Hi Loretta,
Congratulations on snagging a lunch reservation to one of the most popular dining spots in all of Walt Disney World! My family and I just enjoyed lunch at
Be Our Guest Restaurant about a week ago and it was one of our favorite meals from our vacation (and I'm not ashamed to say that I ordered two cupcakes just for myself)!
The main advantage I see to pre-ordering your meal is that it can save you time. Instead of standing in a separate line to wait to place your food order once you've checked in for your reservation, you'll be able to go straight into Beast's Castle to find a table, grab your drinks and relax (or explore the 3 beautifully-themed rooms of the restaurant) as you wait for your order to arrive. For us, it was only 5-10 minutes until we all had our meals after we'd sat down. My sons can get a bit beastly themselves when they're hungry, so for that reason alone I'm glad we took advantage of the pre-order option.
If you're not sure exactly what everyone in your group might want to order, no worries - you can place (or modify) your pre-order anywhere from 30 days before your reservation date up until 5-10 minutes before your reservation time. So, if it works best for you to wait until you're at Walt Disney World, or even at Magic Kingdom that day, go for it! If you're more of the spontaneous type, you certainly have the option of ordering at Be Our Guest Restaurant after you've checked in for your reservation.
I hope that helps with your planning, Loretta, and please be sure to have one (or two) of the yummy cupcakes for me when you're there!
Beth