White Water Snacks @ GCH

[dnsmills]

I've read some good things about the White Water Snacks at the Grand Californian Hotel. I'm thinking about having us skip over from DCA one day for lunch. Has anyone eaten there and if so how is the food? We're having some nice meals (Steakhouse 55, Blue Bayou) so something simple & basic would be great but I want it to taste good. Also, what is the best way to get there from DCA? I think I remember reading something about a separate entrance/exit that could be easier than going out the front of the park. Thanks.

 

[cmwade77]

There is an entrance across from Grizzly River Run. You MUST have been inside of DCA at least once to use the entrance or be staying at the hotel, otherwise you will have to go around to the front.

 

[Geemo]

Here's a link to their menu.
http://www.allears.net/dlr/din/menu/men_wws.htm

My grandkids really like the breakfast. It's handy to stop in for something to eat on our way back to the room at the end of the day.

Their portion size is more than one of us can eat, we often share.

 

[SarafinaPink]

I am all about the nachos (chicken is good, but the carne asade is my favorite) but they have all kinds of great options and it's always quiet and fast in there. You can center from right across from GRR, (never had a problem doing that at all) but everytime I've gone, they won't allow you to go back into the park that way (only DLR hotel guests). I've had to walk around to the front, which isn't a big walk, but just FYI.

 

[mouseymommy]

I am all about the nachos (chicken is good, but the carne asade is my favorite) but they have all kinds of great options and it's always quiet and fast in there. You can center from right across from GRR, (never had a problem doing that at all) but everytime I've gone, they won't allow you to go back into the park that way (only DLR hotel guests). I've had to walk around to the front, which isn't a big walk, but just FYI.

That's interesting, we were there a few weeks ago, and we were able to go back in through the hotel entrance. We just showed them our passes, and went into DCA. We weren't staying on property either.

 

[isisisme]

We were able to go back in to DCA after eating at White Water snacks last year through the hotel entrance as well. Just like going back into DL by using the monorail. We were not staying on site. They just checked our handstamp and park hopper and inside my back pack,.

(BTW, we had the nachos as well..they were awesome).

 

[DisSarahK]

We typically eat there for dinner at least once on each trip. The food is decent (not fancy) and it is far less expensive than many of the other options. On our last trip we picked up our food from Whitewater Snacks (accessing the Grand Californian via California Adventure--the entrance is across from Grizzly River Run) and then took our food with us out the front door of the hotel and back to the Disneyland Hotel. Whitewater Snacks had a bag for us to carry it all in. There also are indoor and outdoor seating options.

 

[SilentFeline]

WWS is one of my favorite places to eat at DLR. The meals are affordable and large enough to split. I've had 2 breakfast items (buttermilk biscuit sandwich and California breakfast burrito) and both were delicious. I love it that the meals come with fresh fruit. I've also had the egg salad sandwich for lunch and the chicken nachos for dinner, both of which I shared with my boyfriend. We enjoyed both, but the nachos were so large that even two of us couldn't finish them! On our last visit I made the mistake of getting a slice of pizza from Napolini instead of getting the personal pizza with a salad from WWS, which would have been a much better deal. It's on my list of eats for our next trip.

As for the entrance through DCA, as others have said it's located near Grizzly River Run. Get a hand stamp and you can go back in to DCA the same way. If you're not staying at one of the 3 on-site hotels you can show your receipt from WWS if they ask for anything other than a hand stamp when returning to DCA. Personally, we've never been asked for room keys or receipts at any time other than park opening at the alternate DCA entrance.

 

[Tiny Little Seed]

I believe it's after a certain time of day that any guests (not just DLR hotel guests) can enter through the GCH entrance into DCA. I don't know the exact time, but we've always done this after eating lunch without any problem, so maybe it starts around 11:00 am?

 

[rramstad]

WWS was a mainstay for our visit in July 2011. We are five with three kids who all have different things they like to eat (a real pain at home) and they ALL found things they liked at WWS... and mom and dad did too. Easy on the pocketbook, we always had tons of food, even when sharing. A super great way to ease the sting of the $$$ for staying at GCH, and a nice way to get out of the park when it gets crowded in mid day too.

 

[dnsmills]

Great info. I'll definitely put this on our schedule one day for lunch. Any other places like this (good food & good prices) at DLR whether it be in the parks, hotels or Downtown? I'm hoping Earl of Sandwich is open by then. One of my favs at WDW.

