Disneyland Park Reservations for dummies (me)

[OffToDWD]

Haven't been to Disneyland for a few years and hoping to visit next April... this whole reservation thing is kinda confusing for me. So much info out there (some conflicting) and to make it more fun, it sounds like it's different for Disney World! Below is what I've gathered for Disneyland - does it sound correct?

For those with Annual Pass - can book 90 days in advance
For those staying onsite - can book 120 days in advance (but can't book for the entire length of the stay so would have to book 1 day at a time for the duration of the stay if booking exactly 120 days out)
For those with "regular" tickets - can book 120 days in advance (can you book for the entire length of the ticket?)

For this with Annual Pass - let's take the Dream Key as an example:
** Can make up to 6 reservations at one time. 1 reservation needed per day even if park hopping. Need to make the reservation for the park that you want to start with and without an additional reservation, can go to the other park anytime after 1pm. Can go back and forth between the 2 parks as many times as you want as long as it's after 1pm.
** Can start making reservations before activating the annual pass
** If not going to the park, will need to cancel the reservation.

If someone has a reservation for an onsite hotel AND an annual pass, they can make the reservation at 120 days due to the hotel reservation.

Sound correct so far? Am I missing anything?

If staying onsite, how many reservations can you make?

Is there one location where you can check the reservation availability for all 3 options (annual pass, hotel guests, ticket holders) or have to check them individually?

If I make a reservation but decided not to go to the park until after 1pm, do I still have to go to my reserved park before going to the second one? For example, I make a reservation for Disneyland Park but on that day, I don't feel like going to the parks until 3pm and want to go to California Adventure instead... can I do that without entering Disneyland Park first? Or need to scan my tickets to enter Disneyland Park first and then leave so I can enter California Adventure?

If there are any tips/suggestions - happy to hear it! Thanks in advance of any help!

 

[pharmama]

If someone has a reservation for an onsite hotel AND an annual pass, they can make the reservation at 120 days due to the hotel reservation.

Hopefully someone else can verify this...early on they were saying that MK holders would still be limited to the shorter window regardless of onsite reservations but maybe that's changed.

If staying onsite, how many reservations can you make?

Are you asking if you can make more reservations via your onsite hotel booking than people on the reservation (ie- you have a room reservation for four people but have tickets for 6 people because some of your party are staying elsewhere)? If so, I'm not sure on this one.

Is there one location where you can check the reservation availability for all 3 options (annual pass, hotel guests, ticket holders) or have to check them individually?

Here's the "secret link" to the calendar with all 3.

If I make a reservation but decided not to go to the park until after 1pm, do I still have to go to my reserved park before going to the second one? For example, I make a reservation for Disneyland Park but on that day, I don't feel like going to the parks until 3pm and want to go to California Adventure instead... can I do that without entering Disneyland Park first? Or need to scan my tickets to enter Disneyland Park first and then leave so I can enter California Adventure?

I believe the answer is with regular tickets you must go to the park you reserved first, regardless of what time you arrive, but for MK holders they can go directly to the "other" park after 1pm.

 

[OffToDWD]

Thank you!!!!

 

[OffToDWD]

Are you asking if you can make more reservations via your onsite hotel booking than people on the reservation (ie- you have a room reservation for four people but have tickets for 6 people because some of your party are staying elsewhere)? If so, I'm not sure on this one.

I think I was confusing myself! I was wondering if I booked a week long stay at an onsite hotel... can I hold a parking entry reservation for each of those days? Or is there a limit? Thanks!

 

[pharmama]

I think I was confusing myself! I was wondering if I booked a week long stay at an onsite hotel... can I hold a parking entry reservation for each of those days? Or is there a limit? Thanks!

Got it. For "regular tickets" you can make as many reservations as you have tickets for. Onsite guests get access to a different "bucket" of reservations but your reservations are still tied/to based on park tickets. Only MK holders have limits on how many reservations they can hold at one time.

 

[OffToDWD]

Got it. For "regular tickets" you can make as many reservations as you have tickets for. Onsite guests get access to a different "bucket" of reservations but your reservations are still tied/to based on park tickets. Only MK holders have limits on how many reservations they can hold at one time.

Ah - got it! Thanks!