Walk-Up Reservations + Mobile Waitlists?

[CharleneTheDM]

Hi all,

I haven't been able to snag some table service restaurants via 60 days out but there are a few restaurants I want to dine in at during my early December visit. I've never done walk-up reservations the day of, could you tell me more about them and share any tips?

Like, when do the walk-up reservation kiosk open?
For example I have a Parkhopper and start at DCA and want to do Boardwalk Dining at Lamplight Lounge.
How early can I drop by to get on the waiting list?

Also, I saw that some restaurants had a mobile sign-up for the waiting list? How close in proximity do you have to be to the actual location to make the list? How long are the waits? Could you make an in-person reservation for another day? (I'm going to the parks 4 days in a row, could I make in-person reservations for another day? or is it only first come first serve?)

The restaurants I really want to check out are:
- Lamplight Lounge Boardwalk Dining
- Carnation Cafe
- Carthay Circle Lounge

Thanks so much in advance!

 

[nicole88s]

I don't know the answer to all of your questions, but I can tell you my experience. I was at Disneyland on 10/20 and we had a reservation for Carnation Cafe at 12:50. By 11:20 my kids were both starving and ready for lunch since we had been up since 6:30 for rope drop. I walked into Carnation Cafe and they said I could put my name on a list for 11:30 when the restaurant opened for lunch. They were probably 5 groups in line doing the same thing. They said to stay on main street and they would text when they could get us in. Right at 11:30 we got a text and so did all the people I had been in line with, so it looks like if you are there a few minutes before lunch service they will get you in.

 

[figment_jii]

Also, I saw that some restaurants had a mobile sign-up for the waiting list? How close in proximity do you have to be to the actual location to make the list? How long are the waits? Could you make an in-person reservation for another day? (I'm going to the parks 4 days in a row, could I make in-person reservations for another day? or is it only first come first serve?

I can't actually speak to the three you're mentioning, but I did try the mobile wait list for Oga's Cantina and it was kind of a mixed bag. You have to be within a certain proximity to the restaurant to join the wait list (I'm guessing within a couple hundred feet - I tried once I got to Fantasyland, but it said I had to be closer and got that same message until I passed through the arch way into Galaxy's Edge, which is about 300 ft from Oga's). The wait varies depending on how many people are ahead of you. Oga's had an estimate listed on the app before I joined the wait list. The wait list does eventually fill up (at least at Oga's it did). Once you're on the wait list, watch for the text confirming that you've joined the wait list and then you'll get another text when they're ready for you. For Oga's, the Disneyland App will show that you're on the wait list, but it does not update to show when you've been called - that only happens via text. So you have to watch for the text. After that, you return to the restaurant and they'll seat you. As far as I could tell, you can only do the wait list for day of and it's a "first come first serve" system so you can't join and say you'd like a table at any specific time. It's basically like a normal restaurant wait list; you sign up when you get to the restaurant (in this case, it's digital) and then wait for them to text you.

 

[cuteinnocent]

I can't actually speak to the three you're mentioning, but I did try the mobile wait list for Oga's Cantina and it was kind of a mixed bag. You have to be within a certain proximity to the restaurant to join the wait list (I'm guessing within a couple hundred feet - I tried once I got to Fantasyland, but it said I had to be closer and got that same message until I passed through the arch way into Galaxy's Edge, which is about 300 ft from Oga's). The wait varies depending on how many people are ahead of you. Oga's had an estimate listed on the app before I joined the wait list. The wait list does eventually fill up (at least at Oga's it did). Once you're on the wait list, watch for the text confirming that you've joined the wait list and then you'll get another text when they're ready for you. For Oga's, the Disneyland App will show that you're on the wait list, but it does not update to show when you've been called - that only happens via text. So you have to watch for the text. After that, you return to the restaurant and they'll seat you. As far as I could tell, you can only do the wait list for day of and it's a "first come first serve" system so you can't join and say you'd like a table at any specific time. It's basically like a normal restaurant wait list; you sign up when you get to the restaurant (in this case, it's digital) and then wait for them to text you.

So what time did you get on the list and what time did you get called?