Just got back - here's my report

[nannyz]

We just got home from a wonderful trip to Disneyland. We had a 6-day park hopper and used all 6 days.
We stayed at the Desert Inn & Suites and by far this was the best place we've stayed in the past 25 years. We had their largest suite, with 2 rooms and 2 full baths. Each room had two queen beds and there was a separate smaller room with a sleeper sofa. There were 3 TVs, a microwave, refrigerator, coffeemaker, and hair dryer. The rooms were kept very clean, and we always had loads of towels and facecloths, plenty of pillows. We watched the fireworks from our room window and had a great view. The hotel also has a viewing deck on the roof which was also nice. Our little granddaughter got sick one evening and threw up all over the bed. We called the lobby and they came up right away and cleaned it all up for us.
Another great thing was that we were so close to Disney that we never had to use the trams (great when you have two strollers!). It was about a 7 to 10 minute walk.
Lots of restaurants in walking distance too.
As to Disneyland, here are my dining experiences:
Carnation Cafe -- ate here twice -- very nice breakfasts;
Plaza Inn -- we did the Pooh breakfast; very upsetting because I spent most of my time waiting in line for my food while the characters were visiting with my grandkids and I didn't get to see it. I expresed my disappointment to the manager as this was not what I have come to expect from Disney. She took 50% off my bill, even though I did not ask for any refund.
Cafe Orleans -- the pommes frites are fabulous!
Golden Horshshoe -- had fish 'n' chips, which was very good;
Ariel's Grotto -- we did the lunch with the princesses and this was by far our best meal -- the tri-tip is mouth watering. This is a fabulous meal and everyone should do it if possible.
Taste Pilot Grill -- the hamburger was horrible;
Pizza Port -- the chicken fusilli and pizza were good -- but the pizza was $8 for one slice!
French Market -- my worst meal -- the turkey club was made on some kind of focaccio bread that was horrible -- avoid this!
Pacific Wharf Cafe -- very nice turkey sandwich here;
Bengal Barbecue -- the chicken kabob was good but the beef one was tough;
Ralph Brennan's Jazz Kitchen -- we had the popcorn shrimp and cole slaw -- the best "cheap" meal in Downtown Disney;
Naples Restaurant -- the pizza is good but the wait can be very long -- the rest of the food was average;
Storyteller -- in the Grand Californian. We had the dinner buffet, which was pricey but delicious.
If you like to eat breakfast outside the park, beware that I-Hop charges much more than Denny's for the same foods.
Attention parents of little ones -- the $4.00 kids meal is great -- macaroni and cheese, applesauce, and a drink. Our little ones loved it.
Sorry this is so long. Hope it is helpful to some.

 

[Sherry E]

Wow! It sounds as if you had a nearly perfect trip from beginning to end, hotel and all! Make sure you show us some photos at some point!

I have to say, though, from what you described of your experience at the Minnie and Friends meal (with the Pooh characters), even though you didn't ask to be comped anything or to be given a discount, I think it was very generous for them to take off 50%. Unless I missed something, it doesn't appear that the characters or restaurant did anything wrong, per se, at the meal. They were just visiting while you were away getting food. So I think it was bad timing more than anything, but that happens to all of us at character meals, where characters come to the table when someone is away from the table. It has happened to me at Goofy's Kitchen, where my friend is at the table and I am at the buffet, and along comes Goofy to visit with her. But he always comes back because he knows there is someone missing. So I think it was really great that they were nice enough to give you a discount when I think it was just bad timing.

 

[Leofoenget]

Yah I-HOP has a the reputation of being very very EXPENSIVE, plus if you stay at Desert Inn you get a discount at Dennys. If all I'm after is pancakes and eggs Denny's or Milli's is the place to go.

 

[nzdisneymom]

How far is Denny's from Disneyland? We're staying at the Disneyland Hotel and won't have a car. We love Denny's for breakfast. Do you think it's walkable?

 

[Golfing Goofy]

Thanks for sharing your experience!

 

[Leofoenget]

How far is Denny's from Disneyland? We're staying at the Disneyland Hotel and won't have a car. We love Denny's for breakfast. Do you think it's walkable?

It's on Harbor at the opposite end of the DTD. Walk all the way through DTD through the esplade and back out to Harbor. Cross the street and it's right there. Yes you can walk it

 

[nzdisneymom]

It's on Harbor at the opposite end of the DTD. Walk all the way through DTD through the esplade and back out to Harbor. Cross the street and it's right there. Yes you can walk it

Thanks! We had seen McD's marked on one of the maps we got online, and IHOP too, but didn't see Denny's.

DH was also asking if there is a Red Robin within walking distance of DL. I saw a couple listed in Anaheim but couldn't tell where they were. I think there was a Johnny Rockets listed for Gardenwalk but not sure how similar they might be.

 

[Canyon girl]

OP, would you tell me what time your PS for the Minnie and Friends breakfast at the Plaza Inn was? Was it first thing in the morning or later in the morning? I'm wondering if it was more crowded because it was right a park opening. Thanks! I had considered doing this meal when we go in Sept, but if it is going to be that difficult to get the food and see the characters, we might just skip it. That buffet space seems to be really cramped to me. We ate dinner at Plaza Inn once when it was not busy. Even though there were not many people, it seemed that the flow was off because of how it is laid out.

