Need Advice on how to prioritize our dining reservations

[Maureen123]

My sister and I are taking a girls trip to commemorate 50 years from the date when our grandparents first took us to Walt Disney World - March 1972. We are so excited!

Since so much has changed I'm looking for advice as to how to prioritize our dining reservations. From the Disney site it says as long as I try to book from the MDE app I can start at 5:45am EST on our 60 day prior. Has this been everyone's experience?

Also - with so many changes (restaurants not open or characters no longer at certain locations) I can't draw from past experience. Of our preferences can anyone jump in and help me prioritize what I should focus on trying to get first, etc.?

Here are our preferences:

Be Our Guest (lunch or dinner)
Storybook Dining
Biergarten
Chefs de France
Sci Fi Dine In
Boma
Space 220 (?Hadn't even considered since it's so new. Feel like it might be too difficult to work around)
Cinderella's Royal Table (my sister is a huge Cinderella fan but isn't sure about going now that there are no characters. What do you think?)

We are only going for 5 days so it will be our 60 days + 5. I'm thinking all of the E-ticket reservations may already be taken?

Any advice would be much appreciated! Thanks!

UPDATE: Also, we are splitting our stay between POP and Beach Club. Will this affect our ability to reserve later in our stay? Our park tickets are tied to our first reservation at POP.

 

[ENJDisneyFan]

Space 220 will be hardest to get. Put it at the end of your trip if possible, and book it first.

CRT is still a nice experience IMO. Cinderella does make a brief appearance but doesn’t stop at any tables. We still enjoyed eating in the castle and the food was pretty good.

 

[bambialways4ever]

Yes, you'll only be able to book for the POP portion of your trip first, then a few days later from 60 days from your Beach Club check in.

 

[Mambo Junkie]

I just booked this morning so I'm pretty fresh, lol. I also just got off the website because I like to pretend I'm there now and looking to see what's available for tomorrow. So far, I have seen a BOG, 2 Cinderella Castle, Storybook, 2 Space 220, Yak and Yeti Even a Rose and Crown Fireworks Dining Package, and 4 Broadway Concert Packages. That said, this was my experience and what I would prioritize:

1 Space 220 - especially if you want the lounge. (didn't get 60+4, but got 60+ 7)
2. Cinderella's Royal Table - although they were available for a bit (I got an early breakfast)
3 Storybook Dining - they were available for a while today, some random ones still are
Really a toss up between Cinderella and Storybook. Both are hugely popular. Just choose what is important to you.
4. Sci Fi Dine In - usually goes fast, but some are still available; they will probably be gone tomorrow or the next day
5, Be Our Guest (lunch or dinner) I have been surprised at the availability that this restaurant has. It used to be gone quickly!
6. These 3 stay available for a while and still are
Biergarten
Chefs de France
Boma

 

[a1tinkfans]

U got good advice OP just sending pixie dust ur way. What a great trip to be taking. Safe travels and Enjoy making those memories!

 

[ENJDisneyFan]

UPDATE: Also, we are splitting our stay between POP and Beach Club. Will this affect our ability to reserve later in our stay? Our park tickets are tied to our first reservation at POP.

Responding to your update...if you only have 5 days total and it's a split stay, your chances of getting S220 are very slim unfortunately. Seems like people are having luck at 60+5 or more, but not less. But good luck!

 

[Mambo Junkie]

Yes I just checked this morning and all your choices are still available at 4-8 days out but not all great times though some are and the only one I don’t see at all is Space. There were still decent times for Sci-Fi, Cinderella and storybook depending on the day. For some reason thursday seems to be a popular day in the parks.

ETA: June is my 50 year anniversary of visiting Walt Disney World also. We stayed at the Contemporary!

 

[Maureen123]

I just booked this morning so I'm pretty fresh, lol. I also just got off the website because I like to pretend I'm there now and looking to see what's available for tomorrow. So far, I have seen a BOG, 2 Cinderella Castle, Storybook, 2 Space 220, Yak and Yeti Even a Rose and Crown Fireworks Dining Package, and 4 Broadway Concert Packages. That said, this was my experience and what I would prioritize:

1 Space 220 - especially if you want the lounge. (didn't get 60+4, but got 60+ 7)
2. Cinderella's Royal Table - although they were available for a bit (I got an early breakfast)
3 Storybook Dining - they were available for a while today, some random ones still are
Really a toss up between Cinderella and Storybook. Both are hugely popular. Just choose what is important to you.
4. Sci Fi Dine In - usually goes fast, but some are still available; they will probably be gone tomorrow or the next day
5, Be Our Guest (lunch or dinner) I have been surprised at the availability that this restaurant has. It used to be gone quickly!
6. These 3 stay available for a while and still are
Biergarten
Chefs de France
Boma

So helpful! Thanks. Looks like our trips may overlap. Have a great time!

 

[Maureen123]

Yes I just checked this morning and all your choices are still available at 4-8 days out but not all great times though some are and the only one I don’t see at all is Space. There were still decent times for Sci-Fi, Cinderella and storybook depending on the day. For some reason thursday seems to be a popular day in the parks.

ETA: June is my 59 year anniversary of visiting Walt Disney World also. We stayed at the Contemporary!

Love your pics! I didn't think to share ours. I think we're standing with Sleepy. We can't decide which dwarf he is.

 

[Mambo Junkie]

Love your pics! I didn't think to share ours. I think we're standing with Sleepy. We can't decide which dwarf he is.

View attachment 641919

Great picture! Typo! It's my 50th as well. Have a great time!

 

[Disturbia]

Dessert after party opened today at 5:30 am and was not available for some of the days (Mon-Wed; Tuesday is a Deluxe Extended Hours night). All other reservations opened at 6:00 am including the Space Lounge. Flying Fish (closed on Mondays/Tuesdays) and Steakhouse71 are only taking tables of 4 (not 5 or 6).

Edit: With Genie+ It got more and more stressful to rush to go to ADRs. We cancelled the last 2 days of ADRs (Topolinos dinner, Flying Fish, Space220 lounge) to free up our day. The ADR we most enjoyed was the Topolinos breakfast (they did let us add one guest). CRT was better than Storybook dining (we added one guest but we were 1 min late and got pushed into the next rotation, so waited 45 mins to be seated) in terms of food; characters were better at Storybook, but the kids (2, 5 and 13) didn’t care for them much (we have Cinderella fans) and I think the setup where Cinderella was meeting before dinner for pictures was better (they need to bring back pictures with the Queen) vs characters flying by or stopping at a distance (you can get that in the parks). Steakhouse71 was very time consuming and a let down vs last year. Space220 is also a 2 hour+ deal, so don’t book it if you don’t have a full Epcot day.