Hi Ivy,
Thanks for visiting the moms panel with your questions, we are happy to help. Booking your first vacation to Walt Disney World Resort is so exciting, I'm sure you and your family will make memories that will last a lifetime!
It seems like you have been doing your Disney homework and are ready to make your dining reservations, so well done! For me, booking my dining reservations is almost as fun as finally getting to dine at the restaurants! I have made my dining reservations online and by phone, and it is really a matter of what you feel more comfortable with. Restaurant availability will be the same no matter which option you choose. Personally, I like to book my reservations by phone; I enjoy talking to the cast members, and you only have to enter your personal credit card information once. In my experience when I have made reservations online I have had to enter the information for every dining reservation that I make.
When booking your dining reservations, if you are staying at a Walt Disney World Resort, guests are able to make all of their dining reservations 180 days in advance, from the first day of your stay. So yes, you are able to book dining reservations for your entire stay (up to 10 days) from the 180 day mark. I am also visiting Walt Disney World in August, and when I login to the
Walt Disney World Resort webpage, a reminder pops up giving me the exact date I can begin to make my upcoming dining reservations!
If you have any other questions, please come back and visit the moms panel again, I would love to help make your first trip to Walt Disney World even more magical!
Stephanie