Three nights at Disney Grand Californian

[Eileen226]

my son and I will be pre-celebrating his 20th birthday before he goes back to college from 1/1-1/6. We have not been to Disneyland since the year DCA opened. When the kids were little, we didn't really eat in the parks, we ate offsite a lot. Are there any Must Eat at restaurants at either park that you would recommend. His favorite used to be the chicken nuggets at Goofy's Kitchen (he ate 24 of them in one sitting when he was eight!) But I think his taste has matured.

After three nights at Disney, we are going to Hollywood to do Universal and tour around for a couple of days. Any suggestions on the easiest and economical way to get from Anaheim to Hollywood.

Thanks.

[lap3]

...His favorite used to be the chicken nuggets at Goofy's Kitchen (he ate 24 of them in one sitting when he was eight!) But I think his taste has matured.
:earseek: Wow! That's a lot of chicken nuggets to eat when you're 8 years old! I'll be lucky if I can get my picky DS6 to eat 3 of them! BTW, I don't think you can outgrow chicken nuggets. I'll still eat them with my kids!

Anyways, I don't have any suggestions for you for dining in the parks, other than Blue Bayou. But, for touring around Southern California, I would suggest renting a car from Hertz that is equipped with NeverLost GPS, and plan your routes accordingly. It's probably not the cheapest but it helps to get where you want to go without stopping and asking for directions. Try to plan travel time around rush hour. Meaning, leave early morning or mid morning to avoid traffic.

Have a great trip and sorry I couldn't have been much help...

[Dobie]

We really like the dinner buffet at Storytellers Cafe.

White Water Snacks (next to the GCH pool) is great for sandwiches.

We also like Taste Pilots Grill in DCA.

[Texasfan]

We love White Water Snacks when we stayed at The Disney Grand California. In fact, we ended up eating there most of the time while we stayed at the Disneyland Hotel. There is also a little resturant towards the Movie theather in DTD that has great cajun food.

[Tink33]

I am not sure if I like reliving the past or giving my son a hard time, but I would pick Goofy's Kitchen. Fill a plate with 24 chicken nuggets and take pictures of your son, his plate and the characters. :)

[Eileen226]

I had thought of doing that. He and I give each other hard times like that all the time. His favorite character is Donald Duck. He (since his first trip to wdw when he was seven) always bust Donald with "Go put on some pants" or "no pants, but you put a towel around you when you come out of the shower!". My future stand up comedian. Does anyone know of any character meals where the duck is in residence?

[CamColt]

I had thought of doing that. He and I give each other hard times like that all the time. His favorite character is Donald Duck. He (since his first trip to wdw when he was seven) always bust Donald with "Go put on some pants" or "no pants, but you put a towel around you when you come out of the shower!". My future stand up comedian. Does anyone know of any character meals where the duck is in residence?

LOL!

I just saw Donald at Goofys Kitchen on Sunday morning. It's not a guarantee that he will be there though. He wasnt when we went this summer.

[rsschneck]

Blue Bayou!!!

All time favorite! We will be at DL for 4 days in a couple of weeks and made 2 different lunch reservations for Blue Bayou. First meal coming and last meal going! ;)

[disney-super-mom]

For must eat places, I would include on the list;

Napa Rose at the Grand California Hotel
Blue Bayou (waterside table) in Disneyland
Rainforest Cafe in Downtown Disney

All of these place have great atmosphere. Hope you and your son have a wonderful time! :sunny:

[Ladyhawke10]

I LOVE the Storyteller's Cafe. We stop and eat there even when we are not going to the parks (we live 20 minutes from DL). The bread is awesome (corn muffins and homemade white mini loaves are great) and I've never been disappointed with the food.

I've always wanted to try the Italian Trattoria in DCA, near the Winery Area, but it's always been too long of a wait. Must be good, right? :confused3 Maybe you could look into a ADR at that place--it's a nice sit down and apparently popular.

I love the Jazz Kitchen, though it's pricey. The dessert beignets are awesome, and the food is very good. I love the decor as well. :banana:

[M4travels]

If you're at the resort over a Fri/Sat/Sun try The Vineyard Room, above the trattoria for dinner. It's a 3- or 4-course meal that you can then pair wines with (or have your waiter/waitress do it for you). We have NEVER had a bad meal there. Yes, it is a bit pricey, but go and enjoy! And ask for your waiter to be Mark. You WON'T be disappointed!!!!

Michael