I hate using meringue powder so I was considering using egg whites to make my royal icing..will I have to refrigerate these?

After your decorations are dry NO. Before well thats up to you, some would say yes some would say no. I would rather error on the side of caution.

They should be left out to dry once dry they need no refrigeration.

I would only refrigerate left over unused icing, and then i don't know how it will fair. But once dry there would be no moisture for the bacteria to grow in

You don't need to put the RI in the frig at all, not even the unused stuff. I've been making RI for years, I don't put it in the frig. There is enough sugar in RI, that it does chemically something to the egg whites and it won't grow bacteria. Someone here on CC explained it once but I can't remember who it was.