My husband and I went to 5 tough-to-visit Disney restaurants over 3 date nights with this little-known dining hack

10.10.2023 - 21:41 / insider.com

Anyone who has planned a Walt Disney World vacation knows dining reservations can be difficult to snag at certain sought-after locales. From California Grill, perched high atop Disney's Contemporary Resort, to 'Ohana, at Disney's beautiful Polynesian Village Resort, these coveted spots are often booked up.

I've been visiting Disney theme parks for over a decade, often for solo trips or date nights with my husband. In my years of figuring out the best ways to navigate Walt Disney World, I've learned an important hack for eating or having cocktails at some of the toughest Disney restaurants to get into.

My husband and I recently stayed at Walt Disney World for three kid-free nights. We went on amazing dates each night and managed to visit five popular Disney restaurants without a single reservation. Here's how we did it.

The ability to book Disney dining reservations starts 60 days before the date of your visit, but often, spots at higher-end restaurants (like Cítricos, the "Mary Poppins Returns"-themed restaurant inside Disney's Grand Floridian Resort and Spa) book up immediately. Luckily, there's the Cítricos Lounge, the bar inside the restaurant.

On our first date night during our trip, we sat at the lounge's bar without a wait. We could've ordered a full meal from the Cítricos menu, which includes delicious dishes like house-made rigatoni and filet mignon. It was only our first stop of the night, so we stuck with a glass of wine and enjoyed the opportunity to sit and chat amid the restaurant's opulent decor.

It can be nearly impossible to snag a reservation at California Grill, the specialty dining experience located on the top floor of Disney's Contemporary Resort. Its decadent prix-fixe menu and impressive wine list make it a hot spot for Disney foodies, and the fact that you can watch the nightly fireworks display at the Magic Kingdom Park from its roof is a major selling point.

After we finished our wine at the Grand Floridian, we hopped on the monorail and headed to the Contemporary to try to sit at the California Grill bar for dinner. After checking in at the restaurant's hostess stand, we were placed on a waitlist. We waited about 20 minutes before receiving a text saying it was time to be seated.

At the bar, we could order from both the pre-fixe menu and items from a bar menu, so we shared a bottle of wine and a few appetizers. We were there too early to see the fireworks, but we didn't have to stick around and wait to take advantage of the view. After leaving California Grill and walking around the rest of the resort for a bit, we returned to the restaurant and showed our dinner receipt to be admitted to the outdoor fireworks viewing area.

Disney's 'Ohana restaurant is well-known for its