Hey there, Beth!
Gosh, I have to tell you that dining at one of the fabulous restaurants located in Walt Disney World Resort is one of my favorite parts of any vacation. I also have to tell you that sometimes securing the perfect reservation can be the most stressful part of planning any trip.
One of the things that you can do is to keep checking for
advanced dining reservations for your party size. Reservations open up all the time, so as someone has a cancellation, you may just luck out for a party of 5.
Beth, the vast majority of locations allow you to add an extra member to your party when you check-in for your reservation through your
My Disney Experience Mobile App. So, if you are dining at most locations, you will be able to add the extra party member when you check-in. I do want to caution you that this may lead to a little longer wait time, and some locations do not allow you to add an extra person. So this method is not guaranteed.
Beth, if I were in your shoes, I would keep checking for reservations to open up while knowing that I may be able to add the extra party member once we arrived. The most notable exception to the ability to add an extra person is at extremely popular locations like
Cinderella's Royal Table and
Be Our Guest Restaurant.
I just know that you will have a fabulous vacation, Beth.
Enjoy your meal!
Sarah B.