Hi Michele,
I love staying at
Disney's Contemporary Resort, and it is also a great location for the dining that you wish to do.
Cinderella's Royal Table is located in Cinderella Castle at Magic Kingdom. It is truly an enchanting dining experience, to have a wonderful meal and meet princesses inside of the castle! One of my favorite things about Disney's Contemporary Resort is that you can walk to Magic Kingdom in under 10 minutes, or you can take the monorail or a boat.
Mickey's Backyard BBQ is a fun, outdoor picnic atmosphere. I will never forget watching my young daughter dance with joy with characters at this experience! Mickey's Backyard BBQ is located at Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground, which is accessible from Disney's Contemporary Resort by boat.
You are correct that these are both very popular dining experiences, but do not worry, I think you should be able to make a reservation for them. As a Walt Disney World guest, you can make your
dining reservations at 180 days ahead of your check-in date for up to 10 days of your vacation. This means that if you call on that 180 day date before your check-in, you can also make dining reservations for the last day of your vacation, as long as your vacation is 10 days or fewer. If you can be flexible on the day of your vacation for each dining experience, then you should be able to find availability. It is wise to calculate the 180-day before your check-in date mark and make your reservations on that day.
I hope that these thoughts are helpful for you, Michele!