Why It’s Still SO HARD to Get a Reservation at This Disney Restaurant That Opened in 1967

One of Disneyland’s oldest restaurants is still one of the hardest reservations in the park.

When the Pirates of the Caribbean attraction first opened at Disneyland in 1967, the attraction was revolutionary thanks to its massive scale and large amount of animatronics. However, the ride itself wasn’t the only game-changing part of Pirates’ opening. In fact, one could argue that the Blue Bayou restaurant, which opened along with the ride, has been just as influential in the evolution of Disney Parks.

The Blue Bayou’s opening checked off several “firsts” for Disney restaurants when it opened in March of 1967. It was the first fine dining restaurant in the park, first that took reservations, and first that was thematically combined with an attraction — if you’ve never been, the Blue Bayou shares a show building with Pirates of the Caribbean and is set in the eternal twilight of a southern plantation porch on the bayou, with POTC ride vehicles constantly passing by diner’s tables.

The restaurant became so successful in Anaheim that versions have also opened at Disneyland Paris and Tokyo Disneyland, while more generally the idea of heavily themed fine dining has become an integral part of the overall Disney Parks experience.

As the Blue Bayou approaches its 58th birthday next year, the restaurant seems to show no signs of slowing down. In a recent 9 (out of 10) star review left by an AllEars reader, the restaurant received heavy praise. The reviewer told us, “We went to Blue Bayou for dinner on 09-24-24. We were seated promptly at our reservation time. We were seated at a table next to the water. Our waiter was great( wish I could remember his name). I had the filet mignon and my husband had the ribeye. Both were cooked perfect, were tender & had a lot of flavor. The only hiccup we had was they originally brought out 2 filets and my husband had to wait for his ribeye.”

Between its historical importance, heavy theming, and high (especially for Disneyland) food standards, the restaurant remains one of the hardest to score a reservation at the “Happiest Place on Earth.” So, what’s the best way to get into Blue Bayou if you want to?

Well, first off, as with almost all of Disney’s most in-demand restaurants, you’ll need to wake up early. Blue Bayou reservations open up at 6:00AM pacific time 60 days out. So, you’ll want to be on either the Disneyland app or website at somewhere around 5:58AM pacific and ready to continue refreshing until reservations pop up. Be forewarned, these reservations go quickly.

If you’re unable to secure a reservation, you’re not completely out of luck. You can use the Mobile Dine Walk-Up Availability option on the Disneyland app to hopefully get in the same day.

Disneyland’s Blue Bayou is one of the most historically important restaurants on Disney property, and it remains one of the most in-demand at Walt’s original park. However, there are ways to try and nail down a reservation. Stay tuned to AllEars for further Disney dining tips.

6 Things a Disney World Fan Needs to Know Before Visiting Disneyland

Join the AllEars.net Newsletter to stay on top of ALL the breaking Disney News! You'll also get access to AllEars tips, reviews, trivia, and MORE! Click here to Subscribe!

Have you ever eaten at the Blue Bayou? Let us know in the comments below.