Updated June 2024
What's the best way to save money when it comes to eating at Disneyland? Where are some good places to eat? When I go to Disneyland, we plan on eating at least 2 meals a day at our hotel so we can save money. Usually we eat all 3 meals there, which can be quite an undertaking considering Liz and I have 8 kids between us!
We try to choose a
hotel that serves a continental breakfast or we pack simple breakfast foods like muffins or donuts. As long as we eat enough, we are usually set until about noon with the exception of a few snacks that we bring with us. As of 2016, Disneyland is very good about allowing guests to bring water bottles and snacks, such as Ziploc bags of animal crackers, pretzels, etc into the park.
With breakfast all set, we also bring peanut butter, jelly/honey, mayo, cold cuts and bread for sandwiches for lunch and cup of noodles for dinner. Liz will also pre-cook a few meals before we leave and put them in coolers on the drive down. Since the hotels have mini fridges and microwaves, we are able to heat up these meals for lunch or dinner. Nothing beats a nice hot plate of spaghetti or fettuccine alfredo after a bunch of walking! But even with enough food, we'll usually eat once or twice in the park during our typical 4 day stay just to have something different. We'll also buy an occasional snack here or there.
Here are a few of the places where I've eaten, including my favorites, and a little bit about them:
The Blue Bayou
This has been a favorite of mine since I was a little kid and my mom used to take me there to eat. I haven't gone for about 5 years because of how expensive it is - about $30-$50 per plate - but the ambiance can't be replicated anywhere. It is located in New Orleans Square in Disneyland. This is the restaurant you travel through slowly on your boat when you go on the ride Pirates of the Caribbean. The portions are smaller, as you would expect to find at a fancy restaurant, and although the food is good, I have been just as impressed with the quality of food at other restaurants at Disneyland. If you want to eat here, be prepared to get there early in the day and put your name on a list for later that evening.
The Village Haus Restaurant (now the Red Rose Tavern)
The Village Haus Restaurant is located in Fantasyland, next to Pinocchio's Daring Journey and across from Casey Jr Circus Train. I vaguely recalled eating there as a child with my Mom so in August 2016 I decided to take my family there to become reacquainted with it. The theming is that of a quaint, little European village which is also tied in to the Disney Animated Classic, Pinocchio. Although both indoor and outdoor seating is available at The Village Haus Restaurant, we chose to sit indoors to escape the heat. There were only a couple of indoor tables available when we ate at 1:30pm and there weren't too many outdoor tables either. It is a popular place to eat, due in large part to it's prime location in the most frequented land in Disneyland - Fantasyland. I found the food to be reasonably priced and very good. I would recommend the Village Haus Restaurant to anyone looking for a good meal at an affordable price (affordable in Disney terms...).
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| Here's a look at the outside of the Village Haus Restaurant. Even the Cast Member uniforms add to the unique feel here... |
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| As you walk through the doors, you are immediately greeted by beautiful artistry depicting a scene from Pinocchio. |
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| There are numerous ordering stations located inside. Pick the shortest line and then wait for your name to be called to pick up your food at the counter. |
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| Here's a closer look at one of the ordering stations. |
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| The menu is animated and changes after a few seconds. This is page 1 of the menu... |
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| ...and here's page 2. |
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| This is the Grilled Chicken Sandwich and fresh fruit for $9.99. My wife ordered this and thought it was good, but a little dry. |
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| This is the Garden Vegetable Burger and fries for $10.99. Alley, my 16 year old ordered this and really liked it. She said that the meat was substituted with beans and veggies. |
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| Finally, here's a look at the Classic Angus 1/3 lb Cheeseburger which the rest of us ordered for $10.99. My mouth is watering as I'm typing this, remembering how delicious it was! |
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| Here's a look at some of the artwork and indoor seating. |
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| Here's a look at the outdoor seating. The canopy's provide great shade and make eating outside pleasant on days where the temperature isn't too high. |
The Hungry Bear
The Hungry Bear is located in Critter Country in Disneyland, near where The Country Bear Jamboree used to be and where Winnie the Pooh is now. It is known for it's big portions. Don't be surprised if you pay about $12 for a hamburger, but expect to be full when you're done with it. It has a great atmosphere as you can dine out on a patio overlooking the Rivers of America. For the most part, I have had good experiences eating at the Hungry Bear. Here are some pictures from our December 2016 visit.
