Eating on a budget About This Page:

[Buzzfan]

Okay, I'm heading to Disneyland for a couple of days in the beginning of April. I've been to DL three times total (not counting this upcoming trip), in Nov. 1996, Oct. 2006 and April 2008. I'll be traveling with my wife and two kids (ages 4 and 10). I'm looking for advice on the four of us eating on a budget both inside and outside the parks. On previous trips we've eaten at various places including Goofy's Kitchen, Carnation Cafe and other mostly counter service restaurants.

What are some good places to eat both in and out of the parks that have family friendly prices?

[chezp]

Hi and welcome to the boards!

We always enjoy filling up at the character meals, as they're buffets and they can last you for a long time. We had great breakfasts at Storyteller's Cafe and the PCH Grill on our last visit, with so much food, which kept us going all day.

[w-steele]

Goofy's Kitchen is another wonderful buffet in the Disneyland Hotel. Carnation Cafe on Main Street in DL is great also for breakfast, we ate there yesterday morning as we usually do when we come up for the weekend. Ask for waiter BOB. Beakfast off property is alright also at the IHOP and Denny's which is just across Harbour from the main enterance to DL (if you don't mind their coffee LOL). As for other meals within DL/CA, River Belle Terrace, Rancho del Zocalo and the Plaza Inn are all good. Over in CA, Award Wieners, Test Pilots Grill and Cocina Cucamonga Mexican Grill are good on the budget. Of course then there is IHOP and Denny's across the street again and a few more steps north is a McDonalds.

[Carousel96]

If you and your wife can agree on what to eat, most counter service meals are shareable. My husband and I split the bbq cheeseburger at Taste Pilots, and an enchilada plate at the Mexican place in Adventureland and could easily have shared the turkey club (I think that's what it was -- a HUGE sandwich no matter what) at the CS in Fantasyland if we had been willing to eat the same meal that day.
DH walked from our hotel to IHOP one morning when he couldn't sleep -- breakfast for him alone was about $25, so I don't know that I'd consider that budget friendly for a family.

[HeatherD]

IHOP is pretty pricey there...almost as if you were in the park! Our kids will frequently share counter meals, with us just adding on maybe another side and drink or something (DD is 9, DS is 5). It depends on what the meal is, but they can easily do that.

The corn dogs at Corn Dog Castle (by the dinosaur, across from Golden Zephyr) in DCA are HUGE! Easily the equivilent of 2 corn dogs, so 2 of those babies with some chips would suffice for lunch one day.

[Buzzfan]

In addition to Goofy's Kitchen and Carnation Cafe, other places I remember eating at include Rainforest Cafe, Tortilla Jo's, Redd Rocket's Pizza Port, Millies, Mimis, McDonalds, Denny's and Captain Kidd's. We had an especially bad experience at Captain Kidd's in Oct. of 2006. The staff was rude and the food wasn't good and was over-priced. My 4 year old was one month shy of his second birthday back then and after a long day in the park we stopped there to eat on the way back to the Radisson. He was playing with the sugar packets at our table which was keeping him occupied. He was tired and cranky so I didn't see the harm in stacking sugar packets on the table in front of him. The waitress apparently thought differently and was extremely rude. Overall, that is one dining experience I haven't forgotten and when we were there last year, we gave that place a wide berth.

Keep the suggestions coming!

[DyanKJ130]

Many of the menus for DLR were updated on AllEars in February and include the prices.

Hope this helps!

[HeatherD]

We had an especially bad experience at Captain Kidd's in Oct. of 2006. The staff was rude and the food wasn't good and was over-priced.

Everyone has a bad experience at Captain Kidd's! We get a free breakfast there when we stay next door at Best Western Park Place and we refuse to go there anymore. Even for the free "food"!!!! Even though it's free, it should still be edible, right?

