Hey there Judith,
Welcome to planDisney and thanks so much for stopping by with your question. I'm so glad to hear you're planning a trip to the Disneyland Resort - it'll be here before you know it!
It's great to hear you're planning ahead on entertainment and dining. The
Events Calendar is a great place to check - though, to your point, it is updated about six weeks in advance.
The way I typically plan my trips is to look at the entertainment options that will be available (you'll be visiting during the
Holiday season, so you'll have some really great options) and decide when I want to see them during my trip. In my experience, there are typically two showings for parades (one in the afternoon and one in the early evening), so if there are a lot of dinner options I want to pack in as well when I visit then I'll try to plan to see the afternoon options of the parade.
In my opinion, it really comes down to what your top priorities are since there are so many fun things to see and do during your visit to the Happiest Place on Earth. If you know you absolutely want to eat at
Carthay Circle Restaurant, for example, then I would recommend booking that as soon as you can and trying to see a parade or nighttime entertainment around that schedule.
However, if you absolutely want to catch the early evening showing of
A Christmas Fantasy Parade on one of the nights of your visit, then that's a great time to plan for a more flexible dining option!
For many people visiting the parks, those dining reservations are the absolute top priority so securing those as early as possible is the most important thing. For me and my family (we have two young kids so the sit-down restaurants are a bit tougher to manage), we typically prioritize the entertainment options and find quick and easy meal options instead.
As of the time that I'm answering your question, the
Daily Events Schedule runs through December 12, so you should be set to plan the most of your trip already! It looks likes you should have some flexibility to plan some excellent dining reservations along with catching all the great entertainment. Since it is during the Holiday season, you're correct that the Disney100 entertainment options will not be running, but the Holiday season entertainment are some of my absolute favorites that are performed at the parks. You'll love them!
Thanks again for your question, Judith! I hope you have a great visit to the Happiest Place on Earth.
Have a Magical Day,
Greg