Hi Patricia,
Welcome back to the Disney Parks Moms Panel! Christmas is such a magical time of year to visit the Walt Disney World Resort! As I am sure you know, it is a very busy time of year, so I have a few suggestions.
Yes, you do need to make your
Advanced Dining Reservations 180 days prior to your arrival. On day 180, you can make dining reservations online starting at 6:00 a.m. Eastern Standard Time or you could call a Cast Member in Dining at 407-939-1947 beginning at 7:00 a.m. Eastern Standard Time. If you can, make at least one or two dining reservations before the parks open. We love getting into the park early and taking a few quick pictures on our way to our dining reservation. Be Our Guest in Magic Kingdom now accepts reservations for breakfast and lunch.
Of course, I do hope you go to
Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party! Details for 2017 are not yet posted so just check back occasionally to see if this info has been released. Be advised that it can get crowded, so I suggest that you allot extra time to get to
Fast Pass+ or dining reservations.
If you use the Park Hopper option, be careful. On rare occasions, the parks have phased closures due to large crowds. Resort guests have priority access but there is always a chance that a park could be closed to any arriving guest.
I also hope you get to see the new
Let the Magic Begin Show in Magic Kingdom and check out the new Star Wars Attractions in Disney's Hollywood Studios.
Happy Planning!
-Donyell