Dining at DL/DCA ??

[goaliemom]

We are going to DL/DCA Easter week, which I know will be very crowded, but we're prepared to arrive early, leave midday, and then stay late. We've always done that at WDW, so we're prepared.

The only thing I'm unsure about is what to do about meals. We will probably want to do one or two fun sitdown meals while we're there, but beyond Goofy's Kitchen, I haven't read anything about non-character meals that might appeal to us (we don't want anything fancy, and I have a 10 yr. old that eats only 12 foods ).

Do you have suggestions of sit-down meals that might appeal to us, and can we get priority seating for them?

TIA!

 

[Disneyland_emily]

There really isnt many sit down restaraunts- DL has only Blue Bayou but some good buffeteria (Plaza Inn and Rancho) and scramble service (Redd Rocketts)

DCA has one higher end (Wine Country) and Ariels (character) the rest are just fast food (Cochina and Taste Pilots are excellent)

Downtown and the Resorts are your better bet for sit down- Rainforest is fun

-em

 

[Tink33]

What are the 12 foods your 10 yo eats?

 

[daannzzz]

Dining at Disneyland resort is not nearly as interesting or Fun as at WDW. At Disneyland there is one and a half full service restaurants. The Blue Bayou situated in Pirates of the Carbbean (similar to El Rio Del Tiempo and the San angel Inn) is a great place to eat with sort of expensive food that is good but not great. The other full service place is the sidewalk Carnation Cafe half way down Main St. The Plaza Inn serves good counter service food in a pretty setting but it really isn't "fun" for kids. Another Coutner service place in New Orleans Square has outdoor seating only but sometimes has live music in the evening. It is calle The French Market.
At Disney's California Adventure there are three full service places. The expensive upstairs Vinyard Room I have yet to try. From what i can see it doesn't look like it is beautiful but it may have a good view. Downbstairs is the Trattoria which was a fine place to eat but is a bit bland looking and not really a fun place. Ariel's Grotto is a fun character meal with good food.
There is the Storyteller cafe at the Grand Californina that has a great atmosphere and food and at breakfast there are a couple characters near the entrance. They don't circulate to the tables. No characters are around at lunch and dinner. There is the Rainforest Cafe at Downtown Disney and Ralph brennans has a wonderful New Orleans Ambiance but nothing particularly fun.

 

[goaliemom]

Thank you for your responses - they were about what I had thought, given what I've read, but you know that there are always details you don't get unless you talk to someone who knows the place well enough to break it down. I guess we'll go with Goofy's Kitchen, RFC and Carnation Cafe and just do hit and miss for everything else.

Tink - do you really wanna know? It's horrible. He eats chicken nuggets, hotdogs (sometimes), hamburgers, peanut butter, apples, bananas, grapes, grapefruit, pasta with marinara sauce, pizza without cheese, any kind of white bread, and chocolate milk. Everything else he eats is a snack food or junk. And whatever he eats, he doesn't eat a lot of it, and he has to be in the mood for it. And yes, you can put together some good meals from the above items, but it's horribly BORING!! Still, we're covered with any kids menu anywhere, so that's lucky.

Thanks again!

 

[Tink33]

These are places I have been with my kids:

PCH Grill @ Paradise Pier Hotel - all of his favorites are on the menu plus custom pizza

Storyteller's Cafe @ Grand Californian - He can make his own pizza at the table. They bring out rolled pizza dough, sauce, cheese and pepperoni. He can create the pizza to his liking. They tag the pizza with your table number and it comes back out exactly as he made it.

Hook's Point @ Disneyland Hotel

ESPN Zone @ Downtown Disney - more favorites and a cool video arcade while you wait for a table

Rainforest Cafe @ Downtown Disney

Catal @ Downtown Disney

House of Blues @ Downtown Disney - save room for dessert


Inside Disneyland my favorite buffeteria restaurant is Pizza Port - pasta, pizza and salads

 

[Blackunicorn]

Don't worry, goaliemom, my 9 year old has the same menu. Except he won't eat peanut butter, grapefruit, or pasta with marinara--instead, he will eat turkey lunchmeat, pears, and Ramen.

