Welcome to Disney Parks Moms Panel, Kathy!
Planning the perfect visit to
Walt Disney World always includes a few magical
Advanced Dining Reservations, so your idea is spot-on!
Many of the most popular dining locations book up to 180 days in advance, and those dining reservations may
actually open up at approximately 5:45 AM Eastern. However, keep in mind that Guests of select Walt Disney World Resort hotels may make dining reservations for the
length of their stay (up to ten days) when that first 180 day window opens. For additional information, check out this link to
Dining Reservations - Frequently Asked Questions. Even more helpful tips can be found at this link to
Help Center - Dining Reservations.
When our Walt Disney World Dining window is about to open, I have my wish list ready: dates, times, preferred locations, and a few alternates for each, if possible. I sign in on the Walt Disney World website about ten minutes before that window opens, and select the most popular dining location on my list. Just hit "refresh" as that window opens, select your date, time, and party size, and you'll have the best chance of reserving your first pick. Keep in mind, too, that it's often easier to get a
late breakfast,
early lunch,
early or
late dinner reservation, so if those times work for you, consider looking for those first. Be sure to select a reservation for each meal that you'd like each day; should a preferable reservation become available in the future, you can easily take that one and cancel the previous one.
In addition, Guests frequently change touring plans, so even though a reservation may not have been available on the morning you tried to secure it, try again from time to time. That perfect breakfast reservation for Fairytale Dining at
Cinderella's Royal Table or a delicious dinner at
Le Cellier Steakhouse could be yours once Guests rearrange their travel plans.
Wishing you pots of pixie dust as you craft your culinary tour of The Most Magical Place on Earth, Kathy! You are planning ahead, so you've got this!
Be sure to send us more questions as you think of them, too. We love to help!
Andrea