The Crazy Stuff We Do: Disney Dining Reservations

Pin It About a year ago, we started talking about going to Disney when our oldest was 5 or 6, putting our youngest somewhere between 2.5 and 4. Then we realized that our youngest will be free up until she is 3, which crosses with our oldest's 5th birthday. That just seemed all sorts of magical (free kid, 5th birthday...) so we had a date. And since whenever that was, I've been ready to go.

In 182 days, we check into our hotel. I know this because my wonderful Mouseketeer planner, Abbie, is on top of it and sent me a reminder. As well as the three alerts I got because I still haven't worked out the glitch between my phone and calendar. I've decided to make the reservations myself instead of having Abbie make them (I know every experienced person just rolled their eyes) because I won't be able to sleep and I get an hour jump doing it online. Even if it is the slowest time of the year to go to Disney.

Thanks to the billion contradictory tips I have read on Disney Dining, we have a basic meal plan and I am ready to reserve all the tables.

I just set my window up, so that in 32 hours I can start to configure them with the specific date and time I need the reservation.

And I'm torn. Part of me is able to recognize that this is insane. Who does this? Maybe Type A people do, but I am so very Type B that in the few moments when I really want something to work out and know it takes a certain level of intense organization for a short period of time, it gets to this level. I've written out the reservations so I don't need to deal with changing it on the computer itinerary at the same time, I'll just use a different color ink to make changes. Insane.

But, hopefully this crazy thing I will do will give us all the magical character meals we care to enjoy, especially on that special birthday. Because given the option, any mommy would do something this crazy if it meant their Believes In Magic And Loves Princesses child eating at Cinderella's Royal Table and at the Beast's castle on their fifth birthday.

May the reservations be ever in your favor.


Stay tuned to see how this pans out.


Update, 7/24/15: I won at the reservation game. All the character dining is a go! And date night, because sometimes you need to eat a meal with out Pluto. Or children.