Picking June reservation dates…

[Supermavs]

Hello!
I’ve booked our motel for our family trip (desert inn) and now need to select which 5 days we plan to go into the parks. We have 1 park per day, so plan to do 3 in DL and 2 in CA. It’s been 9 or 10 years since we took the family, and our kids ages will be 18, 16, 11, 11, 8, and 8, plus our older adult kids will be here for part of it (21, 22, 25).
I’m thrown off a bit by picking days ahead of time. We arrive June 11 (sat) and leave June 18 (sat).

tentative plan is DL Sunday, CA Monday (two kids are only there those days so can’t change it)

then have to pick the other three.
originally wanted DL Tues, day off Wed, then CA thurs and DL Fri. But I see now there is a grad night and I’m worried about the crowds.
Also we really want to see fireworks and shows…if we bump last day to Thursday will that eliminate those options? Hard when we don’t get to see what the entertainment is.
Also, can I change it once I make the reservations or is it permanently locked in?
Thanks!

 

[duckboyone]

That's similar to our plan, for the last week of June, we are doing DL-DCA-DL-DCA-DL on M-F, one park per day. Once you make the reservation, I think you can call and change it, as long as another day is still available.

It's been 6 years since we've been, and we have a similar size group with similar ages too. This board has been a ton of help in planning everything, let me know if you have any questions and I'll let you know what we've planned for.

 

[FeistyDisneyMom]

You can cancel and re-reserve online now. A friend accidentally booked DCA when she meant DL and was able to change it online. Not sure if she used the app or the website though. I think it was the website.

 

[DLgal]

You can cancel and re-reserve online now. A friend accidentally booked DCA when she meant DL and was able to change it online. Not sure if she used the app or the website though. I think it was the website.

You can't book park reservations through the app. The app redirects you to the website. It's dumb, but that's how they have set it up.

 

[DLgal]

Fireworks, parades and nighttime shows willl be nightly after Memorial day.

Do not expect to be able to make changes to your starting park once you've booked. Especially with a party that large. If you are lucky enough to even get the reservations you want, you will have to follow through. Cancelling with the plan to book a different day or switch the park can get you shut out completely, because there is NO WAY to know ahead of time how many slots are available. The calendar can show availability and it can literally mean there is ONE spot available. You cannot simply "change parks" or "switch days." All changes require fully cancelling your reservation and re booking a new one. If you end up shut out, Disney cannot and will not help you.

Day tickets are no longer being prioritized in the park reservation system, as it appears Disneyland has finally realized who actually butters their bread (the Magic Key holders). The parks are currently sold out for the next couple weeks to day ticket guests as Magic Keys have wide open availability. This is a reversal from what we saw in the fall, so be very careful with this. Get your reservations made a.s.a.p and be absolutely sure about your plan.

My suggestion would have been to skip Monday in the parks altogether, but since you can't do that, skip the day with the Grad night.

 

[duckboyone]

Do not expect to be able to make changes to your starting park once you've booked. Especially with a party that large.

100% agree here! I think making your plans first then making the reservations set in stone is the best way to go.

 

[smartlabelprint]

Which night is grad night? There would be no DCA entertainment that night.

 

[DLgal]

Which night is grad night? There would be no DCA entertainment that night.

Yup, that's why I recommended skipping that day, if it's the only one impacted by a grad nite.

 

[Supermavs]

I’m pretty sure the grad night is June 17, which I must have missed seeing the first time I checked the calendar, my sister actually pointed that out to me.
Great to know nighttime entertainment will be daily.
So we planned DL for that Friday originally, should we still skip it if we are avoiding DCA? I think some could enjoy a sleep in day midweek, but we can probably push through and just all sleep in as use Friday as our do nothing day.

 

[Supermavs]

My suggestion would have been to skip Monday in the parks altogether, but since you can't do that, skip the day with the Grad night.

I’ll be buying and booking today or tomorrow. Disney has suddenly become so much more stressful. I miss the old ways.

 

[Didi8367]

FWIW: We’ll be there the same week and I intentionally booked DCA on the 16th & DL on the 17th to avoid Grad Night on the 17th.

 

[DLgal]

I’ll be buying and booking today or tomorrow. Disney has suddenly become so much more stressful. I miss the old ways.

I know. It's frustrating. My sister and her family decided to come down here for spring break from the Bay Area, next week, kind of last minute. They wanted to go to Disneyland for a day. Sold out all week. They are going to Universal Hollywood instead.

 

[Raech]

I’m pretty sure the grad night is June 17, which I must have missed seeing the first time I checked the calendar, my sister actually pointed that out to me.
Great to know nighttime entertainment will be daily.
So we planned DL for that Friday originally, should we still skip it if we are avoiding DCA? I think some could enjoy a sleep in day midweek, but we can probably push through and just all sleep in as use Friday as our do nothing day.

The last Grad night is in fact Fri June 17th

 

[chezcurrie]

Just popping in here to say the “Grad Night Reunion” is scheduled for June 23-28-30. Just in case that affects anyones June plans. DCA will close early those evenings.

 

[SpringBreak]

I know. It's frustrating. My sister and her family decided to come down here for spring break from the Bay Area, next week, kind of last minute. They wanted to go to Disneyland for a day. Sold out all week. They are going to Universal Hollywood instead.

I was in the middle of booking our "last minute" June trip when one of our desired reservation dates became unavailable. It was the last day of our trip, which meant that I would either 1) have to use our last ticket at DCA on the morning of our departure (not ideal, as we have a long drive home and we wanted to get an early start. Plus, I wanted DL for our last day), OR 2) switch our tix from PH to SP (oddly the PH tix were sold out, but not the single day), OR 3) cancel our entire hotel/tix package and start over with new dates. I felt like I was going to have a melt down.

Fortunately, I kept refreshing and later that evening, was able to switch the one day. Seconds after making the switch, that day was unavailable again. It was also nerve-wracking b/c I had to cancel my departure day reservation in order to book the new one for the night before. Fortunately it all worked out, but at the expense of a few more grey hairs.