Blue Bayou Dinner Waterside Table

[PixieDustAndLove]

There was a previous post on here about obtaining a waterside table at Blue Bayou -- many recommended making the 1st available reservation (11:30am). I wanted to do more of a dinner time since we are celebrating an anniversary. Does making a ressie for the 1st dinner slot (showing as 4:20pm for me) also give you a better chance of getting a waterside table?

 

[GatorChris]

Not really. There's still people eating a late lunch at that time. However, doing a ressie that early should minimize your wait for a waterside table.

 

[avalon451]

If you don't mind waiting a bit, they're pretty good about getting you in ASAP. I had a ressie for around 4:30 and elected to wait. I think they said 40 mins, but they gave me a pager and let me roam the alleyway, and it was more like 25 minutes when they called me.

 

[julesann]

I'd love to have waterside at dinner time, but I was thinking more around 6:00. I'm willing to wait for a while, but am curious how long you think it could take from check-in to seating?

 

[bumbershoot]

You just have to wait for people to leave those tables. That's the wait. And it's why people recommend getting there as it opens for those lunch reservations; so that no one else is sitting there yet. But after that first rush of seating, there will be someone there.

 

[sc426]

Its all about waiting. Since you want to do a dinner reservation, get there a minimum of 45 minutes before your reservation time to be able to checkin and request a waterside table and be prepared to wait until your reservation time. They will make it happen.

 

[julesann]

Its all about waiting. Since you want to do a dinner reservation, get there a minimum of 45 minutes before your reservation time to be able to checkin and request a waterside table and be prepared to wait until your reservation time. They will make it happen.

I was not sure I could check in before my time. I thought I remembered being told for a F! dinner to come back close to my ADR time. So...this helps a great -- I can figure out what time I want to eat and plan on coming 45 minutes or so earlier vs checking in at my ADR and waiting for 45 or so.

 

[julesann]

Is this right? I am making reservations for BB in the morning. If I want to eat around 6:00 then I should make the reservation for 6:00 and show up at 5:15? or make it for 5:15 and show up then and figure it'll take about 45 minutes?

 

[lalasmama]

I show up 20-30 minutes early, request a waterside table, and let them know I'm willing to wait, being very sweet and laid back about it. They say it will be 45 minutes, and give me the little pager thing. I go window shopping. Once, my wait was 10 minutes. Once was 15 minutes. Once was 25 minutes. Once ~35 minutes. Never the 45-60 minutes they have quoted to us.

Edited to add... One was a lunch ressie, and the rest were dinner times, usually 5:30-6:30pm.

 

[julesann]

I show up 20-30 minutes early, request a waterside table, and let them know I'm willing to wait, being very sweet and laid back about it. They say it will be 45 minutes, and give me the little pager thing. I go window shopping. Once, my wait was 10 minutes. Once was 15 minutes. Once was 25 minutes. Once ~35 minutes. Never the 45-60 minutes they have quoted to us.

Edited to add... One was a lunch ressie, and the rest were dinner times, usually 5:30-6:30pm.

Thank you lalasmama--this is just what I needed to know! I booked for 6:20 p.m.

Btw, I noticed over the last few days that BB ADRs for early evening are going very quickly. I decided I'd make them asap if I woke up in the night or as soon as I woke up today. When I booked just after 4 a.m., there was only 1 time left between 4 and 7 left for a Sunday in October.

 

[BriannaRuth]

We always book a little later than we actually want to eat then get there 30 minutes early and wait for waterside. They always say it will take 30 minutes or more but it never does. Last week the hostess said, "I see you're here early; we really appreciate that!" So maybe getting there early and asking for waterside is best because it doesn't throw their schedule off because it allows them to seat you during your timeslot.

 

[julesann]

We always book a little later than we actually want to eat then get there 30 minutes early and wait for waterside. They always say it will take 30 minutes or more but it never does. Last week the hostess said, "I see you're here early; we really appreciate that!" So maybe getting there early and asking for waterside is best because it doesn't throw their schedule off because it allows them to seat you during your timeslot.

Thanks Brianna Rose--that is just what I'll do! I appreciate hearing their feedback to you

 

[aliceindisneyland]

There was a previous post on here about obtaining a waterside table at Blue Bayou -- many recommended making the 1st available reservation (11:30am). I wanted to do more of a dinner time since we are celebrating an anniversary. Does making a ressie for the 1st dinner slot (showing as 4:20pm for me) also give you a better chance of getting a waterside table?

In our experience during 3 visits requesting waterside, one with a party of 6, we were quoted an additional 30-1 hr 20 minutes, and we were actually sat within 15-30 minutes of walking up to the host stand. Disneyland hostesses aren't trained on how to properly estimate wait times, and they turn people away based on their inflated wait times.

 

[alisigns]

Side question about Blue Bayou - We reserved the PtN package and the only time available was 8:45, which means we would miss the fireworks at 9:30. If we showed up earlier at say 5:00 to see if a table was available to go early, what's the chance of this happening? Thanks!

 

[lalasmama]

Side question about Blue Bayou - We reserved the PtN package and the only time available was 8:45, which means we would miss the fireworks at 9:30. If we showed up earlier at say 5:00 to see if a table was available to go early, what's the chance of this happening? Thanks!

Slim to none. I know it happens on occasion, but every time I have been there, I've heard them turn away walk-ups, and I'm sure showing up 3+ hours before your reservation would be viewed as a "walk up" instead of a ressie. I guess I look at ressies like a fast pass--it's a placeholder so they anticipate when x amount of people are coming through. So, I get a FP for Splash Mountain at 4pm-5pm. Obviously, if it was just me, letting me in at 2pm wouldn't really affect much. But, if they did it for everyone, we would have the old FP system, where FPs were used in the evenings mostly, and FP lines took forever. If everyone showed up whenever they wanted, in FP or ressies, there would be long lines for tables/rides, and both FP and ressies would be useless.

All that being said... I'd call 24-48 hours before your ressie and see if they could get you in sooner. People cancel ressies and maybe an earlier one will open up.

 

[smartlabelprint]

I was not sure I could check in before my time. I thought I remembered being told for a F! dinner to come back close to my ADR time. So...this helps a great -- I can figure out what time I want to eat and plan on coming 45 minutes or so earlier vs checking in at my ADR and waiting for 45 or so.

Off topic but we came early to carnation cafe & they were kind of cranky with us. Won't be going back. at least Oscar was nice.

 

[Brock552]

The few times I have been. We just show up 30 minutes or so early and ask for waterfront. They were able to get us in around the reservation time.