Hey there, Alexandra! Welcome, and thank you for your question.
It can feel like everything you want to do at
Walt Disney World has to be planned out way in advance. As much as I enjoy the planning process and making
dining reservations, I get backlash from my own family, who wants to know how they can decide weeks in advance if they'll feel like
Chef Mickey's or
Chefs de France.
What I can say is that none of the character dining experiences actually
require a dining reservation. However, because most of these are such popular meals, guests tend to make reservations in advance, effectively booking all available tables ahead of time.
All is not lost for a last-minute table, though Alexandra. You are welcome to check into any restaurant to see if they can seat you. Some may tell you they are booked for the day, others may actually have space - if not at the time you are checking in, for a time later on in the day. While it's not the easiest thing to do, to take a family to a restaurant and hope a table is available, if you can be flexible, it doesn't hurt to try.
Another thing you can do is right in your
My Disney Experience app. If you click the plus sign at the bottom of the screen, the first button that comes up in the list is Check Dining Availability. Enter party size and the date, and when Search By Time comes up, you can click "Now." It will bring up restaurants nearby that have tables available.
Good luck!
Anna