Hi Robin,
How exciting to take your daughter to Walt Disney World for the first time! My daughter is also 8 years old, so I am going to think about all of the things that she loves at Walt Disney World in order to answer your question. Especially for her first trip, there will be so much to do without reservations that you really do not need to make any; however, there are some experiences for which you should make reservations if you plan to participate in them.
At Magic Kingdom Park, if your daughter would like to become a princess at
Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique or a pirate at
The Pirates League, you should make reservations. My daughter recently became an empress at The Pirates League and had a great time. If there are any special tours that you would like to do, you do need to make reservations for these. For example, your daughter might enjoy
Wild Africa Trek at Disney's Animal Kingdom. On the Wild Africa Trek, you get to walk across rope bridges above the animals and enjoy a special meal on the savanna. Please do note that any of these experiences will require an extra cost.
The one instance where I really do recommend that you make reservations is for dining. Dining reservations can be made online at the
Disney Dining Website or by calling 407-WDW-DINE (407-939-3463). Table service locations and character meals can fill up quickly, and you do not want to be disappointed if you have your heart set on eating somewhere only to find that it is full.
Please do not hesitate to ask if you have any further questions, Robin!