UPDATED 12-23-23:
1. 60 days in advance: Advanced Dining Reservations open at 5:45 am EST, 60 days in advance. Disney World Resort guests and guests at Good Neighbor Hotels (this does NOT apply to Disneyland unfortunately) can make reservations for their entire vacation starting 60 days ahead of the first day of their trip, allowing them to book up to 69 days in advance for the later days of their trip. Prioritize your booking order by difficulty, not chronologically, to secure reservations at the most challenging restaurants first. Use this page to figure out the exact day you can book.
2. Use your Virtual Plaid: Head to your Virtual Plaid in MouseWait (become a MouseWait ALL-ACCESS Member today for unlimited dining alerts and a lot more!) and enter your reservation details. Just type “dinner” and get results: Our dining system utilizes state-of-the-art GPT-4 technology, enabling you to input natural language queries that are transformed into robust restaurant searches. You can simply ask, “dinner” and Kate, your Virtual Plaid, will search for dinner reservations tonight for 2 by default. Then try “dinner tomorrow” or “dinner jan 1.” See how it’s done in this video:
3. Try ALL meal times: Set an alert for breakfast, brunch, lunch, and dinner. Make multiple requests and press “Yes” when asked if you’d like to track. With MouseWait ALL-ACCESS, you can track all these slots without limit. The more you ask for, the better your odds. Unlike most dining reservation systems, you get unlimited dining alerts with MouseWait ALL-ACCESS!
4. Setting alerts for restaurants is easy: When you search for a restaurant by name, “blue bayou for 3 tomorrow,” if Kate can’t find an open reservation, she will ask if you want her to keep looking. Hit YES. She will search nonstop until she hopefully finds an open table. Then, she will send you a push notification (enable immediate notifications) and send an email (make sure you’re logged into your MouseWait account).
5. Stay Alert: Your Virtual Plaid will send a Push Notification when a slot opens up. It’s important to act on the push notification the second it comes in, otherwise the reservation could get scooped up by someone else. Our Push Notification will take you to the MouseWait App where you will click on a customized link that takes you directly to the Disney site where you must finalize your reservation.
6. TIP: Pre-fill your Disney login and add your credit card to your Disney account ahead of time. You can use a password manager to pre-fill you login info (Disney unfortunately makes you login each time) so you can move through their reservation forms quickly.
7. Group Strategies: For large groups, it can be easier to find openings for two smaller tables than one large table. If connected as Family and Friends in the Disney system, different families can make reservations for each other. Consider booking for a table of 3 instead of 2, as reservations for tables of 2 go fast due to fewer available tables.
8. MouseWait Priority Support: as an ALL-ACCESS member you get access to expert help. If you need anything, let us know!
9. Walk-up strategy and last-minute finds: Kate will make every effort to find an available reservation for you. If she is unable to do so, you can join a walk-up waitlist when you arrive at the park. Additionally, keep searching as there may be last-minute cancellations.
10. NEW! Take a pic of your food, or screenshot food from the Lounge, and get a Disney-inspired recipe with MouseWait VISION for Disneyland and Disney World:
BONUS PARK TIPS:
Arriving Early: The key to a successful day at Disneyland or Disney World is starting early. Arriving an hour before the official park opening is crucial, as it allows you to be at the front of the crowd. This strategy is essential for all guests, regardless of whether they are staying on Disney property or not. The benefits of early arrival include less crowded attractions and a more relaxed pace to enjoy the park. It sets the tone for the entire day. Save money by bringing your own breakfast and eating while in line. This way, the wait will go by faster and you won’t waste time eating breakfast in the park.
Maximizing Disney Genie+: Prioritize Lightning Lane attractions. Keep in mind, everything gets more crowded as the day goes on, so get as much done in the morning as you can. Disney Genie+ can be purchased after midnight on the first day of your visit, with ride reservations starting at 7 AM. Linking parties together on multiple devices is vital to ensure group bookings. Be aware of the 120-minute rule for booking Lightning Lanes. To maximize ride opportunities, book your next Lightning Lane immediately after tapping into your current one. Regularly refreshing the app helps in finding better return times or new availability. The Tip Board on the MyDisneyExperience app is also a useful tool for tracking wait times and planning your day.
A gamble with Genie+ is to book rides that frequently break down, like Indiana Jones Adventure, early in the morning. If the ride is down, you’ll receive a Multiple Experience pass, usable on other rides
Using Mobile Ordering at Disneyland: Place mobile orders early especially for popular items like gingerbread men from Jolly Holiday. It’s available at most quick-service restaurants and snack bars. You can order any time after arriving at the park, but for popular spots, it’s advisable to order in advance. The food isn’t cooked until you check in through the app, so it’s fresh and ready quickly.
Parade and Ride Timing: Watch the 3:30 PM Christmas Fantasy Parade near “it’s a small world” Holiday, then ride it afterward to see the lighting. Alternatively, watch the 6:30 PM parade for a relaxed experience near food carts and spaces.
Candy Canes and Photo Opportunities: For unique holiday treats like the coveted Candy Canes, head straight to Candy Palace early. Also, take your Main Street Christmas tree photo in the morning when you’re fresh, and lines are shorter.
Rider Swap for Families: Families with small children can use Rider Swap on rides with height limits, allowing adults to take turns without waiting in line again.
Resort Monorail for Magic Kingdom Exit: Use the Resort Monorail instead of the Transportation and Ticket Center monorail to avoid crowds when leaving Magic Kingdom.