Hi Edna,
Welcome to the Disney Parks Moms Panel! Since dining is one of my favorite experiences at the Walt Disney World Resort, I am delighted to respond to this question!
Signature restaurants often have a dress code. To determine if there are certain dress guidelines, I always check the website of the restaurants we plan to visit.
California Grill, for example, is one of our favorite
signature restaurants and it does have a dress code. Narcoosee's is another signature restaurant that has a dress code. Both California Grill and Narcoosee's are located in Walt Disney World Resort Hotels. When we have dined at signature restaurants in the parks, we have not been held to a formal dress code. Cinderella's Royal Table, The Hollywood Brown Derby and Tiffins, for example, are signature restaurants in the parks that currently do not have dress codes noted on their web pages.
We typically travel in the summer when the weather is HOT. When we have reservations at Cinderella's Royal Table, we have taken our girls' princess dresses to the park, stored them at
Locker Rentals and had the girls change just before dining. My husband and I go in park attire (shorts, t-shirts and that withering in the heat yet happy to be there look).
Edna, I have also used other websites, like Touring Plans, to gather information about dress codes. I only use the sites that are freely accessible. As a general rule of thumb, we do not wear swimsuits into any restaurant although at the counter service restaurants near the resort pools, we will put on a swimsuit cover to go grab a quick bite to eat.
Magic, memories and Minnie Mouse hugs,
Donyell