In Downtown Disney
You don't need park tickets to eat or shop in Downtown Disney. You will need to pass through security to get there unless you are staying at Downtown Disney.
The Travel Concierge Tip
In most restaurants in and out of Disneyland, dine outside normal dining hours or expect a LONG wait. You can also book online up to 60days in advance via the Disneyland Resort website.
Tortilla Joe's (Mexican)
This is my two daughters and my favourite Downtown restaurant. We went here first one night when my husband had a migraine so we wondered out from Grand Californian to Tortilla Joes. We loved that they bring out complimentary tortilla chips and salsa. As you sit there and order they keep filling them up and then even after you have ordered they keep filling them up. Because of this, I would suggest ordering half of what you think you want as you will be full from the complimentary food. You can also orde to go.
The details and where to book online in advance can be found here.
Express dining can be found here.
Naples (Pizza/Italian)
Naples is a great family style restaurant. Here you order meals to come out for your family to share (or a whole dish if you are really hungry) There are outside nad inside dining options, you will be asked a preference or first ready. Make sure you know what your family preferences are so that you can answer this as you put your name down. Again, you can book up to 60 days in advance here.
Rainforest Cafe (American)
This chain restaurant is a great one for allowing each member of the family to have something they like. The menu is quite varied and the prices are great. You can boo up to 60 days ahead here.
The menu is found here.
The Rainforest Cafe is part of the Landry group which also includes McCormick and Schmick's as well as Bubba Gump locations. You can join the Landry club which costs a one-off $25. It entitles you to a $25 voucher to use next time you dine (so you get your money back) It also gets points per $ spent to be redeemed in restaurants. On your birthday you will get a $25 voucher to use in the restaurants. This is valid until the 15th of the month after your birthday month. If you know you will be dining at a few of these restaurants and your birthday HAPPENS to be the month you are on holiday so you get another $25 it will put you $25 ahead, as well as having priority seating. You can look into it here.
The Travel Concierge tip
If you are going to apply- do it online and even if you don't get your card in time you can give your phone number and details and still redeem your vouchers. If you apply in the restaurant, you then have to do an online confirmation and wait for 24 hr for the voucher to apply to your card.
Ralph Brennan's Jazz Kitchen (New Orleans Cuisine )
The only bad thing about this restaurant is there is only one in the world! We love this restaurant for the food, the decor, the Jazz music, the beignets, the Jazz Sunday Brunch and the beignets (yes they are that good it should be repeated) You can dine in the restaurant or grab take out at the separate Jazz express. OR you could be very hungry at night and duck down from your nearby hotel and grab beignets from the express just for supper...
The menu is found here.
The Jazz express menu is found here.
The area to make a reservation is found here. Although they prefer walk-in reservations.
The Travel Concierge tip
If you or your children are a Disney's Princess and the Frog film fan- you will definitely want to try one of the beignets like Tiana made in the movie.
Dining in Disneyland Resort Hotels
I am not listing lounges and fast convenience style places.
Dining in Disneyland Hotel
Goofy's Kitchen
Goofy's Kitchen provides a buffet style character dining experience for breakfast and dinner. In here you will find Goofy and friends (on rotation so you will generally see some of the following Donald, Minnie, Pluto) there is also a selection of other available characters. Over the years we have seen the following...but not all at one sitting, some at each sitting. - Aladdin, Jasmine, Alice, The Mad Hatter, Baloo, The Fairy Godmother (a rare find), Mulan
The characters will come to your table as you dine. While there, they will engage with your children...and you, pose for photos and give autographs. As soon as you get there, look around at where the characters are in comparison to your table. If there are none around, all go and grab some food. If they are close leave hold off or keep one adult at the table to call others back if the characters arrive at your table.
