traveldk.com

Disney restaurants don’t take reservations. In their place, they use what they call a priority seating system. Callers are given a time to arrive; when they turn up, the next available table is given to them (as opposed to a table being held open). Note that all restaurants inside Disney parks, except Animal Kingdom’s Rainforest Café, require park admission.

Whenever restaurants accept reservations, make them – especially in the main tourist areas of I-Drive, Lake Buena Vista, and along Irlo Bronson Memorial Highway in Kissimmee. Not having a reservation can mean waiting two hours for a table during prime dining time, usually 6–8:30pm. Some restaurants refuse to seat diners who have not reserved in advance and upscale eateries may be unable to accommodate you unless you reserve far ahead.

Wait staff expect a tip of at least 15 per cent. Those who are particularly helpful may deserve 20 per cent; you may want to give just 10 per cent to those who aren’t. Some restaurants now add tips to the bill, so check before paying.

New laws passed in Florida mean that all restaurants are now nonsmoking establishments. If you want to smoke while you drink, you have to find a bar where eating is only incidental to drinking. If you aren’t sure, just smoke outside.

There are several modestly priced, all-you-can-eat breakfast buffets around town (especially on I-Drive and in Kissimmee). For a handful of dollars, you can fill your stomach and save money by eating a light lunch or skipping it altogether.

Some value restaurants offer cut-rate meals when business is slow, which is usually 4–6pm Mon–Fri. These early-bird deals are usually advertised outside and are offered in the free coupon books found in hotel lobbies and tourist attractions. Many of these restaurants also offer 2-for-1 drink specials during these times.

Many upscale restaurants are not only hard to get in to at dinnertime, but the menus are very expensive. The lunch menu might have fewer options, and portions tend to be a little less generous, but the prices are lower. To save money – and your digestive system – consider eating your main meal at midday and eating lighter at night.

Some restaurants that don’t normally offer meat- and seafood-free options are happy to fix vegetarian dishes, with prior warning. Disney restaurants go one step further and provide for a variety of other needs, including kosher, fat- or sugar-free, plus lactose intolerance and allergies. Give 24 hours’ notice.

Many bars (and restaurants) have happy hours, usually from 4–7pm, when drinks are often two for the price of one. They sometimes serve special hors d’oeuvres as well.

Put bluntly, these are rip-offs. Years ago, inventive guests drank the good stuff and refilled the bottles with cheap brands. So now the mini bars have a sensor: remove the bottle for 10 seconds and you get charged – a lot – for it.