
• Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn and Cafe
• Pinocchio Village Haus
• Tomorrowland Terrace (open seasonally)

Hollywood Studios

• ABC Commissary
• Backlot Express
• PizzaRizzo (open seasonally)
• Sunset Ranch Market

Animal Kingdom

• Harambe Market
• Pizzafari
• Restaurantosaurus
• Satu’li Canteen
• Yak and Yeti Local Foods Counter
• Flame Tree Barbecue

Epcot

• Sunshine Seasons
• Regal Eagle Smokehouse

Dine at Table Service Restaurants

Dining at table service restaurants means no stress finding seats. It is more expensive, so I wouldn’t suggest only eating at table service restaurants. Unless your plan is to spend an insane about of money on food. However, it’s always nice to dine at a few table service restaurants.

Normally, the earliest time to book a dining reservation is 180 days out from your vacation. However, for the rest of 2020, the earliest is 60 days out. Make sure to book early because some restaurants book up fast. Such as, Be Our Guest and ‘Ohana. Make a list of restaurants that are a must, as well as alternates just in case you can’t get the ones you want. Another great tip is to book reservations starting with the last day of the vacation. This will give you a higher chance of getting the restaurant you want. Also, if there is a restaurant you must eat at, be open to change the day you planned on eating there.

If you are a really big group, it might be harder to find availability. If you have trouble, book a reservation at less popular restaurants. There are some that always have availability. Such as, Restaurant Marrakesh in the Morocco Pavilion. Also, a hidden gem that normally has availability is, Jungle Navigation Co. LTD Skipper Canteen at the Magic Kingdom.

I hope these tips help you on your vacation. Let me know if you have tried any of these tips. Do you have any other tips to share? Have you had problems finding a place to sit? If you would like to share any tips for big groups dining in Disney World, leave a comment below, it really does help our reader out.