Hi, David! Thanks for returning to the Disney Parks Moms Panel with another great question.
The very first time I visited the Walt Disney World Resort, I didn’t make a single dining reservation! At that time, I had no idea that dining required such advanced planning. Now I know it is a necessity to make dining reservations 180 days in advance. However, this only applies to table service restaurants (where you are seated and a server waits on you). For any quick or counter service restaurants, advanced reservations cannot be made and those options all serve Guests on a first-come, first-served basis.
Making advanced dining reservations all depends on your dining preferences and what kind of experiences you want to enjoy. My family prefers to sit down for dinner almost every night and I like to book at least one
character meal per trip. You can filter the
“Dining” page by “Reservations Accepted” under the “Dining Experience” menu to see the multitude of table service options available. You can then make dining reservations online or by calling (407) 939-1947.
If quick service is more your style, then you might want to explore options that have
Mobile Order available. Using Mobile Order on your My Disney Experience app will allow you to order your meals from anywhere in the park. Then when you are ready to dine, tap the button to alert the restaurant to freshly prepare your meal. You will then pick up your food at a designated Mobile Order window without waiting in line. Mobile Order will save you oodles of time!
I hope this clarifies things for you. Have a wonderful time at the Most Magical Place on Earth!
-Linda