Hey there, hi there, Lois! Welcome!
The good thing about
Walt Disney World is that you can kind of do your vacation your way. You won't ever go hungry if you don't make a
dining reservation, but there are certain dining experiences that you may want to make reservations to enjoy.
Reservations are never "required" when considering one of the
many dining experiences at Walt Disney World, but if you know there is a table service restaurant that you want to go to during your visit, it's always better to make a reservation so you aren't disappointed. Some of the more popular restaurants, especially
character meals, do tend to book in advance, so there's a chance if you just pop in on the day you want to dine, they may not be able to accommodate you.
Your best bet, Lois, is to check out which parks you'll be in on which days, and then look to see what restaurants you might want to try. Dining reservations can be made 60 days in advance, and if you are a
Disney Resorts Collection hotel guest, you can make them for up to 10 days when that 60-day window opens. Each park has a few table service restaurants that you can book reservations for, so browse the options and book those meals!
Happy eating, Lois!
Anna