Hi Mary! How exciting that you’re planning your first vacation to Walt Disney World this summer. I’m sure you want it to be practically perfect in every way, so I’m happy to help. I always recommend making your dining reservations in advance. You can do this up to 180 days before you arrive and it’s the best way to ensure you can dine at the locations you've chosen. This is especially true at some of the more popular restaurants and during busier times of year. You can find information on all the delicious dining spots on the
Dining page.
My family likes to plan one table service meal per day, with a couple of those being character meals. We prefer dinner so that we have the day to enjoy the parks, but that's just a matter of personal preference and what's reservation times are available that day.
If your girls love the princesses, I'd definitely recommend Cinderella's Royal Table at Magic Kingdom. Not only do you get to dine with some of the fairest in the land, but the restaurant is actually located in Cinderella Castle. A couple other wonderful options are Akershus Royal Banquet Hall at Epcot and 1900 Park Fare at Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa. There's also a fun character dining spot specifically geared toward the preschool set at Disney's Hollywood Studios during breakfast and lunch, Disney Junior Play 'n Dine and Hollywood & Vine. When thinking about non-character meals, a few of my family's favorites around the parks and resorts are 'Ohana at Disney's Polynesian Resort, Be Our Guest Restaurant at Magic Kingdom, Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater Restaurant at Disney's Hollywood Studios, Rainforest Cafe at Disney's Animal Kingdom, and Coral Reef Restaurant at Epcot.
I hope this helps with your vacation planning, and happy dining! Please just let us know if you have any other questions.
Beth