Hi there, William! Welcome to planDisney!
I see that you're visiting the Disneyland Resort in just a few short months! How exciting! Lately, we've had some big news for Disneyland Guests, so you're in for some extra magic during your vacation. Character Greetings have been modified for the last few years, requiring that Guests interact at a safe distance from their favorite characters. Though we know these policies were put in place with the health and safety of all Guests and Cast Members in mind, we sure have missed hugging Mickey Mouse and all his pals! It was recently announced that
Character Greetings will begin returning to normal as soon as next week! So, get your autograph books and hugging arms ready to embrace your favorite characters when you arrive!
William, I'm sorry you're having trouble making
advance dining reservations for your trip. It is true that reservations have been a little tough to come by lately, as many Guests are utilizing the advance dining reservation window as far out as 60 days before their preferred dining date. However, if you continue checking leading up to your stay, you may get lucky! Guests change their plans all the time. When one Guest cancels a dining reservation, it becomes available for another Guest to book. I find increased availability for dining reservations as the date I'm looking for grows closer. I often get lucky and find a slot at the exact restaurant I'm looking for just a few days before my trip. In short, that refresh button will become your best friend! Keep trying!
Another option is to utilize the
Mobile Dine Walk-Up Lists at participating dining locations. Locations including
Lamplight Lounge,
Oga's Cantina and many others allow Guests to join a Walk-Up List to score a table on the same day they'd like to dine! When you are within close proximity to the restaurant of your choice, open your
Disneyland Mobile App and search for the restaurant using the search feature. When you're on the dedicated page for that restaurant, you'll see an option for "Join Walk-Up List." Click that, add your party's information and join the list! You'll be given an estimated wait time for your party and the app will notify you once your table is ready. The Walk-Up Lists may open and close throughout the day as the crowds at the restaurant increase and decrease, so make sure to check that the list is open before making the walk over!
I have one final idea for your visit. You know the saying, "the early bird catches the worm?" That is especially true at Disney Parks! If you arrive to a dining location just before they open, you can grab the attention of the Cast Member at the podium of the restaurant and ask if they can accommodate your group. I've had luck with this at the opening time at
Blue Bayou Restaurant and had an incredible, unexpected dinner experience!
William, there are so many ways to satisfy that "rumbly in your tumbly" at the Disneyland Resort. I'll keep my ears crossed that some dining reservations open up before your stay, but with a little faith, trust and pixie dust, you may be able to make your own dining dreams come true!
Hakuna Matata,
Ashley