Hi Gwen!
It looks like your stay at the Happiest Place on Earth is coming up in just a few weeks! I'm glad you're sending us some last-minute questions, so you can let loose and enjoy the magic once you arrive. As a self-proclaimed Disney-foodie, I'm happy to be answering your dining question today!
Advance dining reservations are strongly recommended at any location in which they are accepted at the Disneyland Resort. These reservations can be made up to 60 days in advance of your arrival. Since you're already within that window, I'm sure you're wondering if you'll have the opportunity to dine at some of the locations where you did not make advance reservations. There are a few ways you could still dine at Disneyland Resort without having reservations.
First, you can utilize the
Mobile Dine Walk-Up Availability. At participating restaurants, you can join a Walk-Up List once you're within close enough proximity to the restaurant. To do this, open your
Disneyland Mobile App and use the search feature (the magnifying glass on the bottom menu). Type in the restaurant where you'd like to dine and then click "Join Walk-Up List." You'll be given an estimated wait time and receive a notification once your table is ready. In my experience, the best time to join the list is as soon as the restaurant opens. You will see that many of the Walk-Up Lists become unavailable and then available again throughout the day, as traffic within the restaurant fluctuates.
Lamplight Lounge,
Oga's Cantina and Carthay Circle Restaurant are just a few of the dining locations with the Walk-Up List option.
Gwen, another great piece of advice that I received from
my fellow panelist, Tara, is to check with the Cast Member at the podium of the restaurant to see if they can accommodate your party. Again, you'll likely have the most luck with this just as the restaurant opens, when the dining crowd is a bit lower. So, if you have a particular restaurant in mind, it's worth a shot to check in with the Cast Member at the front to see if you can be seated.
There are also
Quick Service Dining Locations throughout Disneyland Resort. These options do not require advance dining reservations, as you simply order and eat on site. I personally like to utilize
Mobile Food and Beverage Ordering whenever possible, as it helps my family to plan ahead and save time once we arrive at the dining location. You'll likely be able to find a place to grab a seat nearby as you enjoy your meal and get back to the rides!
Finally, I would also like to recommend that you check out the Festival Marketplaces at the
Disney California Adventure Food & Wine Festival. Your trip times up perfectly with this special occasion, where you'll be able to find all kinds of creative small bites and delicious refreshments throughout Disney California Adventure Park. I find that this can be a fun way for a group to eat, as everyone can have a bite and choose the dishes that appeal to them!
Gwen, all in all, you should have no problem satisfying that rumbly in your tumbly during your Disneyland Resort vacation!
Ashley