Lamplight Lounge at Disney California Adventure is one of the best spots to dine at Disneyland Resort, not only for its menu but also for its impeccable views of Pixar Pier. From inside the restaurant and outside on its dedicated patio, guests can see The Incredicoaster and Pixar Pal-A-Round, which adds to its ambiance.

Tables at Lamplight Lounge are some of the hardest reservations to get at Disney’s Anaheim resort, whether you want to dine for lunch, dinner or during weekend brunch, which is offered Fridays through Sundays. 

On a recent trip to Disneyland Resort, I was hoping to dine at Lamplight Lounge but couldn’t get a reservation before my trip. Knowing that landing a Disney dining reservation is sometimes a game of chess — I didn’t give up and eventually scored one. If you’re hoping to snag a table at Lamplight Lounge during your next visit, keep reading for three strategies that could help you get a coveted seat.

From the moment you step through the doors at Lamplight Lounge, you’re surrounded by everything Pixar. The lobby features artist renderings and artwork from the beloved studio’s films. Just off the lobby is the upstairs lounge, known as Lamplight Lounge – Boardwalk Dining, which serves a full drink menu and “gastropub-style” appetizers, including lobster nachos — a favorite of the Lamplight Lounge menu. Since this is a walk-up only spot, no reservations are needed. 

After walking down a spiral staircase that features floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking Pixar Pier, you’ll arrive at the downstairs lounge, or the main Lamplight Lounge restaurant area. Here, Pixar posters, movie memorabilia and artwork adorn red brick walls. The large open patio has great views of Pixar Pier, though bar seating also offers fantastic views of the area. Advance reservations are highly recommended here. However, guests can also try to snag same-day reservations (more on that below) which are available on a limited basis and are subject to availability.

Booking a Disney dining reservation in advance is the most difficult of the three strategies we’re going to examine. This is the only method that guarantees you’ll be able to eat at Lamplight Lounge if you are successful, but it requires a bit of advanced planning.

Lamplight Lounge reservations, like all other Disneyland Resort reservations for table-service dining, can be made up to 60 days prior to your visit. Reservations open at 6 a.m. Pacific and can be made via the Disneyland website or Disneyland app — though I’ve had better luck securing reservations on the website because I’ve found the app can crash unexpectedly. If no reservations are available on your first try, keep looking on the Disneyland app or website, as additional times may open due to cancellations.

Alternatively, if you don’t want to scour the Disneyland website every day, you can sign up for a free reservation finder, like this one from Touring Plans, that promises to send you an email and a text message if an open table at your selected restaurant on your selected date becomes available. The drawback to this method is that many people use these alerts, meaning reservations can fill up quickly after the notification is sent, so you must be quick to click the link and snag the open table.

If you’re unable to make a reservation in advance, consider joining the walk-up waitlist at Lamplight Lounge. This digital waitlist can be accessed through the Disneyland app once you’re in close proximity to the restaurant. If you want to dine at brunch, consider joining the walk-up waitlist right when you enter Disney California Adventure as you’re walking toward Pixar Pier.

When doing this, you’ll be prompted to fill in how many people are in your party, if your party has any dietary requests and if you’re celebrating anything special. Once you’re on the list, you will get an estimated wait time. During this time you can explore the shops near Lamplight Lounge or hop onto one of the attractions that are close to the restaurant — provided the lines are short. Just be sure to monitor your phone for the text message saying your table is ready, so you don’t accidentally give up your seats because you took too long to get back to the restaurant.

The third, and most physically demanding, strategy is to “rope drop” — a Disney term for the moment the parks open for the day — and get bar seating right when the restaurant opens. Check Lamplight Lounge’s hours in the app before you go but it typically opens at 9 a.m. Friday through Sunday and 11:30 a.m. the rest of the week.

This is the strategy I used during my recent visit to Lamplight Lounge and it worked out well, especially since I was dining alone for brunch. Once the restaurant opened and seated most of the people who were waiting outside near the entrance for confirmed dining reservations, I asked the hostess if there was room at the downstairs bar for me, and she confirmed that I would be able to get a seat there.

This strategy involves a bit more luck because the bar is a coveted spot for brunch and can be filled quickly, but if you are willing to show up early for the first round of seating at the bar, you may just be rewarded with a fantastic meal.

The brunch menu at Lamplight Lounge is over-the-top but in all the right ways. Start with a mimosa flight — where seasonally flavored juices are mixed with a bit of bubbly — or a more adventurous drink. If you’re looking for a bit of nostalgia, try the Cinnamon Toast Cocktail, which is an adult take on cinnamon cereal-infused milk. Of course, you can also order one of Lamplight Lounge’s other signature cocktails or mocktails that are always available, and feature nods to filmmaking and beloved Pixar films.

For your meal, you can’t go wrong with the brunch burger which starts with the restaurant’s signature burger blend, topped with cheese, a sunny-side-up egg, a hash brown patty, roasted green chiles, lettuce, caramelized onion and savory paprika aioli. Just know this is a knife-and-fork burger or you’ll end up with stains all over your Disneyland Spirit Jersey.

If you’re looking for something sweet for brunch, try the French toast which is made with cinnamon and brown sugar challah bread and topped with house-made almond brittle, Irish cream whipped cream, macerated berries and maple syrup.

Find it: Lamplight Lounge, Pixar Pier at Disney California, 1313 Disneyland Drive, Anaheim, CA 92802; 714-781-4636

This story was edited by Hearst Newspapers Managing Editor Kristina Moy; you can contact her at [email protected].