Welcome to the Disney Parks Moms Panel, Andrea! I’m so happy to hear that you’re planning a visit to the Walt Disney World Resort! Thanks for stopping in with your question about making
advance dining reservations.
I like to give my family at least a 2-hour window when we make reservations for table service restaurants. Factoring more time in to your meal is especially important if you plan a
character meal. You never want to feel rushed when you’re dining with your favorite Disney Princesses at
Cinderella’s Royal table at the Magic Kingdom Park or
Akershus Royal Banquet Hall at Epcot!
Andrea, remember that you can start making your dining reservations 180-days before your magical visit. Make sure to
link those reservations to your My Disney Experience account, so that you can manage your plans via your
My Disney Experience app on your smartphone.
It’s important to give yourself enough time to arrive and check-in for your meal. My family and I just visited this weekend and it took us about an hour to get from the Epcot parking area to our reservation at
Via Napoli Ristorante e Pizzeria in the Italy World Showcase Pavilion for dinner. (You have to factor in the security check and walking to your restaurant, which can take a little while if there are a lot of visitors out and about.)
I hope this information is helpful to you as you continue planning your trip. Feel free to come back to see us if you have any more questions. Helping you with the details of your next magical visit is our pleasure!
Veronica