Hey Terri,
Welcome to planDisney! I'm happy to help you plan your culinary adventure through the Happiest Place on Earth. There are so many options to choose from, let's see if we can find something that suits your palate.
Advanced dining reservations can be made through the Disneyland website or directly in the
app. Usually, dining reservations will open up about 60 days ahead of time, but seeing as we are just a few days out from your trip, you may want to start by seeing what's currently available. If you are on the website, hover over the "Things To Do" tab along the top navigation bar and select "Make Reservations". Choose your party size, the date you are looking to make a reservation for, and the time. You can also choose "All Day" if you're plans are flexible. Similarly, in the app, navigate to the "+" in the bottom navigation bar and select "Check Dining Availability". It's a similar process from here in terms of choosing your party size, date, and time. If you see something you like, book it! I'd recommend making a note of the cancellation policy. Many dining locations require cancellation no later than 2 hours ahead of your reservation, but some locations and experiences may require at least 24 hours' notice. I like to set an alert for myself on my phone when our cancellation window is approaching, just in case our plans have changed for the day.
If you have your heart set on a particular restaurant, the easiest way to check for reservations would be to navigate to the search bar on the website or the magnifying glass icon in the bottom navigation bar on the app. Type in the name of the dining location, tap the "Reserve Dining" icon, and search for an opening. If you don't see one available during your dates, keep checking! While not a guarantee, Guests are always changing their plans, and reservations may pop up, especially around that cancellation window.
One final tip before I let you go, Terri! If you are going with the flow of your day, you may want to take advantage of the
Mobile Dine Walk Up Availability feature in the app. Once you have scanned into the park, head to the app and tap the "+" to navigate to "Check Dining Availability". Once you select your party size, you will see an option pop up at the bottom that says "Hungry Now?" with a "Join a Walk-up List" button. Tap here to see if there are any same-day reservations available. This is a great option if you are flexible with your dining.
If you are unsure where you'd like to dine, some fan-favorites are
Lamplight Lounge at California Adventure, along with
Blue Bayou and
Carnation Cafe both at Disneyland Park. Lamplight Lounge pays homage to all things Pixar and offers a selection of American fare with a California twist. Blue Bayou is nestled into New Orleans Square, serving Louisiana-inspired cuisine. The best feature of this restaurant is that you can watch your fellow Guests sail away on their pirate adventure! Finally, my personal favorite is Carnation Cafe, located right on Main Street. I love the breakfast and can imagine Walt taking his morning coffee from that exact spot back in the day. You can even order Walt's favorite chili from the menu!
Terri, I sure hope this was helpful! If you have any more questions, you know where to find us here at planDisney!
Magic awaits!
Tara