Dining at Disneyland - Help!

[disneydreamfan14]

We were looking into places to eat at Disneyland...do you have favorite places to eat at DL or CA? What do you like about the food/atmosphere?

Also, which are the best character meals? TIA!

 

[Rainasunshine]

For a "fancier" meal I really really like Cafe Orleans, their food is really amazing! The hungry bear and tortilla joes are also pretty good too.

 

[skiingfast]

For Character Meal, I like Minnie and Friend's at the Plaza Inn. Great character variety and interaction.

For atmosphere Blue Bayou, Cafe Orleans. For food and atmosphere Big Thunder Ranch BBQ.

 

[LoveMyTwoGIrls]

Havnt gone yet, going next week, but we are doing the Princess lunch at Ariel's Grotto. I know my girls will love the princesses since they still like like human beings. I am a little concerned they will be scared of characters in the big suits that dont look like humans...lol.

IF they do ok with these other characters on this trip, the next trip we will do the Minnie and Friends Breakfast. I really want a picture with M and Minnie Mouse, but I think she will be too scared. My kids are young (2 and 4) though.

 

[coaches24]

For Character Meal, I like Minnie and Friend's at the Plaza Inn. Great character variety and interaction.

For atmosphere Blue Bayou, Cafe Orleans. For food and atmosphere Big Thunder Ranch BBQ.

I agree about Minnie and friends. The food is good for breakfast food. There are a lot of characters there and they take time at each table. They don't rush at all.

My favorite place by far is the big thunder ranch BBQ. Great food (if you like BBq and the fixins).

I haven't been to Cafe Orleans as it doesn't look like my type of place.

BB is ok. It's cool for the atmosphere as POC is my fav ride. I wouldn't do it again though. Food was good but we left hungry and had paid an arm and a leg. Im glad I did it once and kind of figured that would be a one time experience.

Can't remember the name of the place over near the carosel in fantasy land but it had good food when we where there last year.

 

[coaches24]

Havnt gone yet, going next week, but we are doing the Princess lunch at Ariel's Grotto. I know my girls will love the princesses since they still like like human beings. I am a little concerned they will be scared of characters in the big suits that dont look like humans...lol.

IF they do ok with these other characters on this trip, the next trip we will do the Minnie and Friends Breakfast. I really want a picture with M and Minnie Mouse, but I think she will be too scared. My kids are young (2 and 4) though.

Post your thoughts on AG after your trip. My DD is 3 and loves princesses so we are planning on trying lunch there in may when we go.

Last year we went to Minnie's breakfast and my DD was 2. She wasn't scared but she froze for the most part when they were around. She didnt know what to think of them. She danced with Minnie and then when Minnie let go of her hands my DD stood there frozen with her elbows out. I got it on video and it was hilarious.

 

[wallawallakids]

Hi! I LOVE Disneyland!! I really like Wine Country Trattora for a sit down lunch (but not for a world of color dinner). Also in CA is Pacific Wharf which is great to grab a lunch or dinner at. They serve chill in bread bowls...the bread is amazing. In DL I think I liked Carnation cafe the best. Great pretzel bread. Try the Veggie sandwich. Downtown disney has La Brea which has some really great quick service. (I like bread!! Can you tell, lol). I think Naples is good as well.
As far as character dinners go I like breakfast at the Grand Californian. Hardly anyone is there (At least when we have gone) and there are always plenty of characters. Also you can order off the menu if you don't want the buffet which makes it even more affordable. We have been to Ariel's four times and the first time I really liked it and felt the characters spent the time with my kids. But the food leaves little to be desired. It just seems like your basic, not so great, sit down dinner. The last few times we have been there, the service has also not been great and the characters barely spoke to my kids. It tends to be rushed and there are a LOT of kids there. So I think it was just a time issue. Also, the deserts are great, but you only get one platter. So if you have 4 kids and 2 adults ( like I do) or you have just 2 adults..you get the same plater. It is large, however, my kids all fought over who got to eat the chocolate Ariel and she isn't really able to be broken into 4 pieces easily...lol. We have also eaten at Goofy's kitchen. Not the best food IMO. OK characters. Hope that helps and have a great time!!!

 

[wallawallakids]

Oh! Forgot to mention Big Thunder Ranch BBQ!! It is great. Both times we have been there we have loved it!!

 

[Eclectic Goddess]

Finally tried Ariel's Grotto last year as part of the World of Color package, and loved it. We didn't do the character part, but the food was wonderful and there was lots of it. If the weather is cooperative and you're not there for the Princess Lunch, I'd definitely sit outside, though. It was much quieter. Also in CA, the WoC Picnic boxes are available even without a WoC package for a good price, and they're also really yummy.

My favorite breakfast place is hands-down Steakhouse 55, but it's in the Disneyland Hotel and not fast. We usually eat there when we got up really early to be at the rope drop, then we're ready for breakfast (and a break) a few hours later.

In DL, I really like Cafe Orleans for the food, and BB for the atmosphere. If you're looking for counter service, I suggest Bengal BBQ.

Writing this makes me realize how few restaurants I've actually been to in DL! Must remedy that!

 

[disneydreamfan14]

The entire family likes the idea of Big Thunder Ranch BBQ. Have any of you eaten here but didn't like the food/service?

I want to do a character meal for some memorable pictures...is the only character meal for lunch or dinner Ariel's Grotto? Because it seems expensive (I believe disneyland.com said it was $36 per person?) Thanks for the help!

 

[sonnyjane]

The entire family likes the idea of Big Thunder Ranch BBQ. Have any of you eaten here but didn't like the food/service?

