Howdy, Erika!
Your stay at the Most Magical Place on Earth is just around the corner! It looks like you're traveling with a large group, too! How exciting! While you're here, be sure to check out the
EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival! Full of beautiful floral arrangements and topiaries modeled after your favorite Disney characters, there is something for everyone at this festival! The World Showcase is also a fantastic spot for larger parties to hang out, as there is a wide variety of shopping, food and drink offerings and activities.
I'm sorry that you're having trouble finding dining reservations for a party of eight. This is certainly one of the trickier parts of planning with such a large group. However, it is not impossible!
Advance dining reservations can be made up to 60 days before your arrival date if staying at a Disney Resort hotel and up to 60 days before your preferred dining date if staying off property. Though your arrival is already within that 60-day time frame, you may still be able to grab dining reservations toward the end of your visit, depending on the duration of your trip. Be sure to search for dining reservations at 6:00 a.m. 60 days before the date you're trying to book and you might just find what you're looking for!
Erika, since your arrival is already within that 60-day window, I do have a few other suggestions to help you land a table! First, since eight can be a tough number to accommodate, it may help to break your group into two smaller parties. You are much more likely to find dining reservations this close to your trip for smaller groups. You can try to grab two reservations at the same restaurant within 15-30 minutes of one another and request at check-in that your tables be located close.
With that said, there are some restaurants that do have a higher likelihood of seating larger parties.
The BOATHOUSE® Restaurant,
Boma - Flavors of Africa and
Biergarten Restaurant are some of the places where your wish may be granted! You can try searching for these restaurants in particular by locating them in the My Disney Experience app and clicking "Make Dining Reservations."
My final tip is to utilize the
Walk-Up List at participating restaurants. When you're close enough to a particular restaurant, locate it within the My Disney Experience app and click "Join Walk-Up List." You'll enter your party size and if there is availability, you'll be given an estimated wait time. The app will notify you once your table is ready and Ka-Chow! You'll be on your way to a delicious meal with your crew! I suggest joining the Walk-Up List right as the restaurant opens as this gives you a better chance of beating the crowds and getting a table.
May all your dining dreams come true,
Ashley