July 2023 planning and chat thread!

[joseph821]

I'm mostly thinking about the reservation I want for my daughter's birthday (Blue Bayou Fantasmic package). Is fantasmic not up and running now? I'm not sure what's happening with it since there was an incident...

Fanatsmic is not running now. Fantasmic dining packages are not being sold until an announcement that F! is returning to the entertainment schedule. When the announcement is made, F! dining packages will be available for the opening return date and any dates that are within the 60 day window on the date of the announcement.

 

[Aladora]

Great to hear! I am sure it will be an awesome experience!

As a heads up for everyone…
Last couple of days I checked out how fast you have to be to get your desired reservation for the restaurants and was surprised on how quick the popular ones are booked and become unavailable…
trader sams and oga’s just about 1 minute and even for a regular blue bayou lunch you won’t have that many choices left if you are slowee. crazy!
Yes it’s for the dates around 4th July but I thought it would compare to thanksgiving 2019 but nope thanksgiving was a walk into the park compared to “now”…
I am now getting a little anxious but really hope it’s because 4th July crowds and it gets better towards the end of July…
Also goofys kitchen didn’t open reservations at 60 days out but lagged a couple of days behind…

We’ve done the chef’s counter 3 times so far and have loved every time so I am so looking forward to it again! This time we are celebrating our son’s high school graduation, his 18th birthday (which is on the 9th), and DH and I are also celebrating our 24th wedding anniversary on the 10th so there is so much to celebrate!

I’ve got alarms set for 5:45am starting tomorrow so I can try and grab the rest of the reservations we want. I am pretty confident I can get BB, Carthay Circle, WCT, and Oga’s but TS is going to be the challenge. At the end of the day, we can always try for a walk up there.

When we were at DL March 2022, we were able to do Oga’s as a walk up so that one is not too stressful. I was hoping to get the RBT F! Premium dining but since F! Is not showing right now I will just have to wait and see if it comes back before we go.

 

[lovethesun12]

Fanatsmic is not running now. Fantasmic dining packages are not being sold until an announcement that F! is returning to the entertainment schedule. When the announcement is made, F! dining packages will be available for the opening return date and any dates that are within the 60 day window on the date of the announcement.

Yes, I think that was because of the dragon? Hopefully the show is back (safely) soon.

 

[joseph821]

Yes, I think that was because of the dragon? Hopefully the show is back (safely) soon.

Correct. It will take some time to repair any stage damage and replace equippment. Not the dragon though that will take months. F! will come back in its "B" mode with the dragon mist projections or just the dragon head and smoke. I suspect the water mist will the new dragon.

 

[lovethesun12]

Correct. It will take some time to repair any stage damage and replace equippment. Not the dragon though that will take months. F! will come back in its "B" mode with the dragon mist projections or just the dragon head and smoke. I suspect the water mist will the new dragon.

Yeah, that is two dragon mishaps now with Disney in a very short period of time. Maybe they just need to stop playing with fire. I won't complain if the "B" version is the one I get to see.

 

[PrincessKL]

Yes, although there are a bunch of people who have reported being able to book earlier than 6am PST, sometimes as early as 3am PST, 6am EST.

Also yes about the 2 hour cancellation policy.

Dining reservations opened for me today at 6 AM EST. I heard people say it opens at 3 AM EST for people with Disney hotel reservation linked, but it did not work for me. I don’t think the 6 AM EST is for hotel guests though because I practiced booking dining reservations several days ago when I don’t have a hotel reservation and it still worked.

I thought the dining reservations are easier to book than WDW. I forgot about it yesterday morning for booking for July 5th. But when I went to book at around 12 PM EST, I still get Blue Bayou and Storyteller Cafe. Maybe I was lucky.

 

[Aladora]

Dining reservations opened for me today at 6 AM EST. I heard people say it opens at 3 AM EST for people with Disney hotel reservation linked, but it did not work for me. I don’t think the 6 AM EST is for hotel guests though because I practiced booking dining reservations several days ago when I don’t have a hotel reservation and it still worked.

I thought the dining reservations are easier to book than WDW. I forgot about it yesterday morning for booking for July 5th. But when I went to book at around 12 PM EST, I still get Blue Bayou and Storyteller Cafe. Maybe I was lucky.

I woke up at 3:50am PST and nothing was open for me until I tried again at 6am PST. But I managed to get both Blue Bayou and Trader Sam's so I am happy!

Those were the only two I was worried about, the rest are not going to be as difficult.

 

[PrincessKL]

I woke up at 3:50am PST and nothing was open for me until I tried again at 6am PST. But I managed to get both Blue Bayou and Trader Sam's so I am happy!

Those were the only two I was worried about, the rest are not going to be as difficult.

Interesting! I wonder why it opened for me early. I will try this for later when I don’t have a hotel reservation and see what happens. Now I feel that I am special to Disney.

 

[Aladora]

Interesting! I wonder why it opened for me early. I will try this for later when I don’t have a hotel reservation and see what happens. Now I feel that I am special to Disney.

No idea and we have reservations at the Disneyland Hotel!

Were you booking on the app or website? I was on the app.

 

[PrincessKL]

No idea and we have reservations at the Disneyland Hotel!

Were you booking on the app or website? I was on the app.

I was on the app. But I was trying to book the Blue Bayou Fantasmic package at first and it was not available. I did not know that they weren’t offering it, so I thought maybe it’s some glitch and then I went to the Disneyland website on my phone. So I think I booked the other dining reservations on the website afterwards.