 

[Nanseev]

I'd also love to know what you paid for your suite at the Desert Suite and Inn....sounds fantastic!

 

[kanela]

Thanks for your report. We'll be in the C-2 suite at the Desert Inn the end of June. I was wondering if you can explain the layout of the room as you walk into the suite you stayed in? Is their privacy between the 2 bedrooms, like a door? Do you walk into the "living room" first and then from there, are there 2 doors leading to each bedroom? Or does everyone have to walk into the one bedroom first before going into the second (so no real privacy to get to the front door)?

 

[pixiewings71]

Thanks! We had seen McD's marked on one of the maps we got online, and IHOP too, but didn't see Denny's.

DH was also asking if there is a Red Robin within walking distance of DL. I saw a couple listed in Anaheim but couldn't tell where they were. I think there was a Johnny Rockets listed for Gardenwalk but not sure how similar they might be.

Denny's is across the street from DL, very walkable from the DLH. There is a Red Robin down Harbor across from the Target, it's not walkable IMO. But it's easy to get to via taxi (which are readily available on the Harbor side of DL), it's just down Harbor and on the right. There is also a Joe's Crab Shack and an Outback Steakhouse along with a pizza place that I can never remember the name of. The Gardenwalk is closer than the RR but I've never eaten at Johnny Rockets so can't compare them.

OP, would you tell me what time your PS for the Minnie and Friends breakfast at the Plaza Inn was? Was it first thing in the morning or later in the morning? I'm wondering if it was more crowded because it was right a park opening. Thanks! I had considered doing this meal when we go in Sept, but if it is going to be that difficult to get the food and see the characters, we might just skip it. That buffet space seems to be really cramped to me. We ate dinner at Plaza Inn once when it was not busy. Even though there were not many people, it seemed that the flow was off because of how it is laid out.

 

[Sherry E]

Denny's is across the street from DL, very walkable from the DLH. There is a Red Robin down Harbor across from the Target, it's not walkable IMO. But it's easy to get to via taxi (which are readily available on the Harbor side of DL), it's just down Harbor and on the right. There is also a Joe's Crab Shack and an Outback Steakhouse along with a pizza place that I can never remember the name of. The Gardenwalk is closer than the RR but I've never eaten at Johnny Rockets so can't compare them.

Kerri, did part of your response above get cut off? It looked like you were quoting Canyon girl's question about Minnie and Friends like you were about to address it, but I didn't see your reply.

 

[pixiewings71]

Oh how weird....LOL I said, we go later in the morning, around 10 or after, most people have eaten by then so there is more "room" to get your food. And we had a ton of characters show up, and since it was less crowded we got a lot of interaction with them all.

 

[MANewcoste]

If you have any friends in Southern California or live here don't forget to check the Sunday paper for two for one entree coupons ~ P.S IHOP is now also open 24 hours.

 

[Canyon girl]

Oh how weird....LOL I said, we go later in the morning, around 10 or after, most people have eaten by then so there is more "room" to get your food. And we had a ton of characters show up, and since it was less crowded we got a lot of interaction with them all.

Thanks, Kerri! As much as I would love to go before the park opens, I know that it has got to be busier then. We were planning about 9:30 or so on a MM morning.

 

[KatelynnsAuntie]

plus if you stay at Desert Inn you get a discount at Dennys.

Really? what kind of discount? I never knew this and I stay at Desert Inn every time we go!

 

[DisneyMomma81]

We love brunch at Minnie's ~ perfect after a MM. On our most recent trip our PS was for 10am ~ DD's BBB appt. ran long so we didn't get there till 10:30am ~ the restaurant was empty of diners/guests but full of characters ~ we've done Minnie's 3x's now, Ariel's 3x's, Chip 'n' Dales (Storytellers) and Goofy's character meals and our most recent meal at Minnie's was the best for character interaction.

 

[Leofoenget]

Really? what kind of discount? I never knew this and I stay at Desert Inn every time we go!

Yah tell me about it. I read that comment from someone else. I never knew it either. Apparently you show your room key and you get a discount. I may call and double check

 

[nannyz]

The layout of the C-2 suite is this: You enter the room door directly into the small living area, where there is a sofa sleeper and a TV (and I think a small chest of drawers). From this area there are two doors -- each one leads to a bedroom with two queen beds. In order to exit the suite, you do have to pass through the living area, so whoever sleeps on the sofa sleeper would not have privacy (and these people have to use one of the bathrooms in the other sleeping areas). We put the kids on the sleeper sofa so it wasn't a problem.
As to the breakfast at the Plaza Inn, this is something we had done before, when it was a real buffet where you could serve yourself and get back to your table. It's not this way anymore. Now you have to stand in a line and then tell the server what you want on your plate. And the bread/pastry area stood empty for a long time, long enough that many guests did not get any of these items. It was just a mess. We went at 9:30; if we do it again, we will go later.

 

[kanela]

Thanks nannyz for the information. The layout of the suite sounds perfect. Hmmm... I was thinking of going to Minnie's Breakfast too, but now I don't know. I think I'd rather stick to Goofys or Lilo & Stitch. I haven't tried Lilo's yet, so maybe that one.