Help Please! 60 day window opens tomorrow and I'm clueless!

[MTW]

I have a conference in Anaheim so we (as WDW passholders) decided to take the whole family the week before. I am a WDW planning guru but am totally clueless about DL other than I think we want to book Blue Bayou F! package. I know the planning may not be as intricate but this may be our one big trip to DL so I would like to do it right. We will have three nights at the Grand Californian (1BR DVC) and then we're moving to a house with extended family. It will be me, DH and our three boys (14,11,6) for Mon-Wednesday then we will be joined by my parents and sister's family (her DH and 1 year old daughter) for Thursday and Saturday.
Any recommendations on what to shoot for tomorrow? What are the tough reservations to get? Thanks for any help you can provide. Since we're thinking this may be it (East Coasters - expensive flights), price isn't that much of a concern for dining and my kids are fairly adventurous eaters. Appreciate everyone's help! Its the end of the school year and my husband is a HS coach in playoffs so we're swamped and I haven't had the time to do the research I should have

 

[Kittyskyfish]

Welcome to the D'Land side!

In my experience, there isn't any real crush to make dining reservations. Even the Fantasmic dining package at the Blue Bayou has availability in June! Go onto the Disneyland website and you'll see plenty of options to choose from, less than a week out. We come from Ohio every December and I get a big thrill out of planning my schedule out, but dining planning far in advance is something I do because I want to do it, not because it has to be done. Half the time I'm swapping out ressies for different times and locations while we're THERE. hth!!

 

[theluckyrabbit]

When you have some time today, read through this very helpful thread: A DLR Guide for WDW Vets. You'll find lots of good information there!
Since you already know that you want the BB F! Dining Package, that can be booked online or by phone. The only F! package that has to be booked 60 days out would be the RBT Premium Package (dinner on the RBT patio while watching the first F! show), but that view isn't as good as the view from the BB section. RBT Premium Package does come with dinner and a chair, but if ground seating is fine with you, then the BB view can't be beat.
If you want to do Afternoon Tea at Steakhouse 55 in the DLH, that should be booked 60 days out. Tea reservations are hard to get and book quickly.
But most reservations at DLR aren't so hard to get. You can look online to see what looks good and book TS reservations easily that way. All DLR menus are available at allears.net if you want to get an idea of what's offered at the different restaurants.

 

[Queen of the WDW Scene]

You're going to find that its no big deal.
Just go on and make the ADR. You won't have a ton of competition.
Its also easy to just walk up the day of as well.

 

[theluckyrabbit]

...Its also easy to just walk up the day of as well.

BB is probably the exception to this -- it's getting more and more common to see walk-up guests turned away at the BB podium, especially during more crowded times. We're seeing it more often at places like Carnation Cafe, too. While TS dining at DLR is generally more relaxed than it is at WDW, if there is a location where you know you want to eat, a dining package that you know you want, if you have a large party, want to dine during peak hours, have special dietary needs, are celebrating something special, or have a special request of some kind, it will be easier to make a Priority Seating reservation either by phone or online.
But even if you decide day of that you want to dine somewhere on site and don't have a reservation, check the DLR app or call the Dine Line. It isn't uncommon to find something day of if you aren't a big group and are flexible about dining times.

 

[figment_jii]

As others have said, dining reservations are much easier to get at DLR than they are at WDW. If you go online tomorrow and see that something is unavailable, it's more likely that they haven't yet loaded it into the system opposed to already being fully booked. Just keep checking and things will eventually be loaded into the system.

For the BB F!, if you know you want that, then I would go ahead and make a reservation when you can, but I wouldn't worry that it'll fully book out on the first day. I don't know the cut-off anymore, but the time of the reservation does impact whether you're slated for the first or second F! showing of the day (if there are two). Earlier reservations are usually for the first show and later reservations are for the second show. When you get to the BB, it's worth it to request a waterside table; the CMs will usually honor requests, but it might take longer to be seated.

Otherwise, you can often find pretty good reservations a few weeks out. Sometimes there are things available day of, but it's not guaranteed, so if you know you want to eat somewhere specific, I would make an ADR. I've seen walk-up guests turned away from Blue Bayou, Carnation Cafe, Cafe Orleans, and Carthay Circle. Other times, they have accepted walk-ups, but the waits have been in excess of an hour (for a party of four). So it's worth it to make an ADR, especially if you're a big group or you want to eat at a typical meal time. I would also recommend keeping an eye on the Blogs and Boards for any announcements about when ADRs become available for Lamplight Lounge (the "new" restaurant in DCA that is replacing Ariel's Grotto - it's supposed to open with Pixar Pier in late-June and I would guess it'll be popular initially).

Along those lines, DLR also has some pretty good counter service options: French Market (chicken, french dip), Plaza Inn (fried chicken), Red Rose Tavern (poutine), Flo's (I haven't tried the new menu, but the atmosphere is fun, especially for any Cars fans), Alien's Pizza Planet (salads), Jolly Holiday Bakery Cafe (desserts), and Bengal BBQ (skewers) are among my favorites.

