Being a former Disney dining agent, I know how difficult it can be at times to get a dining reservation at Disney World. I've received every customer complaint you can imagine on why reservations are so scarce. I was yelled at, and even hung up on. I mean, it wasn't my fault that certain reservations were unavailable, but the guests needed someone to take their anger out on, and at that time, it was me.

So the question is..."Is it really that hard to get a reservation?" The answer is simple...no. Many people make it hard on themselves because they either lack the knowledge to obtain a reservation or they're lazy. In the time I was working for Disney's dining line, I received so many calls from guests who didn't know what they wanted or what to do that it became ridiculous. The biggest problem were the guests who would call in wanting a reservation a week before they were to arrive to Disney World. Reservations book up fast, especially for the character restaurants. Every little child's dream is to see Mickey Mouse or Cinderella. Parents will do almost anything to make that dream come true. That's why the character restaurants book up so fast. You have to know when to jump in and start reserving. Know certain things before you book.

At the time of this writing, a guest is able to book up to 90 days out for their Disney dining reservations by simply calling (800) WDW-DINE. If you are looking to get into a character dining or signature dining restaurant, I suggest booking as soon as possible. Once a restaurant reaches its capacity, no more guests will be allowed to enter, per the fire marshall's rules. If you do happen to find yourself on the outside looking in, there are a few things you can do to try to get a reservation. Guests do tend to cancel from time to time. Try calling back as frequently as possible. Doing this will definitely give you a better chance of getting the reservation you want. If you're not against splitting up your party, try doing that. Many guests don't like the idea of having to split the family up, but it may not be a bad idea if you really want to dine at a particular restaurant. You can always ask the podium if they can seat you at tables that are located right next to each other, and they'll do their best to accommodate you.

Booking your Disney World dining reservations isn't really all that difficult. You just have to know what you are doing. To learn more about how to obtain a Disney World dining reservation, visit www.key2disneydining.com.