Hey there, Sarah!
Thanks for coming back to planDisney with another question. It sounds like your group might be arriving this weekend (if so, hooray!), or at least a weekend in the near future. Either way, I'm happy to talk all things dining, so your group can get into feast mode during your visit.
Dining reservations open 60 days in advance, beginning around 6 am EST. If your group is staying at a Disney Resort Collection hotel, you can book for your length of stay, up to 10 days, 60 days ahead of your check-in day. If you are not staying at an eligible resort, you can book dining day by day as the calendar hits 60 days out.
The good news is that you are not required to indicate specific guests when making reservations, so it won't matter if some guests are arriving later than others. You'll simply select the party size (be sure to include all guests, including any infants aged 0-2, in the total count to ensure the correct table size) and date range, then select an available time slot before finalizing the reservation. Note that pre-paid meals like
Cinderella's Royal Table and Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue will ask for the total number of adults ages 10+, kids ages 3-9, and infants aged 0-2 to ensure each guest is charged the appropriate fee.
If you have your heart set on a big group meal at
Chef Mickey's, I'd recommend having whoever is checking in first secure the reservation for everyone. If you are all staying off-property, set an alarm for 60 days ahead of your desired dining date so you can search for availability. Once the reservation is booked, whoever secured it can update the party details so the reservation appears on everyone's account. To do so, have them locate the reservation under the "My Plans" section of the
My Disney Experience app, click the "Get Details" link, then click "Update Party" to indicate which members of their Family & Friends List will be dining with them. This isn't required for most dining reservations, but would be helpful as Cast Members at the parking gate will likely ask for proof of reservation when arriving at
Disney's Contemporary Resort in a personal vehicle or via rideshare service.
I took a quick look at the
current availability and noted lots of breakfast and dinner options for a group size of 12 through mid-July. This is always subject to change, but hopefully you'll be able to belly up to the buffet, wave your napkins high in the sky, and celebrate with Mickey Mouse as one big magical group. Keep in mind that while the reservation system will allow you to search for a party size of up to 20, not all venues can accommodate a group that large at a single table. You might need to book multiple smaller groups at overlapping times to accommodate everyone in your group.
Sarah, I hope this helped! Please hitch a Monorail right back to planDisney with any additional questions or concerns. We're always glad to help.
Magic and memories,
Amy