There’s nothing quite like a trip to Disneyland!  I love the magical feeling you get once you walk through the turnstile and head towards main street.  We have our favorite attractions, our favorite shops and our favorite Disney food!!  Treats are probably one of the things I get most excited about when we take our Disney vacations.   We are sharing over 20 best Disneyland snacks that you can buy at Disneyland and California Adventure.  There’s something for everyone, whether you love your treats sweet, salty or Mickey shaped.

Many of the snacks we feature can be purchased with Mobile Ordering.  You simply open the Disney app, click “Order Food” and select the location, time and items you want to purchase.  

If you are visiting Disneyland during a busy time (or anytime really), I highly recommend using Mobile Ordering.  Now, on to the fun stuff…the best Disneyland snacks you can get in the parks!   I’d love to hear about your favorite Disney snacks too, let us know your faves or if there is anything you think we’ve missed.  I’m always up for a new Disney snack!

Choco Smash Candy Bar  – This new candy bar can be found at Avenger’s Campus at Pym’s Test Kitchen. The Choco Smash Candy Bar is made with Dark Chocolate, Peanuts, Caramel, Nougat and Chocolate Brownie. And it’s divine!! Definitely big enough (and rich enough) to be shared.

Dole Whip – One of our favorite snacks is the Dole Whip and I am super excited that you can now get the pineapple Dole Whip swirled with flavors like Raspberry and Orange.  The Pineapple Raspberry Swirl is my new fave!  You will find these new flavors just down from the regular Tiki Juice Bar at the Tropical Hideaway.

Loaded Dole Whip – This crazy version of the Dole Whip can also be found at the Tropical Hideaway and it is so good!  I finally tried it for the first time recently and I think it may be my new “go-to” when I visit Disneyland.  It has pineapple/orange swirl (you can choose whatever flavors you want though) then it’s loaded with tropical fruits, shredded coconut, crystallized Hibiscus and Pocky sticks. (This unfortunately is no longer being served, I’ve left it on the list because they have different versions of the loaded Dole Whip on the menu that you should check for while you are there)

Matterhorn Macaroon – This classic treat is basically a big coconut macaroon that is topped with melted white chocolate and sugar sprinkles.  It’s a fun representation of the iconic Disneyland Matterhorn attraction and can be found at the Jolly Holiday bakery.

Mickey Pretzel – When you want a savory snack, look no further than the classic Mickey Pretzel.  We love to add the cheese dip.  They also have cinnamon and sugar Mickey pretzels too.  You will find Pretzel carts throughout the parks.

Asada Fries – We’re giving two big thumbs up for the Asada Fries at Award Wieners in DCA, especially if you like your food a little spicy!  These fries are topped with marinated Carne Asada, cheddar cheese, cilantro, onions, Salsa de Arbol and Guacamole!  Yum!

Corn Dog – Nobody makes a corn dog quite like Disneyland!  You’ll find the Little Red Wagon selling corn dogs on the end of main street on the right hand side just before you get to the Plaza Inn.  In California Adventure you’ll find the corn dogs sold at the Corn Dog Castle.

Strawberry Hand Pie – This is a fairly new addition at Jolly Holiday and I hope it sticks around, it’s a good one!  It’s pretty much a glorified Pop-Tart, emphasis on the word glorified, because it’s really good.  The crust is flaky and butter and the filling is just right.  I recommend giving this one a try!

Hand-Dipped Ice Cream Bars – These hand-dipped ice cream bars are divine!  You can choose your flavor of ice cream, chocolate coating and toppings.  My personal favorite is Raspberry Sorbet, with Milk Chocolate and Popping Pearls (basically Pop Rocks).  Find these at Clarabelle’s at the end of Buena Vista Street in California Adventure.

Mickey Beignets – These unique Disneyland snacks are golden fried dough tossed in powdered sugar.  So yummy!  You can also order Mickey Beignets from the table service restaurant Cafe Orleans where they also come with dipping sauce and they are divine!  If you do head to Cafe Orleans I highly recommend the Monte Cristo sandwich (I also recommend sharing it).

Soft-Serve Cones – You have to love a classic ice cream cone on a hot day.  My favorite is the chocolate and vanilla twist.  These cones can be found at the Cozy Cone Motel.  If it’s a busy day, this line can get kind of long, there is usually only one cast member working the booth.

Turkey Leg – These huge cured, smoky Turkey legs can be found at several stands throughout the park and at Edelweiss Snacks in Disneyland and Poultry Palace at California Adventure.

Pretzel Bites with Cheesy Sauce – The Pretzel Bites are a kid fave!  You’ll find them at the Cozy Cone Motel.  They come with a cheesy dipping sauce.

Chili Cone Queso – Another Cozy Cone snack that is one of our family’s favorites is the Chili Cone Queso.  It has Beef Chili, Cheddar Cheese and Corn Chips served in a Bread Cone.  Yummy!

Jack Jack Cookie Num Num – These warm, gooey, chocolate chip cookies are not to be missed.  They are so thick and gooey you’ll need to eat it with a fork.  You will find this cookie stand at the exit of the Incredicoaster on the Pixar Pier.

Mickey Caramel Apple – The Mickey Caramel Apples have always been a favorite.  I love that these are treats you can take home with you too.  Just let the cast member know you are traveling and they will box it up for you.   You can find these cute treats at the candy shops in both parks at at Marceline’s in Downtown Disney.

Pixar Pier Frosty Parfait – All the treats at Adorable Snowman Frosty Treats are great but we really like the Pixar Pier Frosty Parfait.  It’s Lemon Soft-serve with Blue Raspberry Swirl.  The tartness of the lemon and sweetness of the blue raspberry is the perfect combination.  This treat is large and sweet enough to share.   The line here can get extremely long on super hot days.

Mickey Ice Cream Bar – The classic kid treat is the Mickey Ice Cream Bar.  Vanilla ice cream with chocolate coating.  These ice cream bars are sure to make anyone smile.

Popcorn – Popcorn is one of our favorite treats for when we are waiting in line for an attraction.  You don’t have to worry about it melting and it’s super easy to share.  You’ll find popcorn stands all over the Parks.

Chieftain Chicken Skewer – The Chieftain Chicken Skewer is one of my favorite Disneyland snacks when I need something small (mainly so I can do more snacking).  This skewer has grilled chicken covered in a sweet, slightly spicy chili sauce.  While here I also recommend trying the Safari Skewer which is bacon-wrapped Asparagus.  Both of these treats are found at the Bengal Barbecue in Adventureland.

Churros – Churros are a must when you visit Disneyland.  You can stick to the classic cinnamon and sugar Churros or try one of the many different flavored churros that Disneyland offers.  They always come out with seasonal varieties and they can really get creative.   Churros stands can be found throughout the Parks.

Macarons – Stop by Jolly Holiday bakery for huge Macarons.  The flavor options will sometimes vary with the seasons and celebrations. The Raspberry Rose Mickey Macaron has been one of my absolute faves.  These aren’t tiny macarons, these are big and can easily be shared. These are so good!  I recommend using mobile order or getting one early in the day because they do often sell out.

Churros Toffee – This is a new treat for us.  The Churros Toffee is toffee covered with cinnamon and sugar just like you would find on a churros.   This one is super sweet and great to share.  It also travels well, so you can enjoy some Disney goodness at home.  We found the Churros Toffee at Bing Bongs Sweet Shop.

