Questions about dining and reservations at DL- 1st trip!

triplefigs

<marquee><font color=009933>Triple Chick</marquee>
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Oct 26, 2004
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1. Do we need reservations for DL (like we do at WDW)? We prefer to eat at 1 TS per day for a nice break.

2. Right now we are planning on trying: Goofy's Kitchen, Minnies b'fast at the Plaza, Celebration BBQ round up, Blue Bayou, and Rainforest Cafe.

3. Do you have any other suggestions for TS or other good sit down restaurants in or around the parks?

Thanks!
 
1. Do we need reservations for DL (like we do at WDW)? We prefer to eat at 1 TS per day for a nice break.

2. Right now we are planning on trying: Goofy's Kitchen, Minnies b'fast at the Plaza, Celebration BBQ round up, Blue Bayou, and Rainforest Cafe.

3. Do you have any other suggestions for TS or other good sit down restaurants in or around the parks?

Thanks!

Great choices for where you will eat so far!!:thumbsup2

You will need reservations for Blue Bayou. They require them (though there have been more reports recently of people being able to do last-minute walk-ups to get seated, but I wouldn't chance it).

It is suggested that you get reservations for the character meals like Goofy's and Minnie's, because those are very popular and if you don't have them, you may be waiting a while to be seated.

I absolutely encourage you to make reservations for Rainforest Cafe. That place is very, very popular (great menu, though, and absolutely fantastic atmosphere inside) and you could be waiting a very long time to be seated (like we did) without a reservation. We waited about an hour one time.:scared1:

Other good sit-down places are:

Carnation Cafe in DL - that has a great location alongside Main Street and is wonderful for people watching. Very limited seating here, though, so make reservations. You can eat at Carnation for breakfast, lunch, dinner or dessert only. (Try the yummy Matterhorn Sundae, along with the apple pie a la mode w/ whipped cream and strawberries.)

Wine Country Trattoria in DCA - huge salads, decent wine selection, good meatball sandwiches, blood orange sorbet. Tables always seem to be available when we go.

Storytellers Cafe in the GCH (for lunch or dinner) - nice cozy, woodsy ambiance and good food. The spaghetti and garlic bread were extermely flavorful. You could probably get away with not making a reservation here, but always better to err on the side of caution.

Naples Ristorante in DTD - good portions. Even the smallest pizza is big enough for 2 or 3 people. Nice quiet outdoor seating area overlooking DTD.

ESPN Zone in DTD - good food, good portion sizes, good service; very noisy and busy, though. If you choose to eat here, definitely make a reservation.

I have not eaten at these places, but other folks on the DIS love them: Ariel's Grotto in DCA (a Princess meal), Cafe Orleans in DL, Steakhouse 55 in the DLH, Napa Rose in the GCH and the PCH Grill in the PPH (home of the "Kitchen Sink" sundae - which is enormous, to put it mildly). Folks also rave about Ralph Brennan's Jazz Kitchen in DTD.
 
Great choices for where you will eat so far!!:thumbsup2

You will need reservations for Blue Bayou. They require them (though there have been more reports recently of people being able to do last-minute walk-ups to get seated, but I wouldn't chance it).

It is suggested that you get reservations for the character meals like Goofy's and Minnie's, because those are very popular and if you don't have them, you may be waiting a while to be seated.

I absolutely encourage you to make reservations for Rainforest Cafe. That place is very, very popular (great menu, though, and absolutely fantastic atmosphere inside) and you could be waiting a very long time to be seated (like we did) without a reservation. We waited about an hour one time.:scared1:

Other good sit-down places are:

Carnation Cafe in DL - that has a great location alongside Main Street and is wonderful for people watching. Very limited seating here, though, so make reservations. You can eat at Carnation for breakfast, lunch, dinner or dessert only. (Try the yummy Matterhorn Sundae, along with the apple pie a la mode w/ whipped cream and strawberries.)

Wine Country Trattoria in DCA - huge salads, decent wine selection, good meatball sandwiches, blood orange sorbet. Tables always seem to be available when we go.

Storytellers Cafe in the GCH (for lunch or dinner) - nice cozy, woodsy ambiance and good food. The spaghetti and garlic bread were extermely flavorful. You could probably get away with not making a reservation here, but always better to err on the side of caution.

Naples Ristorante in DTD - good portions. Even the smallest pizza is big enough for 2 or 3 people. Nice quiet outdoor seating area overlooking DTD.

ESPN Zone in DTD - good food, good portion sizes, good service; very noisy and busy, though. If you choose to eat here, definitely make a reservation.

