8 Best Restaurants for Last Minute Reservations at Walt Disney World

Many guests out there plan way in advance and get up super early to make their dining reservations the first day they are available for them to book. (There is nothing wrong with this; I encourage it if you can.) This may not work for some of you for various reasons, but all hope is not lost. If you enjoy Disney dining and like to enjoy table-service meals instead of waiting in line at quick-service restaurants, you will likely be able to find something delicious to enjoy. If you are skeptical or unsure of what to expect, here are some of the best restaurants for last-minute reservations.

8 – Landry’s-owned restaurants

A few restaurants are owned and operated by Landry’s on Disney property. These are TREX and Rainforest Café at Disney Springs as well as Yak & Yeti and Rainforest Café at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. These restaurants usually only put a certain percentage of their inventory in Disney’s reservation system. You can often call the restaurant directly and get a reservation, especially if you call a little early. Consider becoming a Landry’s Club Select member (which costs $25, but you get it right back as a credit on your next meal), and you get seated right away and move ahead of the line when you dine at a Landry’s restaurant. We are VERY glad that we became members for this very reason!

7 – Disney Springs restaurants

Disney Springs has added so many amazing restaurants! This creates a lot of options outside of the parks. There are so many options that you usually don’t have trouble finding a reservation for most of these options last minute or even getting in on a walk-in. If you don’t see availability online, then try calling the restaurant directly, and they may be able to add you in. Open Table is another great option to check for Disney Springs restaurants since many hold reservations only for that app.

6 – Kona Café – Polynesian Village Resort

This is a favorite of ours since we love the food and can typically always find a same-day reservation. The restaurant is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, which are all amazing. The location is great, too, since Epcot and the Magic Kingdom are only a monorail ride away, so you can get right to the fun or take a small break from the parks without going far out of your way these parks.

5 – Maya Grill – Coronado Springs

If you like Latin-inspired food, then you will definitely appreciate this location. The restaurant is only open for dinner, and you can usually find a reservation. Even musical entertainment at dinner makes dinner more like a show and romantic experience while you are serenaded.

4 – Sanaa – Animal Kingdom Lodge

This restaurant is so much fun and a very unique experience, but we never seem to have much of a problem finding a reservation here, especially at lunch when we want to visit. The restaurant overlooks the savanna at the resort, so you get to peek at the beautiful animals of the savanna while you dine. You MUST order the bread service, as the naan is made fresh in the kitchen and served with a wide variety of African spreads to enjoy it with. You could fill up on this by itself!

3 – Olivia’s Café – Old Key West Resort

The restaurant is charming and always easy to get into. The restaurant’s menu is fresh and Florida-inspired since the entire resort is themed after the Key West region of the Florida Keys. The resort doesn’t have a ton of other entertainment to offer, but the restaurant is worth a visit over to the experience. The resort is beautiful, so take a stroll around the grounds and explore while you are there!

2 – Grand Floridian Café – Grand Floridian Resort & Spa

You can especially find openings fairly easily for breakfast and lunch at this location. The food is delicious and feels very high-end with moderate prices (for Disney, anyway). The restaurant is open for all three meal services and is on the main building’s first floor of the Grand Floridian Resort. It is easily accessible from the monorail and provides a variety of options. Each party member is sure to find something they will enjoy, plus you get to look around the most prestigious resort on property!

1 – Spice Road Table – Epcot, Morocco Pavilion

Depending on the time of the year, several of the restaurants in Epcot’s World Showcase will be reasonably easy to get into, and you are very likely to get lucky and find something. Still, you can almost always find openings at Spice Road Table in the Morocco pavilion. All don’t love the spices and flavors at this restaurant, so sometimes there are passed over. This would definitely be a mistake. There are many options for all palates, which is a great way to taste the amazing flavors and native dishes from Morocco. 

Bonus Pro Tip:

No matter what restaurant you are looking for, you still have a chance to find it on last-minute reservations. I just did a quick search for dinner tonight and found Be Our Guest and Cinderella’s Royal Table (two of the most popular restaurants on property) with an available reservation option! I always recommend that you try to book your reservations as early as possible, but if you can’t, don’t give up for some reason! Keep trying the weeks and days leading up to your vacation, including even the day of. You never know when you might get lucky and find exactly what you are looking for!