First Trip w/ Kids, Restaurant Help!

[Flynn_Rider]

I'm an old vet to Disneyland, my family would go once a year or every other year on vacation each summer. My freshman year of college, I had an annual pass and went all the time. But I have only gone twice since 2001.

All that to say, I get to take my kids (girl 6 and boy 5) to Disneyland/DCA for the first time in mid July. We're staying at Paradise Pier, going for 2 full days and the 2nd half of a third day. I have never done much dinning in the park. And never with the idea of finding food for children. And really don't know what's good for food in DCA.

What are the best places to get lunch, dinner and breakfast?

Thinking about doing Minnie's character breakfast, but don't want to do more than the 1 character experience. Also thinking about doing the picnic dinners once for World Of Color to get the fast-pass and seating.

Are those good starts? Any other must-do restaurants? Should I get some reservations for the rest?

Thanks

 

[Misskitty3]

We Love Carnation Cafe especially for breakfast!

What we like to do is feed the kids a light breakfast in the hotel room. Things like yogurt & granola or milk & cereal and some fruit. Then we head to the park and hit the rides for a couple of hours. I will have made PS for us at Carnation cafe and we head there for our a nice, SIT DOWN breakfast around "brunch" time.

With CA not opening up until 10 am, you probably wont want to eat breakfast there and miss out on the first hours in the park.

You could do Minnie's possibly before the park opens too.....


Rancho By BTMRR has great Mexican food and nice choices for kids. It is a counter service place but the lines always seem to go quickly.

 

[Flynn_Rider]

Thanks!

I recall Rancho, and if I remember correct they were also priced pretty well. We'd go and split the Nachos while in college.

Those are some great tips, I've never tried the Carnation Cafe.

 

[Cagirl767]

We like Carnation too. The kids like the hot dogs and they have the peanut butter palate too. The secret potty there is an added bonus!

My kids don't like DLR's chicken nuggets so we avoid those. The kids burrito at Zocalo was a small meal, buyer beware.

They like mac and cheese at French Market.

For breakfast besides a character breakfast, be sure to have Mickey pancakes in DL.

Everyone likes a visit to Pooh Corner for a treat, the Gibson Girl ice cream parlor and of course the candy store on Main Street.

They of course like pizza at Red Rocket's but we adults aren't so big on there.

 

[disneyfaninaz]

You have to go to River Belle Terrace for breakfast. They serve Mickey Mouse pancakes. Yum!! I used to love going there as a kid and still do.

 

[stubby]

We have tried these places...
Daisy's pretty much just Hot Dogs...didn't like that it cost over $35 that I could get at a gas station for about $7 and the gas station would have tasted better
Rancho...hubbys fave place. The kids meals aren't huge but...my girls who are 9,8, 6 had plenty.
River Belle....loved the BBQ sandwich...it was super filling and tasted good...kids had the turkey and liked it.
Coke Corner...not exactly a meal place but we got corndogs from the cart nearby and ate mickey pretzels and chili in a bread bowl...the cherry coke here is the best anywhere
Red Rockets...I did not like it. I am not a pizza person and got the pasta but...it was rather dry. Maybe it had been sitting too long.
This trip we are doing Minnies for the breakfast and BB and CO. So can't comment yet on them. But, I don't think I would take my 5 and 6 year old to either of these unless you do that type of thing at home. If your kids are more of the McD's type then I would wait til another trip.
Have a great trip and don't stress over where to eat.

 

[Flynn_Rider]

Some great info! River Belle Terrace sounds like a good stop. My son can't do dairy, so we will probably pass on the Pizza at Red Rockets, though it doesn't sound like we'll be missing much.

 

[Cagirl767]

I'm not sure if Pizza Port or anywhere else offers a lactose free cheese or not (although usually has casein) maybe someone here knows???? They have spacegetti with a meatball there.

Forgot to say greatgoogliemooglies, definitely avoid the kids' hamburgers everywhere in the park, yeccch!

