Trader Sam's reservations opening before 6am

[Chokky]

Data point from last night. The date for Trader Sam showed up at Midnight PST, but no times showed. You could start reserving times at 12:30am PST. We are staying at Disney Hotel DVC and have that reservation linked. On the night we had a cash booked room there, we didn’t gain early access, even though that reservation was also linked.

 

[AndrewC]

I will never understand their system for this. Two nights in a row now that have fallen into the window where I have a DLH reservation. ONLY Trader Sam’s date becomes selectable at midnight pacific time. Though no reservations are loaded until about 12:25-12:28am. However, BOTH nights appear to only have some select times (slowest times?) loaded in. Like 5:55, 6:10, 6:45, 9, and 9:25pm. Something like that… nothing later than 9:30 and no lunch times. Like I’m mashing buttons in the app to reload and change party size and everything, both nights I never got a glimpse of different times than that being available. I truly don’t think they’re being snagged faster than what I can do, especially because those times I listed remain available for about an hour (when I finally go to sleep), but of course at gone at like 6:00:20 am, literally in seconds the next morning, lol

I mean if this is an intentional “perk” for spending $600+ a night at the hotel, that’s awesome and it did work to get me a couple reservations… but it’s wildly annoying with the limited times.

I was hoping to get 10pm or later to close out a night. 9:25 is doable, but feels like you’re bailing on Disneyland a little early and is just a little tight to try to get back into the park at like 10:15pm or something…

Before OBB I was hoping to score a ~2pm… but anything between 11am and the 3pm entry would have worked… but of course I only got that weird selection of times I listed above. Frustrating.

Also, NOWHERE else showed up early for me, so if it is a hotel guest perk, it’s ONLY for Trader Sam’s… or just a wildly stupid glitch that is beneficial, but not ideal.

On the plus side, reservations for other “hot” places; Blue Bayou, Lamplight, cantina, etc are lingering MUCH longer than last year… hours into the morning and sometimes even the next day. I’m hoping that’s a strong sign at weaker demand, even if just at the table services…

 

[DisneylandFan22]

I set an alert even before the date I wanted was supposed to be available and was up all night checking at the 60 day mark. I never saw any reservations available for the date and never received an alert. I have left the alert up since then and have never gotten anything for any availability. The date is 9/21.

 

[AndrewC]

I set an alert even before the date I wanted was supposed to be available and was up all night checking at the 60 day mark. I never saw any reservations available for the date and never received an alert. I have left the alert up since then and have never gotten anything for any availability. The date is 9/21.

Yep, the previous site I used for alerts have also never triggered an alert this year…. Possibly not working any more… I might reach out to their admin and let them know the service basically isn’t beneficial anymore. I know there are a couple other sites but I haven’t tried them and don’t know if they work.

Disney probably changed something on their backend, which is fine, but these sites, especially when taking money, should be spot checking their services frequently.

 

[AndrewC]

Tonight a couple “oops we found something wrong” when trying to load the calendar in the app AND it showed Wednesday the 23rd for both Sam’s AND BB at 11:58pm… no reservations have been loaded yet though. We’ll see if they hit again around 12:28am… Disney must just have the most janky system ever…

Spoke too soon… BB date disappeared. Sam went live for me (DLH reservation) at 12:23am AND had way more options loaded, nothing later than 9:25pm again, but they did have some lunch options!

 

[maleficent55]

I’m not sure if anybody has mentioned this yet, but you can always sign up for an alert system through a Dining alert webpage. I use Mouse Dining and even if you do the free version which gives you email alerts only you at least get an alert when the dining reservations go live and then you can directly go into the app and grab what you want.

 

[AndrewC]

I’m not sure if anybody has mentioned this yet, but you can always sign up for an alert system through a Dining alert webpage. I use and even if you do the free version which gives you email alerts only you at least get an alert when the dining reservations go live and then you can directly go into the app and grab what you want.

You might want to edit the actual name out, not sure we’re allowed to mention them by name.

I’m familiar with them and have used paid options and this year they don’t seem to be working nearly as well. You won’t catch anything at release with them, but it might help track down the random cancellations.

 

[got2travel]

I have also noticed that this year the alert site is not notifying me. The free version has worked well in the past, but no alerts received whatsoever when Goofy’s went live and availability remained for several days. Doubt my Trader Sam’s alert will yield any results.

 

[twodogs]

We are coming in October, staying at GCH. Trader Sam’s reservations absolutely were bookable for me hours prior to 6am PST, but ONLY if I went through the actual restaurant booking site on the website, NOT by looking at the “check dining availability” on the app. When I used the app, the date was greyed out until exactly 6am PST. But when I went through the website and chose TS, it let me book hours before 6am. Nothing else that I wanted (BB, LL) was bookable by either method prior to 6am.