Chocolate Covered Pineapple – Stop by any of the locations selling candy and treats and pick yourself up a Chocolate Covered Pineapple Skewer.  These are so good.  The pineapple has always been fresh and flavorful and in my opinion chocolate goes with just about anything, but it’s really good with pineapple. 

Giant Dill Pickle – Disneyland has been selling pickles for a very long time.  The pickles are a great snack if you need a break from all the sweets.  They are tasty and I love the fact that they are chilled on ice, so they are cool and crisp.  The pickles are one of my son’s favorite snacks.

Corn on the Cob – The corn on the cob is another great option.  You can choose buttered corn or Chili-Lime.  You’ll find the corn at Edelweiss snacks at Disneyland at the Poultry Palace in California Adventure.

Mickey Sourdough Bread – Swing by Pacific Wharf Cafe to pick up a big Mickey Sourdough Bread.  You will find the loaves & shapes of bread being sold just outside the cafe.   We bought this treat on our most recent trip to Disneyland.  I will admit we always passed by this treat because I thought it was going to be super expensive, but it was reasonably priced and it was something our whole family could snack on.  I’m a fan!  If you plan ahead of time you can pack in some fruit and cheese and you have yourself lunch with the bread.  For a free treat, head inside for the bakery tour and they will give you a small sample slice of sourdough bread.

Mickey & Minnie Donuts – These cute donuts can be found outside of the parks!  Get these at the GCH Craftsman Grill at the Grand Californian Hotel.  They come in either Mickey or Minnie and they are as tasty as they are cute.

If you are planning a trip to Disneyland to try out some Disneyland snacks, I highly recommend checking the prices on package deals from Get Away Today, they always offer some of the lowest prices.  You can either purchase a hotel and ticket package or buy your park tickets individually from Get Away Today. If you purchase a package, use the code Thriving10 at checkout to save an additional $10 off their low rates.

We have a ton of other Disney related posts if you are looking for even more Disney information:

• We’ve got a complete guide for visiting Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge
• Check our our Guide for the Disney California Adventure Food & Wine Festival
• Your complete guide to Pixar Pier
• I share honest reviews of all the hotels we’ve used near Disneyland
• 10 of the BEST places to eat breakfast at Disneyland
• 10 of the BEST places to each lunch at Disneyland
• Great tips that will help you to do Disneyland (and California Adventure) in a day.
• Another great way to save on Disneyland package deals is through Costco Travel
• See our review of the Caribbean Beach Resort at Disney World
• Find out how you can save big of official Disney Parks souvenirs
• Check out the highlights from our trip to Disneyland Paris

The post Ultimate Guide to the Best Disneyland Snacks appeared first on Gather Lemons.

Current Rewards Card offers:

Disney Rewards Visa – $150 credit when you get a card with no annual fee, $300 credit with the premier card with annual fee of $49.

IHG Rewards Card: up to 80,000 bonus points, $95 annual fee

How we planned our vacation:

I love family trips to Disneyland and I love saving money, but when I can combine the two and take a “free” trip to Disneyland, that’s completely magical!  We recently took a quick 2 night/3 day trip to Disneyland and paid for the entire thing with credit card and reward miles.  This “free” trip wasn’t an instant gratification thing, it took us several years of saving our rewards.  I also didn’t set out to book this trip with our rewards, it just kind of happened that way.

I am sharing this information with you to let you know that a free or inexpensive trip to Disneyland is completely possible.  You may not be able to book an entire Disney trip with rewards, but you certainly can use some of these techniques to make sure you pay less out of pocket for your trip.  Here’s a peek at how we took advantage of our rewards to take a trip to Disneyland that didn’t cost us anything out of pocket.

Please note, booking a trip with rewards is only a good deal if you pay your credit card off in full every month.  I do not recommend putting anything on a credit card and making payments.  When it comes to credit cards, we pay for all of our expenses with credit cards and the total amount due is automatically subtracted from our checking account when it’s due, this way we never pay interest.  We use our credit cards for pretty much everything, medical bills, auto repairs, utilities, groceries, travel and the list goes on.

Flights

First up, we had to get to Disneyland!  We booked our flights using our Alaska Airlines miles. Fortunately, my husband has quite a few airline miles accrued because of his job. I don’t recommend just using miles when you want to go somewhere, I suggest you still watch for low fares.  Usually when fares are low the amount of miles you need is lower too.  Flying from Seattle to California isn’t that expensive and it’s easy for us to find deals.  This is one of the reasons why it’s easy for us to take quick trips to Disneyland.  If you have an airline that you frequent, look into the credit card for that airline, they will often have bonuses when you sign up.  Alaska is currently offering 40,000 bonus miles.  As an example, our flights to California were only 7500 miles each.   You could easily send 2 people round-trip somewhere with 40,000 miles.

Hotel

Next up we booked our hotel using our Marriott Rewards. One of the main reasons we opened the Marriott credit card is because we had a trip planned for Tokyo that was a couple of years out and we wanted to save up some points so we could get a few free hotel stays on that trip. We have enough points for 3 nights in Tokyo so we used some of the extra points for this stay.  We scored two free nights at the Four Points Sheraton, one night stay was free with our anniversary reward and the second night we booked using 25,000 reward points.

One of the perks of signing up for the hotel rewards credit cards is they give you bonus points for signing up, which makes it a fairly quick and easy way to save on a Disney trip, it will take only a few months to earn this bonus reward.

Both my husband and I have Hyatt Rewards cards too, the offer when we signed up were 2 free nights at ANY hotel.  We used both our free nights when we went to Paris.  If you are looking to maximize your rewards, sign up fo the rewards cards separately instead of adding your spouse onto you credit card.  You will get double the bonus sign-up rewards!  Decide on your favorite hotel chain and sign up for that card.

Park Tickets

Once we had our flight and hotel booked, we needed to take care of the Park tickets.  Both my husband and I have an annual pass so we only needed to buy a ticket for our youngest (the older kids are off at college). I have a Disney Visa and I used the rewards from that card to pay for his 2-day Park Hopper ticket.  I know what some of you are going to say…if you have annual passes than the trip wasn’t actually free.   Guess what???  I actually paid for the passes last year with credit card rewards!!   See how fun this is?  I have seriously been saving my rewards for nearly 10 years and we are now reaping the rewards.

We also bought tickets for all three of us to attend the Oogie Boogie Bash and those tickets were bought with the rewards from my Disney Visa too.  

Food

Since this was a short trip there wasn’t a huge food expense, the items were paid for with my Disney Visa Rewards. Another general money saving tip is to share meals and just drink water from the restaurants.  You can ask for a cup of ice water from any restaurant, you don’t have to buy bottled water or soda, it’s a great way to save.  Because of our annual pass, we also save 20% on our meals.  We ate breakfast at Panera one morning and I paid for that with a Panera gift card I earned from ibotta.

Lightsaber building

This trip happened during our son’s birthday and we knew that he would love making his own lightsaber at Savi’s Workshop.  We gifted him with a new wallet (he lost his old one) and we put a note inside telling him he had an appointment to make a lightsaber at Savi’s Workshop.  My husband built one on our last trip and the whole experience is completely magical, especially if you are a die hard Star Wars fan.   My son absolutely loved the entire experience, he went on and on, all day long about how it was one of the coolest things he’s ever done.  This experience was paid for with my Disney Visa Rewards (I’m starting to sound like a broken record, aren’t I?)

