Hello there, Josh!
Welcome to planDisney with an excellent question. Thank you for stopping by and letting us help you plan a magical Walt Disney World Resort vacation!
I am happy to share that you do not need theme park tickets to make dining reservations at restaurants inside the theme parks. However, as you are aware, you must have
valid tickets and a
theme park reservation to redeem admission to the park on the date of your dining reservation. All Guests are welcome to make dining reservations up to 60 days in advance
online or via the My Disney Experience mobile app. If you are staying at a
Disney Resorts Collection hotel, you can make reservations for the entire length of your stay (for up to a 10-night stay) up to 60 days ahead of your arrival, which is fantastic because it allows Guests to make all their reservations on the same day, rather than having to check availability day after day.
I always prefer to make advance dining reservations, but sometimes the restaurants I want to dine at are already completely booked during my travel dates. In that case, I keep checking availability via the My Disney Experience app or online until the dates of my visit. If I am still unable to make reservations, I try
adding my party to the walk-up list available at select restaurants upon arriving at the park (subject to availability) or walking over to the restaurant and speaking with Cast Members at the entrance to verify if they can take walk-ins.
I hope this information is helpful and that you can book your favorite restaurants, Josh. Come back to visit us if you have additional questions, and have a magical visit to the Walt Disney World Resort!
Best Disney wishes,
Thiana