Cafe Orleans also has chicken with marinara sauce and noodles. My son was ok with it, not overjoyed.

Plaza Inn has a chicken leg with some sides. Not sure if the mashed potatoes have butter or not. It's pretty good there and the adult portions are huge.

My kids must be huge eaters, lol. Time and time again here I hear how the food was enough for their kids, but for mine, it's never enough. And my 6 y.o. DS in the 30th percentile for weight.

 

[Piglet99645]

We just got back with kids ages 10, 5 and 2.

Honestly: Food was not that important to them.

I asked the same questions before I went and had a list of places I wanted to eat, but after the first day and one character breakfast (where I hardly got to EAT because of all the character interaction!) I decided to just snack them up and keep moving.

I gave them cereal in the hotel room for breakfast.

Carried snacks all day: nuts, fruit snacks, juice and water, chocolate milk, yogurt sticks.

Mid-day we went back for a rest and the kids had pb&j in the room.

More snacks. The occasional cheeseburger or slice of pizza in the park. Some treats such as mickey ice cream (SO GOOD).

Another midnight snack back in the room, and bed.

We did have breakfast at the Carnation Cafe one day, and it was good, but nothing to write home about.

 

[Master Mason]

Don't forget about the resturants in DTD, lots of good places to eat there. We really like Rain Forest and will often eat breakfast there, and we think it's pretty reasonable.

 

[Flynn_Rider]

Is there dairy in the Dole Whips? I have never had one, not sure how I've missed them all these years.

Snacks are a good idea. But I don't have a car, so I'm not sure how I'd go grab things like Fruit Snack or juice boxes.

 

[stubby]

I'm not sure if Pizza Port or anywhere else offers a lactose free cheese or not (although usually has casein) maybe someone here knows???? They have spacegetti with a meatball there.

Forgot to say greatgoogliemooglies, definitely avoid the kids' hamburgers everywhere in the park, yeccch!

Cafe Orleans also has chicken with marinara sauce and noodles. My son was ok with it, not overjoyed.

Plaza Inn has a chicken leg with some sides. Not sure if the mashed potatoes have butter or not. It's pretty good there and the adult portions are huge.

My kids must be huge eaters, lol. Time and time again here I hear how the food was enough for their kids, but for mine, it's never enough. And my 6 y.o. DS in the 30th percentile for weight.

My dd6 never eats. If she gets a burger or ckn sand she eats only the meat. If she has fries she won't eat the burger...lol. My middle dd usually eats what is left of her sisters. And my oldest usually eats a burger and maybe a few fries. So, when we are in the park the kids meals are fine. And we do usually get a snack(churro, popcorn, etc.) later in the day.

 

[Misskitty3]

Is there dairy in the Dole Whips? I have never had one, not sure how I've missed them all these years.

Snacks are a good idea. But I don't have a car, so I'm not sure how I'd go grab things like Fruit Snack or juice boxes.

Therevare some grocery stores in the area that can deliver to your hotel. I believe one of them is Vons.

 

[Cagirl767]

I am lactose intolerant and have read the Dole Whip ingredients and there is a lactose derivitive of some type in them. I do believe you can find the ingredient list by doing a Google search. The pineapple spears are pretty good.

Yes, Vons delivers. Usually, your first order is free.

Kids' snacks abound in DLR! The fruit carts list something called smooshed fruit and juice boxes are frequent too. I dont' know if we've ever passed the juice stand by Splash without getting one.

Depending on where you're staying, there are grocery stores around (not really walking distance though but accessible by taxi or bus) and a Target at Harbor and Chapman. Most hotel convenience stores sell little things and have vending machines too.

Stubby - I wish my kids ate like yours! They eat meals *plus* snacks in DL.

 

[TeddiBarra]

Actually Pizza Port has some of the best salads and pasta dishes. I hadn't been there in forever, but let my kids each pick a place to eat in April when we went last and PP was a surprise home run hit. The pizza itself, not so much, but everything else is good. I agree Rancho is a good option.

