Hi Karen,
Thank you so much for visiting the Disney Parks Moms Panel with your question. This is absolutely not a dumb question! There are many details to planning a Walt Disney World vacation, and we on the Disney Parks Moms Panel are happy to help you with any of them.
Yes, you can certainly try making your
Walt Disney World dining reservations at any time once you are within the 180-day window. I make dining reservations all throughout that window, even up to the day before I want to dine sometimes! You might find that some of the most popular dining locations are difficult to secure the closer that you get to your vacation; however, if you are flexible with time and location, you are sure to find something wonderful.
I do suggest that you go ahead and make those dining reservations as soon as you can as this will give you the greatest chance of securing the locations and times that you want. You can make reservations using the site I linked above, or by calling 407-WDW-DINE (407-939-3463).
I hope that these thoughts are helpful for you, Karen! Have a wonderful time planning your magical vacation, and please do let us know if you have any further questions.