How soon can you book Disney character dining?

You can make Disney World dining reservations for your trip starting 60 days in advance. (In the past, this window had been 180 days.) No matter what time of year you'll be visiting, we recommend making reservations as close as you can to the magical 60-day mark.



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We'll go through an overview of each experience below, grouped by location, as well as our top tips for making the most out of your character dining experience. Remember that valid park admission and a park reservation are required to dine inside the theme parks.

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I go for the overall experience. I love seeing my kids light up when interacting with characters, who take their time at each table. A lot of guests rush through long lists of to-dos at Disney World. For me, character dining is about slowing down and savoring that iconic Disney magic.

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Disney Character Dining is simply a table-service (sit-down) meal where Disney characters come directly to your table while you're eating. You can take pictures. You can get their autograph. You can even ask them those heart-burning questions you've long wondered about — like asking Snow White what's in Gooseberry Pie.

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For those new to Disney travel, “character meals” are dining experiences in which Disney characters meet and greet guests in the restaurant. Disney pals generally travel from table to table, stopping to interact with each party for a hug, photo, autograph, or possibly a conversation.

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In order to really get one-on-one time with your favorite characters, Disney limits the amount of reservations they accept for Character Dining time slots. Character Dining at Disneyland can be booked 60 days in advance, and if you're traveling during a busier travel time, you'll want to follow that 60-day guideline.

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You'll want to budget about 90 minutes (plus travel time) for your meal. That gives you time to check in, be seated, and then time to eat and see all the characters without racing through anything. It may take less time than that, but for planning purposes, 90 minutes is a good rule of thumb.

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Book as early as possible! Be sure to create a My Disney Experience account and link a credit card to secure the booking before the reservation window opens. Online reservations open at 5:45 AM EST. Parties of 9 or more will need to call the reservation hotline, which opens at 7:00 AM EST, at (407) WDW-DINE (939-3463).

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I'm happy to say that you see and hug characters again! You can also have your photo taken by a Disney PhotoPass photographer, depending on the location, and you can also get an autograph! The best way to meet and greet your favorite characters is to look for their locations in the Disneyland Mobile App.

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Most characters at Disney can sign autographs, but not all. Here's a list of characters you will normally find at Disney, including at character meals, and if they can sign autographs. This list will be updated when characters change at either park.

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First things first: most characters at the Disneyland Resort are currently signing autographs! Sometimes if a character is on the move they might just have time for a quick wave, and characters in Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge don't typically sign autographs.

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For good service, you should leave 15% of the total bill. If you are using a coupon or other discount, the tip should be based on the full bill, not the discounted amount. If the service was outstanding, 20% is a great way to show it. Alternately, if the service was below par 10% or lower sends the same message.

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If you want a character meal at lunch, you'll have fewer options than breakfast or dinner. Park admission. A theme park admission ticket is required for the restaurants located inside the parks. If you don't want to use a park admission, opt for one of the meals located in a WDW hotel.

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