Hey there, Nichole, and welcome to planDisney!
I'm thrilled to be the one helping you out today! Normally, my pal
Panelist Amanda D is the go-to for rounding up her cast of characters together for
dining reservations. You'd love her answers, especially as your fellow Utahan!
Amanda's trick is to split her group into at least two reservations. Now, with your party of 18, you'll need a minimum of three reservations. That means you'll need two other adults with the
Disneyland Mobile App to help you since, as you know, only one dining reservation can be made by one person at the same time.
So here's the strategy: You and your recruited Mouseketeers should aim to secure reservation times as close to each other as possible. If you can get together to book these reservations
exactly 60 days in advance, your chances of success will be sky-high!
Pro tip: try to keep your reservation times within a 30-minute window. On the day of your reservation, be sure to arrive at the restaurant at least 15 minutes before the earliest reservation time and ask the super-friendly Cast Members if it's doable to seat your whole group together (you might have more than one table, though).
On the day of your reservation, head to the restaurant at least 15 minutes before your earliest reservation time and ask the friendly Cast Members if it's possible for your party to be seated all together (you'll likely have more than one table for your whole group).
So, before that magical 60-day reservation window opens up in mid-October, you'll need to recruit someone from your group to help you make reservations. Make sure you each have your own
Disney account and be ready to get online at 6:00 AM EST—it's an early one, I know! Cross your fingers that the reservations open right on time (sometimes they play hard to get, so keep checking back if you don't see anything at first), and boom, you're all set.
I hope this information helps you plan lovely memories with your family this winter, Nichole.
Holidays at the Disneyland Resort are something special, so make sure to soak in the festive decorations all around. If you're cooking up more adventures or need
some more tips, please
swing by again soon!
You've got a friend in me,
Danielle