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| The menu and pricing as of December 2016 |
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| The kid's menu, beverages, and desserts... |
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| The Chicken Sandwich and fries ($9.99) was what my wife and 17 year old daughter got. They both said the food was delicious! |
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| I got the Cheeseburger and fries ($10.99). It was slightly over done to my liking, but it hit the spot after a full morning of walking around! |
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| This was the toddler meal we got for my 2 year old. It is the Cheesy Macaroni for $4.49. My daughter loved it! |
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| The staff was friendly and helpful. |
The Golden Horseshoe
The Golden Horseshoe is located in Frontierland and is one of the original attractions at Disneyland. Walt Disney himself used to have a personal box from which he would watch the performances on the stage below. I went to eat at The Golden Horseshoe for the first time that I can remember in the summer of 2014. I originally planned on just getting some ice cream for me and the kids but when I saw how good the food looked, I decided to try it as well. I ordered some kids meals for the kids and some chicken fingers for me....and ice cream too. We went up stairs to a table on the balcony and watched Billy Hill and the Hillbillies comedy show. The show was entertaining for both myself and the kids and the food hit the spot as well. The pricing is about average for a Disneyland eatery. Since my first time there, it has become a family tradition to eat here every summer.
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| A view from the outside |
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| Our traditional meal of a chicken strip basket and ice cream at the Golden Horseshoe (2014) |
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| Here we are again in 2024 |
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| Chicken Breast Nuggets $9.49 A very filling and tasty meal. |
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Crispy Chicken Mixed Green Salad $9.99
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This is what the Sundae looks like in 2024
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Hot Fudge Sundae $6.49 (2014) This is my all-time favorite treat at Disneyland and especially great on a hot day outside. The picture doesn't do it justice - my 9 year old and 10 year old sheared one and couldn't finish it.
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| Here's a look at the full menu in 2016. |
The Galactic Grill
Located in the Tomorrowland Terrace, this is one of my 12 year old's favorites. I think the Star Wars theme has quite an influence on him, but the food is also pretty good. I always avoided this area in the past because it seemed more crowded than all the other eateries but now that Disneyland is just a mass of crowds pretty much anywhere you look, it's not much different than anywhere else at this point.
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| Here's a look at the menu. (You can click on it to make it larger) |
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| They even have a gluten free option, which my daughter likes. |
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| This is the chopped salad, which my wife enjoyed very much! |
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| I liked the cheeseburger. |
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| This is the turkey sandwich kid's meal with a side of Mac and Cheese. The kids didn't like the bread on the sandwich but ate the turkey inside and the mac and cheese. |
Overall, the Galactic Grill offers a pretty good bang for your buck. It is pricey, but not for Disneyland food. The food also was good and we found some nice tables to sit at by the Tomorrowland walkway.
Taste Pilots' Grill (Now called Smokejumpers Grill)
Located in Condor Flats near California Screamin' in California Adventure, Taste Pilots' offers a good variety of American eats such as hamburgers, chicken fingers, chicken sandwiches, etc. It is one of the more affordable places to eat (for Disneyland) and has a fun atmosphere, being inside what seems like a large airplane hanger.
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| Taste Pilots Grill |
Bengal Barbecue
Located across from Indiana Jones in Adventureland, The Bengal Barbecue has the best food in Disneyland, in my opinion. Granted, the portions are small - just skewers with meet on them, but the pricing reflects that. If you are looking for a decent size snack that will get you through the next couple of hours, the Bengal Barbecue is the place to go! Here are some pictures from December 2016.
