Welcome to planDisney, Mary! Some people believe Disney vacations are all about the attractions, but my priorities always center around eating. I've been in your situation before, and I'm happy to help!
Walt Disney World Resort hotel guests can
make dining reservations for their stay (up to 10 days) 60 days before their check-in date online via
My Disney Experience or by calling (407) WDW-DINE. Online booking begins at 6:00 AM EST, and the phone lines open at 7:00 AM daily. As you mentioned, your best bet is to split your reservation into two smaller ones; then, when you check-in, do so together and ask to be seated near each other. It may be easier to get a dining reservation for a large group by calling rather than booking online. Still, you'll probably experience a wait time, which can be frustrating when time is of the essence. Here's the snag...If you try to book both reservations on your My Disney Experience account, the website won't allow you to hold two reservations that overlap.
Here's something that has worked in the past for me when booking for two parties of four and five guests. My Disney Experience will default to your name when you book the first group to manage that reservation. There will be a drop-down box under your name, and you can select another member from your
Family & Friends list. Then the system will allow you to search for the same restaurant/date/time for the rest of your party, and you can leave yourself, the default, as the person managing that reservation. I was not successful doing this from the app, so make sure you are logged in to My Disney Experience using a laptop or desktop computer. Also, two popular restaurants that I have found that can better accommodate big parties are
Chef Mickey's and
The Crystal Palace. Some Disney Springs dining locations, such as
Chef Art Smith's Homecomin', are great places for larger gatherings.
Here are a couple of other great planDisney tips to keep in mind: If you are staying at a Walt Disney World Resort hotel, book your reservations in the order of popularity of the restaurant, NOT in the chronological order of your trip. I also put those hard to get reservations towards the end of my vacation. Additionally, try eating during off-hours instead of during peak dining times. I usually book early dinners or late lunches to maximize my chances.
I have a
Rumbly in My Tumbly just thinking about this, Mary! Best of luck, and we hope to see ya real soon!
Eean