The Dining Reservation Trick That Disney Won’t Tell You

Mickey Premium Bars. Dole Whip. POG Juice.

There are so many delicious treats to look forward to on your next visit to Disneyland or Walt Disney World Resort, in quick or full-service dining locations.

Across Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Disney’s Animal Kingdom, as well as Disney Springs, and the Resort hotels, Disney offers an array of cuisines and themes for families to try on their Disney vacation.

Any sit-down dining location on Walt Disney World property has an Advanced Dining Reservation option on the My Disney Experience app, and for those trying to cancel their reservation, it can prove costly.

From the delectable bread pudding at ‘Ohana at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort to the character dining at Cinderella’s Royal Table, Disney Guests try desperately to snag those coveted reservations at the most popular restaurants on site.

With crowds increasing since the pandemic reopenings of theme parks, many popular restaurants are unavailable for walk-ins at peak times of the day, as reservations often fill all slots. When there is a walk-in reservation available, Guests may have to wait hours until their table is ready.

Making a dining reservation in advance on the My Disney Experience app is always your best chance at scoring that sought-after table at places like Be Our Guest at Magic Kingdom, Boma – Flavors of Africa at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge, and the new Space 220 at EPCOT.

The only issue that arises with this option is if your plans change. If you have a reservation that you wish to cancel, you must do so 24 hours prior, or else you will incur a fee of $10.00 per person.

If you attempt to cancel within 24 hours, you will notice that the app does not let you and provides a number you can call to cancel. It also notes that you may still be charged even if you cancel, as it is within their chargeable period.

Disney Tips was at Walt Disney World this week and had an advance reservation for lunch at Beaches and Cream at Disney’s Beach Club Resort near EPCOT.

We joined the line for the Frozen Ever After attraction in the Norway Pavillion and realized as the wait time kept increasing in line that we weren’t going to make our reservation an hour away.

We tried calling the dining reservation number, but it told us we had a two-hour wait to speak to someone! Obviously, this would affect our day enjoying the theme park, as well as be after our lunch reservation slot anyway.

 

There is a secret way around having to call this number, however, and it means you won’t have to pay the $10.00 per person cancelation fee.

And Disney definitely doesn’t promote this anywhere, of course.

When looking at your dining reservation on your My Disney Experience app that you want to cancel, click the “Modify” button. Then, select any other date and time available in the future. Once you swap to a new date, you can go ahead and cancel, as you are no longer in the 24-hour period.

This trick can help save you a lot of money, depending on your party size, and will allow your party to have flexibility during your visit if needed.

So, next time you need to make a last-minute cancelation of your hotel or theme park dining reservation, remember the “Modify” button!