 

[J_GN]

I ended up trying today around 7AM EST (4AM PST) and pretty much everything was available except Goofy's Kitchen (which seems like it is probably either a glitch, or just wasn't loaded yet - as there are tons of times still available in the weeks leading up to my date). We do have a stay at Grand Californian so maybe that did help.

I have an alarm set for 5:55am PST, but I randomly just woke up at 4:30 and thought I'd give it a try. Was able to book WoC dessert party through the app with no problems. We'll be staying at DLH though, so maybe that helped?

 

[ned911]

Is there typically a dessert party or dining package for July 4th fireworks? Guessing those get released when park hours for July are announced.

 

[joseph821]

Is there typically a dessert party or dining package for July 4th fireworks? Guessing those get released when park hours for July are announced.

I believe the only package available for fireworks is Tomorrowland Skyline Terrace.

https://disneyland.disney.go.com/dining/disneyland/tomorrowland-skyline-terrace/

Yes you need to checck daily for when the park's entertainment schedule with the fireworks time.
The Disneyland schedule and hours is added daily.

 

[JerrodDragon89]

I'll be there Saturday July 1st, do they do the normal fireworks and 4th of July or one or the other that close to the 4th?

 

[Chami]

I think I am done making reservations. The only thing I would like to add is a Fantasmic package if they ever become available again. Things I learned:

• You have to be fast to get Oga's. I got it, but the first available reservation was after 7:00 seconds after the reservation opened.
• Don't always believe the website. I wanted a World of Color dessert party reservation, but it told me there were none available. I clicked on it anyway, and it asked me which show I would like. Both were open, and I was able to make the reservation.
• Lunch reservations are far easier to get than dinner reservations for most places.

I really can't wait for our July trip! I haven't been to Disneyland in the last 20 years.

 

[DisneyJac]

We also got the World of Color Dessert party for July 9 and booked it before 6 am this morning. Not sure why it worked… we aren’t staying at any Disney Hotel.

 

[LilyJC]

I'll be there Saturday July 1st, do they do the normal fireworks and 4th of July or one or the other that close to the 4th?

July 1st will be the regular show. Only July 4th has special 4th show.

 

[Aladora]

I think I am done making reservations. The only thing I would like to add is a Fantasmic package if they ever become available again. Things I learned:

• You have to be fast to get Oga's. I got it, but the first available reservation was after 7:00 seconds after the reservation opened.
• Don't always believe the website. I wanted a World of Color dessert party reservation, but it told me there were none available. I clicked on it anyway, and it asked me which show I would like. Both were open, and I was able to make the reservation.
• Lunch reservations are far easier to get than dinner reservations for most places.

I really can't wait for our July trip! I haven't been to Disneyland in the last 20 years.

We are also done making reservations...well, except for the inevitable changes we will make!

Oga's was one that I missed getting because I woke up around 5:45, decided to turn the alarm I had set for 5:55 and of course I fell back asleep! I'm not too worried about it because as I said earlier, I will keep checking for someone to cancel or we will do what we did last March and just keep an eye out for when the walk up list opens.

I have been having issues booking between the website and the app. For a ton of places, the website says there were no times open (not booked, just no schedule) but when I went on the app, I was able to book no problem. The opposite happened when I was trying to book WoC dessert party, the app kept locking up but I was able to book on the website with only a minor issue when it tried to charge my Visa. It kept saying that it could not be processed but when I used my Mastercard it went through without a problem. Someone else on the Canadian board was also having issues with using a Visa.

We also got the World of Color Dessert party for July 9 and booked it before 6 am this morning. Not sure why it worked… we aren’t staying at any Disney Hotel.

We're also going to the party on July 9th! Are you at the first or second show?

 

[DisneyJac]

We are also done making reservations...well, except for the inevitable changes we will make!

Oga's was one that I missed getting because I woke up around 5:45, decided to turn the alarm I had set for 5:55 and of course I fell back asleep! I'm not too worried about it because as I said earlier, I will keep checking for someone to cancel or we will do what we did last March and just keep an eye out for when the walk up list opens.

I have been having issues booking between the website and the app. For a ton of places, the website says there were no times open (not booked, just no schedule) but when I went on the app, I was able to book no problem. The opposite happened when I was trying to book WoC dessert party, the app kept locking up but I was able to book on the website with only a minor issue when it tried to charge my Visa. It kept saying that it could not be processed but when I used my Mastercard it went through without a problem. Someone else on the Canadian board was also having issues with using a Visa.



We're also going to the party on July 9th! Are you at the first or second show?

First show! Just two of us so I expect we will be seated with another pair.

 

[Aladora]

We are also done making reservations...well, except for the inevitable changes we will make!

Oga's was one that I missed getting because I woke up around 5:45, decided to turn the alarm I had set for 5:55 and of course I fell back asleep! I'm not too worried about it because as I said earlier, I will keep checking for someone to cancel or we will do what we did last March and just keep an eye out for when the walk up list opens.

I have been having issues booking between the website and the app. For a ton of places, the website says there were no times open (not booked, just no schedule) but when I went on the app, I was able to book no problem. The opposite happened when I was trying to book WoC dessert party, the app kept locking up but I was able to book on the website with only a minor issue when it tried to charge my Visa. It kept saying that it could not be processed but when I used my Mastercard it went through without a problem. Someone else on the Canadian board was also having issues with using a Visa.



We're also going to the party on July 9th! Are you at the first or second show

First show! Just two of us so I expect we will be seated with another pair.

There are 4 of us (me, dh, ds, and my sis!) so we will have a table to ourselves. This is my sister’s first time seeing WoC so I am so excited for her!