Okay, you all gave me such fabulous input on my Thrifty Disney Tips post, that I'm back to ask for more of your favorite tips…this time about eating at Disneyland!
I've been reading forum after forum trying to plan our meals for our days at Disney and I've typed up everything I've learned. If you agree or disagree (or have advice not listed here), I would love for you to comment below! We are trying to stay within budget as much as possible, so we want the food that we splurge on in the park to be the very best (and not too expensive)!
Saving Money While Eating at Disneyland
Here are some Thrifty Tips for Eating at Disneyland:
- You can easily spend money on only one full meal in the park if you eat a good breakfast before you go, bring lots of snacks to cover another meal (and maybe share a fun snack at the park), and then use your money on the remaining meal.
- If you eat in one of the restaurants, skip desserts and buy it from one of the snack vendors instead. This will be much cheaper.
- You can usually order items ala carte to save money (even though they aren't listed that way on the menu).
- One of the best values is the bread and soup bowls. Huge portion, filling and the bread bowls are phenomenal (at the Royal Street Veranda). They are $9.95, but they can feed two.
- The Plaza Inn is known for their huge portions. You should be able to feed a family of 4 (sharing portions) for under $20 (I keep reading comments about the fried chicken being amazing).
- I had no idea until recently, but apparently you are not supposed to wait until your vacation to make a reservation at one of the restaurants. Get on Disney's site and make reservations a good amount of time before your trip.
- Ice water is free at most of the service counters (you can bring packets of Crystal Light if you wanna mix things up a bit).
- You can bring soft-sided coolers into the park with snacks (no glass). There are lockers you can store your cooler in.
- Kids meals are a good value with a side of fruit and veggies and either milk, water or soda. You can also easily share an adult meal between kids.
- I also read that the loaded baked potato is huge, tasty and can be shared, but I didn't write down where because I'm not a huge fan of baked potatoes. Anyone had them?
Disney Food Favorites
Here are some of the favorite snacks that I have seen repeatedly raved about:
- Chocolate-covered peanut butter sandwich bars (found at candy shops throughout the parks). Google a picture of this one. They look amazing.
- Dole Whips
- Churros
- Turkey legs. It's been said that these easily feed multiple people. This might make a good lunch.
- The Corn Dogs from the Little Red Wagon are amazing (and huge).
- The best fries in the whole park are the Pommes Frites in Cafe Orleans
- Disneyland Restaurants at a Glance
- Go here to read about each restaurant as well as their price ranges. You can also look up the Menus and prices for each Restaurant so that you have an idea what you will be paying. You can also visit the Disneyland Food Blog for detailed reviews and pictures of Disneyland restaurants.
GLUTEN-FREE @ Disneyland: Disney is amazing at catering to all kinds of dietary needs. Talk with the chef if you have dietary restrictions. If you need Gluten-Free, here is a list of Gluten-Free food items you can eat at Disneyland (there are TONS).
Character Dining
We booked our vacation through Getaway Today (read about what lead to that decision here). If you do decide to splurge on a character meal, DON'T pay the restaurant or you will pay a lot more.
Character Dining can seem expensive, but they allow your kids to get close up attention with the characters without having to wait in long lines in the park. You don't want to spend tons of money on park tickets and then spend more time in character lines than on the rides.
Get Away Today offers savings on both Regular and Premium Disney Character Dining so you can get the most out of your Disneyland vacation. If you wait to purchase Disney Character Dining when you get to theDisneyland ® Resort, you will pay more – especially if you're traveling during the summer, when Disney Character Dining restaurants raise their prices. When you book with Get Away Today, your meal (including your tax and gratuity) are prepaid – and discounted! When you don't purchase in advance and pay at the restaurant, you pay the regular price, plus 8.75% tax and up to 20% gratuity – yikes!
Because of our positive experience with Get Away Today, I asked if I could be an affiliate so that my readers can have a special discount. Use code MOTHERSNICHE for $10 off (and use it for something yummy in the park)!
What are YOUR best Disneyland Food Tips?
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