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View Full Version : When should I start making [dining] reservations?



EchoThree76
11-06-2005, 06:00 PM
My wife and i are going Dec14-16. When should I start?

hlbtimes2
11-06-2005, 06:18 PM
Reservations for your trip (ie: your hotel and travel?) or for priority seating for meals?

If you mean for your actual trip, you probably should have already made them. Your options might be limited at this point. Thing are filling up fast with the 50th this year. We booked 6 months in advance, and still didnt get what we really wanted.

If you mean for priority seating for meals, I would call now. Fantasmic! seating can be booked 30 days in advance, you would want to make those the 14-16 of this month, depending on what day you wanted it. That is assuming your are interested of course.

EchoThree76
11-06-2005, 09:35 PM
Yeah..i forgot to say that. This is judt for dining. We bought our tickets a few months ago. What exactly is involved with Fantasmic. I thought it was a free show?

emmah
11-06-2005, 09:58 PM
Yeah..i forgot to say that. This is judt for dining. We bought our tickets a few months ago. What exactly is involved with Fantasmic. I thought it was a free show?

It is: you can turn up early and hold a spot, or you can turn up at the last minute and take your chances, but you can also pay for premium seating and a dessert buffet if you feel so inclined, and if you want to spend the money. For $56 per person, you can ring up, a month before the night you want to see the show, and try to book seats either at the Gallery Balcony, or down by the River. At both locations you get special seating, a table, and a dessert buffet. I am doing this for the very first time the first weekend in December and it sounds like its going to be an amazing treat. If you want to do that, I suggest you do a search on these boards and read all the tips that people have given as to the best way to succeed at this. I ended up booking at the disneyland hotel and using vacation planning - the fabulous John Walsh secured my seat for me! enjoy your holiday!:)

mi_mous
11-06-2005, 11:13 PM
I would recommend making the reservations ASAP. I just barely made reservations fo my party size at Rain Forest cafe last week, and we aren't going for about another week. I couldn't get the time slot I wanted, but one before.
So, if you want to get what you want, I would recommend now, especially since it is the holiday season, and a lot of spaces fill up fast.
I am a planner by nature, so I like to plan ahead... but I would make them soon.

SandraVB79
11-07-2005, 07:33 AM
The sooner you make your reservations, the better.

We couldn't make any reservations anymore at Rainforest cafe, and had to wait for about 1 hour and 20 minutes. We couldn't get character breakfast anymore at the date we wanted, and so we went for an other day.
Walikng in Walt's footsteps tour were completely sold out for the coming days/ weeks.

As far as I know, Fantasmic! is always booked very early.
Now, as far as Fantasmic, I thought the buffet was only on the balcony, and if you had a riverside chair, you got a dessert-tray with a selection of desserts, and a drink.



Now, I think that Fantasmic priority seating is VERY VERY expensive. It si my all-time favourite thing at Disneyland (since last week followed by the Jungle Cruise), but I couldn't spend the money to it.

On days that have two shows: everyone stays after the first show to watch the fireworks. Between fireworks and second show, about everyone on the riverside goes away, doing other rides or whatever. Just find you a nice spot to sit down at that moment! (don't forget to take something with you to put under you!! I still have a cold from sitting with my (wet from Splash Mountain) linnen trouwers on the cold ground!)

Otherwise, a nice viewing spot that usually is not too crowded (please, don't go all there when I am in the park, don't take that spot from me!!!) is on the "bridge" at the POTC-ride (you know which one I mean?). somewhere between around the second lamp post you get a nice view from the show!!! and you have something to lean on :-) Even if you come there at the last minute, you can still squeeze you between the poeple already standing there and the ropes (thrust me on this one, even if you think there are already 20 people too much in that area, you can still squeeze yourself in there!)

hefferdude
11-07-2005, 12:02 PM
For most of the Disney eateries, you can get priority seating up to 60 days in advance. ( Priority means if you show up at your appointed time you will get the next available table barring they are not already committed, different from reserved )

Disney dine (714) 781-3463

Select #4 ( to move through the verbage quickly )

WITron
11-07-2005, 09:54 PM
Last week I made our reservation for the BB for Dec. 5th. We were able to get the forst seating without any troubles.

CandiBell
11-09-2005, 12:29 PM
What about someplace like the Carnation Cafe for lunch? what do y'all think about reservation availabilty for , uh, next week?

Malcon10t
11-09-2005, 12:33 PM
My wife and i are going Dec14-16. When should I start?I would start now. I just finished booking dining reservations for our Dec 23-Jan2 trip. Just have the Fantasmic seating to go, but have to wait for the 30 day mark.

Bolivar
11-09-2005, 12:46 PM
One of the reasons I decided to go to Disneyland in early December is that everything I read said that early December was the slowest time of the year and that the park is pretty empty. Is that not true this year because of the 50th or are you guys talking about weekends?

I will be there Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday (december 4-6) and figured Sunday might have crowdes, but that Monday and Tuesday would not. Am I hearing that won't be true?

Walt'sbirthdaygirl
11-09-2005, 03:29 PM
Well traditionally it has been a pretty slow time of the year, one of the slowest weeks of the holiday season. This is the first year (in the last 6) we are not going on the 5th, the DL hotels are booked solid all the surrounding hotels are at premium prices and the parks are closing early monday and tuesday. SO if the crowds are big, it could be a day of long lines. We are chancing the crowds the next week, it should be interesting. The hotels are much cheaper and the PP and the DLH have some availibility. WE shall see.

Staying at either the carousel of HOJO's, couldn't see paying full price for the PP.

Surfingstitch
11-09-2005, 05:40 PM
I think the Holiday Peak Season starts around that time.

I would book dining reservations asap.

WITron
11-09-2005, 09:24 PM
I will be there Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday (december 4-6) and figured Sunday might have crowdes, but that Monday and Tuesday would not. Am I hearing that won't be true?

Dec. 4th will probably be crowded due to the candlelight procession taking place that weekend. We will be there and the procession is something not to be missed.