Dining at Disneyland

[Snickals]

We are getting close to our first Disneyland trip. I will be booking character dinning at 60 days (next week!). Hoping to get each one (why not lol we did it last year at WDW, just missed a couple). Also looking at doing the WOC dessert party. It is for myself and my 6yr old girl.

We have done the dining plan at WDW but Disneyland is new to me. We are staying at a good neighbour hotel across the street.

Any tips or things I should be aware of before/while/after booking? And any other tips for a first time Disneyland visit?

Tia

 

[aussie shaz]

Don't stress about the 60 day thing. You could probably call up the morning of your meal and still get in.
We loved Minnie's and thought Goofys was Meh.

 

[Agent 86]

I don't have any tips, but in terms of food, Flo's Café in Cars Land at California Adventure was our favourite. We did lunch at Carthay Circle (DCA) for the preferred seating for World of Colour, but I don't think it was worth the additional expense (although that was at least partly due to receiving a pretty badly positioned table outside in the heat and with the annoyingly loud music being played on the street immediately below).

We also liked Rancho del Zocalo Restaurante (DL) and The Lucky Fortune Cookery (DCA).

We usually had trouble when it came to dinner as a LOT of the restaurants seemed to close early. I think our first night in Disneyland, we ended up getting fish and chips from some small hole in the wall type place as pretty much every restaurant had closed "early" (from vague memory, it was around 7pm, even though the park was open until 10 or 11pm).

We didn't venture out to Downtown Disney for food, since we were only in the parks for a relatively short time. But, it's a very short walk and probably offers greater variety and cheaper prices.

 

[carnivalkid]

Agree with above it is nowhere near as bad to get reservations as WDW....the only thing that seems to be booking quickly is the fantasmic options as it is still quite new.

WOC Dessert Party is awesome! We have done it twice now and love it.

There is also a new tomorrowland terrace experience which was fun. There is food and games and although they don't officially publish it you often get a Minnie and mickey meet and greet.... Minnie played connect 4 with my kids.

 

[aussietravellers]

Yes, it's no where near as difficult to get dining reservations at Disneyland. You can even get some about an hour or two before so that you don't have to wait in line if you decide last minute to dine somewhere.
Exception to this would be Blue Bayou (which is a must do for us). I'd get booking there when the bookings open. Also Goofy's Kitchen (although not always impossible closer to the time).

I am with you on the character dining. We do almost every character meal there on our WDW trips and the same at Disneyland. We character breakfast most mornings. So Goofy's, Minnies breakfast at Paradise Pier, Storytellers, Plaza Inn

There are also some good restaurants near by. Bubba Gumps, Cheesecake Factory and PF Changs (a must do for us, YUM), all well within walking distance. There is also Bucca di Beppo (Italian) and Joes Crab Shack straight up the road (cab or ART required) which are also both delicious.