Since its introduction, Mobile Order has been a GAME-CHANGER for Disney dining! As we have said many times, the ability to order a meal at a popular park or hotel quick-service location right from the My Disney Experience app and pick up said order without waiting in a long line is a huge — and convenient — time-saver. However, Disney is often tweaking the system.

Earlier this year, Disney tested a new Mobile Order rule during one of the resort’s busiest times that made a fundamental change to how it worked… and we have reason to think they might do it again soon.

Earlier this year, around the 4th of July, the My Disney Experience app suddenly began restricting Mobile Ordering at certain popular hotel locations to only be available for guests who were physically close to the restaurant! If guests tried to Mobile Order while outside the restaurant, they received an error message that read “You’re too far away,” and a prompt to move closer to the restaurant to place a Mobile Order. Once they got closer, they were able to place a Mobile Order like normal.

The list of affected restaurants at the time included:

• Gasparilla Island Grill at the Grand Floridian Resort
• Capt. Cook’s at the Polynesian Village
• Contempo Cafe at the Contemporary Resort
• Geyser Point at Wilderness Lodge

Beyond those four restaurants, Mobile Order functioned like normal around the rest of the resort, likely indicating that the change was a test to measure the viability of this kind of change during busy times.

So, why do we think this rule may return in some form soon? As we said, the rule was first introduced during the busy 4th of July period when the resort was quite crowded. Well, there’s no more crowded time at Disney World than the year-end holiday season, with the weeks around Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s being the busiest of the year; it would make sense that Disney could try to tweak Mobile Ordering rules yet again.

Whether Disney reintroduced the rule or not, you’ll still need a place to eat on your next vacation. We’ve been there – picking restaurants for Disney World can feel like a full-time job. Between the reviews, menus, and reservation strategies, it’s a lot to sort through. Our Guide to Disney World Dining pulls it all together so you can stop stressing and focus on the fun without feeling like you’re missing a thing!

Will Disney bring this divisive Mobile Order rule back in time for the busy holiday season, if at all? Stay tuned to DFB for the answer!

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What do you think of this rule? Let us know in the comments below.