Rental Car

The last expense we had on this trip was our rental car.  We always book a rental car through Costco, it is often times cheaper than it is to pay for a shuttle.  The trick is to book your car and keep checking back every week to see if the price drops.  If the price is lower you can book the new car at the lower rate and cancel your old one.  I find that I can usually get the best deal about 3 weeks prior to our departure date.  Sometimes, I find 2-3 days before I pick up the car there is a major drop in the price too.  I paid for the rental car with the rewards from my Costco Visa (you thought I was going to say Disney Rewards, didn’t you?).  The Costco Visa is probably the rewards card I used most now, because the perks are the best.  With the Costco rewards, you will get a rebate check once a year, the check can be redeemed at Costco or you can get cash back.  I opted for cash and used some of the money on our rental car and the cost of parking at the hotel.  Booyah!

Whenever we take our trips to Disneyland we usually always incorporate one or two credit card rewards in some way.  This was the first trip we took where I actually used rewards to pay for the entire trip and it was kind of exciting. Unfortunately, this trip used up a lot of our rewards so I am going to have to start saving again.   

I hope this encourages you to come up with some creative ways to save on your next Disney trip, whether it’s with airline miles, credit card rewards or just basic money saving tactics like sharing meals or ordering free water. 

Another great way to save on a Disneyland vacation is by booking your trip through Get Away Today.  I have found Get Away Today has some of the best deals!  When we aren’t using rewards for our hotels or tickets I usually always book my Disneyland trips through Get Away Today.  If you book a package for 2 nights or longer, you can use the code THRIVING10 to save an additional $10 off the package price.  You can also purchase discounted Disneyland tickets through Get Away Today too.

Once again, here is the rundown of how we used our rewards to get this trip for free:

• Flight – Alaska Airline miles 
• Hotel – Marriott Rewards
• Park Tickets – Disney Visa Rewards 
• Lightsaber Building Experience – Disney Visa Rewards
• Food – Disney Rewards Visa & gift card from ibotta
• Rental Car – Costco Visa Rewards

It’s worth mentioning that we planned our stay with the minimum hotel nights as possible.  We flew in Thursday morning, went to Oogie Boogie Bash that evening, spent Friday in the parks all day, we then spent 1/2 the day on the park on Saturday and flew home late Saturday night.  Since we made our arrival and departure days park days, less hotel stays were required.  This may not work for everyone, but we live fairly close to California and we visit on a regular basis so we don’t feel the need to fit everything in all in one trip.   Just another tip your might try when booking your trip.

We visit Disneyland on a regular basis and we have a bunch of posts to help you with your trip planning, check them out below:

• Complete Guide to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge
• Make a custom lightsaber at Savi’s Workshop
• Ultimate Guide to Disneyland Snacks
• Honest reviews of the hotels we’ve used around Disneyland
• Our visit to Club 33 at Disneyland
• Complete Guide to Pixar Pier
• Visiting Disneyland in the Fall
• Tips for One Day at Disneyland
• 10 of the Best Places to eat Lunch at Disneyland
• 10 of the Best Places to eat Breakfast at Disneyland
• Disney California Adventure Food & Wine Festival
• 7 Reasons I Prefer Disneyland over Disney World

I don’t recommend signing up for all the credit cards at once, just pick one and start with that, maybe a couple years later add another one. If you have experience with traveling with rewards I’d love to hear what your favorite cards are, let me know!

The post Disneyland Vacation Booked Totally with Credit Card Rewards appeared first on Gather Lemons.

Have you been to Disneyland during the Food & Wine Festival?  This year the Food & Wine festival can be found throughout the California Adventure Park from February 28 – April 21, 2020. This festival features food and beverages from around the Golden State of California.  You will find 13 festival marketplaces, family-friendly seminars, and visits from celebrity chefs.  There is not an extra fee to attend the Food & Wine festival, it comes with your entry into California Adventure. 

Are you vegan or gluten-free?  There is plenty for you too!  Pick up a Food & Wine tasting passport and it will tell you which options are vegan and gluten-free.

You can save yourself a little bit of money by purchasing the Sip and Savor Pass.  This pass includes a souvenir lanyard and entitles you to eight select food or non-alcoholic beverage items from participating Marketplaces, Paradise Garden Grill and select Festival Food & Beverage Carts. You can use all the coupons in a single day, or spread them out over multiple visits.  You can purchase the Sip and Savor Pass at Trolley Treats, Elias & Co., Seaside Souvenirs, the Sip and Savor Cart, Festival Marketplaces, Festival Gift and Artist Corner and the Studio Store in Hollywood Land.  Because I always want to make sure I am getting my money’s worth, I did some math.  The Sip & Savor pass costs you $56, which comes out to $7.00 per item.  Make sure you are only redeeming the coupons on items that are worth more than $7.00.  If you want to try an item that is less than $7.00, just pay for it out of your pocket.  If you are an annual passholder the Sip & Savor Pass is $51 ($6.37 per item).  Make sure you don’t break off the tabs until you are at the register and told to do so.

A few of our favorite foods show up year after year, but they bring in so many new items each year.  Here is a peek at all the different booths and all the food we sampled during out trip to the Food & Wine festival this year.  We were happy with all of the food items we ordered (with the exception of one salmon item).  Some we loved so much we ordered more than once. 

Nuts About Cheese  

• Fiscalini White Cheddar Lager Soup served in a Mini Boudin® Sourdough Bowl (Vegetarian)
• Impossible Cheeseburger Mac & Cheese (Vegetarian)
• Oikos® Greek Yogurt Banoffee Tart

Peppers Cali-ente 

• Verlasso Sustainable Salmon Peruvian Poke with Cucumber-Lime Salad and Aji Verde Salsa (GF)
• Ghost Pepper Mac and Cheese with Chili Cheese Corn Chip Dust (V)

One in a Melon Marketplace

• Compressed Watermelon and Tomato with Whipped Ricotta and Lemon Olive Oil (Vegetarian, Gluten-Friendly)
• Poke-style Watermelon with Cucumber (Plant-Based, Gluten-Friendly)
• Pabana Cream Puff with Mango, Passion Fruit and Banana Mousse
• House-made Watermelon Agua Fresca (Non-Alcoholic)

I <3 Artichokes 

• Fried Artichokes with Lemon Aïoli (Vegetarian)
• Artichoke Toast with Artichoke Cream Cheese and Olive & Artichoke Tapenade (Vegetarian)

Berry Patch   

• Raspberry-Lychee-Rose Custard with Mixed Berry Compote
• Oikos® Greek Yogurt California Berries Summer Pudding (Contains trace amounts of alcohol)
• Ruby Citrus Sparkler (Non-Alcoholic)

Avocado Time  The Impossible burger is vegan and it was AMAZING!!  Seriously, I was super impressed with the taste and the texture.  Give it a try!

