Beginning last week Disney went back to allowing guests to make dining reservations 180 days prior to departure. It had been just 90 days. And that's good news for those who like to plan ahead. Although the first day that change took place (Oct 27) was quite hectic. I talked to one person who told me she dialed for 4 hours just to get on hold. But she got the reservations she wanted.
It's not easy to try to figure out what park you'll be in on what day in order to plan dining but for popular choices such as Cinderella's Royal Table and LeCellier in Epcot, it's necessary.
If you like to book the restaurants that cost 2 table service credits, you may want to book the Deluxe Dining Plan which allows 2 table service meals per day.That way you have the additional credits needed to book Signature Restaurants like Hoop-De-Doo Review, Californial Grill, Jiko, and Artists Point. The cost is only about $25 more per person.
A lot depends on how your family eats. But with a choice of 3 different dining plans, there's one to fit just about everyone. And it does cost less than paying out of pocket for the same food.