Hi Catherine!
Welcome to planDisney! There are so many delightful and delicious places to dine at the
Walt Disney World Resort. Only at Disney can you dine with a
princess for breakfast, near a
volcano for lunch, and
watch zebra and giraffe out the window as you eat dinner! I recommend making your
Advance Dining Reservations as soon as you are able. You can always cancel or modify your reservation later if plans change. As long as you cancel at least 24 hours in advance, you won’t be charged a cancellation fee.
Advance Dining Reservations for the Walt Disney World Resort open at 6 AM Mickey Time (aka Eastern Time). I have heard that occasionally, select locations may open a little earlier, around 5:45 AM. But on my last two trips, I found nothing available before that magical 6 AM time.
Guests staying at a
Disney Resort Collection Hotel may make reservations for their entire length of stay beginning 60 days before their check-in day. Guests staying off-site will need to make their Advanced Dining Reservations one day at a time, 60 days in advance of the day they wish to dine. For help in double-checking your 60-day mark, I like a site called PS Calculator. You can put in your trip date and it will tell you when your 60-day mark is!
The holidays can be challenging to book dining as it is the most popular time of year to visit. If you don’t find what you are looking for, maybe take the opportunity to try somewhere new! I also recommend you check back frequently, especially as the trip approaches as other Guests can and do cancel.
Sending you pixie dust for that perfect dining reservation, Catherine. and may you have a truly magical visit to the Walt Disney World Resort!
- Kate