I know I ask alot of questions LOL! :D
Everyone was so helpful with what not to miss while at DL and I thank you. It has made me even more excited for our trip.

What I would like to know now is what places in the park are a must to eat at (we have 3 kids with us - 9, 6 & 4)?

I would like to plan to eat lunch/dinner at the park once day...so what do you suggest?

We are going to do character dining 2 of the 5 days so I have 3 "open" spots.

Thanks again...

In DL I would suggest the Carnation Cafe. The food is excecllent and they have a pretty good childrens selection. 9yr old DS always orders the Peanut Butter Palette. It comes on a painters palette and has different things they can put on their PB sandwich. So kid friendly. Also in DCA I would recommend the Test Pilot Kitchen(right near the Soarin'). They have great burgers and fries.

Two words: Blue Bayou (http://disneyland.disney.go.com/disneyland/en_US/parks/dining/detail?name=BlueBayouDiningPage&bhcp=1)

Whenever we go, we always make sure that we eat at The Blue Bayou, Bengal Barbeque, and Rancho Del Zocallo (Both at DL). Over at DCA, there's more of the generic burgers, fries, and pizza, but Taste Pilots' Grill has some good ribs, and Cocina Cucamonga Mexican Grill is pretty good too (the name escapes me). We've never tried The Vineyard Room or Wine Country Trattoria unfortunately so I don't know what to say for those.

–Solar Surfer

I second the Blue Bayou. It's an experience that cannot be found at any other Disney park.

Blue Bayou is pretty cha-ching and not so sure it is kid-friendly menuwise. I could wrong and I am sure if I am, I will be roundly denounced. LOL :cool:

These are the spots we keep going back to:


Blue Ribbon Bakery

It's tradition to stop in here at the end of the night for milk & cookies. It's also a great place to start the day with coffee and muffins.


Cafe Orleans

Some of the best food in the park (in our opinion). DH LOVES the Monte Cristo. I enjoy the salads and pomme frites. I actually think we prefer the food here to BB!


River Belle Terrace

One of the prettiest spots in the park is looking out over the Rivers of America. You can get a tasty (and fairly inexpensive) breakfast here (GREAT place to start the day!), and we have REALLY been enjoying the new lunch/dinner menu IMMENSELY. The prime rib salad is Dee-Lish!


Rancho del Zocalo

We've always enjoyed the food here. And the atmosphere.

Now I'm huuuuunngry!!!
Bon Apetit...

Six words...Carnation Cafe Loaded Baked Potato Soup! :D

I'm always amazed at how many "Disneyland People" I meet and even amongst my own friends who have never eaten at the Bengal Barbeque- so that's my vote!
Ok, I'm craving DL food now! :D

I'm always amazed at how many "Disneyland People" I meet and even amongst my own friends who have never eaten at the Bengal Barbeque- so that's my vote!
Ok, I'm craving DL food now! :D


That is one of my goals for the upcoming trip. Well, that and having a corn dog(I hear they are amazing!) and a Dole Whip. Never had any of those things so I am determined this time!

That is one of my goals for the upcoming trip. Well, that and having a corn dog(I hear they are amazing!) and a Dole Whip. Never had any of those things so I am determined this time!

With that combo, there's no way you can go wrong! :D

LOL! I love the Pineapple spears but have never had a whip or whip float(are those two the same thing???)

LOL! I love the Pineapple spears but have never had a whip or whip float(are those two the same thing???)

Dole Whip Floats are floats made with pineapple juice and dole whip. Dole whips alone are served in a cup like soft-serve ice cream.

That sounds fab! I want one NOW! LOL

Blue Bayou is pretty cha-ching and not so sure it is kid-friendly menuwise. I could wrong and I am sure if I am, I will be roundly denounced. LOL :cool:

Blue Bayou is pricey. The lunch menu is more reasonable and they will allow you to split plates for a small fee.

It's such a simple meal, but a hotdog at the Coke Corner and sitting for the piano playing is just a wonderful eating experience. Try it at dusk one evening, it's so peaceful...Sigh...I miss it...!!