[Cinderella_68]

We often split meals and then split a dessert. This way, there is less wasting of uneaten food, and we aren't so stuffed that we can't sample dessert. It IS the reason we go on vacation, isn't it?!
If you require a little more food to feel satisfied, you could also split an appetizer. We split meals at RFC to have room for the volcano, and our server was kind enough to bring extra plates without request! We also shared at Plaza Inn without problems. The chicken dinners are humongous!
At the Saloon, we wanted to try a lot of things, so we ordered fish, chicken, mozzarella sticks and chili in a bread bowl and shared entrees to get a taste of them all. The fries are excellent, as well, and we just couldn't finish it all! I'm blaming it on the root beer floats! But we did manage to kill off some hot fudge sundaes afterwards. We shared those, too. And Billy Hill and the Hillbillies were hysterical as usual!
We also shared snack foods, so that we wouldn't fill up before a meal. I usually bring snacks for the kids, stuff I won't buy them at home, like Yogos (euwww!) and such, for when they are standing in line and "staaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarving." But I noted that on this trip, there was a large selection of healthy items available, like veggies with ranch dip, cut-up apples with caramel dip or peanut butter, etc. They even replaced the soft cones at Clarabelle's in Toontown with yogurt and fruit parfaits. So in light of that, we'll probably take our own fruit and peanut butter, yum!, veggies and dip, trail mix, etc. for snacking, etc. No sense paying $2.75 for an apple and peanut butter when I can bring it for less than $1.

[Dlandmom2]

My favorite CS is Rancho del Zocalo in Adventureland (you'd think I get kickbacks with the number of times I recommend this place, and I'm not even a huge Mexican food fan!). You get quite a bit of delicious food for your money!

You may also want to take a look at River Belle Terrace, which is right across from the entrance to Pirates. They have a great fixings bar for the burgers (or consider them great salad toppings), so that you can get a really tasty CS meal without spending a fortune. My favorite is the grilled onions...I can't get enough of grilled onions whether it's for my burger or the prime rib salad (I think that's what it's called).

Seating for both Rancho and River Belle are inside or outside, but both outside patios give a great view of the Rivers of America area, which I think is so scenic for a meal. And nothing beats the toot of the Mark Twain Steamboat while you eat!

Either way, definitely check out allears.net for the menus and prices.

[LauraBelle V. Hime]

It is tough eating on a budget @ DL. Not sure what your budget is, but counter service will cost at least $10/person. Not sure if a kids meal would be enough for your 4 yo or not.
The best value we've found for the quantity & price are The Golden Horseshoe/Stage Door Cafe, Rancho del Zocalo, French Market, Redd Rocket's Pizza Port, River Belle Terrace (great for breakfast).

Over at CA Pacific Wharf Cafe, Taste Pilot's Grill, or exit into GC and eat at White Water Snacks (their quick service cafe).

Never had a meal outside the parks.

[shellybelly72]

Originally Posted by DyanKJ130

Many of the menus for DLR were updated on AllEars in February and include the prices.

Hope this helps!

It helps me...Thanks!!

[goofy goes]

Originally Posted by HeatherD

Everyone has a bad experience at Captain Kidd's! We get a free breakfast there when we stay next door at Best Western Park Place and we refuse to go there anymore. Even for the free "food"!!!! Even though it's free, it should still be edible, right?

Sorry my computer acted up, I don't know if my message posted.
Last year my family drove about five or six blocks away from Disneyland and ate at a wingers. We all shared so it wasn't to bad price wise. It was kind of slow because it was late I think, but It worked for us.

[raftislander]

Here are a couple more ideas. We just did a week a WDW and I packed Crystal Light lemonade to go packets and Lipton ice green tea to go packets in my bag and asked for a cup of ice water (free) at the counter for everyone. Mix in the packet and you have a tasty drink and saved $2-3 per person per meal. Also you can order a double cheeseburger and pay for an extra bun for under $1 and two people end up with burgers at a bargain price. The Pilots Grill has a great condiments bar so it easy to put lots on the burgers. Remember kids meals at counter service restaurants -even for adults. At DL we like the meat skewers at Bengal barbeque. If you are not particularly hungry, get a couple of these and a order of breadsticks to swipe up the sauce! Most meals are large and can easily be split, then you dont feel guilty when you get a little treat for a snack later on. I find that if we buy an afternoon treat - a Dolewhip, Mickey Bar, or popcorn- that I never feel like we are eating on the cheap - even if we are. If you dont get a free breakfast at your hotel, try to pack some foodstuffs so you can eat breakfast in your room. Breakfast cookies, energy bars, bagels, and peanut butter are all easy. This can be done even if you dont have a fridge in the room, although that makes it easier. It saves $$ and time in the morning so you can be at the parks for rope drop!