 

[Queen of the WDW Scene]

BB is probably the exception to this -- it's getting more and more common to see walk-up guests turned away at the BB podium, especially during more crowded times. We're seeing it more often at places like Carnation Cafe, too. While TS dining at DLR is generally more relaxed than it is at WDW, if there is a location where you know you want to eat, a dining package that you know you want, if you have a large party, want to dine during peak hours, have special dietary needs, are celebrating something special, or have a special request of some kind, it will be easier to make a Priority Seating reservation either by phone or online.
But even if you decide day of that you want to dine somewhere on site and don't have a reservation, check the DLR app or call the Dine Line. It isn't uncommon to find something day of if you aren't a big group and are flexible about dining times.

I certainly would make an ADR if its something that is important to me.
I made an ADR for BB last year when I went because I knew I wanted to eat there but it also was easy enough for 2 other groups I was with to walk up and get it at the same time as I did and this was during the FBLA conference and just a couple days prior to 4th of July.
When you're used to making ADR's 180+10 out at WDW and still having to deal with the potential of getting a less desirable time or day than you wanted DLR is oddly scary easy lol.

 

[Winnowill]

I'll echo what PPs have said. By all means, book as soon as you can if you wish, but there's no need to be at the computer the instant your window opens. It's one of the best aspects of DLR vs WDW. The recommended ones have been mentioned, but even with them you can wait a little while, typically.

 

[HydroGuy]

This may help:

"What WDW Vets Need to Know About Dining at DLR" http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2914467

 

[MTW]

Thank you so much for your helpful responses! I've been to Disneyland twice but only for day trips and none of my family has been. I will read the posts for WDW vets. I am very comfortable at WDW and just don't want this trip to fall short because I'm unprepared (aka a type A planner
I'll try to continue to read the boards, I was just concerned since the 60 day window snuck up on me. I'm very excited to go but overwhelmed with the small differences; maxpass, 60 days, fewer restaurant choices...but I understand the food in CA is much preferable so yay for that!

 

[mort1331]

Is the cancelation policy the same as wdw. 24 hours no charge?

 

[Winnowill]

Is the cancelation policy the same as wdw. 24 hours no charge?

Yes.

 

[Doingitagain]

Is the cancelation policy the same as wdw. 24 hours no charge?

I believe the Sonoma Terrace PTN Reception must be cancelled at least 72 hours in advance. The others are 24 hours.

 

[ktlm]

Thank you so much for your helpful responses! I've been to Disneyland twice but only for day trips and none of my family has been. I will read the posts for WDW vets. I am very comfortable at WDW and just don't want this trip to fall short because I'm unprepared (aka a type A planner
I'll try to continue to read the boards, I was just concerned since the 60 day window snuck up on me. I'm very excited to go but overwhelmed with the small differences; maxpass, 60 days, fewer restaurant choices...but I understand the food in CA is much preferable so yay for that!

We are WDW vets, that have also been to DLR every year for the last 8 years. One of our favorite things about DLR resort is how much easier DLR planning is than WDW planning. You really don't have to plan much other than a couple of dining reservations- any dessert parties etc you want to attend, and before you go to have a working knowledge of which rides are the absolute most popular so you can have a plan for those in advance. The CS food is much better at DLR than at WDW in my opinion, so even if you don't have that many dining reservations, you will be fine.

You definitely want to book the BB fantasmic package early since that is at the top of your list. That is the most likely to book up. The WOC dessert package is a nice way to see WOC -- you get an actual chair. It is a little farther back, but we don't mind that. The other good option for WOC, if you want to be close and you don't mind the wet zone, is to do the WOC dining package. You still have to get there early to get a spot-- but we have gotten there 45 minutes in advance and gotten right on the front rail--- you will get wet. We actually bring ponchos, and a big plastic ziplock back for my purse and whatever else we might be carrying that we don't want to get wet. If you don't want the wet zone and are height challenged, even with the dining package, you would want to get there earlier and get in line to try to get one of the really good spots.

Catch Carsland at night at some point-- the lights are really impressive. Also, enter it from the Wharf at some point-- the view is really impressive both day and night from that angle.

 

[PHXscuba]

I did a little nosing about for another purpose and right now the only "must-do-at-60-days" seems to be the Paint the Night dining packages in DCA. (And IMO unless you really want to eat at those restaurants a package/seat isn't necessary to view the parade) Even the Fantasmic packages are getting a lot easier to get.

I would say that anything you want for a group of 10 I would get sooner rather than later, like character dining. Minnie's seems to be harder to get right now because it's the only in-park character dining. GCH and the PPH have just revamped their character meals (starting in July) if either appeals to you, but the hotel ones should be easier to get.

My personal favorite and the one we visit most is Carnation Cafe. That, Cafe Orleans, and Wine Country Trattoria all have easy availability. Plus all of the good restaurants in Downtown Disney and the hotels are walking distance and inside the security perimeter, which gives you lots more options.

PHXscuba