8 of the Hardest Disney World Restaurants to Get an Advanced Dining Reservation

Dining should be a large part of your Walt Disney World vacation. There are fabulous restaurants in all four theme parks, as well as at the resorts and Disney Springs. Most full-service restaurants accept Advanced Dining Reservations or ADRs. You can make them up to 60 days in advance on either the Walt Disney World Website or the My Disney Experience App. Here are eight of the hardest to get Advanced Dining Reservations.

8 – Yak & Yeti Restaurant, Disney’s Animal Kingdom

You might be surprised that a pan-Asian choice would be so popular, but Yak & Yeti offers more than your local strip mall Chinese restaurant. The atmosphere is half of the fun, with knickknacks and artwork filling much of the space. The food is quite good, and the portions are large. Part of the reason why Advanced Dining Reservations are hard to come by here is that the restaurant is operated by Landry’s, Inc. Members of the Landry’s Select Club don’t need a reservation, so you might want to look into joining it if you can’t get an ADR.

7 – T-REX, Disney Springs

Another reason why you might want to join the Landry’s Select Club is that it will also work for T-REX at Disney Springs. (Both Rainforest Cafe locations are Landry’s as well.) T-REX is loud, the food is nothing special, but the little paleontologist in your party will love every moment! There are several themed rooms, and every few minutes there will be a “meteor shower”. The dishes have fun names such as Megasaurus Burger and Tar Pit Fried Shrimp. It’s not fine dining, but it is a good time.

6 – Cinderella’s Royal Table, Magic Kingdom

The flip side of T-REX is Cinderella’s Royal Table. This is a signature dining experience that is designed for the whole family. Things have been scaled back a bit, but it is still a meal that you will never forget. You will dine inside Cinderella Castle and enjoy a prix fixe meal. All three meals are served each day, and all three are hard to get an Advanced Dining Reservation for.

5 – Be Our Guest Restaurant, Magic Kingdom

Cinderella’s Royal Table isn’t the only way to dine in a castle in the Magic Kingdom. Be Our Guest Restaurant takes you inside Beast’s Castle. There are three different rooms; The Grand Ballroom, The Castle Gallery, and The West Wing. If you’re lucky, you might get a glimpse of The Beast himself! Food with a French flair is served for both lunch and dinner. There are three courses to the prix fixe meal. Try the Grey Stuff; it’s delicious, and it’s part of the Dessert Trio.

5 – Chef Mickey’s, Disney’s Contemporary Resort

All character meals are hard to get ADRs for, but Chef Mickey’s might be the hardest. Part of the reason why it is so popular is because of the characters that will make the rounds. You will see Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Pluto, and Donald! Characters still do not get too close, but you should still be able to snap a few pictures. Breakfast and dinner are served, and it is all-you-care-to-enjoy. Not only is Chef Mickey’s fun, but it is also convenient. You can walk there from the Magic Kingdom, making it a great option if you want to get away from the crowds for a meal.

3 – Oga’s Cantina, Disney’s Hollywood Studios

One of the hardest to obtain Advanced Dining Reservations at Walt Disney World is for an establishment that does not even serve meals. Oga’s Cantina is located in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, and it is a place that “Star Wars” fans have dreamed of visiting since 1977. There are a couple of snacks, but the drinks are the “star”. Alcoholic beverages have names such as Fuzzy Tauntaun and Jedi Mind Trick. The non-alcoholic choices include Jabba Juice and Cliff Dweller. Oga’s Cantina is small, and even with an ADR you might not sit at a table. The music is provided by R-3X, also known as DJ Rex. If he looks familiar, Rex was the pilot in the original version of Star Tours. He crash-landed on Batuu, which is no surprise. He’s much better at spinning the tunes than he was flying through space.

2 – Roundup Rodeo BBQ, Disney’s Hollywood Studios

Andy’s backyard is now welcoming toys at Roundup Rodeo BBQ in Toy Story Land. Serving barbecue-inspired comfort foods, this one-of-a-kind dining experience is the first “Toy Story” table-service restaurant in the world. The restaurant is a collaboration between Walt Disney Imagineering, Disney Pixar Animation Studios, and Walt Disney World Food & Beverage. Andy has outdone himself with the design and feel of the restaurant. Reviews have been positive, and the restaurant is a hit. Because it’s new, themed so well, and has positive reviews on the food, getting a reservation at this restaurant will be difficult for some time!

1 – Space 220 Restaurant and Lounge, EPCOT

Space 220 is one of the newest eateries at Walt Disney World, and it is possibly the most difficult to get an ADR for. There is a restaurant and a lounge, and both are next to impossible to book! Space 220 is not just a restaurant, it is an attraction. You will board an elevator and “travel 220 miles” above Florida! The elevator ride is half the fun. In the restaurant, you never know who or what might fly by the windows. You could see some astronauts, a space station, or even The Milano from “Guardians of the Galaxy”. If your reservation is for the restaurant, you’ll enjoy a prix fixe meal. The lounge features alcoholic and non-alcoholic specialties, as well as light bites. Every inch of Space 220 is themed, including the restrooms. Even when your meal is over, your experience isn’t. You will still have the elevator ride back to Earth. Space 220 Restaurant and Lounge offer an out-of-this-(Disney)-World experience that is worth the frustration of trying to snag a reservation.

Bonus Tips:

If you miss out on booking a must-try restaurant 60 days out, all is not lost. A credit card is required to hold a reservation, and you will be charged if you don’t cancel two hours in advance. Spots can and do open up all the time, so keep trying. You might also have luck joining the Walk-Up List the day of. You can do that on the My Disney Experience App. Those spots go quickly, and you need to be close to the restaurant to join.