• Petite Impossible Burger with Guac and Pepper Jack (Vegetarian) – one of our faves!
• Tortilla-crusted Fried Guacamole with Carne Asada

Golden Dreams

• Brunch Fried Chicken & Waffle Sandwich with Mimosa-inspired Slaw and OJ Bubbles
• Seared Verlasso® Salmon with Lemon Pea Purée, Black Rice and Meyer Lemon Relish (Gluten-Friendly) – salmon was dry, not a fan.
• Strawberry-Rose Lemonade (Non-Alcoholic)
• Fig & Lavender Cold Brew (Non-Alcoholic)

Cluck-A-Doodle Moo   

• Ranch Fried Chicken Wings with Buffalo Hot Sauce Drizzle
• French Onion Grilled Beef Tenderloin Slider
• Chocolate Hazelnut Crunch

Garlic Kissed 

• Black Garlic Soy-braised Pork Belly Banh Mi
• Carbonara Garlic Mac & Cheese with Nueske’s® Bacon

Off the Cob  

• Mini Chicken Chimis with Chimichurri Corn Pico de Gallo and Chipotle Crema
• Shrimp and Braised Corn with Chorizo (Gluten-Friendly)
• Mickey-shaped Caramel-Peanut-Milk Chocolate Macaron – this was divine!
• Farmstand Punch (Non-Alcoholic)

LA Style

• Asian-style Beef Barbacoa Street Tacos
• Smoked Bacon Barbecue Beef Loco Moco on Rice (Gluten-Friendly)
• Monkey Bread with Caramel Whiskey Glaze and Candied Pecans (Contains trace amounts of alcohol)

Here is a tip:  If you find a specific line to purchase food is really long, you can go to a different booth and place your order.  You will then take your receipt back to the original booth to redeem for your food.  I’m not really sure if this helps all that much because if the line for ordering is long the line for redemption is long too.   It’s helpful information to have in case you want to give it a try.

Make sure you check out the Jammin’ Chefs, they use pots, pans and percussion to entertain you.  Chip & Dale also dance and play along.  Junior Chefs can see Goofy as he leads an interactive experience for kids ages 3 to 11.  There is a “tasty surprise” at the end of the demonstration.  There is also a fun coloring station for kids too.

Reservations are required for some events as well as an additional charge. Head on over to Disneyland.com to make reservations for those events.

You will also find festival merchandise, including cute themed Minnie ears.

If you want to enjoy the California Adventure Food & Wine festival I recommend booking a trip through Get Away Today. They sell discounted Disneyland tickets and their package deals with a hotel and Disneyland tickets can’t be beat. If you book a package deal use the code Thriving10 at checkout to save an extra $10.

If you have never been to a Food & Wine festival, I highly recommend attending one.  The festival at California Adventure is great, but we really love the one at Disney World which happens in the fall.  If you are looking for discount travel to Disney World I recommend Undercover Tourist.

Check out more Disney information on the blog:

• Hotel reviews of all the hotels we’ve used around Disneyland
• Complete Guide to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge
• Tips for getting a Boarding Group for Rise of the Resistance
• Ultimate Guide to Disneyland Snacks
• Complete Guide to Pixar Pier
• Make a custom lightsaber at Savi’s Workshop
• Tips for One Day at Disneyland
• Saving Money when Dining at Disneyland
• 10 of the Best Places to eat Lunch at Disneyland
• 10 of the Best Places to eat Breakfast at Disneyland
• Our visit to Club 33
• Mickey Tic Tac Toe in a Bag
• 7 Reasons I Prefer Disneyland over Disney World

The post Disney California Adventure Food & Wine Festival 2020 appeared first on Gather Lemons.

I’m still pinching myself!  I can’t believe we had the opportunity to visit and dine at Club 33 in Disneyland.  Club 33 is an exclusive membership club, where you can only get a reservation if you are a member or if you know a member and they make a reservation for you.  We had a connection through work that made us a reservation at Club 33.  Non-members can only eat in the dining room they aren’t allowed in the bar area unless a member is present with them.

Once you are checked in you wait in the Court of Angels.   This area is so pretty!  This area actually used to be a public part of Disneyland.  In fact, I even have a photo of me standing on those steps as a child.  

This was such a pretty place to wait before being seated for our meal.  When visiting Club 33, photos are allowed (except in the bathrooms).  We used our time waiting  by snapping photos on the stairs in the Court of Angels.

Club 33 elevator selfie! 

Here is a peek into the dining room.  There are checkered floors, lots of windows, fancy place settings, it has a very elegant feel to it without it being over the top.

The plates even have the Club 33 logo in gold.

Our waiter was amazing, friendly and very attentive.  The service was everything you would expect from a fancy restaurant.  

I loved this big picture window where we could see straight into Disneyland.  As you can tell, the parks were a little busy on this day.

When we made our reservations at Club 33, we were given the option of a 4 course lunch for $90 per person or a 5 course dinner for $120 per person. I’m not gonna lie, the frugal person in me screamed “GO FOR LUNCH!”  However, we were visiting on my son’s 22nd birthday and he really wanted to eat dinner, so we splurged and went with the five course meal (and I am so glad we did).  The neat thing is the menu changes with the seasons.  We were dining in March and we just caught the tail end of the winter menu, which I thought was absolutely amazing!

They have a regular menu and a vegetarian menu you can choose from, you can mix and match from both sides of the menu too.

They also have a kids menu that offers 3 courses for $40 for either lunch or dinner.   The menu states ages 9 and under, but this menu was automatically given to my youngest son who is 14 (but looks more like 12).  I am grateful this was an option because he is our pickiest eater.  I knew he wouldn’t have been impressed with the adult meals.  He actually loved his entire meal from the kids menu, which was such a relief! 

There is an extensive drink menu.  We don’t drink alcohol and there were plenty of great non-alcoholic drinks options too.

No paper straws at Club 33!

Our meal started off with an Amuse-bouche, it was a Polenta Frittata rice ball and it was so good.

Ok, I’m gonna be honest here.  I mentioned that my youngest is our pickiest eater, but I am pretty picky myself. I told myself I was going to be brave and at least try everything.   This was my first course, I chose the Grilled Winter White Asparagus with Black Truffle Aioli, and it was divine!  It was probably the best tasting vegetable I have eaten in my life.  Seriously, so good!

There is that gorgeous window again!  We chose to eat at 5:30 which was one of the first dinner reservations available.  I really liked this time because we had the dining room almost all to ourselves for the first 20 minutes or so.  It definitely got more crowded as the meal went on.

Next bread was brought to our table.  Even the bread basket had a fancy Club 33 logo.  Did I mention this place is classy?  It was so enjoyable to enjoy a meal at a place where the service and food were top notch.  This was definitely a once in a lifetime experience and totally worth the amount of money we spent.

The bread was just as good as it looked.

For my second course I chose the Green Oak Salad, Red Endive, Spiced Walnuts with Cranberry Tangerine Vinaigrette.  I loved the salad too.

My husband chose the French Onion Soup for his second course.

Both my husband and son chose the Roasted Duck for their 3rd course.  It’s amazing how much detail is put into each one of these dishes they served.  Pretty and tasty!

I actually chose most of my items from the vegetarian menu.  This was the Baked Ricotta Gundi.  Again, it was amazing.  I loved the fact that with the five course meal the portions were small and you really got to try a lot of different things.  If meals like this weren’t so expensive I could get used to eating dinner this way.

I took a break in between courses to step out on the balcony.  It was so amazing to stand on that patio and look down into Disneyland.  

They even had a table out on the balcony.  How cool would it be to eat overlooking New Orleans Square?  After my break on the balcony we were served dinner, we all chose a different entree and they all were very good.  Truthfully, I was getting a little full at this point and I knew I had to save room for dessert because everyone knows dessert is the best part.

They brought out a palate cleanser before dessert!  Both my husband and I would have been happy to have this as dessert.  It was just the right amount of sweetness and tartness.

