Hello Denise,
Congratulations on booking your trip to Disney World. Your family must be thrilled!
I am a big fan of the Disney Dining Plan (DDP) and of the character meals too!
The good news is, because the DDP is part of the Magic Your Way vacation packages, you have already paid for many of your meals prior to arriving on property.
However, there are a few dining experiences where payment or a credit card will be required at the time of booking. For character meals, this can include
Cinderella's Royal Table.
But many of the other character meals, like
Chef Mickey's and
The Crystal Palace do not require advance payment. They participate in the DDP.
If you are ready to make reservations, you can do so
online or by calling 407-WDW-DINE.
Hope this helps!