Mobile Food Orders at Disney World

Although the service has been offered since 2017, some guests are reluctant to use the Mobile Food Order option on the My Disney Experience App. There are several reasons for this, probably the most common being guests feeling uncomfortable with the technology. I am here to tell you it is super easy to use this service, and it will most likely save you time and energy, as the wait for your meal will almost always be faster than if you walked up and ordered. Most counter-service restaurants offer Mobile ordering, and so do some table-service eateries.

For those who may have no idea what Mobile ordering is, using the feature lets guests order and pay for meals in advance. No lines to wait in and no cashier to take your payment. Simply order, pay via the app, and then when the time you selected arrives, go pick up your food. Disney’s Mobile Order allows guests to skip the lines and pick up their food. The food is not prepared until you tell the restaurant (via the app) to prepare your food, so no worries about it sitting out for any length of time. It’s really a great way to spend less time waiting for food and more time having fun!

There are many benefits to using Mobile Ordering. Guests can choose their food at any time of the day (you cannot order a day ahead, the service only works on a daily basis) and pick it up when they choose. You can order as much as you like, even breakfast, lunch, and dinner all at once! If you change your mind, you can make changes even after you have completed your order. Guests can order from anywhere, even a resort, a park, the monorail, a bus, their own homes, an attraction, etc. I live about 20 minutes from the parks and have never had a problem ordering from home. It’s a great time saver for folks who want to “skip the line.”

Another great advantage is you can place orders for everyone in your party at different restaurants and pick up the food quickly, instead of having to wait in each individual line. And by the way, the person who ordered the food does NOT have to be the one to pick it up; all that’s needed is the order number. And your order will almost certainly be correct. There is very little chance of a cast member misunderstanding a written order (as opposed to that being a possibility if they mishear a walk-up order).

Here is a step-by-step guide to Mobile ordering (and we’ve included photos you can follow as well):

• Open the My Disney Experience App, and click the “+” symbol at the bottom. You will see an option that says “Order Food.” Click that option.

• Scroll until you find the restaurant you want to order from. Select that restaurant and choose when you want to pick up your food. There are 30-minute “windows,” so you have leeway when arriving to get your food. And don’t forget, as mentioned earlier, you can change the time if your plans have altered.
• Choose the food you are interested in eating. Guests can pick from a variety of categories. There are entrees, side dishes, beverages, desserts, kids’ meals, allergy-free, and plant-based choices. The description of each item is detailed, so you will know exactly what you will get. 

• If more than one person wants the same thing, you can change the quantity of that item to two; no need to order it twice.
• Once you have picked out your meal, you can add size dishes and/or customize your choice. For example, some meals come with options for side dishes. Or perhaps you ordered something with tomato, but you don’t want tomato. You will see an area that says “Customize my selection.” Click that and customize away! 

• Click “add” for other options, such as beverages or desserts.
• Click “View my order” to check that you got everything you wanted; you CAN modify the order if you made a mistake or changed your mind. 
• Click “Review order summary” to see your order and payment method options. This is where you can use any promo codes you may have and select a payment method. Currently, guests can pay with a debit card, Disney Rewards Card, Gift card, or Apple Pay.
• Once you have reviewed your order and added a payment method, click “Purchase.”

• When your arrival time opens up (if you forget, you can check it on My Disney Experience) and you are ready for your food, click “I’m Here, prepare my order.” I suggest you do this five to ten minutes before you arrive to reduce your wait time even further. 
• While you are waiting, the app will show you that the order is being prepared. Cute food icons display in revolving order while the food is being made. 

• When the food is ready to be picked up, the app screen will turn blue and give you a number of a station in the restaurant to pick the food up. 
• Go inside to the mobile pickup area of the restaurant, find the correct station number, and get your food!

At this time, it’s primarily counter-service places that offer mobile ordering. But some full-service restaurants have what is called “Table to Go,” and you can find those on the mobile food app as well. Right now, some full-service options include Sanaa at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge, Kona Café at Disney’s Polynesian Villas, Ale and Compass at Disney’s Yacht Club, and Steakhouse 71 at Disney’s Contemporary Resort. Disney is constantly adding new features and more dining locations to the mobile app, so check back if your favorite isn’t listed yet.

One last comment: On super busy days, you may have to wait a bit for your mobile order. But it’s just about always faster to use the mobile system than waiting in line to order food. If you have never tried using it, I hope this blog has inspired you to give mobile ordering a chance. I am quite the fan!

~Marilyn