Hi Moira,
Not to worry! Your
advanced dining reservation simply guarantees the number of seats you need at any Walt Disney World restaurant, including a space for your little one. You will not be charged as long you keep the reservation. The only penalty is if you are a no-show, and then you can be charged a penalty of $10 per person. (You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance).
You are under no obligation to order a full meal for each person. In fact, my husband and I frequently split an entree or just order a couple of appetizers as our meals. If you are in the mood to skip a meal entirely and just want dessert, that's okay, too. The only exception is if you are dining at one of the all-you-care-to-eat buffet restaurants. In that case, each person pays full price, regardless of how many times you fill your plate.
Thanks for stopping by the Disney Parks Moms Panel, Moira. Please let us know if you have any other questions about dining at
Walt Disney World. We're here to help with that and so much more. Enjoy!
Wilma