goodies, goodies everywhere...!

[erinbev]

I’m so overwhelmed…in a good way, though! But I do need some advice, so here’s the scenario –

Me and my BFF are Disney-ing September 3-8 (arriving early enough to do the parks on the 3rd, leaving on the 9th). We are both 23 and are only paying for ourselves, plus we are pretty like-minded so we are going to get to do what we want when we want to! It is going to be awesome.
I know, some of you are thinking, “Well, erinbev, I sure wish I had your problems! What on Earth is it you are worried about?”

I am stumped as to what to do for food! Actually, it would be more accurate for me to say “overwhelmed.” So many places to eat…so many days there…what’s a girl to do? Any input would be great. We love to go out, are pretty economical, and we’ll probably be sharing a lot of things, but boy, we want to have fun! Here’s what I know – we definitely want to grab some snacky-type thingies like corndogs, tigger tails, dole whips, etc. But we also want to check out a lot of the full-service places in DL, DCA, and DTD. Counter service, too! WHY THE HECK NOT? I know, I know, it’s a lot! But we will be there for almost a whole week!

SO, the advice I’m looking for is –

Suggestions on where we should go (and what to get!) – This isn’t too critical, since we do already have a lot of ideas and we know what we would like. Don’t worry, I’ve done my homework! But still, if there’s a hidden treasure you want to share, go ahead and tempt me. hehe. I probably won’t be able to pass it up!

Suggestions on when we should go – I know that we are technically visiting in the “off-season,” so is it vital to make PSs? And if so, what time of day should we make it for, and was it difficult for you to work that in to your schedule? Since we are just us, we are okay with eating at odd times of the day, in fact, it might help us save $$$ combining lunch with dinner, and so on! Also, I’m sure it helps to save time when you eat before or after the main “rush” happens…Am I overplanning for nothing? Should we just play it by ear?

Hm…okay, that’s about it. This ended up being longer than I had anticipated! LOL. I guess I’m even more excited about the trip than I thought I was! (If that’s even possible! Hooray we’re going to Disneyland!)

So…tips & tricks? Suggestions? Advice? Stories? Lessons? 1-2-3-GO!!!

(Also, sorry if there are other threads around here with the same questions…I try to be original when I can, but right now I’m just hungry.)

 

[bumbershoot]

You're coming in just a few days after Labor Day, which is also the weekend of their 5K and half marathon, so I'm not totally sure it will be like a true off-season.

That said, I'm not sure PS's will be vital, but if you do think of somewhere you really want to go, it can't hurt to have that PS.

Have you checked allears.net for the menus yet? They aren't always totally accurate, but they are a good place to start.

(please note that all of my choices are vegetarian and as "whole" as possible, b/c DH and DS can't have the main ingredients in most processed foods)

We like the penne with marinara at Plaza Inn. Paired with a garden salad and it was more food than hubby and I could comfortably eat. We wished we had each gotten the side salad with the kid's meal with the same pasta, b/c it would have been smaller portions, plus apple slices, carrots, and a small drink.

I like Rancho del Zocalo.

I like an iced latte from the Blue Ribbon bakery on Main Street, the bakery in DCA, or the permanent outdoor vendor cart to the left of the castle. Paired with a chocolate chip cookie and you've got a tummy-filling "snack" for a king.

Others who are omnivorous and can handle corn syrup will direct you to the Tigger Tail at the candy/goody area near Pooh in Critter Country. It's a marshmallow (or three?) on a stick, covered with some sort of orange coating drizzled in chocolate (so they look like Tigger's tail). They have caramel apples too, but we don't eat those b/c caramel and corn syrup go together by necessity, sniffle sniffle). But their sugar cookies are very good.

I liked Wine Country Trattoria in DCA, specifically for their caprese sandwich on pretzel bread. mmmmmm.

The vegetarian chili in a breadbowl at Pacific Wharf Cafe in DCA and the vegetarian gumbo in a breadbowl at Royal St Veranda in DL are absolute necessities in my book.

As are the beignets shaped like Mickey heads at Cafe Orleans, as well as the fritters with a custard dipping sauce at Royal St Veranda. yum.


Outside of DLR, we enjoyed the mac and cheese with a side salad (and garlic bread) from Millie's, and the veggie burgers at Mimi's. Veggie burgers at Coco's on Katella were quite good as well.


As for WHEN to eat....eat at "off" times, especially at lunch. The line at Royal St Veranda is almost always long and slow, for inexplicable reasons (it always goes quite fast when I get to the window). Cocina Cucamonga in DCA is unbearably slow, even away from lunch time, and I won't touch Pacific Wharf Cafe between 12 and 1:30 if I don't have to.


For a free snack, go on the Mission tortilla factory tour in DCA, b/c you get a free tortilla at the end. We buy Mission tortillas all the time, but fresh-made and still warm are about a zillion times better! If either of you are celebrating a birthday, get a birthday button from City Hall, and if the tortilla people see it, you'll get a whole stack of tortillas in a bag.


OK that's all I can think of right now.


Just re-read your post...I don't think you're overplanning. I think if you plan enough ahead of time, you internalize the info, so even if you toss the paper touring plans out the window, you still remember enough to not go stand in line at Pacific Wharf Cafe at 12:30.

 

[bumbershoot]

Oh, and even though we normally eat organic, and even though it's very expensive, we LOVE the fruit you get at DLR. It's just incredible, so fresh and full of flavor, and well worth the premium cost (and the pesticides, LOL) to us.

