Like the management likes to say, "It's only a monorail ride away..." As a general rule hotel food is a notch or two above the park in quality (and in price!). You can get beer & wine, and some locations offer real liquor with your meals, (which some of you may deem VERY important). There will be many changes coming soon to this area - due to construction, so keep checking this page for updates.

• GRANVILLE'S is a good quality steak house with nice decor, and you can wear resort clothing too. Very expensive. In the same league (across the Pan pool) is HOOK'S POINTE a new mesquite grill that features fish, steak and chicken.
• GOOFY'S KITCHEN used to be STROMBOLI'S, and is covered in the previous page to this one. Food quality is poor - but that's not why you do this, you go for the personal attention of the characters and photo opps with them. Check the signs outside, or call in advance as to the character theme. Sometimes there is an artist outside available to draw caricatures of you and yours for a fee. Breakfast and Dinner daily - Lunch is weekends and holidays only.
• THE COFFEE HOUSE [IF open] has offers a small selection of baked goods and gourmet coffees. [There is also a small snack bar under Hook's Pointe]

Generally reservations are only required during very busy times at the park - but a good idea is to call the morning of your visit and make them before or as the park opens. Use the phone numbers listed at the top of this guide to call. Expect a 45 to 60 minute wait during peak times such as Sat. night at dinner time.

Now that the DISNEYLAND PACIFIC hotel has joined the DL resort there are two restaurants located there that actually have very good food - and are very un-crowded for the most part - they are worth visiting even if the lines at the DL Hotel eateries are not out of hand. Nearby, they are down the walk from the DL Hotel in the main lobby of the DL Pacific.

• PCH has a new California type menu, with pizzas and such, and now also hosts an all you can eat character breakfast buffet with live entertainment during peak seasons.
• YAMABUKI is a traditional Japanese restaurant, which is geared to the extensive Japanese tourist group bookings Disney places there. I've heard many compliments about this place.

TIP: If you plan to stop by just to eat (or just shop) at any of the two hotel's restaurants (or buy anything at the shops there) and not spend time at the park, a three hour parking validation is available at any restaurant, lounge, or merchandise shop.

HUNGRY FOR THAT SPECIAL SOMETHING AND CAN'T MAKE IT TO THE PARK? Look in section BRING DISNEYLANDL HOME for the recipes for the Blue Bayou Monte Cristo Sandwich, the Bengal BBQ Spicy Beef Skewers, and where you can buy (frozen) the famous DL Churros.

BIRTHDAY PARTIES:

Disneyland has finally begun to offer in-park parties again - Adrienne Krock has detailed how to book them in her Parenting in the Parks column here on MousePlanet.

The park also offers a limited amount of decoration and cakes at locations throughout the resort, which are detailed below:

Goofy's Kitchen Birthday Packages at the Disneyland Hotel:

NOTE: A party here requires purchase of the buffet:

Prices:

Breakfast & Lunch: Adults - $13.50, Children (4 - 12) - $8.25, Children 3 & under - $3.

Dinner: Adults - $17.50, Children (4 - 12) - $8.50, Children 3 & under - $3.

and then you ADD $4.00 per person to the prices listed above for the following decorations:

Themes available: Winnie the Pooh and Tigger / Ballerina Minnie / Lion King / Cinderella / Mickey & Friends

This includes: Tablecloth, plates, cups, blowers, hats, candy confetti on the table, Mickey Mouse balloons, one souvenir photo with a character and a cupcake for the birthday person if no birthday cake is ordered. (See below for ordering optional cake.)

Cake is optional and may be ordered at an additional cost. Figurines to decorate cake cost between $3 and $6, in addition to cake price.

6" cake; serves 6-8 people - $12

10" cake; serves 10-14 - $18

1/4 sheet cake; serves 20 - $30

1/2 sheet cake; serves 40 - $45

Full sheet cake; serves 80 - $85

10" cheesecake; serves 10-14 - $25

Birthday parties should be booked at least 24 hours in advance; birthday parties with cake orders at least 72 hours in advance.

Blue Bayou and Plaza Inn Restaurants:

Celebration cakes may be pre-ordered for birthdays or other special occasions at the Blue Bayou or the Plaza Inn restaurants in the park. Cakes must be ordered in advance and are usually NOT made available on Easter, the 4th of July or Christmas Day. Characters are NOT available to join groups at the Plaza Inn or Blue Bayou when a celebration cake is served. Phone orders only will be accepted for a minimums 3 day (5 recommended) advanced notice, this IS required. A credit card deposit is also required.

Plaza Inn - Main Street, U.S.A.

Maximum party size: 20

Reservations available on the hour or half hour between 2 and 4 PM.

No more than 4 parties may be booked on any one day. Meal purchase NOT required. Waitress will serve and cut cake.

To order: (714) 781-4521

Blue Bayou - New Orleans Square

No maximum party size; maximum table size: 8.

Same-day reservations are available at the door, on a limited basis. Meal purchase IS required; if no cake only.

To order: (714) 781-4547

Prices for Celebration Cakes at both locations:

9" round Cake; serves 12 people - $30.12

1/4 sheet Cake; serves 20 people - $40.41

Prices for cakes include tax and gratuity.

NOTE: All of the above subject to change and availability.

MONEY SAVING MEAL TIPS:

Many D-I-G readers have suggested ways to save money eating at DL, TORY KLEMENTSEN writes:

You might want to suggest to people at most eating locations that a dinner of 2 appetizers can be very filling and inexpensive. My husband and I did this and went away quite satisfied. We each ordered 1 appetizer and I think the bill came to around $11.

There are [also] other ways to enjoy Disney food without spending an arm and a leg, if people don't mind sharing meals. The meals at the CASA MEXICANA restaurant [in Frontierland] are huge, so we would order 1 meal and a side of chips and come away stuffed. Better yet, bring your own chips. Despite the warnings, no one ever once asked us about the food we brought into the park, although many CM's saw us eating it.

About the BLUE BAYOU, LORING FISKE-PHILLIPS wrote:

One trick is to eat a late lunch. I think they stop serving lunch around 3:30 or 4 (not sure about this)? This allows for an early dinner at the lower lunch prices. Also, if one does go for dinner, the portions are large enough to share an entree and just get an extra salad or soup. Once you eat several helpings of bread, you aren't really all that hungry anyway. And you don't want to carry a doggy bag around DL the rest of the day!

MIKE RAFELD commented:

Although the meals inside the park are pricey for sit down, they are also quite generous. I don't recall a time when we walked away from a meal hungry...or without leaving something on our plates. I would suggest highlighting BIG THUNDER BBQ a bit more because this is one of the better food deals in the park. And, tucked back behind Fantasyland, the ambiance was quite nice.

Remember, DISNEY CLUB members get a discount at the park and Disney hotels. (Premium annual passholders get a 15% discount) Also premium annual passholders get 10% off on all waiter / buffeteria-type eating places in the park and also including the hotels. Ask for an information card explaining these and other added discounts at time of pass purchase.

Also a CHILDREN'S VALUE MEAL has been standardized at almost all restaurant locations. Since no one verifies who the meal is purchased for, you can take advantage of this price to eat a smaller meal portion, or just get an inexpensive snack. Inquire at your chosen dining location for info.

Be sure to hold on to your coffee cups at the park, refills are free at the location purchased within a reasonable amount of time.

Return to MEALS - Part One

DISNEYLAND HOTEL

BIRTHDAY PARTIES

MONEY SAVING MEAL TIPS

MEALS - Part One