Walt Disney World Holidays – Dining Strategies During the Christmas Season

Is a Disney trip in your future during the Walt Disney World holidays? A Disney World vacation during the Christmas season can be a very fun experience, with beautiful and festive decorations and events made even more special with that Disney magic…and of course good food. This article will share some specific things you may want to know about Disney World dining during the holidays, and discuss the best way to plan a Disney vacation to insure that you make the most of your dining budget as well as your equally valuable time.

Did you know that if you are traveling between Christmas and New Year’s, you will be visiting Disney World during the busiest time of the year? This basically means that you need to make dining plans ahead of time, and keep in mind that you will be visiting with many, many other people at the same time.

So make your dining plans in advance, and if they include any table service meals, make those Advanced Dining Reservations (ADRs) before you get to Disney World, and if you are going during Christmas week, preferably make them now.

Let’s talk about ADRs. Disney provides folks with the ability to make Advanced Dining Reservations far in advance, currently 180 days in advance. So people have been making ADRs for Christmas week for months. This means that the most popular restaurants and times fill quickly, especially for the big days of Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Years Eve, and New Years Day. Can you just walk up and get a table during this week? Perhaps…but don’t hold your breath. Don’t take the chance, make your ADRs now if you want table service meals.

What do you do if you can’t get ADRs for any of your restaurant choices? All is not lost, because while the most popular ones at the parks may be full, it is likely that the ones at the hotels are still available. The resort hotel restaurants are frequently quite good, and it is a great way to see some of the lovely Holiday decorations at the resorts. Plus, it can be very nice to get away from the crowds at the parks for a few hours.

You can also think about eating meals at “off” times. Try having your main, table service meal for lunch instead of dinner. Eat early: lunch at 11, dinner at 5…or late: lunch at 2, dinner at 8. You may actually be able to get table service seating this way, and if you want counter service meals, the crowds are usually a little thinner this way, especially the earlier times.

Of course, typical advice about eating some meals in, especially if you have access to a kitchen, can be helpful. Many folks with these types of amenities in their accommodations actually do the entire turkey and fixings, which can be very nice and a great way to create some special memories….and save some money in the process.

What is the best way to plan a Disney vacation when it comes to meals during the Walt Disney World holidays? A little planning will pay off with a wonderful vacation that has an extra dose of holiday magic and provide a trip filled with special holiday memories.

Nancy Bobby has been planning Disney World vacations (and doing it affordably) for over a decade, and has had 11 (and counting) family trips to Walt Disney World. To learn how to plan an affordable Disney family vacation, and to receive a free Disney vacation planning guide, visit www.theaffordablemouse.com.

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