Hi there, Nita - welcome to
planDisney!
I'm so glad you stopped by to ask your question to our team of panelists. We love to help Guests just like you plan your very own, very magical, Walt Disney World Resort vacations!
It's great to hear that you'll be enjoying a multi-generational family vacation this summer. You've also planned to do one of my favorite things - arriving before the rest of the crew! I just love getting settled in and having some time to relax before the rest of my friends and family show up for a group vacation.
I have some great news, Nita - you do not need to wait for the rest of your family's booking window to open to make
Advance Dining Reservations. Just make sure that everyone in your crew is linked to your My Disney Experience account's Family & Friends list and you'll be able to include them in the dining reservations you make. Or, alternatively, you can simply make the dining reservations for the correct number of Guests in your full party but leave everyone else as a generic Guest in the reservation (e.g., "Guest 2" instead of selecting a specific person).
The only thing to keep in mind would be if you are staying at a
Disney Resort Hotel and want to make reservations for your entire length of stay (up to 10 days) once your booking window opens. If the rest of your family is staying longer than you are, they would need to wait until their booking window opens to make any reservations for those remaining days after you've checked out.
With so many options, I'm sure you'll find great places to enjoy dining with your family. If you're looking for something new, be sure to check out the family-style grub at
Roundup Rodeo BBQ in Toy Story Land at Disney's Hollywood Studios. It's not open yet, but will be during your upcoming vacation!
I hope this information is helpful, Nita -
stop by with more questions any time!Ryan J.