Hi there, Anne - welcome to
planDisney!
Thanks so much for stopping by with your question for our team of panelists today. We love to help Guests plan their very own, very magical,
Walt Disney World Resort vacations!
As you mention, advance dining reservations can be made starting 60 days prior to arrival, and for registered Guests of
Disney Resorts, you are able to book reservations at that time for the length of your stay (up to 10 days). For a reservation on October 16th, reservations would become available on August 17th. If you tried on that morning when the reservations went live, usually just before 6 a.m., there are a few things that could be going on.
If you were trying to book
later dates during your trip, and are staying at a Disney Resort, the ability to book for the length of your stay will only be available if you are searching for dining reservations while logged in to the My Disney Experience account the Resort reservation is linked to. Otherwise, you will only see the standard 60-day advance availability that all Guests can access.
It's also possible that there was a technical glitch in the system that morning, or unfortunately, that the experience you were trying to book was already completely booked for that date. It might not sound possible, but with thousands of Guests trying to make those hard-to-get reservations each morning, they can go very quickly. In the future, if you experience a hiccup like this, I suggest also
calling and speaking to a Cast Member - they will be able to better diagnose what's going on and help.
Don't worry - all is not lost! The one upside to Guests making all of those dining reservations in advance is that plans often change, and us planners usually plan too much to do! When another Guest cancels or modifies their reservation, it then becomes available for others to book. I've had luck checking at random times, but I really start to see an uptick in availability about a week before my arrival, and that peaks during the 48 hours prior to the time you're hoping to get the reservation. Disney does not offer any services to give Guests advance warning of available reservations - indeed, most don't last long enough for a notification to be useful.
My most recent Character Dining experience was at
Topolino's Terrace - Flavors of the Riviera at
Disney's Riviera Resort. Enjoy Breakfast à la Art with Mickey & Friends in this beautiful setting, and get to see the Characters show off their unique artistic sides! Long story short, keep trying, and I sincerely hope your crew finds something you'll enjoy.
Ryan J.