I have not eaten at these places, but other folks on the DIS love them: Ariel's Grotto in DCA (a Princess meal), Cafe Orleans in DL, Steakhouse 55 in the DLH, Napa Rose in the GCH and the PCH Grill in the PPH (home of the "Kitchen Sink" sundae - which is enormous, to put it mildly). Folks also rave about Ralph Brennan's Jazz Kitchen in DTD.
Thanks for the help! Would you suggest just making ADR's for all of them we want to try since we are so used to having to make them for WDW? We will be in Anaheim 7 days (only 4-5 in the parks), so the extra DTD suggestions are great for our non-DL days.
 
Thanks for the help! Would you suggest just making ADR's for all of them we want to try since we are so used to having to make them for WDW? We will be in Anaheim 7 days (only 4-5 in the parks), so the extra DTD suggestions are great for our non-DL days.

You're very welcome! :goodvibes

Yes. I would say if you are used to having to make the ADR's for WDW and you have no problem choosing where you will eat in advance, you might as well make the reservations (they used to be called Priority Seatings) for DLR as soon as you can make them. For DLR, you can begin making the reservations 60 days out from the date you plan to eat at whichever place. Lots of folks wait until the last minute to make them, but, again, if you are accustomed to making dining ADR's for WDW, why not do it for DLR too? It can't hurt, and at least you will have everything squared away in that department!!

Many people don't like to decide on where to eat in advance (especially many of the people who live in Southern California, like I do). My friends and I used to go to DLR and either eat at the counter service places, or just wait long amounts of time for tables at the table service places. Once I started to make the PS's/reservations, it really saved us soooo much time waiting around. Now, I would always opt for a reservation if it is humanly possible!!:rotfl2: I generally try to just pick the places that I know we all like anyway, and an approximate time we would be hungry, and make the reservations.
 

You're very welcome! :goodvibes

Yes. I would say if you are used to having to make the ADR's for WDW and you have no problem choosing where you will eat in advance, you might as well make the reservations (they used to be called Priority Seatings) for DLR as soon as you can make them. For DLR, you can begin making the reservations 60 days out from the date you plan to eat at whichever place. Lots of folks wait until the last minute to make them, but, again, if you are accustomed to making dining ADR's for WDW, why not do it for DLR too? It can't hurt, and at least you will have everything squared away in that department!!

Many people don't like to decide on where to eat in advance (especially many of the people who live in Southern California, like I do). My friends and I used to go to DLR and either eat at the counter service places, or just wait long amounts of time for tables at the table service places. Once I started to make the PS's/reservations, it really saved us soooo much time waiting around. Now, I would always opt for a reservation if it is humanly possible!!:rotfl2: I generally try to just pick the places that I know we all like anyway, and an approximate time we would be hungry, and make the reservations.
That's what I'll do then. I figured it'll be a LOT easier than WDW where I have to make them 90 to 180 days out and know which park I'll be in what day, etc. I will just pick a reasonable time for us and, since we will probably park hop each day, I don't suppose the location will matter much. Thanks again!
 
That's what I'll do. I figured it'll be a LOT easier than WDW and choosing best park for the day, etc. I can just make them for a good time, really any day we are in the parks since it's all so close unlike WDW where I am so used to making them for 180 days out, planning obsessively,etc! We will probably park hop each day anyway. Thanks again!

Yes, it will be much easier at DLR. At least if you are in DL but let's say you make a reservation for Storytellers in the GCH for dinner or Wine Country Trattoria in DCA, all you have to do is just walk on over. No boats or buses or other transportation is needed, and it's not even absolutely necessary to use the Monorail, really. Everything is right there, all connected to each other.

Downtown Disney is kind of like the main thoroughfare that everything is connected to. The DLH (where Goofy's and Steakhouse 55 are) is at one end of DTD, then Rainforest, ESPN Zone, Jazz Kitchen and Naples are all along the way, and the gates to DL and DCA are at the other end of DTD, and you can turn off into the GCH from DTD as you are walking through it. The only thing that isn't really connected to that main hub of activity is the PPH (where the PCH Grill is), but that is a short jaunt directly across the street, so it's very close compared to where everything is in WDW.

Park hopping is not only an option but also highly recommended to do each day, as there are times when DL can get very packed with people, and it is nice to be able to just walk across the Esplanade to the gates of DCA and get a break from the massive crowds in DL for a while.

Have a great time!! Make sure to do a Trip Report when you get back.:cool1:
 
Yes, it will be much easier at DLR. At least if you are in DL but let's say you make a reservation for Storytellers in the GCH for dinner or Wine Country Trattoria in DCA, all you have to do is just walk on over. No boats or buses or other transportation is needed, and it's not even absolutely necessary to use the Monorail, really. Everything is right there, all connected to each other.