There was a time in his life he would only eat one food--anything on my plate.

 

[Carlen T]

Is there anything CHEAP?? We're on a tight budget and I would like to eat there without always having to leave the park! My husband is Mr. TightWad LOL Should find some way to sneak in my OWN spending $$$$!! Just kidding, he's not that bad, he just likes to watch his pennies.

Carlen (kid at heart)
Jon (Carlen's husband- an even bigger kid at heart)
Hannah (the oldest child and only daughter)
Caleb (the youngest child and only son)
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[daannzzz]

Carlen. The least expesive places to eat are the Tomorrowland Terrace now known as Club Buzz, Pinnochio Village house in Fantasyland, The Stage Door Cafe in frontierland as well as a couple of the little service windows in Toon Town.

 

[JennHales]

Carlen,
Have you thought about bringing lunch into the park. We did this last year and did'n't have any problems getting past the gate when the searched our bags.

I brought sandwiches, apple sause in cups, pretzels juice boxes & cookies. This year I plan on using bagles for our sandwiches so they don't get smushed. I do plan to do thi again this year only because most of the cheaper food in the park is "greesey" which would be okay for one day but french fries every day would drive my dh insane!

This saved us a ton of money, last year we did a "spur" of the moment trip and didn't want to use our credit card. So we ate our only at dinner and still had a blast even though we weren't rolling in the dough.

Jen

 

[MATTERHORN]

Stage Door Cafe is really decent priced and I think it will fit your needs perfectly. We eat there alot on our trips.

Andrea

 

[Carlen T]

Thank you all for the advice! Will take Club Buzz into BIG consideration since my 4-year-old son LOVES Buzz Lightyear!

Carlen

 

[Blackunicorn]

Another way to save money is to eat a large breakfast before the park, then one or two smaller meals in the park. I've forgotten when you're going--SORRY!--but when I go, the park closes early, so a big breakfast before DL, and dinner after DL, would enable us to eat only lunch in the park. Of course, for us, the dining is half the fun, so I don't know if we'll stick to that plan...

 

[Disneyland_emily]

Another thing is know where the large portions are- Yes they cost more per plate but most will feed 2 people decently- Places this is best at is Plaza Inn and Rancheo Del Zolocolo- Redd Rocketts its also possiable-

-em

 

[Blackunicorn]

Take it seriously when they say that the portions at Rancho del Zocalo are HUGE--we made the mistake of ordering individual meals for all of us, and wound up leaving most of the food behind. Even the big eaters in the group couldn't finish. Also, the menu at Rancho del Zocalo doesn't show it, but you can order items ala cart, which will also save money.

 

[dsnylndmom]

White Water Snacks at the GCH has the cheapest eats in the resort! And they're good too!!!! We usually go there when we're at DCA due to the location. Exit through the GCH exit at the end of the tunnel go left. You'll see the sign for White Water. They have cold premade sandwiches and salads and stuff off of the grill. The mickey shaped chips and salsa($2.50)are really tasty! The chili cheese dog with fries is $4.50 I think and HUGE!!!! You can REALLLLLLY get your money's worth here! We hit it everytime!

 

[Carlen T]

Just sayin' HI!

Carlen
http://www.geocities.com/carlent97113/index.html

 

[denyd]

One more thing on cheaper meals - a quick walk to Downtown Disney provides access to some walk up windows that provide prices closer to the real world.

Last night my wife had a chicken quesidilla ($6.50), my 2 year old son had a cheese quesidilla $5.50) and I had a carnitas ($6.25) (shredded pork) burrito and we had 2 sodas ($1.50) (junior had juice we brought) and the price was under 25 bucks. To contrast that with lunch bought in toon town & by the Snow White show of the bratwurst, turkey sandwich & fruit plate (+2 sodas) for over $30. You can probably save 2-3 dollars per person per meal if you plan ahead.

 

[Carlen T]

What me and hubby did too was we brought some high protein snacks too to hold us over until meal times, that helped costs quite a bit.

 

[lkohawaii]

Where is Rancho del Zocalo ?