Planning a trip to Disney World ain’t as easy as it used to be.

You have to decide the best time to go based on crowds, figure out where you’re going to stay (on-property or off-property?!), and if it’s your first trip or maybe been a while, there are a lot of changes to keep up with, too — especially when it comes to dining. From new restaurants to app updates and more, we’re sharing the new ways that dining in Disney World has changed. 

Mobile Order Changes

Mobile Order at Disney World can be a game-changer — but it also goes through updates pretty often, at least lately. The most recent update brought the “As Soon as Possible” and “Schedule for Later” options to the top of the order screen and provided some photos of the dining location and select foods as well. Not only that, but the Order Food section is neatly organized with drop-down menus for easy scrolling.

This service is generally great because you’ve got a whole list of restaurants to order from through the app and then go pick up during a designated time period. In the past, people have had a 30-minute window to go pick up their food after placing an order, but we recently noticed this has changed at several restaurants. A few dining locations are showing 15-minute windows instead, so make sure you keep an eye on that during your next visit.

Reservation Updates

Disney World is changing the way you search for dining reservations and is now in the process of rolling out a new system both online and on the  My Disney Experience app!

Updated Cancelation Policy

This one isn’t too new, but if you haven’t been to the parks in a while it’s still good to have a refresher. You previously had to cancel your dining reservation at least one day before it was scheduled, but Disney updated this in November 2022. Now, you can cancel Disney World dining reservations just 2 hours in advance without any kind of cancelation fee. This applies to most locations, though it may not apply to all of them.

You should be able to click on your reservation in the My Disney Experience app and see a modify button, where you can then cancel the reservation as long as it is within that 2-hour window. If it isn’t, you will be given a number to call instead and you might still have to pay a fee.

Read More About the New Disney World Dining Cancelation Policy

New Restaurants

Depending on when your last trip was, there may be quite a few restaurants that are new to you — and more new ones are on the way, too! Check out the list below of new restaurants you may not have experienced in Disney World before (in no particular order):

1. Energy Bytes in Magic Kingdom
2. Carousel Coffee at Disney’s BoardWalk Inn
3. BoardWalk Deli at Disney’s BoardWalk Inn
4. Connections Cafe and Eatery at EPCOT
5. Shiki-Sai: Sushi Izakaya at EPCOT
6. Roundup Rodeo BBQ at Disney’s Hollywood Studios
7. Rosa Mexicano at the Swan and Dolphin Hotels
8. Summer House on the Lake in Disney Springs — Opening 2023
9. EET by Maneet Chauhan in Disney Springs — Opening 2023
10. The Cake Bake Shop by Gwendolyn Rogers — Opening 2024
11. Blue Ribbon Corn Dogs at Disney’s BoardWalk Inn — Opening 2023

That is a LOT of new restaurants to consider on your next Disney World trip!

With DOZENS of places to eat at Disney World, we know it can be tough to plan your meals. That’s why we wrote the DFB Guide to Dining at Walt Disney World. We have reviews, pictures, and details about every restaurant all in one digital download – along with ALL of our best tips and strategies from decades of Disney World trips. We’ve got a special discount code for DFB readers, too! Use WDW2023 at checkout for 25% off!

We’ll be keeping up with all the Disney World dining changes you need to know, so be sure to stay tuned to DFB for more!

11 Major Changes Coming to Disney World in 2024

 

What’s your favorite restaurant in Disney World? Tell us in the comments.

The post NEW Ways That Dining in Disney World Has Changed first appeared on the disney food blog.