Don't despair on dining reservations! There is hope!

[KateDrake]

Hey all!

Just back on the boards for the first time since our trip 8/13-8/16, and seeing a lot of folks unable to get dining reservations. We weren't either, and we looked several times every day leading up to our trip! However, there is hope!!! Here are a couple of our experiences that will hopefully help others:

Blue Bayou - Never able to book a reservation, despite trying multiple times per day. Decided on a whim to walk by after riding Pirates (around 2:30 p.m.) and were told they could seat us right away! We jumped on it and went in, despite the odd time. It was actually quite uncrowded, so not sure what the heck was going on. But go ahead and try for a walk up if you can't get a reservation!

Lamplight Lounge - We were able to score a dinner reservation on the walk up list on the app and were seated within 10 minutes of booking. Literally we just had to walk over from RSR and sat right down. So this is a great option for any restaurants that have it.

Plaza Inn Breakfast in the Park - We were able to score a breakfast reservation here on the day they opened (a couple of days before our trip) for three. However a friend ended up joining us that day and so we needed to modify our reservation. When we stopped by early in the morning, they told us that was no problem, and they could seat us now if we wanted. We decided to wait a bit so we could cover Tomorrowland with short waits, but they told us we could come back at any time that worked. They were also taking walk ups.

Anyway, just all this to say that you still may be able to score the restaurant of your choice! Happy to answer any questions folks might have. Sending you all the good vibes for your upcoming trips!!!

 

[DYOBL0305]

Plaza Inn Breakfast in the Park - We were able to score a breakfast reservation here on the day they opened (a couple of days before our trip) for three. However a friend ended up joining us that day and so we needed to modify our reservation. When we stopped by early in the morning, they told us that was no problem, and they could seat us now if we wanted. We decided to wait a bit so we could cover Tomorrowland with short waits, but they told us we could come back at any time that worked. They were also taking walk ups.

that’s great to hear! I’m hoping we can score reservations for their character breakfast before our trip

 

[evilmommie]

Great post! Completely agree with this…some of the dining experiences you have do in person and walk up and ask the restaurant what’s the status. Has worked for me on a few occasions. Including, some mobile order only restaurants that had opened walk up lines.

 

[2tinkerbell]

I tried to make reservations for Minnie & Friends at the Plaza Inn and it states that it is “unavailable”. What happened? Hopefully it is available soon.

 

[SherylLC]

Great to hear!

 

[provencio]

Great it worked out!! Question.. you mentioned a walk up line on the app? Is that available once you get in the park? How does that work? and I assume the Disneyland app?

 

[egritz]

I tried to make reservations for Minnie & Friends at the Plaza Inn and it states that it is “unavailable”. What happened? Hopefully it is available soon.

That is the "dining packages" option that says temporarily unavailable.... the regular option for Plaza Inn you can still click on dates to check for availability (that said the few dates I looked had no options available)

 

[KateDrake]

Great it worked out!! Question.. you mentioned a walk up line on the app? Is that available once you get in the park? How does that work? and I assume the Disneyland app?

It looks like it may work outside the park, but I am not certain. I just tried and it told me I was too far away (but I'm literally 700 miles away at the moment!) But yes, it is just in the Disneyland app. I was looking at the map with "Dining" selected, and clicked on Lamplight Lounge, and it has a button that says "Join Walkup List".

 

[provencio]

So How would I filter to "Join Walkup List" for Trader Sams? Or do they not have a walk up list on app?

 

[got2travel]

So How would I filter to "Join Walkup List" for Trader Sams? Or do they not have a walk up list on app?

You can only join a waitlist on the day you want to eat. On the app go to Check Dining Availability, select today’s date and click Now instead of a time. It will list all restaurants with a waitlist and let you know if they are taking names or not and give an approximate wait time. You can test it now just to see what it looks like but can’t join a waitlist unless you are nearby that restaurant. And you can’t just be at the resort, you really do have to be nearby. So you can’t join Trader Sam’s while in Disneyland, you have to be on the hotel grounds.

 

[provencio]

Thank you!!!

 

[Pluto468]

Great to know about Plaza Inn. That's the one I want to do most and I've had no luck at all finding a reservation. Thanks!

 

[GatorChris]

That's good to know. We're going October 10 for 5 days. There's been hardly anything available for reservations at all. Here we are, three weeks away, and all there is to grab is Goofy's Kitchen and a few places that no one wants to visit. But I got one for Jazz Kitchen, and that's all that really matters to me anymore. Ever since they took out Big Thunder BBQ, I feel like every other reservation I get is just "because I need to reserve something." Miss me some good BBQ and cornbread!

We'll give the walk up thang a try.

 

[DizMe]

Do the DTD restaurants have the same

It looks like it may work outside the park, but I am not certain. I just tried and it told me I was too far away (but I'm literally 700 miles away at the moment!) But yes, it is just in the Disneyland app. I was looking at the map with "Dining" selected, and clicked on Lamplight Lounge, and it has a button that says "Join Walkup List".

I feel stupid for asking this, but how do you get to the map with "dining" selected? I've been searching the app and have yet to find that "join walkup list" on it.

 

[DizMe]

Do the DTD restaurants have the same

I feel stupid for asking this, but how do you get to the map with "dining" selected? I've been searching the app and have yet to find that "join walkup list" on it.

Never mind! I found it!! Miracle of miracles

 

[JohnR5101]

I very much prefer the spontaneity of just checking on the day you are there. That's the way it always was in the past (at least when we went last in 2017). Go and check the wait time and do it if it fits. I think the wait list on the app is also very good option since you can do other things while waiting. having to plan far in advance is not my fav.