You eat, right?

With your attraction reservations in hand, you can attack the other pre-trip issue. You’ll get hungry at Walt Disney World. You’re probably thinking that eating will be a breeze. I…don’t have great news here. More than 20 million people visit Magic Kingdom each year, and they all get hungry, too.

The Walt Disney Corporation has attempted to alleviate this issue by offering Advance Dinner Reservations for their Table Service restaurants. There’s even a Quick Service restaurant that books ahead of time now. What’s the difference between Table and Quick Service? The former restaurants are some of the finest on the Walt Disney World campus. They’re also more expensive. You’ll pay at least $15 per person at most of these places and oftentimes substantially more. Quick Service restaurants are akin to fast food joints, although the food is a bit more upscale. That’s Disney’s way of addressing the dietary needs of a wide swath of park guests. Still, Quick Service establishments primarily have a reputation as burger and nugget fare.

Even if you’re a cheeseburger fan (and thereby someone with a palate after my own heart), you should know that Quick Service places are crowded at most times of the day. With tens of thousands of people visiting the park, somebody’s always hungry. They’re going to stand in line in front of you. They’ll also grab the table you want. Don’t be surprised if you struggle to find a seat at these places, especially during lunch and dinner hours. If you have a big family, consider eating at off-hours to avoid long lines and frenzied crowds. Then again, you’re at Disney, so that last part’s an ongoing concern.

At Magic Kingdom, the Quick Service restaurants with the best reputations are Columbia Harbour House, Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn & Café, Tortuga Cavern, and Pinocchio Village Haus, although I also have a soft spot for Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Café and Casey’s Corner. At Epcot, you’ll never go hungry thanks to the World Showcase at the back of the park. If you don’t have firm plans for a meal and you love international cuisine, this area will quickly become your happy place.

Hollywood Studios has the worst food of the four parks in my opinion. Since it’s a half-day park, I try to enjoy the attractions there then eat elsewhere. If you want to try something, ABC Commissary and Pizzerizzo are worth your time.  At Animal Kingdom, Flame Tree Barbecue towers above the rest, but carnivores will love Restaurantasaurus. I’m also a huge proponent of Yak & Yeti Local Food Cafes. Finally, Disney Springs is your friend when you have the time and opportunity to visit. It offers some of the finest restaurants on the Walt Disney World campus, many of which are Quick Service options. They even have a food truck section that’s dynamic.

Should you prefer Table Service restaurants, you can book in advance. If you are reading this only a short time prior to your visit, however, I should add that you’re already behind the 8-ball here. Disney has a 180-day window on ADRs, meaning that some folks started booking almost six months ago while you’re just getting started. If you want to make ADRs of your own, start immediately!

By now, a lot of them will book up. I do have one tip, though. Disney has a policy wherein people who make ADRs must cancel within 48 hours of the reservation. Otherwise, the customer gets billed $10 per person. Should you have your heart set on a particular restaurant, the day before and the day of your preferred meal are times when a last-minute ADR could become available. Assuming you’re not picky, some of the best Table Service restaurants where you might be able to get a last-minute ADR are Skipper Canteen (Magic Kingdom), Biergarten Restaurant (Epcot), La Hacienda San Angel (Epcot), Restaurant Marrakesh (Epcot), 50s Prime Time Café (Disney’s Hollywood Studios), Rainforest Café (Disney’s Animal Kingdom and Disney Springs), and several of the hotel resort restaurants such as The Wave (Disney’s Contemporary Resort) and Olivia’s (Disney’s Old Key West Resort).

I should add that nothing forces you to eat onsite at Disney. In fact, you'll save money if you leave the resort to grab a meal elsewhere. You'll once again face the transportation issue, though, and if you're driving, you'll have to walk to your car then walk back into the park from a new parking space once you return. That's a lot of aggravation. On the ride-sharing side, the expense of the trip might counteract the savings of eating someplace cheaper than Disney. So, these options are absolutely viable. They simply come with their own additional aggravations. Personally, I like to remain firmly ensconced in the Disney Bubble, so my family stays onsite the whole trip.

What about my phone?

What you’ll want to do with your cellphone is use the My Disney Experience app religiously. Although critics assailed the earliest versions of the software, Imagineers have done an amazing job of improving it with each update. You can find maps that will guide you to your next attraction, meal, or even bathroom. You can see ride wait-times, helping you understand current crowd traffic. If something you’re not sure about has a long line, just keep checking the app until you find a sweet spot. The latest version of My Disney Experience even lets you book FastPasses from your phone. Should you see that rarest of rare Frozen Ever After FastPass available, book it right then and there! Okay, that never happens, but dare to dream!

As far as keeping your phone charged, I always carry a replacement battery that lasts more hours than any Disney theme park is open. If your storage space is tight, that strategy might not work for you. Fortunately, Disney has added a lot of cellphone chargers in the parks in recent years. You can even find a map directing you to one from the MDE app, which is a great example of one hand washing the other. For a fee of $20-$30, a Fuel Rod charging station will save the day by bringing your phone back to life.