Other than Rainforest Cafe, what mid-priced venue at Disneyland Resort would be good for a birthday girl who has outgrown characters but is still a kid?

I have a daughter turning 12 next month as well...

Did you ask her? What my 12 year old likes might not be a place where your 12 year old would like...

Mine would definitly NOT want to go to a character meal. She's "past" that. Mine would rather go to the Japanese restaraunt at the Paradise Pier Hotel...she loves Sushi (although, I'm not crazy about it).

So...ask her where she would like to eat...(because everyone's kid is different...).
:D

Are you kidding? With my luck, she would want to eat at Ralph Brennan's Jazz Club, upstairs again! $$$$$$ ;)

Some place in New Orleans Square probably. Blue Bayou, French Market, Cafe Orleans.

That's where I like to eat as a 29-year-old man...I liked them when I was a 12-year-old boy...I don't imagine it would be much different if I were a 12-year-old girl. ;)

When I was 12 I would have loved ESPNzone. Ok, so I was a huge tomboy (still am, TYVM.) How about Red Rockett's Pizza Port? I would have liked that too.

I still would ask her. If she asks for something muy $$$$$, can you ask her to make another choice?

How about Carnation Cafe? With such limited seating, it's a little bit exclusive, while still being in the middle of the action.

Blue Bayou isn't nearly as expensive for lunch as it is for dinner, and wins major points for atmosphere.

Or, for a special treat, go to one of the really nice restaurants in the hotels for a fancy dessert in the afternoon. I know that at least one of the restuarants in the PP hotel has fun "themed" desserts.

I agree with ESPN Zone... great atmosphere and plenty of teens/kids her age running around. Inside of Disneyland, I would go for The Golden Horshore for lunch, and sit her smack in the front section so Billy Hill and the Hillbillies can have some fun with her. One of my fave spots is also the Carnation Cafe on Main Street. Good sandwiches and a great people watching spot...
have fun!

Hw about the Grand CAlifornia and order room service?

Well, when I was a 12 year old girl, I would have loved to eat at the Blue Bayou restaurant for my BDay celebration.

At that age, kids are trying to separate themselves from being a little baby and moving on to teenland. They want to eat where the grown-ups want to eat. You know, to look cool and older.

Any place, hip, happening and themed well... they're going to be all over that.

:)

Blue Bayou is very appealing to *me* for sure! I will have to ask her.

Room service at Grand Californian... for a party of 9? Eek... Could be interesting. Depends on the view. ;) :D

Just doing a dessert at one of the 'finer' restaurants is also an option I hadn't considered.

Seems to me that "where" she wants to eat would be dictated by "what" she wants to eat.

Of course, for a "character meal" of a more adult nature, you could do SOB, assuming it hasn't already closed for good (and by extension, assuming Al's assertion that it soon would be isn't so much, ahem, hot air).

You might want to look OUTSIDE the park. I'm thinking about Bucca di Beppo (awesome huge portion family style Italian, with a really "funky" decor that my teens love) down Harbor by ... oh I can't remember. South of Katella. Also, Joe's Crab Shack in the same general area. It's not just seafood, but has beef, chicken etc. But LOTS of fun.

If you want to stay in the park, the only thing I can think of would be Blue Bayou, which I think she's old enough to appreciate. Or do one of the DL Hotel restaurants like Yamabuki, Granvilles, Storytellers, etc.

You guys are gonna start calling me Auntie Grinch....

Here's my issue with Buca di Beppo... The portions of the "family style" servings are great for about 4 to 6 people. For example, a chicken dish comes with about 4 big chicken breasts. But when you start talking about 9 - 10 people, each chicken breast gets cut up into such a small portion that you barely get a taste.

For me, I've been there with a group and I haven't liked all of the choices on the table but when my favorite dish came around, I was only "allowed" to take my tiny little portion.

I think it's a fun restaurant-- and the tiramisu is to die for (I've been known to go to BDB with my husband and one other very lovely couple and just order one tiramisu for dessert,)-- but in my opinion, I don't like it for larger groups. If you don't mind ordering double dishes (Two orders of chicken marsala, for example,) you might be better off and then you can just take this as, "Adrienne's tip for taking a larger group to BdB," LOL.

Adrienne K

*The* vote is in. Blue Bayou. :D :D :D

Her eyes lit up, big time. :D

BdB will have to wait until next time. :)

Hmm... I'm surprised Pizza Port didn't come up.

Originally posted by teri
*The* vote is in. Blue Bayou. :D :D :D

Her eyes lit up, big time. :D

BdB will have to wait until next time. :)

There is a Bucca di Beppo here in Palo Alto...you don't have to go all the way to Disneyland to eat there...:)

We ate there as a family "goodbye" dinner to hubby leaving for territories unknown (Alaska) and #1 daughter off to college...
It was ok...:rolleyes:
Best part is the atmosphere...

Hehehe.... I should probably warn all MousePadders to stay away from Blue Bayou that day... last time we were in Blue Bayou my autistic son flipped out, started crawling under tables. He doesn't do well in restaurants anyway, but this time was *special*. Once we got him settled he just flipped again, started grabbing silverware off of other people's tables and casting it... :o :o :o I had to take him out, missed my dinner.

That was in 1999, and we haven't been back since. He is doing *much* better now, and he actually expressed an interest in going there the last time we went on POTC. Our going to Blue Bayou is an act of bravery - they probably have our pictures on their dart board. ;) ;)

It really is a special treat for us. :) Atmosphere is enough.

LOLOLOLOLOL! Oh, Teri ... you and I would get along just fine!!!