-Foodie

Monte Cristo at Cafe Orleans!
Clam Chowder Bowl at the Wharf in DCA.
Chicken Fusilli at Pizza Port.
OHHHH French Dip at French Market!!!!

This discussion begins and ends with the Blue Bayou in terms of "must visit". I say book for 11:30. Less mess at the doorway. Request waterside seating. Order jambalaya with the gumbo.

If you have kids, I'd say a character breakfast is worth a visit. Better than fooling with lines to meet characters in the park.

Carnation Cafe- if for no other reason than you might spot a true Disney legend (Oscar). Need more reasons? The food is exceptional quality for park-food. It would be great quality at any restaurant , actually, anywhere.
And this was one of the few places my kids could modify the kids meal- they gladly accommodated my kids requests for substitutions. For once The PB&J wasn't a pre-made preservative filled thing!

My suggestions (these are all in DL):


Cafe Orleans - great variety of delicious foods (mmm - pomme frites) and great atmosphere, especially if you sit on the patio
Bengal BBQ - quick snack-type eatery, but food is great and you can make a lovely meal out of all of the skewers that are available
Plaza Inn - huge selections that can easily be shared; delicious fried chicken; gorgeous location right at the end of main street
Rancho Del Zocalo - again, huge portions; yummy Mexican-style food; decent prices
We also enjoy the Blue Bayou, but it certainly is a pricey option; worth it for the atmosphere, IMO; fantastic deserts


In DCA we enjoy:


Taste Pilots Grill - great burgers and ribs; large and extensive toppings bar means you can really customize your burger; cross-cut fries are yummy!

DCA

Taste Pilots Grill at DCA
Best Burgers in the parks, period. IMO.

Disneyland

The Blue Ribbon Bakery
We stop here every morning we are in the park for a latte and we split a muffin or a cookie or something. Mmmm..... I could go for some of that right now...

The Carnation Cafe
We love the soups and sandwiches here. Yummy..

Coke Corner
Really good place if you want a hot dog. We always eat her at least once.

River Belle Terrace
One time each trip, we skip the Bakery and have breakfast here, on the rivers of America. This is where they have the famous Mickey Mouse Pancakes. Personally, I usually go for a bacon, eggs, and potatoes kind of breakfast though.

The Blue Bayou
For ambience only. I don't go here expecting the food to be amazing, because it isn't. And the prices are crazy. Just like Miss Mouse said, we too often come here for dessert only. I still have never tried the famouse Monte Cristo. Sounds disgusting to me, but I might give it a shot and split one when I'm there in September.

...and now, the BEST places to eat in Disneyland.. OUTSIDE THE PARKS

Naples Restorante
We usually eat here twice per trip. Amazing peperoni pizza and caesar salads. We split the salad, get a small pizza, and a bottle of wine. SO GOOD.

The ESPN Zone
There's always a long wait to eat here, but the food is always so so good. We really enjoy it here.

Mimi's Cafe (On Harbor)
We've also never been disappointed by Mimi's. The food is delicious, the portions are large, and the service is good. This is also a good one if you're on a budget, as it isn't that expensive. The corn chowder here is so good.

ALSO. In Disneyland. Don't skip the fudge in the candy shop, the hot fudge sundaes at the ice cream shop, the churros, or the frozen lemonade. Okay I'm done.

In case you can't tell, we do a lot of eating in Disneyland ;)

Bengal BBQ... so good. I could go for a skewer right now.
And Carnation Cafe... my kids love the pnut butter palet there.

nvmom

B-L-U-E B-A-Y-O-U !!!! You won't be sorry.

Where is AdrienneK? I am surprised that she has not weighed in with Napa Rose. She is a big fan as am I. Really, I think I had one of my best meals ever there and I have eaten at some pretty nice places with my folks (big time foodies) over the years.

I would love to know what else people order at Cafe Orleans other than the Monte Cristo. Last time we went we had the crepes and the crab sandwich and both were really mediocre. With so many rave reviews I hate to write it off.

I like the ratatouille. But normally I get the house salad and a bowl of French onion soup. We all get the garlic/parmesan fries to share to start. The kids get the chicken leg kids meals that come with fruit.