Hi Melissa!
First let me say that Walt Disney World is the crown jewel of the theme park industry. You can show up with little to no planning and still have a wonderful vacation. That said, planning can help you do a little bit more, experience a few of the most popular things that will fill up otherwise (such as the most popular dining places), and perhaps save a little money.
Have you ordered the free Walt Disney World
planning DVD?
It's
a good place to start. I also recommend picking up the book "The
Complete Walt Disney World" by Julie and Mike Neal. There are a lot of
good tour books out there, but I especially like this for first timers
as it is packed with photos and some good tips; the photos help to get
everybody excited for the trip and give a glimpse of all of the
wonderful things to do inside and outside of the theme parks.
One of the biggest mistakes a first timer sometimes makes is not
making dining reservations. Advanced Dining Reservations (ADRs) can be
critical if you want to dine in a Table Service (full service)
restaurant. You may make on-line reservations
here.
ADRs
are allowed up to 180 days in advance. There are several
restaurants with characters at various meals. My favorite is Chef
Mickey's in the Contemporary Resort.
Hopefully this will get you started. Write back if you have any more questions!