Totally confused. Please help

[JeannieNM]

My daughter and I are California residents. We want to go to Disneyland for one day on May 9. There are no reservations as of now.
1) if we book another day and May 9 opens up can we change our reservation?
2) If we book a room at Grand Californian are they able to arrange a reservation for us?
3) any suggestions? ( we live in LA but it would be fun to have one night in the hotel anyway)

I have read as much as I can and I am still confused.
Thank you for the help

 

[Kender]

1) yes, you can cancel your reservation and book a new one. Note it is not a swap so there is a risk that both dates could be booked up in the process

2) you can make your own reservation after you've booked your GCH stay. There's been what appears to be an unmentioned hotel bucket and it looks like 5/9 still has availability for both parks

 

[Katiebird]

I think you could also buy a ticket and just not make a reservation right away, and then keep watching the calendar to see if your date opens up. That way you wouldn’t be trying to cancel and reserving in one go. You do run the risk of your date never opening up and then your second choice (if you had one in mind) not being available either at that point.

 

[JeannieNM]

[QUOTE="Kender, post: 62922578, member: 565049"There's been what appears to be an unmentioned hotel bucket and it looks like 5/9 still has availability for both parks
[/QUOTE]
Can you explain this please. I don’t understand how to access this. Hotel bucket? Also when does GCH open. We would just be staying for fun as we both live in LA.

 

[Kender]

GCH reopens tomorrow (April 29). Reservations opened up on April 15.

You can view the availability calendar here that has a hotel guest calendar option. Many have reported they do see even sold out days available to actually book if they have a hotel reservation so it seems true there is a special bucket of reservations available for Disney hotel guests:

https://disneyland.disney.go.com/av...gments=ticket,ph,resort&defaultSegment=ticket

 

[Sunnyore]

I can confirmed the park reservations for hotel guests seems to be completely wide open so far. I managed to finally book a GCV room for June earlier this week and when I first checked, the date was sold out for single ticket reservations. But when I attached my hotel reservation to my app, I saw all days were available for me to reserve. So yes, staying in the hotel would be possible way to get park reservations for May 9.

 

[SeaDis]

I can confirmed the park reservations for hotel guests seems to be completely wide open so far. I managed to finally book a GCV room for June earlier this week and when I first checked, the date was sold out for single ticket reservations. But when I attached my hotel reservation to my app, I saw all days were available for me to reserve. So yes, staying in the hotel would be possible way to get park reservations for May 9.

Confirming this also... the hotel availability (bucket) is definitely working and available. Steps:

1) Book your Grand Cal night and either add tickets or buy them separately. *If separately, you will need to link them to your account.
2) Create account on Disneyland.com in the process, if you don't have one.
3) Using your account, view your hotel reservation. If it's not there, you will need to link it using the confirm number.
4) Click "Make Park Reservations". *If you don't go through the hotel reservation page, you will not see the same days available.
*Again, your ticket needs to be purchased, and linked, before starting this process.

May 9th is coming fast. If you want to go, I would not wait any longer. They can move capacity between buckets, so some hotel days may fill up, especially a weekend day.

Also, some ideas, if able:
*Consider buying a 2-day ticket. It's cheaper per day and you will get way more done on the trip. *Make a park reservation for May 10th also.
*Drive down really early to beat traffic. Check-in to Grand Cal (or online), drop your bags at bell services (or leave in car), and head to the Park. They will text your room number when it's ready. If not ready by 3:00 PM, follow up with them nicely.
*In the morning, check-out and put your bags with bell service (or in the car). Or, head to the Parks for a couple hours and return to have lunch/check-out/luggage. Then back to the Parks for as long as you want. Stay through rush hour hopefully!

That's almost a 2-day trip on 1-night stay. Hope you can pull it off

 

[Mimi2Cam]

Confirming this also... the hotel availability (bucket) is definitely working and available. Steps:

1) Book your Grand Cal night and either add tickets or buy them separately. *If separately, you will need to link them to your account.
2) Create account on Disneyland.com in the process, if you don't have one.
3) Using your account, view your hotel reservation. If it's not there, you will need to link it using the confirm number.
4) Click "Make Park Reservations". *If you don't go through the hotel reservation page, you will not see the same days available.
*Again, your ticket needs to be purchased, and linked, before starting this process.

May 9th is coming fast. If you want to go, I would not wait any longer. They can move capacity between buckets, so some hotel days may fill up, especially a weekend day.

Also, some ideas, if able:
*Consider buying a 2-day ticket. It's cheaper per day and you will get way more done on the trip. *Make a park reservation for May 10th also.
*Drive down really early to beat traffic. Check-in to Grand Cal (or online), drop your bags at bell services (or leave in car), and head to the Park. They will text your room number when it's ready. If not ready by 3:00 PM, follow up with them nicely.
*In the morning, check-out and put your bags with bell service (or in the car). Or, head to the Parks for a couple hours and return to have lunch/check-out/luggage. Then back to the Parks for as long as you want. Stay through rush hour hopefully!

That's almost a 2-day trip on 1-night stay. Hope you can pull it off

WOW. How nice of you to provide such detailed instructions! This is a great "to-do" list for everyone (once we're all allowed in the parks)

 

[JeannieNM]

Thank you for all the help and suggestions. You’ve been amazing!
No luck on hotel online and was swamped all day and could not sit on hold. Decided to grab a park hopper for May 11. It will be fine. We are just moving Mother’s Day to Tuesday. We will have a nice day together. (Just surprised DD could have a whole weekday free).

 

[theluckyrabbit]

Thank you for all the help and suggestions. You’ve been amazing!
No luck on hotel online and was swamped all day and could not sit on hold. Decided to grab a park hopper for May 11. It will be fine. We are just moving Mother’s Day to Tuesday. We will have a nice day together. (Just surprised DD could have a whole weekday free).

Have a wonderful time with your DD! Don't forget to get lots of photos together!

 

[Kender]

Thank you for all the help and suggestions. You’ve been amazing!
No luck on hotel online and was swamped all day and could not sit on hold. Decided to grab a park hopper for May 11. It will be fine. We are just moving Mother’s Day to Tuesday. We will have a nice day together. (Just surprised DD could have a whole weekday free).

I totally support this! Mother's day should be every day anyways. I'm glad you were able to find a compromise that works for you both!

My actual birthday is on mother's day this year, but my mom and I decided to celebrate both birthday and mother's day two weeks later because of her schedule and me wanting the longer hours. So you're not alone with celebrating mother's day a bit delayed

Have a wonderful, magical time!

 

[JeannieNM]

Have to laugh, changed our day again. DD has to be on set on the 11th. Now we booked May 16. Good news is the park is open later and we were able to get a room at GCH at an outrageously ridiculous price but it will be fun. We will stick with our one day ticket. Stay tuned to see if we actually get there in May. (over the moon that DD is getting work now that things are opening up more).
Thanks again for the help and fun,