Downtown Disney is kind of like the main thoroughfare that everything is connected to. The DLH (where Goofy's and Steakhouse 55 are) is at one end of DTD, then Rainforest, ESPN Zone, Jazz Kitchen and Naples are all along the way, and the gates to DL and DCA are at the other end of DTD, and you can turn off into the GCH from DTD as you are walking through it. The only thing that isn't really connected to that main hub of activity is the PPH (where the PCH Grill is), but that is a short jaunt directly across the street, so it's very close compared to where everything is in WDW.

Park hopping is not only an option but also highly recommended to do each day, as there are times when DL can get very packed with people, and it is nice to be able to just walk across the Esplanade to the gates of DCA and get a break from the massive crowds in DL for a while.

Have a great time!! Make sure to do a Trip Report when you get back.:cool1:
Will do! We are staying at the DLH, so that'll help. It's our triplets 10th b'day while we are there and our 1st trip EVER to CA, so we are very excited! :dance3:
 
I have not eaten at these places, but other folks on the DIS love them: Ariel's Grotto in DCA (a Princess meal), Cafe Orleans in DL, Steakhouse 55 in the DLH, Napa Rose in the GCH and the PCH Grill in the PPH (home of the "Kitchen Sink" sundae - which is enormous, to put it mildly). Folks also rave about Ralph Brennan's Jazz Kitchen in DTD.

Over the course of the next six to seven weeks I will be eating at all the restaurants in bold above and posting them to my Food & Wine Review (link in my sig). In fact there are some pictures of a dinner at Napa Rose from last year in the report already. If you enjoy fine dining, I highly reccomend Napa Rose.

I also reccomend Cafe Orleans, I've eaten there many times, the perfect meal there for two is a bowl of French Onion Soup, A Monte Cristo Sandwich and an order of Mickey Beignets. This is a place that we will wake up in the morning (at home) and say, "let's have a late lunch in the park." Which always means Monte Cristos at Cafe Orleans, we call in a reservation for anywhere between 2-4PM (off time) and usually we have no problem.

You don't need to make reservations at DLR like you do at WDW. The only one you need well in advance is BB, the other restaurants you can probably make a reservation when it is closer to your trip. If you don't mind planning your days like WDW then go ahead, but don't count it out that if you're not in the mood for the place where you have a reservation, you can't change it in the morning. Some places you can get same day reservations quite easily. Especially the pricier restaurants.
 
1. Do we need reservations for DL (like we do at WDW)? We prefer to eat at 1 TS per day for a nice break.

2. Right now we are planning on trying: Goofy's Kitchen, Minnies b'fast at the Plaza, Celebration BBQ round up, Blue Bayou, and Rainforest Cafe.

3. Do you have any other suggestions for TS or other good sit down restaurants in or around the parks?

Thanks!

1. if you know for sure you want to eat somewhere make the reservations. Just pick a time you usually eat and book it.

2. definitely you should make reservations for GK (which we did not like), M&F (which we loved) & BB. I haven't needed them for the BBQ and we are Safari Club members at RFC so we get front of the line service. We rarely wait longer then 30 min. for a table at RFC. :)

3. we really like Joe's Crab Shack, Bubba Gump, Cheesecake Factory and Ralph Brennan's Jazz Kitchen outside the parks, inside DCA we love Ariel's Grotto & Taste Pilot's Grill. In DL we love Carnation Cafe, Cafe Orleans, the French Market, Riverbelle Terrace (excellent bfast! and really good sandwiches for lunch), Rancho Del Zocalo.
 
Just to clarify for Triplefigs, so you know where everything is - Pixiewings71 mentioned Joe's Crab Shack, Bubba Gump and Cheesecake Factory. Those are all located at the Anaheim GardenWalk, which is nearby. (Is that right, Kerri? Those 3 are all in GW? I have never been to GardenWalk, so wanted to confirm.)

And River Belle Terrace, French Market, Rancho Del Zocalo and Taste Pilots Grill are all walk-up/counter service places, not table service. BUT, if you decide to go the counter service route, Triplefigs, I agree about River Belle Terrace and Taste Pilots Grill (I have never tried RDZ and I have not eaten at French market in a zillion years, so my knowledge on that is outdated!). Pacific Wharf Cafe in DCA gets pretty decent reviews for counter service, too. Blue Ribbon Bakery in DL serves yummy cinnamon rolls and other baked goods.
 





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