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| Although rather inconspicuous, the food at the Bengal Barbecue doesn't disappoint! |
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| Unfortunately my picture of the menu didn't turn out well but there are 5 different skewers that range in price from $3.99-$4.49 and feature anything from vegetables, to chicken, to beef. |
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| Here's a look at the Safari Skewer ($4.19). It is bacon wrapped asparagus and tasted AMAZING! |
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| This is the Chieftain Chicken Skewer ($4.19) which is chicken coated with a sweet Polynesian sauce. The portion on this was a little skimpy compared to the Safari Skewer - there were just three bites of chicken on it. But it also tasted delicious! |
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| Also offered at the Bengal Barbecue was a Moana Bamboo souvenir sipper for $12.99. Yes, that's quite a rip-off, but thanks to people like me, they still sell them! I'll have to admit that it does look great on display in my Disney room at home. |
Tomorrowland Terrace
As the name indicates, Tomorrowland Terrace is located in Tomorrowland in Disneyland. It is an outdoor covered eating area which features many simple favorites for everyone from Hamburgers to chicken salads. It is one of the less expensive places to eat at Disneyland.
Tiki Juice Bar
On a hot afternoon, the Tiki Juice Bar is the place to be. During the afternoon rush, we like to go to the Tiki Room attraction and while we wait, splurge a little at the Tiki Juice Bar. My favorite item is the plain old pineapple spears, although the kids love the pineapple ice cream and the Juice looks delicious too! It is a bit pricey for what you get, but it sure hits the spot. As an added bonus, if you aren't able to finish your snacks before the Tiki Room attraction is ready, don't fret, you can bring them with you and eat them inside while enjoying the show! But beware of long lines! It was the longest line I stood in all day - even inside the Tiki Room attraction.
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| Enjoying our Dole Whips while watching the "birds sing words and the flowers croon" in the Tiki Room. |
Gibson Girl Ice Cream Parlor
Located on Main Street USA just as you enter Disneyland, and right next to the Penny Arcade, the Gibson Girl Ice Cream Parlor offers about 10 different flavors to choose from. Prices were about $3 per scoop or $4.50 for 2 scoops with the waffle cone $.50 extra. A nice place to stop for a treat on the way back to the hotel.
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| Some delicious ice cream at Gibson Girl |
Board Walk Pizza and Pasta - June 2024
My favorite place to eat in California Adventure is definitely Board Walk Pizza and Pasta. I had never eaten here until we visited DCA with some friends of mine and they wanted to eat here so we tried it. When I walked in and looked at the menu, I was pleasantly surprised with the prices which are very affordable by Disney standards. Most of us try one of the pasta dishes - either the Chicken Alfredo which is really good or the Spaghetti and Meatballs. My youngest daughter tried and liked the Pizza slice. The Pizza slice is a bit more expensive for what you get and I think the pasta dishes are the best value.
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Here's a look at the spaghetti and meatballs. It is really good and very filling.
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| Here's a look at the Chicken Alfredo and the Pizza Slice. I normally like fettuccini as the noodles in my alfredo, but these penne noodles are not bad and quite filling.
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Misc snack stands
Occasionally I'll indulge in a snack from one of the many snack stands throughout the park. I love the popcorn! I usually end up craving something salty during the day while I'm there and the popcorn hits the spot! The churros are also good...expensive, but good. One snack stand near Thunder Mountain Railroad offers huge $9 turkey legs which are very good. The three littlest kids, Liz, and I shared the turkey leg. It is messy, but good. There are also fruit stands set up in Frontierland and at a couple other places throughout the park, though the prices for fruit are extremely expensive - $2.50 for an apple, etc.
Again, food is expensive at Disneyland so I recommend bringing what food you can from home. If you do that, you'll want to find out what amenities the hotel you're staying has in it such as a refrigerator, microwave, coffee maker (to heat water for cup of noodles, oatmeal, etc) and other things. So save your money on food and spend it on souvenirs! I'd rather spend my money on souvenirs which can create lasting memories rather then food which is gone right after you eat it.
For information on character dining at Ariel's Grotto and Goofy's Kitchen, see my link here:
http://ourdisneybiz.blogspot.com/2014/08/character-dining.html
