Disney - dining reservations

[butterfliesinmytummy]

We are heading to Disney Orlando on 23 - 27 October - it's not school holidays in the US or UK as far as I know but it's a weekend. I've booked fastpasses - should I book dining too? Don't want to get caught out with hungry kids but it feels a bit restrictive.....

Are you goinf this year, as in week after next?

If so, you may well have missed the boat for a lot of the popular restaurants as it is usual to book 6 months ahead.

The parks will be busy as it is the run up to Halloween. Check the days you want to go to the parks, as there will be extra parties/events on which need further tickets.

Disney advanced Dining Reservations are open 180 days in advance - you'll have missed the boat on the sought-after character stuff most likely. Try www.disneyworld.disney.go.com - you might get lucky and catch the site as someone's cancelled a booking.
It's not the busiest of times now, but the Epcot Food and Wine Festival, and Halloween will bump numbers up. And as the pp said - on "event" nights (for example, Mickey's Not so Scary Halloween Party), Magic Kingdom will close early, so check that out before committing to a park on a party day.
Have fun (we're there soon also!)

Thanks, yes, this year, spur of the moment. We booked a few days ago, we live in Texas so it's a 2 hour flight for us. Looks like stuff is booked but we have halloween party tickets and a late deal in a resort hotel (SwanDolphin - looks OK, anyone stayed there?) so it's not as if we'll starve... Haven't been to Orlando since I was a teenager but lived in Paris so know EuroDisney like the back of my hand.