Here is the dessert from the kids menu.  Beignets with fresh berries and three different dipping sauces.  Yummy!  

I chose the Chocolate Pecan Bar, but was secretly wishing I could have my son’s dessert (thankfully he shared with me).

And if all that food wasn’t enough, they bought out boxes of chocolates for everyone in our party.  We brought these home with us and sent them to the kids who were away at college and missed the whole Club 33 experience.

Pretty murals grace the walls in Club 33.

Shopping exclusive Club 33 merchandise is available to every one that visits Club 33.

Here is a peek at some of the exclusive merchandise you can purchase at Club 33.  Those Club 33 Minnie ears came home with me for sure.

My husband got the baseball cap as his souvenir.

They have exclusive Club 33 bags for Dooney & Bourke fans.

Some jewelry, which was just a tad out of my price range.

Our visit to Club 33 is an experience we will never forget, it was completely magical.  If the opportunity comes your way to visit Club 33, I highly recommend you jump at the chance.  Have you visited before?  I’d love to hear about your experience.

We love to visit Disneyland several times a year, if you our planning a Disneyland trip check out our other posts to help you make the most of your trip.  For the best prices on your Disneyland trip, I highly recommend checking out Get Away Today we’ve used them on numerous occasions, and have found that they always have the very best deals on packages.  You can use the coupon code THRIVING10 for an extra $10 off your hotel and ticket package. You also can purchase individual Disneyland tickets from Get Away Today.  

• Complete Guide to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge
• Make a custom lightsaber at Savi’s Workshop
• Ultimate Guide to Disneyland Snacks
• Honest reviews of the hotels we’ve used around Disneyland
• Complete Guide to Pixar Pier
• Visiting Disneyland in the Fall
• Tips for One Day at Disneyland
• 10 of the Best Places to eat Lunch at Disneyland
• 10 of the Best Places to eat Breakfast at Disneyland
• Disney California Adventure Food & Wine Festival
• 7 Reasons I Prefer Disneyland over Disney World

The post Our Visit to Club 33 at Disneyland appeared first on Gather Lemons.

When Disney announced they were making a Star Wars themed land I was so excited! I have been a huge Star Wars fan since I saw the first movie with my Dad back in the fourth grade (don’t do the math, you’ll find out I’m old).  I became Star Wars obsessed! I had Star Wars sheets, a Star Wars lunchbox and I listened to the movie on a record in my room every night before I went to bed. My favorite character from the movie was Darth Vader and I thought the Stormtroopers were super cool too!  I guess you could say I am a fan of the Dark Side (not in real life, I’m all light and goodness – I promise)! That’s why I was so excited to get to go to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge.

When I was finally able to set foot on Batuu, the feeling was magical. Getting to experience my favorite childhood movie in my favorite theme park was truly a dream come true.  You do not have to be a Star Wars fan to appreciate the amazing theming of Galaxy’s Edge. It is so stinking cool and way better than I could have ever imagined!  If you are in fact a Star Wars fan, you may even shed a tear!

If you plan to visit Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge before June 23rd you will need a reservation into Galaxy’s Edge in addition to your park tickets. There is no fee for the reservations, but all the regular reservations have been claimed. The only way to get a guaranteed reservation now, is to stay at one of the three Disneyland hotels. I recommend booking your Disneyland vacation through Get Away Today. I have used them many times, they have great customer service & their prices can’t be beat. If you book a vacation package, use the code THRIVING10 at checkout to save an additional $10 off the package price.

I’m giving you a complete overview of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge so you will be able to make the most of your visit. 

Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge is a totally immersive land, you will feel like you left Disneyland and landed on another planet.  One of the coolest things is that all the cast members act as if they truly are residents of Batuu.  They even have their own language, here are a few things they say and what they mean:

Bright Suns – Good Morning
Rising Moons – Good Evening
Til the Spire = Farewell
Refresher = Bathroom
Hydrator = Water Fountain
Credits = Currency

Characters

The character interaction is different at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, you won’t line up to take photos with the characters, instead the characters roam throughout the land and interact with everyone.  Some kids may be afraid of the characters (I get it, Kylo Ren freaks me out too).  The characters are very good with the kids, none of them do anything scary, all the interactions I saw with children were fun.

The Stormtroopers may stop you to ask for your ID or to see what kind of business you have on Batuu.  They are out looking for rebels and it is so cool!  My husband got stopped by two Stormtroopers asking for his ID. It was so much fun to see my husband interact with some of my favorite childhood characters.  

Attractions

There are two main attractions in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. 

Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run – Ride in the famous cockpit of the Millennium Falcon, you will get to play one of the roles of pilot, engineer or gunner.

You are given a color coded card and put in groups of six, each group consists of 2 pilots, 2 gunners and 2 engineers.  These are handed out at random, but you are welcome to trade with the people in your group.  If you suffer from motion sickness I do not recommend that you be a pilot.  The pilots are up front and see the images up close.  I tend to get sick on Star Tours, but I was a gunner both times and I didn’t have any problems feeling sick afterwards.

There is a holding area where you wait for your color to be called.  This gives you the opportunity for a photo op at the famous chess table.

Once you are called forward, you take your seats in the cockpit.  The pilots sit up front, then the gunners and lastly the engineers.  The height requirement for this ride is 38 inches.  If you have a small child you will not be able to sit directly next to them, so keep that in mind. Whenever you need to push a button or pull a lever it will flash at you.  There isn’t a ton of instruction given prior to take off, but the more you ride the more you will get the hang of things.   Every person is given a score and the total of all 6 people gives you an overall score.  The ride is a little chaotic, but a whole bunch of fun, especially if you are with a vocal group.  It’s fun to yell, scream, cheer, and really get into the ride.  It’s the Millennium Falcon for goodness sake!  The pilot is the most active and exciting role in the ride (as long as you don’t get motion sickness).  I was happy being a gunner both times.

Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance – Finally open as of January 17, 2020, this ride has been a hit! This is without a doubt, the most immersive ride at Disneyland. The cast members remain entirely in character throughout the queue experience as you move through multiple different locations before buckling into your transport. These vehicles contain two rows, each with four seats. The mechanics of the ride are pretty smooth and there is only one small drop, so I would consider it suitable for all guests that meet the height requirements. The visuals on this ride are incredible and the attraction transports you into such an exciting story that revolves around a capture by the First Order and a daring rescue from your fellow members of The Resistance! I won’t say too much else because the experience is best when you go in without knowing what’s going to happen!

Food & Drinks

Oga’s Cantina – This is a popular place!  This is the only place in Disneyland where alcohol is served, and it must be consumed in the Cantina and there is a 2 drink limit.  I don’t drink alcohol, but they have great non-alcoholic drinks too.  The theming of the Cantina is just like you see in the movie. 

Reservations for Oga’s Cantina can now be made up to 14 days in advance. Additional same-day reservations will be made available each day at 7:00 AM Pacific Time for visits that day and are subject to availability.  Eventually, Oga’s Cantina, will be available for reservations up to 60-days in advance.

Here is a peek at the menu.

The atmosphere in Oga’s Cantina was chaotic, crowded, noisy and lively.   That’s not necessarily a bad thing, it is a Cantina after all.  When it comes to seating (or standing) there is a very good chance you will be with other people, they encourage you to socialize and get to know your fellow travelers.

There are a few tables that will seat large parties or a couple smaller parties.

