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Mobile ordering is another way to reduce the amount of time you have to queue at Tokyo Disney Resort, but, instead of reducing the wait for rides, you’re reducing the wait for food. Here’s what you need to know to use it.
I didn’t think I’d need mobile ordering in the parks. I’m not a big foodie, I generally snack my way around the place, and the only time I’ve ever made a Priority Booking at a restaurant was to get the cute Baymax curry – but, on my last trip, I really wanted to try the Hungry Bear curry from the Hungry Bear Kitchen in Westernland, because it has an egg with a Mickey-shaped yolk on top!
I got to the restaurant ready to wander in, to see a queue out of the door. Erm – what?
I decided that I’d go on another ride and decide what to do – so, off I pottered to It’s a Small World. While snaking my way around the queue, I had an epiphany. I could try the Mobile Ordering Service.
I called it up on the app, found the restaurant, but couldn’t quite decide what time I might get back to the queue to pick my timeslot. No worries I thought, I’ll do it when I go off – but, by the time I’d floated around listening tiny dolls from across the world remind me that it’s a small, small world – all the slots before the evening parade were gone.
So, the first thing you need to know about mobile ordering is, to make the most of it, don’t hesitate. And, for the rest of the advice you need, here are the basics.
Which Restaurants Offer Mobile Ordering?
There are ten in Disneyland and 13 in DisneySea and they are…
In Disneyland
Refreshment Corner, Soft Landing, Camp Woodchuck Kitchen, Hungry Bear Restaurant, Grandma Sara’s Kitchen, Tomorrowland Terrace, Huey, Dewey and Louie’s Good Time Cafe, Captain Hook’s Gallery, Plazma Ray’s Diner and Troubador Tavern.
In DisneySea
New York Deli, Lookout Cookout, the Royal Banquet of Arendelle, The Snuggly Duckling, Refreshment Station, Yuctan Base Camp Grill (To Go and normal), Sebastian’s Calypso Kitchen, Zambini Brother’s Restorante, Casbah Food Court, Miguel’s El Dorado Cantina, Cape Cod Cook-Off and Dockside Diner
How to Place an Order
It couldn’t be easier.
Simply open the Tokyo Disney app, and find the mobile ordering icon.
Select the restaurant you want to order from and you’ll given some 20-minute time slots to pick from. This is when you need to return to the restaurant to collect your order.
Choose your time slot, then order your food.
You don’t pay for it yet but you might be prompted to add your credit card details if you don’t already have a card stored in the app.
You’ll then go to the order screen. Check all the details are correct and press confirm order.
When the time comes to collect your order, you’ll get a message on the app reminding you that you have ordered, now simply turn up at the restaurant during any point within that 20-minute window.
Now push the ‘I’m here’ button. This is when your order gets charged.
This is also the point when they actually start making your order. I had been a bit worried about that as I was expecting to arrive and find cold food, but it was freshly made.
Once it’s ready you’ll be sent another notification with a code. Just show that at the pick-up counter and collect your meal.
See it couldn’t be easier.
When to Use Mobile Ordering
I’d definitely suggest using mobile ordering for the busier spots – or at busier times of day. This includes the times just before the parades when everyone is trying to get food in before the parade starts.
It’s also a good way to save time if you’re visiting either of the parks on an evening pass (see more about how much you can do in Tokyo Disney at night here).
Restaurants you might want to try it in include The Hungry Bear Kitchen, Tomorrowland Terrace, Cape Cod Cook-Off, and The Snuggly Duckling and the Royal Banquet of Arendelle in Fantasy Springs.
You can also use it to make sure you get the cute alien mochi dumplings later in the day – these can sell out so, that could be a handy trick if you really want to try this – and don’t want to eat alien mochi for breakfast like I did!
If you’re in the parks on one of the busy days for Tokyo Disney, then you’ll definitely want to use it – and book your slots early in the day.
Queues for food can get very long during popular times like Golden Week, so take advantage of all the queue skipping you can.
Mobile Ordering in Fantasy Springs
When Fantasy Springs first opened there was a rumour going around that you could get into Fantasy Springs with a mobile order – that’s not true. You will need to have either a Stand-By Pass, Disney Premier Access pass, or Fantasy Springs Magic ticket in order to get into Fantasy Springs and pick up your order.
You can order mobile ordering before you enter Fantasy Springs on one of the above passes, but the time slots available to you will only be during the time that you have access via your pass.
Technically you’re restricted to spending three hours in Fantasy Springs with a DPA or Standby pass so, your mobile order will only be within that time. Remember, you can’t go on any of the other rides in Fantasy Springs without a pass (unless you have the Fantasy Springs Magic Ticket as part of a hotel package), or re-enter Fantasy Springs even with a pending mobile order, so don’t book your order too late or you could find yourself killing time.
Obviously, this doesn’t apply if you have a Fantasy Springs Magic ticket as you can come and go when you like from Fantasy Springs.
See more about Fantasy Springs entry here if all of this is like a foreign language to you.
You Can Use It Often
Mobile ordering is not like Premier Access or the free 40th Anniversary Passes (find an explanation of those here) where you’re restricted on ordering a second one before a certain time is up. There’s pretty much no limit to how often you can use it or what for.
The exception is if you are ordering an item that also has souvenir merchandise with it in which case mobile ordering has time restrictions like the passes. You can order via a second one either after your first one is active, or after two hours, whichever is sooner.
What Happens If You Change Your Mind?
Maybe you’ll walk past a ride with no queue and decide to change your plans meaning you won’t make your order time. Don’t stress.
Your order is not charged or placed until you push the ‘I’m here’ button. Any time before then you can cancel or change your order. Once you press ‘I’m here’ though you’re committed. If you don’t turn up your card will be charged even if you don’t pick up your meal.
Also, the order is only available to redeem during that 20-minute window. If you have a slot for 1.30 to 1.50 and you turn up at 2.15 to pick up your dinner, there will be no order for you and you’ll have to queue.
Will Your Card Work?
A lot of people worry that if their credit card hasn’t been accepted to buy tickets it also won’t work in the app on the park making it hard to take advantage of things like mobile ordering or, buying Disney Premier Access. This isn’t usually the case.
Cards seem to work okay on the app in the park even if it rejected them when you were buying tickets. It won’t accept my WISE card on the app, but I use it in the park with no problems.
You Don’t Have to Mobile Order… But
You don’t have to use mobile ordering to eat in a restaurant. You can still just walk up and order when you arrive. Occasionally Disney will make some places mobile-order only for short periods, often related to special offerings, check the website for details on this in case they apply during your stay.
