We are trying to book a character meal and only have tomorrow to be in the 60 day window to book, what time Eastern time zone do the reservations open for booking meals, at midnight or 6am or 7am?”

Hey there! Welcome to planDisney, Tracey. I’m so glad you’re here!

Whenever I'm headed off to Walt Disney World Resort for my next vacation, there is always one thing I am most looking forward to - the FOOD! From the incredible comfort food from Chef Art Smith’s Homecomin’ to the famous Cobb Salad from The Hollywood Brown Derby, there is always something delicious calling me back to Walt Disney World. So, I understand your desire to snag those coveted Advanced Dining Reservations to ensure you don't miss out on the dining experiences you were hoping for. So, let’s get to it!

Now, you can start making Advanced Dining Reservation 60 days in advance of your visit, starting right at 6:00 a.m. Mickey Standard Time (aka EST). Some reservations do get booked up quite quickly, so I recommend being logged into your My Disney Experience account a few minutes early so you are ready to jump right into it when the clock strikes six.

• Making your Advanced Dining Reservations is as easy as can be. All you’ll need to do is follow the steps below:
• First, open the My Disney Experience App.
• Then, click the "+" on the bottom of the screen, and select "Check Dining Availability."
• Once there, you will set your party size, the date you are looking for, and the time of day you would like to dine.
• You can then browse through the available restaurants and times and follow the steps to complete your reservation.

Now, don't lose faith if you're not seeing the reservation you were hoping for, Tracey! One of my all-time top Walt Disney World Vacation planning tips is to keep a super close eye on your My Disney Experience app in the days leading up to your vacation. Guest's plans change all the time, and since there is a fee per Guest for any reservation cancellation done with less than 24 hours notice, you will see that many dining times pop up in the days and weeks leading up to your visit as cancellations come through. So, I like to check the app about 2-3 times per day and almost always find the reservation I am looking for. This is especially common in the few days before my arrival. As our pal Peter Pan once said, "All you need is faith, trust, and a little pixie dust!"

I do hope I have been helpful to you today! If you have any other questions, please feel free to visit us again, as we would love to help out!

See you real soon!
Diana