Hey there Desiree and welcome to planDisney. I am so glad you stopped by with your question because getting advance dining reservations can take a lot of patience. Here are some thoughts on how to get a place to eat at these locations.
Trader Sam's Enchanted Tiki Bar and the
Blue Bayou Restaurants are two of the most challenging reservations to get because of the size of the dining space. There is not a lot of indoor seating so the reservations fill up quickly. First, keep checking the
Disneyland App daily around 6:00 AM PST. This is when new dining reservations tend to open up. Second, check closer to your desired date and be flexible on the date and time if you see a reservation open up. Guest plans are fluid and usually more reservations open up closer to your desired date. This means more reservations are on the horizon. Third, utilize the
Mobile Dine Walk-Up Availability list once you are near the restaurant and know there is high demand for this as well. Fourth, at Trader Sam's Enchanted Tiki Bar, there is indoor and outdoor seating. Walk-ins are usually seated outside and the earlier you get there the better. I would suggest joining any walk-up list as soon as possible on the day you want to dine there if you are unable to get an
advance dining reservation.
The key is being persistent and vigilant by checking daily.
planDisney Pro Tip: Be sure to stop by City Hall on Main Street, U.S.A. to get your
celebration birthday button along with other birthday ideas.
Desiree, we have rarely been unable to get a dining reservation at a restaurant that we wanted. As J.M. Barrie wrote in Peter Pan, you need to have "faith, trust, and a little bit of pixie dust." It will be a perfect trip for your daughter because no birthday is bad at the "Happiest Place on Earth." Please feel free to
write me back directly with any follow-up questions. Oh, and one more thing; Happy Birthday to your daughter!
Enjoy making many Magical Memories.
~Jason