My husband and I went to 5 tough-to-visit Disney restaurants over 3 date nights with this little-kno

Publish date: 2024-06-29
2023-10-10T16:43:55Z

Anyone who has planned a Walt Disney World vacation knows dining reservations can be difficult to snag at certain sought-after locales. From California Grill, perched high atop Disney's Contemporary Resort, to 'Ohana, at Disney's beautiful Polynesian Village Resort, these coveted spots are often booked up.

I've been visiting Disney theme parks for over a decade, often for solo trips or date nights with my husband. In my years of figuring out the best ways to navigate Walt Disney World, I've learned an important hack for eating or having cocktails at some of the toughest Disney restaurants to get into.

My husband and I recently stayed at Walt Disney World for three kid-free nights. We went on amazing dates each night and managed to visit five popular Disney restaurants without a single reservation. Here's how we did it.

Many of Disney's busiest restaurants offer walk-up seating at their bars

Menu and glass of wine at Cítricos. Courtesy of the author

The ability to book Disney dining reservations starts 60 days before the date of your visit, but often, spots at higher-end restaurants (like Cítricos, the "Mary Poppins Returns"-themed restaurant inside Disney's Grand Floridian Resort and Spa) book up immediately. Luckily, there's the Cítricos Lounge, the bar inside the restaurant.

On our first date night during our trip, we sat at the lounge's bar without a wait. We could've ordered a full meal from the Cítricos menu, which includes delicious dishes like house-made rigatoni and filet mignon. It was only our first stop of the night, so we stuck with a glass of wine and enjoyed the opportunity to sit and chat amid the restaurant's opulent decor.

When you're seated at a Disney restaurant's bar, you can usually order from its full menu

Food the author and her husband ordered at the California Grill. Courtesy of the author

It can be nearly impossible to snag a reservation at California Grill, the specialty dining experience located on the top floor of Disney's Contemporary Resort. Its decadent prix-fixe menu and impressive wine list make it a hot spot for Disney foodies, and the fact that you can watch the nightly fireworks display at the Magic Kingdom Park from its roof is a major selling point.

After we finished our wine at the Grand Floridian, we hopped on the monorail and headed to the Contemporary to try to sit at the California Grill bar for dinner. After checking in at the restaurant's hostess stand, we were placed on a waitlist. We waited about 20 minutes before receiving a text saying it was time to be seated.

At the bar, we could order from both the pre-fixe menu and items from a bar menu, so we shared a bottle of wine and a few appetizers. We were there too early to see the fireworks, but we didn't have to stick around and wait to take advantage of the view. After leaving California Grill and walking around the rest of the resort for a bit, we returned to the restaurant and showed our dinner receipt to be admitted to the outdoor fireworks viewing area.

Sometimes, there are food menus from nearby restaurants available

Food and a beverage from the Tambu Lounge. Courtesy of the author

Disney's 'Ohana restaurant is well-known for its yummy dishes like its noodles and pork dumplings, but it's tough to get a reservation at this Hawaiian-inspired restaurant. Luckily, the bar, located right outside the restaurant, has some of the most fun bartenders and a bar menu filled with 'Ohana delights.

On our second night, we started with dinner at Tambu Lounge, where we snacked on appetizers and noodles and drank rosé. When we had eaten our fill, we headed to the next spot on our date night.

Eating and drinking at popular restaurant bars is also a great way to experience Disney's hotels

The author toasting with a glass of wine at Narcoossee's. Courtesy of the author

The waterfront dining destination Narcoossee's is one of my favorite restaurants at Disney. But since its remodeling, getting a reservation has been tough. After our dinner at Tambu Lounge, we took the monorail from the Polynesian to the Grand Floridian and sipped wine at the bar inside the restaurant. We walked right up to the bar for drinks and would have been able to order from the full menu had we not been stuffed from our time at the Polynesian.

Since you're likely not hotel-hopping during a Disney vacation, eating at all the different restaurants inside other Walt Disney World hotels is a great way to see the different accommodations on the property. When we visit neighboring Disney hotels on date nights, we love walking around the grounds and browsing the shops and lobbies at these properties.

At the Grand Floridian, there's often a pianist in the lobby to entertain guests. At the Polynesian, we've been known to grab a Dole whip dessert and walk around the resort's lush grounds at night, when torches light up the property. Since these properties are exclusive to hotel guests unless you're there to eat at a restaurant, grabbing a meal is a great way to see things you'd otherwise miss during your vacation.

You can even plan a bar-crawl-style trip through several restaurants in one night

A burger and fries from Steakhouse 71. Courtesy of the author

You can take the monorail to many of the restaurants, so it's not difficult to plan a bit of a bar crawl to see them. On our third night, we walked up to the bar at Steakhouse 71 — located inside the Contemporary — to share the restaurant's iconic cheeseburger, available from both the bar menu and inside the restaurant.

From there, we took the monorail to the Polynesian for a second night and grabbed a cocktail at Tambu Lounge. Next, we hopped back on the monorail and headed to the Grand Floridian, where we had a craft cocktail at Enchanted Rose, the resort's "Beauty and the Beast"-themed lounge. Had we not been stuffed from our dinner at the Steakhouse 71 bar, we easily could have visited the bars at Cítricos or Narcoossee's instead for a nightcap and some dessert.

Steakhouse 71 from the bar. Courtesy of the author

These are my top tips for eating at booked Disney restaurants without a reservation

The author and her husband at Disney's Contemporary Resort. Courtesy of the author

It's not difficult to enjoy food and drinks at Disney restaurants with lounges, even ones that are tough to reserve. And it's not only at hotels: We've also used this hack at popular restaurants like Yak and Yeti inside Disney's Animal Kingdom Theme Park and The Hollywood Brown Derby at Disney's Hollywood Studios. The key is knowing that bar seating is an option and taking advantage of it.

Since you can't reserve seats at the bar at these restaurants, the spots are first come, first served. My top tip is to arrive close to the time the bar opens if you're hoping to grab a seat there. But don't give up if the bar is full when you arrive. The hostess can usually put your name on a walk-up list, but if not, it's fine to order a drink and wait for a seat at the bar to open up.

Once you're seated, ask the bartender to see a food menu. You'll find out whether there's a bar-specific menu or if you can order off the restaurant menu. Either way, it's a great opportunity to visit a restaurant where you'd otherwise need a reservation.

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