When planning magical Disneyland Resort trips for my friends and family there’s truly nothing I love more than adding magical touches and enhancements to our itinerary.  There are many ways in which I like to enhance our trips including:  booking character dining, treating my favorite princesses to a makeover, and staying the night at one of the Disneyland Resort Hotels.  When possible I also really love booking dining packages that allow me and my guests to eat at some of our favorite restaurants and guarantee us prime viewing locations for parades and World of Color.  The packages not only save time and help avoid long waits prior to the nighttime events, but to give my group a special opportunity that they might not otherwise have.  While these experiences are often associated with an additional cost, in my opinion the benefits far outweigh the money spent.

I have to say that when I heard that the Main Street Electrical Parade would be returning to Disneyland I was so excited a. because I just so happened to be planning a big family trip and b. because I had only seen the parade once many many years ago.  I was worried however, about the extra crowds the parade would draw, and knew that the wait for prime seating along the parade route could be several hours.  Luckily, my concerns didn’t last long, as I was able to secure reservations for the Main Street Electrical Parade Dining Package at Blue Bayou Restaurant.

Located in the New Orleans Square section of Disneyland, Blue Bayou allows guests to escape the hustle and bustle of the park and dine “outside” under romantic lanterns complete with white linens and ornate metal chairs.  As if all of this wasn’t cool enough diners are literally inside of the Pirates of the Caribbean attraction and will see guests floating along in boats next to them throughout the meal.  Blue Bayou is open for lunch and dinner, with separate menus for each and a third menu for the special dining package.  The food has a Cajun/ Creole flare to it, but is not overly spicy and I’ve found it to be accessible and enjoyable for all ages.

Photo Courtesy of Disneyland Resort

The Blue Bayou Main Street Electrical Parade Dining Package is $65 per person (AP discounts apply), ages 2 and up, and includes a three course dinner (starter, main course, and dessert) as well as one admission ticket per person in your party to a reserved viewing area for a designated performance of the Main Street Electrical Parade that night.

Late last month my family and I traveled to the Disneyland Resort for three days, one of the major highlights being our dining experience at Blue Bayou.  The ambiance, food, and company all made for an absolutely magical evening.

Some of our favorite menu items included:

• Louisiana Spiced Shrimp Appetizer
• Bone-In Ribeye
• Surf and Turf (Filet Mignon and Lobster)
• Turtle Shaped Chocolate Mouse with Macaron Hat
• Mickey’s Cheesy Macaroni (for the young or young at heart)

After our meal our server gave us passes for the reserved seating area as well as light up lanyards to wear for the evening.  While the location is subject to change, any time I’ve purchased this package our reserved viewing location has been near the flagpole on Main Street U.S.A. facing the train station.

Over the years I’ve had the opportunity to enjoy many such experiences and will continue to book them in the future; they are simply the best!  Along the way I’ve also come up with a few tips to help make the process even more magical and easy.

Tips for Special Dining Packages at Blue Bayou:

• Make Reservations!  Reservations can be made 60 days prior to your dining date via Disneyland’s website and/ or dining line 714-781-DINE.  They cannot, however, be booked via the Disney Parks App.
• Try the Blue Bayou potatoes they’re so so so yummy.
• Head to the reserved viewing location at least 30 minutes prior to the time listed on the reserved seating passes.
• Bring a towel or blanket to sit on as you will likely be sitting on the walkway/ curb, there are very few benches in the reserved area.
• Bring your camera to capture every fun moment and beautiful float.
• If you’re attending the early parade the fireworks show will start minutes after the parade is over.  The reserved seating area is a bit far Sleeping Beauty’s Castle, but the view is equally beautiful, and far less crowded than near the castle or Partners Statue.

Have you eaten at Blue Bayou?  Enjoyed one of the Dining Packages?  If you’d like to share your experiences please comment below.

Learn more about all of the other fantastic reasons to visit the Disneyland Resort this summer by clicking here!