Welcome to planDisney, Sandra! I'm so glad to be able to answer your question about your upcoming trip to Walt Disney World Resort. Dining is my absolute favorite part of going on vacation, and I'm happy to talk to you about restaurants inside the Theme Parks and how you can visit one!
Sandra, if you are planning to eat at a restaurant inside a Theme Park, valid admission and a Disney Park Pass are required. There is some flexibility here though! For example, if you have a ticket with the Park Hopper option and a Disney Park Pass for EPCOT, but you also have a reservation at Be Our Guest Restaurant at Magic Kingdom Park after 2 p.m., that's perfectly fine because you do not need a Disney Park Pass reservation for the Theme Park you plan on hopping to. Valid admission is still required though, so make sure to have that squared away if you plan on eating at a restaurant inside a Theme Park.
If you don't have Theme Park admission but you still want to dine at a great restaurant, there are so many options at the Disney Resorts Collection Hotels for you to try! California Grill at Disney's Contemporary Resort and 'Ohana at Disney's Polynesian Village Resort both have views of Magic Kingdom Park, and you can even catch Happily Ever After if you time it right. If you're dining at Topolino's Terrace - Flavors of the Riviera, you can see all four Theme Parks from the rooftop terrace and even get a great vantage point for EPCOT Forever, so this is another option if you want a taste of the Theme Park experience from outside the gates!
Have a magical day, Sandra!
Jessica