Hi Hilary!
You and your family will absolutely enjoy
Pirates and Pals Fireworks Voyage as well as Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party. PPF is a wonderful way to experience Wishes Nighttime Spectacular while out on Seven Seas Lagoon! MNSSHP transforms the Magic Kingdom park into a Trick or Treaters dream...with characters and many candy spots throughout the park!
Being a computer geek, I always one to do my reservations online. There is a sort of visual satisfaction to being able to see all my reservations as I make them. That being said, I find that if I call Disney reservations, they are able to look over a period of time, as opposed to one day at a time and can occasionally offer me a better selection. Neither one is faster than the other as they both afford the guest the equal opportunity to book your favorite dining experiences. You can call to make your dining reservations at (407) WDW-DINE.
For Pirates and Pals, you would need to call (407) WDW-PLAY, as it cannot be booked online.
Hope this helps you plan your magical vacation!
-Malanie