 

[DizMe]

I'm going to be the one dissenting opinion. I don't like WWS for anything other than a quick bite to eat when I'm nearby. The food isn't terrible, but it isn't that good. It's like basic cafeteria food to me, which is fine if you know that's what you're getting but I wouldn't make a special trip for it. I don't even eat there when I'm staying onsite other than to get a snack once in a while.

I DO love the appetizer menu at Trader Sam's. They have delicious, freshly prepared food and the price is excellent. You can eat inside or out. I also love the sit-down part of La Brea for lunch (and breakfast) and Napolini has some nice sandwiches and salads--some different types, like Greek salad.

ETA: Just noticed you included "in the parks." There is a little shack place over next to the rafts, across from Splash Mountain/Haunted Mansion. They have excellent salmon salads, chowder and a couple of other items. They don't serve much variety, but what they have is great and very reasonably priced. I also love the salads and sandwiches on the wharf in CA (next to Boudin Bakery). Also in CA, there is a large cafeteria-style place across from where the Orange Stinger was--Silly Symphony Swings?--and they have every kind of food from burgers to pizza to bbq. It's sort of like a food court.

 

[PinkBudgie]

We love WWS. The food is good but most of all it is so quiet. It is a nice, relaxing break in the middle of the day. Even on busy summer or Christmas holiday days, we have found WWS to be quiet and unbusy.

Our favorite meal is the chicken sandwhich (top pic). It comes with guacamole and roasted chili peppers. As you can see in the picture, they will cut it in half for you if you ask. DH and I shared that one.

 

[dnsmills]

I'm going to be the one dissenting opinion. I don't like WWS for anything other than a quick bite to eat when I'm nearby. The food isn't terrible, but it isn't that good. It's like basic cafeteria food to me, which is fine if you know that's what you're getting but I wouldn't make a special trip for it. I don't even eat there when I'm staying onsite other than to get a snack once in a while.

I DO love the appetizer menu at Trader Sam's. They have delicious, freshly prepared food and the price is excellent. You can eat inside or out. I also love the sit-down part of La Brea for lunch (and breakfast) and Napolini has some nice sandwiches and salads--some different types, like Greek salad.

ETA: Just noticed you included "in the parks." There is a little shack place over next to the rafts, across from Splash Mountain/Haunted Mansion. They have excellent salmon salads, chowder and a couple of other items. They don't serve much variety, but what they have is great and very reasonably priced. I also love the salads and sandwiches on the wharf in CA (next to Boudin Bakery). Also in CA, there is a large cafeteria-style place across from where the Orange Stinger was--Silly Symphony Swings?--and they have every kind of food from burgers to pizza to bbq. It's sort of like a food court.

We love WWS. The food is good but most of all it is so quiet. It is a nice, relaxing break in the middle of the day. Even on busy summer or Christmas holiday days, we have found WWS to be quiet and unbusy.

Our favorite meal is the chicken sandwhich (top pic). It comes with guacamole and roasted chili peppers. As you can see in the picture, they will cut it in half for you if you ask. DH and I shared that one.

Excellent suggestions. Thanks! Those meals look great. Already looking forward to eating there!

 

[kylie71]

We love WWS, and ate there twice over Thanksgiving week.
It's just so peaceful in there, after leaving a busy hoilday crowd, and wandering in through the GCH lobby from DTD, it's just really nice to take a break from the crowds there!
I also LOVE the chicken Nacho's!

~lori

 

[blackjackdelta]

One of our most favorite places for a quick bite..always quiet.

Jack

 

[Carrie in AZ]

TOTALLY love it there! My fave is also the grilled chicken sandwich -- never had one more tasty. In addition to menu items, they also offer prepared sandwiches such as egg salad that are in containers already prepared and waiting in their "help yourself" fridges. My DD LOVES them so we always get one of those, too.

I def think you will find something you like there. And, whenever we've been there, it has been completely uncrowded i.e. no waits to order and plenty of tables to choose from.

 

[GeneralTso]

We popped in there because it's near the pool at GC. It really is just a little cafeteria. Nothing special. I certainly wouldn't make an extra trip out of the way for it. I can't think of one thing I saw on the menu that would WOW me enough to trek over there unless I was staying at GC. Don't get me wrong, it's just fine, just totally average--overpriced of course.

 

[LisaT91403]

Would you believe that it's difficult to find a kid's grilled cheese sandwich around DLR/DCA? Well, we found that to be the case, and my DS(3) was a huge grilled cheese fan at the time. Thus, our visit to WWS. It was well worth the trip for him...he was thrilled. The rest of us enjoyed our food -- nothing amazing, but we were all quite satisfied with our choices. It was quiet and low-key there, which was a nice break.