The Travel Concierge tip
Be prepared whenever you meet characters. Have your camera, autograph books and working pens on the table ready to go. Do practice runs at home for when your children meet the characters. In our family, we have individual photo style autograph books so we are in a routine where our children greet the character, get autographs in each book, pose together and then one rushes out while the other poses for a photo and then they quickly swap...then they give final farewell hugs and then the character goes. The character will be moved on by their minders if you take too long, but by us being well-rehearsed we have never missed out, even with 3 children.
Reservations are highly recommended and can be booked up to 60 days ahead. They can be made by phoning (714) 781-3463 or from the website found here.
The characters will come to your table as you dine. While there, they will engage with your children...and you, pose for photos and give autographs. As soon as you get there, look around at where the characters are in comparison to your table. If there are none around, all go and grab some food. If they are close leave hold off or keep one adult at the table to call others back if the characters arrive at your table.
The Travel Concierge tip
Be prepared whenever you meet characters. Have your camera, autograph books and working pens on the table ready to go. Do practice runs at home for when your children meet the characters. In our family, we have individual photo style autograph books so we are in a routine where our children greet the character, get autographs in each book, pose together and then one rushes out while the other poses for a photo and then they quickly swap...then they give final farewell hugs and then the character goes. The character will be moved on by their minders if you take too long, but by us being well-rehearsed we have never missed out, even with 3 children.
Reservations are highly recommended and can be booked up to 60 days ahead. They can be made by phoning (714) 781-3463 or from the website found here.
The Travel Concierge tip
Before you go, make sure that you get whatever you are getting autographs in so that you can officially get autographs while you dine rather than somewhere else in the park where you have to line up for a long time.
Steakhouse 55
Is a fine dining restaurant that is aimed more at adults ad families with older children. I love the memorabilia of photographs of Walt Disney and family and well-known friends that line the walls. Details can be found here.
Steakhouse 55
Is a fine dining restaurant that is aimed more at adults ad families with older children. I love the memorabilia of photographs of Walt Disney and family and well-known friends that line the walls. Details can be found here.
Dining in the Grand Californian
Storyteller's Cafe
The Storytellers Cafe is a Character dining experience during breakfast and a table service restaurant for lunch and dinner. You have the option of having a buffet meal or a la carte. The Character breakfast is the "Chip and Dale critter experience" and has obviously Chip and Dale and then a rotation of other animals found in Disney movies. Bookings are recommended and can be made up to 60 days ahead. They can be made by phoning (714) 781-3463 or from the website found here.
The characters will come to your table as you dine. While there, they will engage with your children...and you, pose for photos and give autographs. As soon as you get there, look around at where the characters are in comparison to your table. If there are none around, all go and grab some food. If they are close leave hold off or keep one adult at the table to call others back if the characters arrive at your table.
The Travel Concierge tip
Be prepared whenever you meet characters. Have your camera, autograph books and working pens on the table ready to go. Do practice runs at home for when your children meet the characters. In our family, we have individual photo style autograph books so we are in a routine where our children greet the character, get autographs in each book, pose together and then one rushes out while the other poses for a photo and then they quickly swap...then they give final farewell hugs and then the character goes. The character will be moved on by their minders if you take too long, but by us being well-rehearsed we have never missed out, even with 3 children.
Napa Rose
Is a fine dining restaurant that is aimed more at adults ad families with older children. Details can be found here.
The Storytellers Cafe is a Character dining experience during breakfast and a table service restaurant for lunch and dinner. You have the option of having a buffet meal or a la carte. The Character breakfast is the "Chip and Dale critter experience" and has obviously Chip and Dale and then a rotation of other animals found in Disney movies. Bookings are recommended and can be made up to 60 days ahead. They can be made by phoning (714) 781-3463 or from the website found here.
The characters will come to your table as you dine. While there, they will engage with your children...and you, pose for photos and give autographs. As soon as you get there, look around at where the characters are in comparison to your table. If there are none around, all go and grab some food. If they are close leave hold off or keep one adult at the table to call others back if the characters arrive at your table.