They have tables for standing.  You do not have to stay at the table the entire time, you are free to walk around. We were placed at a standing table with 2 other couples.  Somebody will come and get your drink order.  If you are at the bar area you can order directly from the bartenders.

I ordered the Carbon Freeze I and liked it a lot.  My husband ordered the Blurgfire and neither one of us really like the Habanero Lime that was around the edge of the glass.  We also ordered the Mustafaran Lava Roll which was a Cinnamon Roll with some cookie crumbles on top.  It was yummy!

You’ll even find DJ Rex at Oga’s Cantina.

Mobile Food Ordering – Before I talk about more of the food, it’s important to stress how convenient and important it is to use mobile ordering.  You can place your mobile food order via the Disneyland app.  With Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge being so popular mobile order return times may fill up quickly so order your food early.  You can schedule your pick-up time for hours later if necessary.  You can use mobile ordering at the following locations:

• Docking Bay 7 Food & Cargo
• Ronto’s Roasters
• Milk Stand

Docking Bay 7 Food & Cargo – There are lots of options here, we tried the Smoked Kaadu Ribs, sticky pork ribs served with a blueberry corn muffin and cabbage slaw. We won’t order this again, the coleslaw had too much vinegar.  The ribs had a great flavor, but they were kind of fatty and very messy to eat.  The cornbread was delicious though.  We ordered the Moof Juice and we loved it!  It was so refreshing, we will order this one again for sure.

I think the serving plates and utensils are perfectly themed. How cool is this spork?  Some of the meal choices are a little out there, especially when it comes to kids meals, there aren’t a ton of great options for kids in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge.

For dessert we tried the Batuu-Bon, it was so good!  I highly recommend it.  It’s supposed to have a coffee flavor, but I really couldn’t taste any at all.  Get this one for sure!

Ronto’s Roasters – Great place for wraps for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

We had the Ronto Wrap and it was so good!  It doesn’t look beautiful but the flavors are so good together.  It’s a little spicy.  I am not a fan of super spicy food and I could handle it just fine.

Here we chose the Meiloorun Juice and we loved this one too.  

Milk Stand – I am once again going to stress how easy it is to use mobile ordering.  The line at the milk stand was long.  I checked my Disneyland app and I saw that you could mobile order the milk instantly and go pick it up.  I placed my order on the app while standing next to the milk stand, I walked up to the counter and got my milk, it took less than 2 minutes.  The line would have taken 15 minutes.  Use mobile order my friends, it’s a huge time saver!

We of course had to try the Blue Milk.  It wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t amazing.  I don’t think we’ll order it again. It’s totally fun to try once though.  I have heard many negative reviews on the green milk we decided to pass.  

Kat Saka’s Kettle – You will find colorful flavored popcorn here, the popcorn is a mix of a sweet and savory.  In addition to the popcorn, you can also purchase the super cool detonator Coke bottles.  They have Coke, Diet Coke and Sprite.  It’s a drink and a souvenir in one.  

Experiences

Savi’s Workshop: Handbuilt Lightsabers – This workshop combines entertainment and retail into a shopping experience.  The only way you will be able to see this cool experience is if you shell out the $199 to make a lightsaber.  The lightsaber is not a cheap plastic one, the pommel is made of metal and is more of a collector’s item.  This experience is better for older kids, teens and adults.  If your child really want’s to build their own lightsaber they still have the less expensive option over at Star Traders in Tomorrowland.   This is a popular one, you will need to get in line early to get a return time reservation.  Many people were turned away because they couldn’t keep up with the crowds.

My husband convinced me that in order to give a full report on the blog it was necessary for him to make a lightsaber. He’s a giver!  He’s always thinking of you, my wonderful readers.  I have a post in the works to give you a full and complete review of the Handbuilt Lightsaber Workshop which will give a more in depth review.

We had such a hard time finding the Lightsaber workshop because all the inhabitants of Batuu were adamant that they didn’t sell lightsabers, they only sold scrap metal. We were finally informed that we didn’t say the “L” word on Batuu.  So, if you are looking for this place and they ask if you are interested in scrap metal, say YES!!   Savi’s Workshop isn’t clearly marked, so look for the blue banner outside the building. 

Whether this experience is worth the hefty price tag will be a personal decision, but for us, it was well worth the $199 price tag.  We have a family filled with Star Wars fans and this lightsaber will be cherished.  The actual lightsaber building experience was fun and if you are a true Star Wars fan you may even get a little choked up.  

The good news is the experience includes a carrying case for your lightsaber so you can protect your investment.  You are allowed to bring two members in with you to watch the experience.  Reservations for Savi’s Workshop can now be made up to 14 days in advance.  Coming soon, reservations can be made 60 days in advance.

Droid Depot – Another combined shopping and entertainment experience is available at the Droid Depot.  The cost for this one is $99.  This is another popular place, but I didn’t see anyone turned away.  From what I have seen this isn’t going to be a relaxing, take all the time you want way to make a droid kind of experience.  It is noisy, chaotic and crowded (Hey! It sounds a little bit like Oga’s Cantina).

Once you pay for your droid, you will get to choose the pieces from a moving conveyor belt.  This is just so cool!  I can see kids (and adults) having so much fun with this.

After you select your pieces, head to one of the stations to assemble and activate your droid.  Once complete you will get a remote control and a box to store you droid.  You are not allowed to use your droids on the ground in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge.  You can take them out to admire them and maybe snap a selfie, but using the droid on the ground is not encouraged.

If you don’t want to make your own droid, you can shop for other droid merchandise.  Maybe you want this life size working model of R2-D2.  It will set you back $25,000.  That is more than I have paid for any of my cars!

They have R2-D2 and BB8 headbands that actually make noise.

This bowl is pretty cool!

Merchants

Dok-Ondar’s Den of Antiquities – You will find an eclectic collection of merchandise from many different planets and eras.  The line to get in this store can get long at times, but don’t let that stop you, it moves rather quickly and this merchant is a must see.

The doors to the shop and many of the other doors in Black Spire open automatically, just like you see in the movies.  Kids (and adults) will think this is the coolest thing ever.

In addition to all the merchandise for sale the theming at this merchant is amazing.  It’s fun to take in all the details.  

The items they sell are pretty cool too.  You’ll find jewelry, clothing, robes, rare Kyber crystals and more.

They also sell several lightsabers here, you can purchase one from your favorite Star Wars characters like Obi-Wan Kenobi, Luke Skywalker or Darth Maul.

First Order Cargo – Here you will find all your First Order merchandise from clothing, key chains, water bottles, pins and more.

Resistance Supply – You will find the Resistance Supply over where the Rise of Resistance ride will be.  

Who wants a Chewie over the shoulder bag?

Kids were going crazy for the helmets.  And by kids I mean men over the age of 18.  

At the Market you find the following merchants.

Black Spire Outfitters – Pick up a robe or other casual attire to blend in with the locals.  The interesting thing about this land is there are no items that say Disneyland or have pictures of Mickey Mouse on them, Disney really went all out in keeping with the theming of the land.

Jewels of Bith – This is a great place to pick up souvenirs from your stay at Black Spire village on Batuu.

They even have cooling fans that are Star Wars themed.

Creature Stall – Pick up exotic creatures and critters from around the galaxy at the Creature Stall.

I’m not gonna lie, some of the creatures are UGLY!

Toydarian Toymaker – Cute handmade toys that look like something you’d find at a galactic artisan market.  

