Counter Service? Dining? Oh my...

[MidoriTsusuki]

So my boyfriend and I have decided on counter service dining for our upcoming trip and I'm wondering how do you know which places are such? Is there something on the maps to indicate so? Help!

Also wondering if we should make reservations for Sci Fi Dine-In Theater. We want to try it and wondering if you would suggest reservations. Hehe we know sadly that it won't go on the service dining but we'd like to still try.

Thanks!

Added: Also wondering if I arrive in the middle of the day to Orlando and check in at my Disney resort. Does my dining plan start right then? So I could use it for supper and it wouldn't mess up the rest of my dining for the trip.

 

[TDC Nala]

Moving this to the dining plan board. At the top of this board there is a sticky thread with an FAQ titled "Everything you always wanted to know." On that thread you can find a link to the official Disney brochure for the quick service dining plan which will tell you which restaurants participate and where they are located.

And yes, I recommend that you have a reservation for Sci Fi. Is this trip really starting in two weeks? You may not be able to get one. It's free dining time then, and some restaurants have been booked up for months.

 

[Big Kid]

Here is a link to All Ears Quick Service page:

http://allears.net/pl/packages10b.htm

(Scroll down towards the bottom of the page for the handy list.)

All Ears also has menus so you can get an idea of the types of food available.

Disney park maps do not explicitly note whether a restaurant is table or quick service, but do include a brief overview of the menu.

I would advise that you go get a reservation for the Sci Fi Diner (or any other table service restaurant in "The World). If you don't have a reservation you will likely be turned away during busy times or made to wait a good while for a table.

Have a great first trip.

P.S. Yikes! I never realized that the DIS Boards have such extensive dining information. Thanks for pointing that out Nala.

 

[MidoriTsusuki]

Disney park maps do not explicitly note whether a restaurant is table or quick service, but do include a brief overview of the menu.

Have a great first trip.

Ooh thanks! I guess I'll just have to try and get an idea of which ones are and which ones aren't before I run off to The World.

 

[purple figment]

So my boyfriend and I have decided on counter service dining for our upcoming trip and I'm wondering how do you know which places are such? Is there something on the maps to indicate so? Help!

Also wondering if we should make reservations for Sci Fi Dine-In Theater.

Added: Also wondering if I arrive in the middle of the day to Orlando and check in at my Disney resort. Does my dining plan start right then? .

On the park maps one way to tell if a restaurant is counter service: If there is an R in a red circle next to the restaurant's name, it means it's a Table Service (sit down) restaurant because it takes Reservations. So any dining venue without the R is counter service or a food kiosk.

For Sci Fi I would check the online dining reservation page several times a day to see if something opens up. People change their plans all the time so you might get lucky. You can also check at your resort concierge's desk every day if you can't make a reservation before you leave. If you have a reservation you will be seated in one of the cars. If SciFi is taking walk ups you are usually seated at a table in the back.

Your dining plan begins when you check into your resort and you receive your KTTW card.