Questions about dining in Disneyland

[jenji124]

I am planning a first time trip to Disneyland in June. Where would you recommend making reservations. Looking for any suggestions - thanks

 

[Snow Brite]

Who are you travelling with? Number of people? Ages? What will you want out of your dining? Quick food and back to the park fast? Or a quiet rest? An experience? With or without characters? Which characters?

Fess up and I am sure you will find lots of people willing to tell you about their favorite restaurants!

Editing to add...when in June? The favorite Disneyland restaurant..The Blue Bayou is closed until June 25th (ish) for the rehab of the Pirates ride...so that could be important.

 

[jenji124]

Who are you travelling with? Number of people? Ages? What will you want out of your dining? Quick food and back to the park fast? Or a quiet rest? An experience? With or without characters? Which characters?

Fess up and I am sure you will find lots of people willing to tell you about their favorite restaurants!

Editing to add...when in June? The favorite Disneyland restaurant..The Blue Bayou is closed until June 25th (ish) for the rehab of the Pirates ride...so that could be important.

This would have been helpful, sorry about that I'm going from June 9th to the 14th

there is a total of 6. I'm 26, my sister 24, my brother 21, mom 50. then my friend 29, and her mom 53.

Looking for at least 1 character breakfast. And a couple nice dinner locations. Lunch if you know of a place we shouldn't pass up

 

[CalGal]

This really depends a lot on your taste, budget, and whether there are kids involved.

Many recommend Blue Bayou at DL for the atmosphere, but unless you are going at the very end of June, you'll be out of luck. It's closed for refurb during the Pirates makeover.

I like Jazz Kitchen in DTD for a nice dinner. The hotels have some nice restaurants but they cost $$: I think the Napa Rose at the GCH is supposed to be about the best (and most expensive). The Japanese restaurant at PPH is good if you like Japanese. If steak is more to your liking, consider Granville steakhouse.

Rainforest cafe is fun if you have kids of most any age. With kids, I think a character meal is a must. My favorite is Goofy's Kitchen at DLH (if offers character breakfasts, brunch, and dinner), but there are others that are good and fun. I liked Wine Country Trattoria in DCA for a moderately priced Italian meal. It was pleasant people watching, and we timed our meal so that we could watch the ELP from our table. I'm also a big fan of the Voodoo shrimp appetizer at the House of Blues. (I go there for lunch and order this for my meal).

Less expensive: Whitewater snacks at GCH is good and quick, and not very expensive. Lots of people recommend Taste Pilots Grill at DCA for a counter service meal. The skewers at Bengal Barbeque are good in DL, and I like both Red Rocket's in Tomorrowland and Ranco del Zocalo in Frontierland (although not as much since they changed the menu) for counter service type meals at DL.

I could go on. There's lots to choose from these days...

 

[Snow Brite]

This would have been helpful, sorry about that I'm going from June 9th to the 14th

there is a total of 6. I'm 26, my sister 24, my brother 21, mom 50. then my friend 29, and her mom 53.

Looking for at least 1 character breakfast. And a couple nice dinner locations. Lunch if you know of a place we shouldn't pass up

So not a problem, and please dont think I was complaining at all! Just so many options it helps to be able to narrow them down a little!

Ok, then for lunch....Blue Bayou is out, you will have to do that next time. In Disneyland, Redd Rockets is good for lunch by Space Mountain, the Golden Horseshoe for the show and the fried mozzarella sticks or chili bowl, and a walking lunch of a dole whip and turkey leg are my favorites. In DCA Taste Pilots Grill is where I usually get a burger.

Character breakfast we always do Goofy's Kitchen in the DLH, lots of variety. There is also a Lilo and Stitch breakfast at PCH that I have not been to and one in the park that I have not been to in 4 years. Ariel's Grotto is a nice restaurant that I really enjoy and I went to a character lunch there, but that was before they changed to the all princess format. Food was yummy though. Storytellers Cafe is lovely and we really enjoyed the character breakfast here. It is a beautiful setting and felt more relaxed and quiet to me than the frenetic Goofy's breakfast.

In DTD there are many options for adults with "fancy" as well as casual restaurants. I have not had a chance to sample many of the nicer ones as I am usually alone with a 7 year old. Rainforest Cafe is good, the same as any Rainforest if you have been to one before though. ESPN is fun and has good food, particularly the desserts. Jazz Kitchen beignets and a cafe au lait for breakfast is yummmmmy! There is also Catal, House of Blues, Tortilla Joes and a bakery by World of Disney. There is also a Hagen Daz, Wetzel's Pretzels, Jamba Juice, Marcelline Candies, and a Coffee shop at the very end by the Disneyland Hotel.

I am not as familiar with the hotel restaurants, but there is Granville's and Hook's Point at Disneyland Hotel as well as a quick Croc's Bites walk up window. GCH has Whitewater snacks which is good and a bit cheaper and Napa Rose which is reputed to be exceptional. Might be another restaurant too. I don't know the PPH restaurants at all, but there is a japanese themed restaurant there.

 

[jenji124]

thanks for the suggestions, I was just looking at the main site for Disneyland has anyone tried Rancho del Zocalo Restaurante? any good?

we are actually staying at DLH so I think we going to try Granville's

 

[kitashus]

thanks for the suggestions, I was just looking at the main site for Disneyland has anyone tried Rancho del Zocalo Restaurante? any good?

we are actually staying at DLH so I think we going to try Granville's

My kids and I have eaten at Rancho del Zolcalo many times, but they keep changing the menu, and it hasn't been as good lately, but not bad either. But if you want Mexican food...then that is the place to go.

If you want a really nice place...I would suggest Napa Rose (at the Grand Californian Hotel) over Granville's. It is a beautiful restaurant, great food and great service. Granville's has gone downhill over the years, and we were very disappointed the last time we ate there, actually the last couple times we ate there, (and won't be going back even though it used to be a favorite).

I like Buzz's in Tomorrowland for burgers at the park and also Carnation on Main Street for sandwiches (and ice cream, of course)!

Good luck and have fun on your trip!

 

[mommytotwo]

We had eatten at the Japanese restaurant in PPH, and it was good.