I want to do a character meal for some memorable pictures...is the only character meal for lunch or dinner Ariel's Grotto? Because it seems expensive (I believe disneyland.com said it was $36 per person?) Thanks for the help!

Actually, there are only characters at Ariel's Grotto during breakfast and lunch. There are none at dinner. If you specifically want a character dinner, then it would be Goofy's Kitchen.

 

[disneydreamfan14]

Actually, there are only characters at Ariel's Grotto during breakfast and lunch. There are none at dinner. If you specifically want a character dinner, then it would be Goofy's Kitchen.

Do we need reservations for Goofy's Kitchen? Thanks for the help!

 

[tinkslite]

No one has mentioned Storytellers, yet. So I will. I love this place, at breakfast as I find it much less chaotic than Goofy's Kitchen (where I would go for Dinner, over Ariels-even with Princess fans as one princess is usually in attendance).
I like storytellers because it is more spread out, quiet and relaxed than Minnie & Friends. I also like the "camp games" that are played with kids (follow the leader and limbo) every 1/2 hour or so......
The characters are those from brother bear, chip & dale, sometimes pluto and goofy. I have never seen a princess here, but a few years ago we met
Turk and Jane, from Tarzan.
The breakfast is a choice of buffet (yummy) OR AlaCarte, so one can choose. They are open for Dinner as well, but the characters are not (or weren't 2 years ago) part of that meal.

*Sidenote: The reason I do not enjoy Ariels is the terribly slow service that we experience, cosistently here. We've gone back a few times, hoping it was a fluke. It did not seem to be. If a 2 hour long lunch is what you had in mind (3 hours for dinner, once), then by all means go to ariels. I will say I haven't been there in a couple of years. BUT All 4 or 5 visits were exceptionally LONG. The princesses were lovely, and no real complaints abou the food (not outstanding, not awful). If I had a princess lover, I'd take her to Goofy's and Bibbidi Bobbidi and skip this place.

 

[disneydreamfan14]

Goofy's Kitchen is at DLH and we want a fun character dinner, but want to experience the parks after dinner too (we are only there two days). How far of a walk is it from the parks to DLH? Thanks!

 

[Disney4us2]

Storyteller's Cafe is our favorite character breakfast. We also enjoy the dinner at well.

Our favorite cs is Jolly Holiday at DL, Pacific Wharf for bread bowl soup/salads at DCA, Boardwalk Pizza and Pasta at DCA and Whitewater snacks at the Grand Californian Hotel. They have great nachos there... yummy.

 

[larina]

We like different character breakfasts for different reasons. We all (my parents, myself, and all three of my kids, 18, 8, 4) think Storytellers has the best food of the breakfast buffets, hands down. That is why is the favorite of my oldest and my parents. My 4 year old son likes it best because "Giant Mickey Mouse" and the other characters he's used to seeing as cartoons on TV seem huge and scary to him. He wants to like them like his big sisters, but he just isn't there yet. He expects animals to be big. So the forest animals and the ranger, that is just a regular person, at Storytellers are less scary for him.

My 8 year old daughter likes Minnie's at the Plaza Inn best because of the character interaction. The rest of think it's good, but it isn't a favorite for anyone else. The character interaction is awesome though!!! Most character bang for your buck!

I like Surf's Up the best because it is the only one with Mickey Mouse (my favorite!!!) and I love the interactive show. I love watching my kids, and all the others, dance with Mickey and the other characters. It makes my heart happy.

You have to decide what's most important to you and your party. How old is everyone? Are you more concerned with great food and nice surroundings? At Storytellers you can go buffet or order off the menu. You can also request anything on the buffet be made fresh (the yolks were overdone on the Eggs Benedict on the buffet and they made my daughter new ones and brought them to our table!!!!). If you're after seeing as many characters as you can head to Minnie's. If, like me, it is all about seeing the Mouse Man himself, then Surf's Up would be your best choice. Oh, and there's always Goofy's. It is our least favorite of the breakfast buffets, but tons of people love it. And I think we'll try it for dinner on our next trip. It is the only character buffet dinner.

 

[teamtreto]

For the more inexpensive eats, I love Village Haus inside Fantasyland. They have burgers and such, but large sharable portions, and I really liked their flatbread pizza. I love the atmosphere in there, have loved it since I was a kid and would eat there.

 

[disneydreamfan14]

Thanks for all the feedback! We have decided we are probably going to book Goofy's Kitchen for a breakfast/brunch and Big Thunder Ranch BBQ for dinner. Any other comments on these or other restaurants? Thanks so much, this is helping a lot!

 

[Aussie Princess]

I have done Minnie and friends for breakfast on our last trip and am doing it again on my trip in October also have done blue bayou twice and the food is amazing.

At dca have done woc dinner at WCT and it was good this time we are trying woc dinner at Ariel's grotto

Am also wanting to try the cove bar and cafe Orleans

 

[isisisme]

Our favorite character interaction is at the Plaza Inn (both when it was Pooh and now that it is Minnie's). We have never laughed so hard in our lives watching characters. The food is decent.

Favorite for atmosphere is Blue Bayou. The food has always been good for us, and it is a highlight of our trips to have dinner there.

BBTR BBQ is also really good food (the veggie option is very tasty).

We have not been to Jolly Holiday yet, but I am looking forward to it.

DH asked me to mention Storyteller's for lunch. He really enjoyed their burgers.

I personally like Carnation Cafe for breakfast and Royal Street Verandah for cs.

(and dole whip!!)