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8 Dining Tips from a Disney Expert

Most people who are visiting Walt Disney World focus much of their planning time on what attractions they are going to do.  They obsess over whether they will have time to use their 2:45 PM FastPass+ for Thunder Mountain and still be able to be in a prime viewing location in Frontierland to watch the Festival of Fantasy parade at 3 PM.  Or they focus on using their initial three FastPass+ selections so they get a fourth and fifth FastPass+ before they are all gone.  This writer is not one of those people.  I obsess over finding the perfect advanced dining reservation or searching out the perfect, unique snack hiding at a snack cart in Hollywood Studios. Dining at Walt Disney World can be challenging, but if you follow these eight tips, your next trip to Disney World can be a delicious one!

8. Try New Things

Given the enormity of the Walt Disney World Resort, as well as the variety of dining options (food carts, counter service restaurants, and table service restaurants), guests are guaranteed to encounter food items they may not have tried before.  Guests should take advantage of these new items to challenge their tastebuds with something new.  Disney is careful not to make these selections too spicy or flavorful and usually present these food items as part of a buffet so guests can get a “no thank you” portion along with more traditional fare.  Boma at the Animal Kingdom Lodge is a perfect example of a buffet that invites guests to sample the new alongside many traditional favorites!

7. Non-Traditional Times

This advice holds true regardless of whether guests are attempting to grab a quick meal from a counter service location or find an elusive advanced dining reservation around the resort.  Given the strictures that our lives come with, many of us are on an internal clock that dictates our meal times – lunch break at work is from 12 PM – 1 PM or your kids have their lunch period at school beginning at 11:30 AM.  This is going to be true for most of the guests on property during your visit.  Expand your meal times and you will find smaller lines, as well as increased availability for various restaurants.  Hold off on lunch until 1 PM or later and maybe try to eat dinner on another day a little early, say around 4:45 PM. 



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