The Travel Concierge tip
Be prepared whenever you meet characters. Have your camera, autograph books and working pens on the table ready to go. Do practice runs at home for when your children meet the characters. In our family, we have individual photo style autograph books so we are in a routine where our children greet the character, get autographs in each book, pose together and then one rushes out while the other poses for a photo and then they quickly swap...then they give final farewell hugs and then the character goes. The character will be moved on by their minders if you take too long, but by us being well-rehearsed we have never missed out, even with 3 children.
Napa Rose
Is a fine dining restaurant that is aimed more at adults ad families with older children. Details can be found here.
Dining in Paradise Pier
Disney's PCH Grill
This is Paradise Pier's character meal breakfast restaurant based around a Surf's up theme. All the characters are dressed in surf gear. You will usually find some of the following characters on rotation- Mickey, Minnie, Daisy, Goofy, Pluto and Stitch just to name a few. PCH Grill is closed for lunch and night it is not a character meal but is a fun Californian style buffet with the option of 'Smores' for dessert. Reservations are recommended and can be made up to 60 days in advance. They can be made by phoning (714) 781-3463 or from the website found here.
The characters will come to your table as you dine. While there, they will engage with your children...and you, pose for photos and give autographs. As soon as you get there, look around at where the characters are in comparison to your table. If there are none around, all go and grab some food. If they are close leave hold off or keep one adult at the table to call others back if the characters arrive at your table.
The Travel Concierge tip
Be prepared whenever you meet characters. Have your camera, autograph books and working pens on the table ready to go. Do practice runs at home for when your children meet the characters. In our family, we have individual photo style autograph books so we are in a routine where our children greet the character, get autographs in each book, pose together and then one rushes out while the other poses for a photo and then they quickly swap...then they give final farewell hugs and then the character goes. The character will be moved on by their minders if you take too long, but by us being well-rehearsed we have never missed out, even with 3 children.
Dining outside Disney Resort
In the street opposite Disneyland (South Harbor Blvd) where most of the Good Neighbour hotels can be found, there are a number of dining options. They are listed with websites below
Tony Romas Ribs website with menu (near traffic lights to cross over to Disneyland Resort)
Denny's website with menu Up near traffic lights to cross over to Disneyland Resort)
The Travel Concierge tip
Dennys is open 24/7. This is great when you are jetlagged or arrive really late. It really is not that great but when it is 3am and you are hungry anything open to eat is treasured!
IHOP (International House of Pancakes) website with menu Near Denny's
The Travel Concierge tip
IHOP is open 24/7. This is great when you are jetlagged or arrive really late. It really is not that great but when it is 3am and you are wanting pancakes, these are pretty great!
Mimi's website with menu Found up the Space Mountain end of S.Harbor Blvd.
Panera Bread- This restaurant used to house one of our family favourite's -Millie's. It was open till midnight and had a menu full of family favourites for great prices. Now it is a more healthy choice restaurant. The menu is found here.
Yes there is a McDonalds...no I am not going to write about it...this McDonalds has the slowest service in the WORLD!!
Dining at Garden Walk
You will need a car to get to this complex with your family.
Address: 321 W Katella Ave, AnaheimParking is Free the first hour and then $3 per hour after that.
Garden Walk website: here
The Garden Walk has a number of shopping and entertainment venues and is open from 11am to 9pm daily.
The Travel Concierge tip
Ask the restaurant you are dining at if they have parking validation. This needs to be put on the parking ticket.
Bubba Gump (part of the Landry group- see above re membership)Bubba Gump website hours
CPK CPK website hours
Cheesecake Factory Cheesecake Factory website hours
House of Blues (Opening December 2016) House of Blues website hours
Johnny Rockets Johnny Rocket's website hours
McCormick and Schmick's Grille (part of the Landry group- see above re membership) McCormick and Schmick's website hours
P.F. Chang's hours P.F. Chang's website
Roy's Restaurant hours Roy's website
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