Disney Play app

If the amazing land isn’t enough, there is also an interactive component to the land that you can access through the Disney Play app.  

You can scan codes, play mini games and translate signs.

Since our time was limited in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge we didn’t play with the app too much, but I can see this being super fun for kids and teens.

Theming

I can’t get over how amazing the theming is throughout the entire land.  Just look at these drinking fountains and water bottle fill station.  

Even the bathrooms are cool.

The garbage and recycling cans are neat too.

I was totally impressed with Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge and I can’t wait to visit again.  It is truly an immersive land full of so much detail.  I believe that people who aren’t Star Wars fans will also appreciate the land.  

Once the land opens up to the public on June 24th, I recommend visiting during the day and the evening.  At night it has a whole different feel to it.

If you stay until closing time you will be able to view fireworks from Galaxy’s Edge too. I hope you will be able to visit Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge soon. It’s amazing! Plan on visiting? booking your Disneyland vacation through Get Away Today.

The post Guide to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disneyland appeared first on Gather Lemons.

Disneyland is paying tribute to Disney’s most iconic couple…Mickey and Minnie Mouse!   Now is the perfect time to visit Disneyland to enjoy the fun celebration, save some money on park admission and enjoy the parks before the crazy starts when Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge opens.  I recommend booking your trip through Get Away Today, you can purchase individual tickets or a package deal that includes tickets and a hotel.  The Get Away Today vacation packages often beat the prices of booking your hotel and buying tickets separately.   You can save an extra $10 off the low package price by using the discount code THRIVING10 at checkout.  With the spring ticket savings, you can save up to $111 per ticket.  The Get Your Ears On celebration lasts at Disneyland resort through May 2019.  Here is an entertainment and food guide for the Get Your Ears On celebration.

Mickey’s Mix Magic

Every night you’ll find a music and lights show with state-of-the-art projections, lighting and lasers.  The show is filled with high energy tunes and “DJ” Mickey spinning the new celebration song, “It’s a Good Time” along with remixed tunes from some of your favorite Disney songs, like “I Wanna Be Like You”, “Un Poco Loco”,  “Let It Go” and more.  The show lasts about 10 minutes.

You can view Mickey’s Mix Magic at the following locations:

• Main Street, U.S.A.
• Rivers of America (on the water screens, when Fantasmic! returns this spring)
• The façade of “it’s a small world” 

Select nights Mickey’s Mix Magic will also include a fireworks show.  The fireworks shows are usually only on the weekends.  To know if there are fireworks included and to find the exact time of Mickey’s Mix Magic each night, consult the Disneyland Entertainment Schedule. Showtimes vary between 7-9:00 pm.  Some evenings there are 2 shows, so if you miss the first one you can catch the second one.

Mickey’s Soundsational Parade

The Soundsational Parade returns to Disneyland in celebration of Mickey’s 90th birthday.  There are colorful floats, great music and tons of your favorite Disney characters.

Watching the parade is fun, but I think it’s even more fun to see the little kids get super excited about seeing their favorite characters.  This trip was just my husband and I, but watching all the little kids dance along the parade route and wave to Mickey was just plain fun to watch.   This was a colorful and fun parade.  During other parades Mickey is often the final float, but with this parade, Mickey was the very first one to kick off the festivities.

Get Your Ears On Food Guide

I’m not gonna lie, probably my favorite thing about the themed celebrations at Disneyland is all the limited edition food! The Get Your Ears On celebration has tons of Mickey and Minnie shaped food that is not only fun, but delicious too. You can check out the entire Disneyland food guide for the Get Your Ears on celebration, but of course we did our best to sample many of the treats and meals and we are sharing our thoughts on everything we ate.   Make sure you look for the special red signs at each restaurant or food stand, the Get Your Ears On special items will not be on the regular menus.

The Mickey Cookies & Cream Shake from Schmoozies in California Adventure is probably the cutest thing I have ever seen.  It addition to it being cute, it is yummy too.  I highly recommend this one!

The River Belle Terrace has a Mickey Jumbo Pretzel. The hand-crafted bavarian pretzel comes with a cheese sauce and a sweet mustard sauce. Both of the dips were really yummy! You will probably have to book a reservation if you plan on dining at the River Belle Terrace.  The pretzel was average, but I thought the dipping sauces were above average.  I would order it again!

We tried the Fiesta Cone at the Cozy Cone Motel.  It has spicy beef, refried beans, shredded lettuce, cheese sauce, sour cream, Pica da Gallo, and crispy tortilla strips.  This was just okay.  We much prefer the Chile Cone Queso over this one.  

Have you had the hand-dipped ice cream bars from Clarabelle’s in California Adventure?  They are divine!  For the Get Your Ears On celebration they have special hand-dipped Mickey or Minnie Ice Cream Bars.  This treat is so cute!   You really can’t go wrong with ice cream and chocolate, but I think next time I will stick with the classic hand-dipped ice cream bar.  I love the get the raspberry, with milk chocolate.

We also had the Sopes Trio from the Rancho del Zocalo Restaurante.  It has chicken, beef, and pork served on fried corn dough with refried beans, shredded lettuce, spicy lime aïoli, and salsa roja.  I’m kind of wimpy when it comes to spicy food and this was almost a little too spicy for me.  I will say this looked nothing like the picture, the picture made it look all cute and Mickey shaped.  Everything was just kind of plopped on the plate.  It was still good, I’d order it again.   We love this restaurant, we usually stop here every time we head to Disneyland.

Get Your Ears On Merchandise

With every celebration there is also new merchandise.  You will find lots of festive, brightly colored merchandise featuring Mickey.  I like my Disney souvenirs and shirts to be more subtle, so I didn’t find any Get Your Ears On merchandise I had to take home with me, but you can’t help but smile when you see all the happy merchandise.

We have quite a few Disney posts you can check out if you are in the process of planning a Disney trip.

• Honest reviews of the hotels we’ve used around Disneyland
• Complete Guide to Pixar Pier
• Visiting Disneyland in the Fall
• Tips for One Day at Disneyland
• Saving Money when Dining at Disneyland
• Great Way to Save on Official Disney Parks Souvenirs (Disney World)
• 10 of the Best Places to eat Lunch at Disneyland
• 10 of the Best Places to eat Breakfast at Disneyland
• Mickey Tic Tac Toe in a Bag
• 7 Reasons I Prefer Disneyland over Disney World
• Our dream vacation to Disneyland Paris

The post Disneyland Get Your Ears On – A Mickey & Minnie Celebration appeared first on Gather Lemons.

With 15 trips to Disneyland over the last 8 years we have learned where some of the best places are that you can eat when you head to parks.  While many of the restaurants on this list would also be great for dinner there are some places that we personally like just for lunch.  As an example, Storyteller’s Cafe is a favorite of ours because we prefer the lunch menu over the dinner menu and it’s less expensive at lunch time.

I’m sure there are other restaurants that would be great to add to this list as well.  That is where you come in, I would love to hear about your personal faves (even if they are already on this list).  Make sure you also check out our list of the 10 BEST places to eat breakfast at Disneyland too.  Here are 10 of our personal favorite restaurants for lunch at Disneyland, all of these restaurants are located in Disneyland, Disney California Adventure, at the hotels and in Downtown Disney.

