Chef Pluto; Mother and daughter; character dining experience
  • On Jan 21, 2026
    Lisa from OH Asked Please note that experiences, policies, pricing and other offerings are subject to change and may have changed since the date of this answer.

    Hi! our check in date is March 26, 2026 when can i start making dinner reservations

    Hi Lisa,

    Welcome to planDisney! You've asked about my favorite part of planning a Walt Disney World visit: dining. I'm pleased to help.

    You can make advanced dining reservations up to 60 days in advance of your check-in. So for your March 26 arrival, the reservations window opens on January 25. If you are staying in a Walt Disney World resort, you will be able to make reservations for the length of your stay at that time.

    To begin, simply go to My Disney Experience on your desktop or in the mobile app and click on dining. You will be able to search availability for the size of your party, dates, time and location. I love that you can now easily narrow your search by location and time of day. And you can search a date range, up to 10 days. That's super convenient.

    If character dining, especially at Chef Mickey's, or a signature meal with a view, such as California Grill or Topolino's Terrace, are on your wish list, I would book those first because they often fill up quickly.

    The same goes for the new specialty lounges: Geo 82 at Epcot and The Beak and Barrel at Magic Kingdom. 

    After you grab those "must-do" spots, you can peruse the available times and locations to choose what's right for you. For my family, one dining reservation a day is usually just right. But your family may want to be assured that you have a table for two or even three meals a day. 

    If you find yourself overbooked, don't worry. You can cancel most reservations up to 2 hours in advance without penalty. 

    A few of our favorite spots that take reservations: Jungle Navigation Co. LTD Skipper Canteen in Magic Kingdom; Tiffins in Animal Kingdom; Chefs de France in Epcot; all the restaurants at Animal Kingdom Lodge (Sanaa, Boma and Jiko); Flying Fish at BoardWalk; and Morimoto Asia, Jaleo, The Boathouse, Wine Bar George, Raglan Road and eet by Moneet Chauhan at Disney Springs

    Just thinking about all the scrumptious meals we've had at Walt Disney World has now made me hungry. Happy dining, Lisa!

    Wilma
thumbnail image for Wilma

Meet the Panelist: Wilma, Florida

We live 75 miles from Walt Disney World and have visited frequently for almost 30 years. Disney is the place our family can relax together, try new things (especially interesting food) and have conversations, no matter what park we visit or where we stay.
Learn More About Wilma

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