Hello, Lyle!
It's great to meet you, welcome to planDisney!
I am all about food when we're at the Disneyland Resort, so let's talk dining reservations! You will be able to
see and book dining reservations online without having a park ticket or reservation. However, you must have a
valid park ticket and
park reservation to enter the parks on the day of your dining reservation.
You will be required to provide a credit card at the time you make your reservation, and you may be charged if you don't cancel a reservation at least 2 hours prior or if you miss your reservation entirely. Some locations (including the
Blue Bayou) book incredibly fast, so start checking for openings 60 days in advance around 6:00 AM EST.
If you aren't able to make a dining reservation you can try using the
Disneyland Mobile App to
join a walk-up list when you're in the parks! Some of my favorite restaurants are included in this feature, like Blue Bayou,
Cafe Orleans, and
Carnation Cafe. You can also use the mobile app to
order a quick snack!
Hopefully this information helps you get your dining plans all squared away, Lyle! Enjoy the parks!
Keep moving forward!
Amanda