 

[AndrewC]

We are coming in October, staying at GCH. Trader Sam’s reservations absolutely were bookable for me hours prior to 6am PST, but ONLY if I went through the actual restaurant booking site on the website, NOT by looking at the “check dining availability” on the app. When I used the app, the date was greyed out until exactly 6am PST. But when I went through the website and chose TS, it let me book hours before 6am. Nothing else that I wanted (BB, LL) was bookable by either method prior to 6am.

Did you ever see times after like 9:30pm available? Three nights in a row I’ve seen 10pm and 11pm grayed even at the “early booking” times. All the other options stay for hours, so it doesn’t feel like there is just a mad dash and those late times disappear immediately. I’m starting to wonder if they release any availability for those times or if that late at night it’s day of/walkup only since that’s probably when you’re going to have a bunch of hotel guests checking it out to see if they can get in for few drinks…

 

[twodogs]

Did you ever see times after like 9:30pm available? Three nights in a row I’ve seen 10pm and 11pm grayed even at the “early booking” times. All the other options stay for hours, so it doesn’t feel like there is just a mad dash and those late times disappear immediately. I’m starting to wonder if they release any availability for those times or if that late at night it’s day of/walkup only since that’s probably when you’re going to have a bunch of hotel guests checking it out to see if they can get in for few drinks…

I did not. It was some pretty random times like you listed above. Maybe they do that to space folks out and allow for walk ups? Disney, why is this so difficult?????

 

[AndrewC]

I did not. It was some pretty random times like you listed above. Maybe they do that to space folks out and allow for walk ups? Disney, why is this so difficult?????

Totally. I wish they were just very clear on if hotel guests actually book early or not… I’ve got to believe this is an unpublished perk, but it’s so oddly done and why not open it to “select” locations like BB, Lamplight, Sam’s, maybe one more in demand place. Then actually advertise booking at midnight vs 6am as an actual Disney resort guest perk.

I’m also fine (kinda), with only select times being available early… but when you show 10pm and 11pm but just have them grayed out constantly, you make it seem like I *could’ve” got those but wasn’t fast enough.

Based on how long those other reservations hung around though I HAVE to believe every time slot isn’t bookable at midnight, and maybe not even at 6am. The 10pm and 11pm constantly remain the most impossible for me to snag and I always want to do a late Trader Sam’s to close out the night since I usually stay the the DLH, just less back and forth that way. I’ll take a 9pm… but it’s just kinda awkward to work into the evening.

 

[AndrewC]

I just released an 11:35am for up to 4 people on Wed Oct 23rd

 

[AndrewC]

I just released an 11:35am for up to 4 people on Wed Oct 23rd

Well I think I just confirmed that the alert sites aren’t working (or demand is zero!) since my 11:35am dropped reservation is STILL available over an hour later! Lol

Edit: Almost two and a half hours and STILL there!

 

[AndrewC]

Well I thought I had a big brain moment. All three dining locations at the DLH that accept reservations went live around 12:28am, nothing in the parks. Ok, so I thought maybe if you’re a resort guest then just resort restaurants show up early… but then check stuff over at the Grand and Pixar… and nope, those didn’t open.

Ah ha! Maybe it’s just the resort YOU”RE staying in! That makes some kind of sense… but then you mentioned you were staying over at the GC but could get Trader Sam…

 

[maleficent55]

You might want to edit the actual name out, not sure we’re allowed to mention them by name.

I’m familiar with them and have used paid options and this year they don’t seem to be working nearly as well. You won’t catch anything at release with them, but it might help track down the random cancellations.

They alert with ANY availability
So whether it’s a sudden random cancellation or a release of multi reservation time slots, you’ll get the alert. I’ve gotten an alert at a release time for a specific restaurant with multi times for one day. So like 6 times slots for dinner at once with the release

 

[Mrjoshua]

I tried to get reservations after 10pm for 5 consecutive dates in September. I was pretty persistent, and was stalking online for the reservation drop. Nothing ever appeared after 9:25pm reservations. It was always grayed out (along with certain other time slots).

I am of the belief that Disney holds reservation timeslots for later drops, for the high rollers, or perhaps just for wiggle room.

 

[maleficent55]

I have also noticed that this year the alert site is not notifying me. The free version has worked well in the past, but no alerts received whatsoever when Goofy’s went live and availability remained for several days. Doubt my Trader Sam’s alert will yield any results.

I got alerts when Goofys went live with the Halloween drop. I got TONS of alerts. but I do the paid versions, not the free for what its worth.

 

[AndrewC]

100% tied to a resort reservation. First day in the reservation opening window after I check out of the DLH and none of the 3 onsite restaurants went live at ~12:30am.

This is the weirdest and most janky way to implement a perk for spending a metric ton of money at their resort.

 

[maleficent55]

I actually tried yesterday, I am tied to a resort too, GCH.

I tried at 0300, 0430 and 0600. Nothing for dinner.
This is the FIRST time I've been unsuccessful and the first time I've not seen ANY dinner reservations pop up.

Very odd. I'll be trying agin soon for later in my trip but at this point not going to stress and will try for a walk up