Hi Melanie,
Good news: You do not have to have a Walt Disney World resort reservation in order to make advance dining reservations! Guests who are staying off site or who are local can make reservations 180 days in advance by going
online to the dining reservations page or by calling Disney Dining at 407.939.3463.
If you have your heart set on one of the hard-to-book dining locations, such as
Cinderella's Royal Table,
Be Our Guest or
California Grill, I certainly recommend making your reservation on the 180-day mark. Please remember that you will need an admission ticket to access restaurants inside the theme parks, so plan your itinerary accordingly.
When you are making dining plans, I suggest considering one or more of the
restaurants at Disney Springs -- either one of the new venues or an old favorite. My family visits every few weeks, and we never miss having at least one meal at Disney Springs. Among our current top table service choices: Morimoto Asia, Chef Art Smith's Homecomin', Frontera Cocina and the Boathouse. The quick service options are amazing, too, including the
Polite Pig, which opened very recently.
Thanks for stopping by the Disney Parks Moms Panel, Melanie. I hope this helps you get started on your reservation planning. Please let us know if you would like more recommendations. Enjoy!
Wilma