Hi there, Robyn! Welcome to planDisney! It looks like you are just a few weeks away from your time at the Happiest Place on Earth!
I love having a few dining reservations in place too! It's a great way to take a break from the park hustle and bustle, and I find that it actually makes the days seem longer when you take a minute to let the magic settle in around you!
Reservations open up 60 days in advance, so you are good to go to get a few on your calendar. To make a reservation, open up the Disneyland Mobile App and tap on the "+" in the bottom navigation bar. Choose "Check Dining Availability" and you will be asked to enter your party size, the date, and the time you are looking to eat. The app will then show you all of the available reservations. Select the restaurant and time and follow the instructions to secure your reservation. You can also do this from the
Disneyland website. If there is a specific restaurant you are interested in, you can search for it by tapping on the magnifying glass icon in the bottom navigation bar, and then choose "Reserve Dining" once you've clicked into the restaurant. Here you will be able to check multiple dates and times.
You might find that some of the more popular spots like
Blue Bayou Restaurant or
Oga's Cantina in
Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge may be booked as we are so close to your visit. I do have a few tips to share if this is the case! Ahead of your visit, grab a little patience and some faith, trust, and pixie dust and keep checking the reservations page in the app or on the website. Guests are able to cancel up to 24 hours ahead of their reservation, so they can open up! Once you are in the parks, there might be some magic in finding same-day reservations. I love the new
Mobile Dine Walk-Up Availability feature in the app. This allows you to add your name to a same-day waitlist at select restaurants (Oga's Cantina included!). As soon as you scan into a park, follow the same instructions laid out above to make dining reservations. When you get to the results page, you will now see a new option at the top that will show the walk-up availability. This is great because you will be notified if and when a table opens up as you enjoy the park! For restaurants that do not use this new feature, it never hurts to visit the Cast Members at the podium and ask if there are any tables or cancellations for the day. Your best time to do this is an hour or so ahead of the restaurant opening. My panelist friends and I were able to get a table at Blue Bayou for lunch just a few weeks ago just by asking!
One restaurant I personally really love and is a bit off the beaten path and usually has availability is the
GCH Craftsman Bar at the Grand Californian Hotel & Spa. Sometimes I like to get out of the parks for lunch and this spot is close by and very relaxing! The alfresco spot overlooks the pool and has great menu options like the
Black Truffle-charred Cauliflower Grilled Cheese Sandwich!
Robyn, you are in for some culinary treats ahead! If you have any more questions, come back to see us at planDisney!
Bon appetite!
Tara