Hi there, Andrea! Welcome to the Disney Parks Moms Panel.
While it’s true that Guests can make dining reservations 180 days in advance of their visit, there’s no need to worry if you’re making yours a little later than that. My family often plans our Walt Disney World Resort vacations spontaneously (this spring, we booked on a Monday and arrived that Wednesday), and we can always find delicious options. Guests change their minds and cancel or modify reservations all the time, so if you don’t find availability at a restaurant you really wanted, keep checking, because you never know what will pop up. Plus, with so many options to choose from, I always feel like Belle in the Beast’s Dining Room – snack by snack, meal by meal, the options are seemingly endless!
Andrea, as you look at all those options, a great resource is the
2019 Disney Dining Plans Participating Locations pdf. In addition, the
Walt Disney World Dining web page lists each restaurant and notes whether it is Table Service or Quick Service. If you look at each restaurant's web page, on the top right you’ll see a link that tells you whether
Disney Dining Plans are accepted at this location. If you click that, it will tell you which Dining Plans are accepted, and how many entitlements are required per person. Most Table Service meals are one entitlement per person, but note that Fine and Signature dining, as well as Dinner Shows, do require two entitlements per person (and that is also noted on the Disney Dining Plan pdf). I also find
this overview of all the types of dining really helpful.
I hope this helps! As you select restaurants for your visit this October, you might want to do some resEARch by reading the
Disney Parks Blog – one of my favorite features is the Foodie Guide, where you can
learn about mouthwatering dining options around the theme parks, resorts, and Disney Springs. I always love to reserve at least a few
Character Dining experiences, and, if you have little ones, I find buffets to be a great way to ensure they eat because there are so many options. As you choose your dining, please come back and see us if you have questions – your friends here on the panel LOVE talking about our favorite Disney food and drinks!
Have the BEST time during your October visit to Walt Disney World, Andrea. With gorgeous
autumn décor at Magic Kingdom Park, the
Epcot International Food & Wine Festival in full swing, and spook-tacular fun at
Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party, it’s a wonderful time to visit. Enjoy every minute – and every bite!
Wishing you a magical vacation,
Robyn