Hello Athena! Welcome to planDisney!
Thank you for trusting us with your great question about dining with large groups at the Happiest Place on Earth! Sounds like you have some very special times ahead!
Something to be aware of, Athena, as you may be preparing to make advance
dining reservations at Disneyland Resort is that several dining locations currently have a maximum party limit of 10. But don't let this news discourage you! My extended family (of 14!) also had our hearts set on dining experiences at Disneyland Resort and realized, when we were trying to make our advance dining reservations, that we should make two separate dining reservations, from two different
Disney Accounts. One person in our party would make a reservation for 8 Guests and another person would make a reservation for the remaining Guests, for the same date and time. This is my suggestion for you, Athena, as well! Or if your dining location of choice allows a party of 10 reservation - do that! Then, at check-in for your dining reservation, let the host know that your two groups are together. Cast Members may not be able to seat everyone at the same table but will do their very best to accommodate your group so you're sitting close!
My recommendation for making large group dining reservations is for you and the other "reservation helper" to be logged into your accounts on the Disneyland website a few minutes before 6am PST, exactly 60 days out from the date you're wanting to visit - and make a wish!
With that said, here are four dining locations at Disneyland Resort that, in my opinion, would be great for a large group:
Cafe Orleans in Disneyland Park,
Lamplight Lounge Boardwalk in California Adventure Park, Storytellers Cafe at the Grand Californian Hotel (
Clarabelle's Enchanted Halloween Dinner!), and Ballast Point in
Downtown Disney District. (Tip: If you're interested in dining at the Downtown Disney District, inquire with the individual dining location directly for information on their reservation and/or waitlist process.)
However, I'll let you in on a little secret, Athena: You don't have to have dining reservations at Disneyland to enjoy incredible eats with a large group! My family loves the
Plaza Inn on Main Street (no reservations needed!) because there's something for everyone, it's nostalgic (Walt Disney himself dined here!), it's got plenty of seating for a large group (views of Sleeping Beauty Castle!), and the food just feels good in your tummy - especially the Fried Chicken Platter. I dream about this meal. It's quintessential Disneyland and definitely sharable!
Now I've got a rumbly in my tumbly. But luckily your magical day is coming up fairly soon, Athena! I hope this has been helpful for you in your planning, and that you and your party have so much fun immersed in the Disneyland magic. If you have any other questions or would like some tips on visiting Disneyland with a large group, don't hesitate to
reach out to us again anytime. We're happy to help!
Cheers,
McCayla