This is an entry for “walk-up list” in our Disneyland 101 Glossary: Disneyland Resort definitions in under 101 words, from Mouse Brief. This post covers walk-up lists for restaurants at Disneyland Resort; if you are looking for information on joining a line for an attraction, see stanby queue.
Table-service restaurants at Disneyland Resort take advanced dining reservations. If you do not have a reservation for one of these restaurants, you can speak to a cast member at the dining location who can seat you or offer you an estimated wait time and place you on a “walk-up list.” You can also accomplish this through the Disneyland app where you can review the current wait time at table-service locations and add yourself to the walk-up list by selecting “Join Walk-up List” for specific restaurants. If you have notifications enabled, you should receive an alert when your table is ready.
Thanks for reading this entry in our Disneyland 101 Glossary. For other entries in alphabetical order, visit this page. For tips on dining at Disneyland, see How to Save Money & Eat Well with Disneyland Dining Tips and 5 Best Places to Eat at Disneyland Resort Parks. For answers to frequently asked questions about standby queues and dining at Disneyland Resort, keep reading.
Walk-up Lists at Disneyland Resort, FAQs
Is a walk-up list the same as a standby queue?
In general, Disneyland Resort uses the term “walk-up list” or “walk-up availability” when referring to dining locations. The term “standby queue” or “virtual queue” is more often associated with attractions.
If you are looking for information about waiting for an attraction, head to standby-queue, and if you want information about joining a virtual queue for attractions or entertainment, please explore our Disneyland Virtual Queue Guide. Finally, for general help in limiting your time waiting for food or attractions, please visit Maximize Your Disneyland Experience: Beat the Lines & Save Time.
What does “walk-up list” mean at Disneyland Resort?
Many dining locations at Disneyland Resort do not have reserved or designated seating. You order your food at a register or through mobile ordering, and then you seat yourself. However, some restaurants require you to be seated by a cast member. At these locations, you must either make a dining reservation or add your dining party to a walk-up list in order to dine at those restaurants. The walk-up list is essentially the equivalent of giving your name at the host stand at “real world” restaurants: you may be seated immediately or asked to wait.
At less-popular restaurants or meal times, you can walk-up to a Disneyland Resort restaurant and dine immediately. Other times, the cast members at those restaurants will let you know that the restaurant is at capacity and you will need to wait for a table. When you add your group to a walk-up list by using the app or speaking to a cast member, you are letting the restaurant know you are willing to wait. When a table opens that can fit your party—and when the parties who joined the list ahead of you have been accommodated—you will be notified and invited to your table.
Which restaurants have walk-up lists?
For the most part, the restaurants that accept advance dining reservations are the same restaurants that have walk-up lists. These are typically table service restaurants located in Disneyland Park, Disney California Adventure Park and the Disneyland Resort Hotels.
One recent change to note: Oga’s Cantina in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disneyland Park no longer accepts advance dining reservations. At the time of writing, all diners enter Oga’s Cantina through the walk-up list.
How do I join a walk-up list at a Disneyland Resort restaurant?
You can join a walk-up list at a Disneyland Resort restaurant by either (1) speaking to a cast member or (2) joining the walk-list through the Disneyland mobile app.
To join through a cast member, look for one stationed at the restaurant entrance with a tablet or at a podium.
To use the Disneyland mobile app to join the wait list, you will need to be close to the restaurant. Once you get within sight of the restaurant, you should be able to click through the process to join the walk-up list. You can do this by opening the app to the resort map or list of dining locations and then selecting the “Join Walk-up List” button on your desired restaurant. (If you try to do this from home or from across the resort, you will get a message that says “You’re Too Far Away. Please move closer to the restaurant and try again.”
Whether you are talking to a cast member or clicking through the app, you will share how many are in your dining party, and you will be given an estimated wait time.
Keep your mobile device handy, because when your table is ready, you will receive a text or app notification from Disney letting you know that it is time to return to the restaurant. When this happens, head to the restaurant and check-in with a cast member at the entrance.
Do I need to make dining reservations to eat at Disneyland Resort?
Walk-up lists are great, because they mean you can dine at Disneyland Resort table service restaurants without making advance dining reservations.
We have an article exploring dining reservations and whether you should make them here: Do I Need Dining Reservations for Disneyland Resort?
Is a walk-up list the same as joining a line to order food at a restaurant?
You may see lines at restaurants around Disneyland Resort. Typically, these are conventional lines for quick service restaurants and the guests in these lines are waiting for their chance to order food at the restaurant’s window or counter. These lines are not the same as walk-up lists which are for guests waiting to be seated—usually at a table service restaurant—where their order will be taken by a cast member while they are seated (or they will be invited up to a buffet).
If you are hoping to avoid lines for quick service restaurants, take advantage of mobile ordering. We have a guide to that here: Disneyland Mobile Ordering Guide.
Thanks for reading this entry from our Disneyland 101 Glossary on walk-up lists.
For more quick Disney definitions, please explore our Disneyland 101 Glossary. For tips on dining at Disneyland, please see our How to Save Money & Eat Well with Disneyland Dining Tips. That is part of our free and complete Step-by-Step Disneyland Prep