Carnation is great for breakfast or lunch. Plaza Inn, also good for kids (they can get sick of too much mac n cheese, etc).

DCA does not have good breakfast options, only one bakery which soon is to go away anyway. The pasta and pizza place in DCA will be open by your dates.

My kids have been doing Minnie's since they were two and they LOVE it. It has a very nice variety so you can have lots of options w/out dairy.

In DCA- award weiners (if they like hot dogs) and taste pilots grill are good options.

 

[Flynn_Rider]

In DCA- award weiners (if they like hot dogs) and taste pilots grill are good options.

Both love hot dogs! That's another great trip for some food inside DCA.

Also, my mom is coming and will be with them in the hotel after the first evening show at night and they go to bed. I get to go back in and have some late night fun solo. Planning on grabbing some foods they wouldn't enjoy. Like a bread bowl full of Gumbo! OR a big ice cream cone off Main Street so that my son won't be sad to miss out.

 

[stubby]

Stubby - I wish my kids ate like yours! They eat meals *plus* snacks in DL.

Shoot trying to get mine to even sit for 5 mins is a feat. They just want to keep riding. I think if I let them they might eat their lunch in the lines.

 

[DisSarahK]

Carnation Cafe is a favorite of ours for lunch. The adult lunches are very filling and my children love the "make your own PBJ sandwich" (complete with toppings like raisins, marshmallows, etc) lunch option. (Although with allergies, they just make jam sandwiches.) Carnation Cafe does take reservations and if you are someone who likes to eat lunch right at noon, then I suggest making reservations. Also--this is an outdoor seating only type of place although there are lots of umbrellas. As a previous poster mentioned, there is a restroom located steps from Carnation Cafe--very handy for making sure your children take a good potty break during/after lunch.

We really like to eat a late breakfast at "Minnie and Friends" at the Plaza Inn as one of our character meals and treat it more as a lunch than a breakfast--we eat a regular breakfast in our room super early and then the children are very ready to eat a big meal by the time of our reservation at Minnies. Then they just snack until it is dinner time.

As for your question about how to get fruit snacks and juice boxes without a car--you can have Vons deliver to your hotel. Or you can pack snacks (not juice boxes) in your luggage. That is what I did last time. I packed a lot of snack type foods in our luggage--basically using up the same amount of room that would be used up by souvenirs on our way home.

 

[farmfresh]

Some other options for you...

As you are going in a busy time, mornings really matter for child friendly (ie shorter queues). So I would aim for a character dinner rather than breakfast (although since we are planning to be there at the same time, please, go to breakfast, stay awhile...

Goofy's, in the Disneyland Hotel, gets mixed reviews here, but we have generally found it to have a good arrray of characters, and it's ideal for your age group, with the dance breaks etc. IF you go the night you arrive, you can let them meet characters, without all that in-park lining up!

Also - you might want to consider leaving the park at lunchtimes - either to head back to the hotel to decompress for an hour or two, or even just into Downtown disney. It's only a few steps away, but the La brea bakery offers sandwiches and salads.

We have eaten diner a few times in the park, but again, find the offerings just outside can be better. However, DCA's trattoria is pretty good, and they do a good selection for kids. Storytellers can be a good option too.

We tend to breakfast in the room, snack in the park, lunch either out of park, or at a pinch, at Rancho. Disney food is fine, but not it's best feature...

Must say though, my soon to 14 year old is already talking about her mickey cookie/nesquik combo, and the youngest one has a thing for turkey legs...

Good luck!

 

[nancy drew]

Snacks are a good idea. But I don't have a car, so I'm not sure how I'd go grab things like Fruit Snack or juice boxes.

We fly, and we don't rent a car. I pack snacks etc. in my suitcase. Then I'm motivated to feed myself and my kids the snacks (vs being lazy and buying snacks in the parks) to make room in my suitcase for souvenirs.