Hi Tara!
Welcome to planDisney!
You do not need a park reservation in order to make an advanced
dining reservation. But as far as entering the parks go, your ticket type will determine whether or not you need a park reservation.
Only certain ticket types currently require park reservations. Those tickets include (but are not limited to) Annual Passes, military tickets, and convention tickets. If you have a date-based ticket, though, you will not need to make a park reservation.
If you’re not sure whether or not your ticket type requires a park reservation, you can attempt to make a reservation. Once your tickets are linked to your account, you can
make a park reservation at this link. If your ticket type requires a park reservation, it will allow you to select your ticket as you click through the prompts. And if it doesn’t, your ticket will be listed under a section stating that a park reservation is not required.
It’s good to note that if you have a ticket type that requires a park reservation, you will need to scan into that park before hopping to another park (pending park capacity). If your ticket does not require a park reservation, you’re more than welcome to visit any park of your choice throughout the day (again, pending park capacity).
Your
advanced dining reservation booking window will open at 6 AM Eastern, 60 days prior to your resort check-in date if you’re staying at a Disney World resort. If you’re staying off property, you can make an advanced dining reservation beginning at 6 AM Eastern, 60 days prior to the date you’d like the reservation (subject to availability).
You can
cancel most dining reservations up to two hours prior to the reservation, so no worries if your plans change as you continue to work on the details of your itinerary.
I hope that helps! If you have any other questions, feel free to come back and visit us!
Jenn J.