Hello, Elizabeth!
Welcome to planDisney. I am happy to answer your question because I often visit Disneyland Resort with large groups.
Dining reservations can be made up to 60 days in advance on the
Disneyland website or Disneyland mobile app. It looks like you will be visiting Disneyland during the
most festive time of year! The theme parks are extra magical during the holidays, which also means that many dining reservations become unavailable as it gets closer to your arrival date, as many Guests enjoy visiting the theme parks this time of year. I recommend checking the dining reservation page multiple times each day to see if reservations become available at any of your preferred Table Service Restaurants. Lamplight Lounge (Lobster Nachos!), Storytellers Cafe (Disney Characters!), and Cafe Orleans (Battered & Fried Monte Cristo Sandwich!) are some of my favorite Table Service Restaurants.
To increase your odds of finding a dining reservation, I suggest dividing your family into two parties of four Guests. Try to make reservations around the same time, and arrive early at the restaurant to ask if you can be seated together. Shared seating is not guaranteed, but I have never experienced any issues with our request as long as we were patient. It may take a little longer to be seated when trying to combine parties.
The
mobile ordering feature on the Disneyland app is a great tool when visiting the parks with large groups! One Guest can place a mobile order for a Quick Service Restaurant for the entire party, or each Guest can place individual orders on their own app at the same time and select similar arrival times to pick up their food. Since this is a popular time of year to visit Disneyland, I highly recommend placing your lunch and/or dinner order in the morning to help ensure your preferred arrival time is available. Consider arriving a little early at the restaurant to find a table while some of your party picks up the food.
Jolly Holiday Bakery Cafe in Disneyland Park is my favorite Quick Service Restaurant! It is the perfect choice for a holiday meal! Try the Jolly Holiday Combo, consisting of a delicious Toasted Cheese Sandwich served with a warm Tomato Basil Soup. It is so good! I also enjoy Bengal Barbeque, Docking Bay 7 Food & Cargo, and Cafe Daisy in Disneyland Park. Over in Disney California Adventure Park, Cocina Cucamonga Mexican Grill serves a tasty QuesaBirria, and Flo's V8 Cafe has the delicious Flo's Famous Fried Chicken with Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes.
Also, don't forget to check out the
Disney Eats Foodie Guide for Disney's Festival of Holidays! Your family can sample food from around the world at the
Festive Food Marketplace in Disney California Adventure Park. Eating at the Festival offers flexibility and variety, making it easy for everyone to get what they want. I recommend purchasing a
Sip and Savor Pass for the Festival if you plan to try a few items.
Elizabeth, enjoy your visit to "The Happiest Place on Earth!" We hope to see you real soon!
Happy holidays!
Jen