 

[kaoden39]

Oh, and even though we normally eat organic, and even though it's very expensive, we LOVE the fruit you get at DLR. It's just incredible, so fresh and full of flavor, and well worth the premium cost (and the pesticides, LOL) to us.

And it is cold making it so good!

 

[bumbershoot]

Oh yes indeed, definitely cold.

Nearly frozen grapes in ToonTown (the hottest part of Disneyland) were wonderful.

 

[BecBennett]

I'm not sure really where to steer you, but I can steer you away from buying stuff from places that aren't restaurants unless you really want it... If that makes sense...

For instance, get the tigger tail and the dole whip, because you really want them, but don't get a hot dog just because you dn't have reservations any where, and the hot dog stand is close

I've decided that I'm only going to eat at restaurants next time I go, I know they take up more time, but the food is so much nicer, and better prepared. I really regret walking by Rancho Del Zocalo and Bengal BBQ and instead buying crappy food simply because it was quicker...

That said, I'll still never walk by pooh corner, or the Dole Whip stand without buying one of their wares!

 

[JenDisneylandlver]

We ate for the first time at Rancho del Zocalo last month. VERY YUMMY! The plates were huge too, very good. So I'd recommend there for sure!

 

[erinbev]

Aw, thank you guys so much! Everyone is so much help!

 

[caligirl stuck in va]

DO go to Pacific Wharf Cafe - Sonoma Chicken and Apple Salad or Bakersfield Broccoli and Cheese Soup - both fabulous

DON'T go to Farmer's Market - HORRIBLY slow - so slow that we didn't ever even get to the front of the line! I do see they have some new items on the menu, though,....

DO NOT repeat DO NOT go to Cocina Cucamonga - not even worth the description of how poor the food is (it is right across from Pac Wharf Cafe - don't allow yourself to be lured by thinking "wow, mexican food sounds really good right now" when you see the sign....so not good

DO go to Tortilla Joe's in DTD - you absolutely MUST order the guacamole - we found this to be heaven on our last trip there!!!! Their take out window is good and cheap (for Disney) if you need something quickly, the sit down restaurant offers more options (fajitas - awesome!). I have read of some people having bad service but when we went it was PERFECT - impeccable service and fabulous food.

DO go to Gibson Girl Ice Cream Parlor and get something yummy!

DO go to Pooh Corner or Marceline's and get the Choc Dipped Strawberries (huge!) or anything else....all good!


Do try Whitewater Snacks (which I hear is wonderful but have not been able to try for myself)

 

[disneyobsessed808]

So for me, there are some definitely must do snacks when at Disneyland.

-Dole Whips are great, but even better...Dole Whip floats
-Turkey Legs
-Cheese-filled pretzel
-and for free, as mentioned before tortillas freshly made!

For counter service, I like

-Pacific Wharf Cafe (DCA), though it can get pretty busy
-Redd Rocket's Pizza Port - I like their salads and Pastas
-Bengal Barbecue - Kabobs and really good bacon-wrapped asparagus
-Stage Door Cafe - It's right outside of Golden Horseshoe. I like to get fried mozzarella with fries and take it inside and get a seat for the last Billy Hill performance. Those guys are hilarious

For sit down restaurants, I'd suggest

-Blue Bayou, lunch, for the monte Cristo and atmosphere
-Naples (Downtown Disney) for really good Pasta
-if you wanna really splurge for a great dinner with good California wines, Napa Rose.
-if you wanna break from the hustle and bustle, get a drink and app in the Napa Rose lounge or the Hearthstone Lounge in the Grand Californian

 

[bumbershoot]

The menu, at least the vegetarian part, at Rancho and Cocina are exactly the same, and taste exactly the same in our experience. For what it's worth. But CC takes a million years and you don't know what they are working on behind the glass windows, while Rancho takes awhile to wait, but you are inside watching them and they hand the food right to you.

HOW could I have forgotten White Water Snacks? Their breakfast (with no meat and no pseudo syrup for the french toast sticks) was just sooooooo good.

 

[DangerMouse]

Our family favorites for lunch, dinner or snacks (we eat breakfast in our hotel room):

LUNCH:

Carnation Cafe (meet Oscar, the chef, he's been there over 50 years and is a sweet, dear man.) Order the loaded baked potato soup -- YUM!

Whitewater Snacks. Steak nachos are HUGE. I usually grab a side salad and split a kids' meal with one of my kids -- yep, they are that big!

Pacific Warf Cafe - chicken salad in a bread bowl.

Dinner:

French Market in NOS (although they just changed their menu, and my favorites are gone!!!)

Pizza Port in TL (split chicken fusilli)

Pacific Warf Cafe - switch it up and get broccoli cheese soup in a breadbowl.

Corn Dog Castle in DCA

SNACKS/TREATS:

Dole Whip (I'm a purist - no floats for me)
Mango w/lime from the fruit stands
Gibson Girl or if there is too big of a line, across the street by the lockers is another Ice Cream window with the same sundaes!

I'm a sucker for cotton candy and DLR is the ONLY place my kids get it.

 

[mariezp]

Some of our favorites:

Food:
Royal Street Veranda - clam chowder in a bread bowl
Stage Door Cafe - chicken strips
Main Street Corn Dog Wagon - corn dog
Plaza Inn - fried chicken (my guys' favorite)
Cafe Orleans - Pommes Frites
Storytellers at GCH - Banana Stuffed French Toast (My favorite)

Snacks/Desserts:
Blue Bayou - creme brulee. (My favorite)
Blue Ribbon Bakery - fruit and yogurt parfait (my guys' favorite)
churros
chocolate covered strawberries
carmel apples
frozen chocolate bananas