Hi Jamie!
Welcome to planDisney!
I'm sorry to hear you were having trouble making dining reservations at
Storytellers Cafe! That's frustrating!
According to the Disneyland website, at the time of this writing, it is suggested Guests
make a regular reservation to dine at Storytellers Cafe or Wine Country Trattoria and then, upon arrival, inform the host or server that a
World of Color Dining Package is desired, which sounds like what you were trying.
My guess why this has been tricky for you, Jamie, is that
Disneyland recently announced that during the
Holidays at the Disneyland Resort, Storytellers Cafe will offer festive dining experiences from November 17, 2025, through January 6, 2026, including a brand-new Mickey's Christmas Carol Feast - which looks absolutely delightful! Bookings for these offerings begin October 2, 2025, and will likely be very popular. I recommend trying again for dining reservations at Storytellers Cafe on this date.
Recommended dining times for the World of Color Dining Package at Storytellers Cafe are 5-6pm or 6-7pm and at Wine Country Trattoria the World of Color Dining Packages start at 11am for lunch and 4pm for dinner.
It's important to know, Jamie, that the reservation system is updated regularly as Guests modify or cancel plans, so keep checking as your visit approaches if you have your heart set on a certain date or time. I tend to have a few dining reservations in my pocket and then make my final decisions as the time gets closer. No harm in having options! For example, if you have your heart set on a World of Color Dining Package, you might want to make a dining reservation at
Wine Country Trattoria, as a backup. Just make sure to
cancel any reservations you will not be using before the cancellation policy time or there will be a per person cancellation fee.
In case the dining package doesn't work out, for whatever reason, Jamie, don't forget about the free World of Color viewing spot! All you have to do is join the virtual queue on the
Disneyland app at 12pm the day you're in California Adventure. (I always set a reminder on my phone, so I don't forget, as I'm usually quite distracted chasing Jack Jack around on the Incredicoaster.) Then, make sure you're settled in your viewing spot a few minutes before show time, because you won't want to miss the unbelievably delightful Muppets Pre-Show. Disneyland isn't the only one celebrating 70 years - so are our beloved Muppets! This quick "safety announcement" might be one of my very favorite entertainment offerings at Disneyland Resort right now - wocka wocka!
I hope this information has been helpful to you, Jamie! If any other planning questions come up as you're preparing for your upcoming visit, you know where to find us!
Magic awaits,
McCayla