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[Mrsya]

We are due to arrive by car around 5pm on our first night (a Sunday) and I'd planned to book a table for Plaza Gardens (as we want a buffet) for around 5:30pm. Do you hit the village first or the park? Roughly how long will it take us to get from the carpark to village/park? Am I better to go to Annette's Diner (as my son's excited to see the waitress/waiters on skates)? Am I right in thinking you can't book for there though? It'll be busy in the village on a Sunday night I'm guessing...?


Sooo many questions. Hard to picture it as a first timer!

[LotsoHugginBear]

If you are in time and arrive at 5 and already have your tickets it should be possible to eat at Plaza Gardens at 5.30. But if it is your first visit you won't have the time to take a look at all things around you, that might be difficult. So better choose Annette's. You will arrive between village and parks if you park your car on the main car park.
You are right, it is not possible to make a reservation for Annette's. But if you're really arriving before 6 it should be no problem. After dinner enter Disneyland Park and enjoy everything and don't miss Disney Dreams.

[Mrsya]

Thanks for your reply! We should be getting to DCR for around 4pm so thought by the time we've checked in, made baby's cot up and took luggage inside, we will be at Disneyland ready for tea for around 5:30ish.


It's going to be difficult to stick around for Dreams with it being so late as we have a 4 year old and a 10 month old... We'll have been on the road since 6:30am so think we might have tea and a couple of hours in the park before turning in for the night.


I can't get my head around where'll be most central or closest to eat. My little boy is DESPERATE to go on Buzz ride, from the map it looks like that might be close to PG? Any idea how long queues will be Sunday tea time?

[Samninetysix]

Hi, Annettes is most definitely closer but it's not a massive hike to Plaza Gardens and yes it's very close to Buzz.



The white line from the car park shows the path to Annette's and the Village, the yellow line shows the path from the Village through to the main entrance, down Main Street USA to Plaza Gardens, Buzz is a 2 minute walk into Discoveryland. Either way you still have to go through the security checkpoint

[polar vixen]

I'd make your reservations a little later.  Check in can take 30 minutes at davy crockett, by the time you've unloaded, used the toilet, stretched a bit after being on road for so long, driving will take you approx. 15 mins, and I'd say a 20 minute walk to get to plaza gardens, (that's without even pausing to appreciate that you're in Disneyland as you walk down mainstreet), I wouldn't make reservations any earlier than 6 (done this the last 3 years, and always been pushing it).  Plaza Gardens is 1 minute away from buzz lightyear, and at that time of night queues should be really short.  Plaza Gardens is a great place to eat on first day, after travelling so long, because it's a buffet you won't have to wait for your meals, and you can really fill up after travelling all day.

[daddyof2]

Can I be a complete killjoy and say that you shouldn't plan too rigidly as your arrival time could well be scuppered by roadworks or other road congestion? I'd be tempted to play it by ear for the first evening

[Samninetysix]

Can I be a complete killjoy and say that you shouldn't plan too rigidly as your arrival time could well be scuppered by roadworks or other road congestion? I'd be tempted to play it by ear for the first evening

Happens to us almost every time we book restaurants in advance - We plan things out in advance but you bet your life we never stick to it. When we went in February, we decided on Eurostar to eat at Plaza Gardens which is exactly what we did although on that occasion we were staying in the DLH so it was nice and easy to get to

[Mrsya]

Hi, Annettes is most definitely closer but it's not a massive hike to Plaza Gardens and yes it's very close to Buzz.



The white line from the car park shows the path to Annette's and the Village, the yellow line shows the path from the Village through to the main entrance, down Main Street USA to Plaza Gardens, Buzz is a 2 minute walk into Discoveryland. Either way you still have to go through the security checkpoint

No way did you just highlight me a personalised map!! Wow! Thank you sooooo much! I won't ever get bored of typing how helpful this site is! All of your advice is priceless to a first time family like us! We will indeed allow extra time to check in and we will make a later reservation for buffet dinner at Plaza Gardens I think. The kids will have been snacking in the car anyway. Plus, we do want that feeling of stepping into the park for the first time and have those wow moments! I don't want to finally get there and be rushing past things to get to a restaurant. Which 4 year old boy prefers food to Disneyland right?!

What's the likelihood of a walk up for 4 at PG on a Sunday night? If I make a reservation for 6/6:30pm how rigid are they? Not long now, thanks again for all your help!

[Samninetysix]

Not really sure what time the last dinner booking is at Plaza Gardens but if you don't manage to get in there's always Crockett's Tavern at Ranch Davy Crockett, again it's an all you can eat buffet and there's generally characters in and outside the restaurant.