Hi, Veronica!
While you are correct in that many Guests make their
Advanced Dining Reservations months ahead of arrival, that doesn't necessarily mean that you won't be able to find some fantastic reservations for your last-minute trip, either. We just have to think a little more creatively...and trust me, when we go a little off the beaten path, we can find some really spectacular surprises.
First, instead of looking at the most popular restaurants, such as those which have character meals or are within the parks themselves, take a look at Walt Disney World Resort hotel restaurants and those at
Downtown Disney or
Disney's BoardWalk. When we have an ADR at a WDW Resort hotel restaurant, we head to the closest park and spend our day there. When it's time to head to our reservation, we take the bus / monorail / boat to that resort; we enjoy our meal, explore the resort (
would we like to stay here someday?) then either head back to that park, another park or back to our own resort for the night.
Just now, I searched for a table for four for dinner on December 8th, just to see what's available. Believe it or not, there are 52 locations with one or more openings on that date for dinner. (WOW! That surprised even me!) Among them is The Garden Grill, which features character dining (Chip and Dale!) Consider odd times for meals, and you may find even more options at breakfast and lunch.
Try booking reservations that are available now, then check back often to see if other Guests' cancellations have opened up a reservation you'd prefer. Just be sure to cancel your original reservation at least 24 hours in advance, to avoid a $10 per person cancellation fee.
Happy planning, Veronica! Have a SPECTACULAR trip!