Cafe Orleans (Disneyland) – Oh my goodness!  The Monte Cristo and Pomme Frites are a MUST on any Disneyland trip.  So yummy!  We usually share the Monte Cristo and the Pomme Frites between two people.   The sandwich is BIG and a little on the rich side, so 1/2  of a sandwich was perfect for us. Keep that in mind when you order, you may want to share too.  You will need to make reservations in advance for Cafe Orleans.

Plaza Inn (Disneyland) – You will definitely want to try the fried chicken meal, it is yummy!  The meal comes with three pieces of Fried Chicken, Mashed Potatoes,  a Buttermilk Biscuit, and Green Beans so it is plenty big to share.   One of the best ways we save a little money when we eat out at Disney is by sharing these meals.

Rancho del Zocalo Restaurante (Disneyland) – This Mexican restaurant is a great choice for lunch with lots of different options like tacos, enchiladas, burritos and my favorite the Citrus Fire-Grilled Chicken.  YUM!

Lamplight Lounge (Disney California Adventure) – This new restaurant has become on of my faves!  Advance reservations are a MUST if you don’t want to wait in a long line.  They have so many different drink options, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic.  The Lobster Nachos are a HUGE hit.  If you don’t like lobster, they also have chicken as an option too.  I highly recommend the Donuts with chocolate and raspberry dipping sauces.  They donuts are one of the best Disney treats I have ever had!  In addition to great food the scenery is great and the decor is wonderful.

Flo’s V8 Cafe (Disney California Adventure) – You can never go wrong with Flo’s V8 cafe!  Breakfast, lunch or dinner it doesn’t matter.  They recently updated their menu, and I am happy to report that Flo’s new menu is still great!  We have eaten here twice since the menu change and we really liked Flo’s Famous Fried Chicken and Ramone’s Low and Slow Club. Make sure you check the menu because they often have seasonal shakes that are worth trying too.

Cozy Cone Motel (Disney California Adventure) – Check out cone number three for yummy meals in bread cones.  You can get the Chili Cone Queso, Slow Burnin’ Mac & Cheese Cone, or Bacon Mac ‘n’ Cheese. Once you’ve had lunch, I recommend stopping by cone number two for a soft-serve cone with vanilla, chocolate or swirl ice cream. They are perfect for a hot California day.

Pacific Wharf Café (Disney California Adventure) – This is a great place to dine and get some of the world-famous breads by Boudin of San Francisco. Try the soup in a bread bowl, it’s fantastic!

Corn Dog Castle (Disney California Adventure) – If you are looking for a small lunch (I wouldn’t really call this a light lunch) pick up a corn dog at the Corn Dog Castle.  I have yet to have one personally buy my husband and boys say they are fantastic.

Storyteller’s Cafe (Grand Californian Hotel) – Our family loves the Storyteller’s Cafe for lunch for several reasons.  One, it gives us break from the park with a nice sit down meal.  Two, the lunch menu is less expensive than the dinner menu (+ we prefer the items on the lunch menu) and three…the bread!!  They bring bread before your meal and it is warm and delicious.   We sometimes like to have our larger sit down meal at lunch time because the lunch offerings are less expensive than the dinner options.   This is the case at many sit down restaurants.

Earl of Sandwich (Downtown Disney) – The hot sandwiches are the best!  The prices are pretty decent too.  The line here often looks pretty long but it always goes pretty quick.   You will also find soups and salads on the menu as well as some baked goods.  I always seem to stick with the same thing (Earl’s Club), but I have recently had a salad and it was great too.  This location recently closed to make room for the new Disney hotel, but that project has been put on hold so Earl of Sandwich is coming back!!  They say that Earl of Sandwich will only be open for a limited time, so get there while you can.

If you are looking to book a vacation to Disneyland, I highly recommend using Get Away Today for hotel packages and tickets.  I have used them numerous times and have always been pleased with the prices and service.

I was provided (2) one-day Park Hoppers to help facilitate my list.    My opinions and love for Disney (and it’s food) are honest and true.

If you have a Disney trip planned this year make sure you check out all of our other Disney posts:

• • Check out our Ultimate Guide to Disneyland Snacks
  • Food recommendations and guide for the Get Your Ears on Celebration
  • Your complete guide to Pixar Pier
  • I share honest reviews of all the hotels we’ve used near Disneyland
  • 10 of the BEST places to eat breakfast at Disneyland
  • Great tips that will help you to do Disneyland (and California Adventure) in a day.
  • Another great way to save on Disneyland package deals is through Costco Travel

The post 10 of the BEST Places to Eat Lunch at Disneyland appeared first on Gather Lemons.

Summer at Disneyland has just gotten cooler because Pixar Pier at California Adventure is now open!  The newly themed area changed from Paradise Pier to Pixar Pier with themes and characters from your favorite Pixar movies.  I was able to visit Pixar Pier opening weekend so I’ve got all the fun details you need to know on all the rides, food and more.  For this trip I used Get Away Today and booked a package deal.   Get Away Today is one of my biggest money saving tips when it comes to Disneyland vacations.  You can buy individual tickets at a discount or package deals (I almost always go with the package deals, because it saves me the most).

You will find new billboards decorating the boardwalk of Pixar Pier.   This Up billboard is my favorite.   It’s so bright and happy.  They’ve also switched out the light bulbs with star shaped light bulbs.  Disney thinks of everything!

When Pixar Pier is complete is will consists of four Pixar-inspired neighborhoods, Incredibles Park, Toy Story Boardwalk, Pixar Promenade and Inside Out Headquarters.   Inside Out headquarters will be completed in 2019.

Probably the biggest highlight of Pixar Pier is the Incredicoaster.   California Screamin’ has been transformed into a roller coaster featuring the Parr family.  You can join the Incredibles in their mad dash to catch baby Jack-Jack as he wreaks havoc throughout every inch of this high-speed chase!

I recommend riding the Incredicoaster at night!  The neon lights stand out better during the nighttime.  It’s fun during the day, but it’s another level of cool at night.

Toy Story Midway Mania is a family favorite of ours.   This ride has a Fast Pass, so it’s much easier to play without a long wait.   Before Pixar Pier opened, we would usually skip Cars Land first thing in the morning and make a mad dash for Toy Story Midway Mania.   We could ride it 2-3 times in a row before the lines started getting long.  I’m wondering if now everyone will make a made dash for Pixar Pier leaving Cars Land more open.

Mickey’s Fun Wheel is now the Pixar Pal-A-Round (which is not as easy to say).  The ride is essentially the same, you can still choose between a non-swinging and swinging car.   It’s a non-swinging car for me!

You will find each car/cage is decorated with some of your favorite Pixar Pals.

Jessie’s Critter Carousel is a bright and fun carousel filled with fun critters from the Toy Story films.

The Pixar Pier now has the Lamplight Lounge restaurant, this was formerly Ariel’s Grotto and the Cove bar.   This is a popular restaurant, so making reservations in advance is highly recommended.   You can make restaurant reservations 60 days in advance, and this one fills up quickly.  If you don’t see a time available for your date, check back later.  The restaurant was completely booked the first time I checked, but on my third try, I found an opening.

The theming at this restaurant is amazing!  There are so many fun details to check out.  You’ll find Pixar images and movie quotes.  Even the coasters have fun Pixar drawings on them.

The beloved Lobster Nachos are back!  I was happy to find out you can also order the nachos with chicken or steak.   I recommend the nachos and the Donuts with raspberry and chocolate dipping sauce are definitely a must.  They were so good!  The have an extensive drink menu with both alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks.   We tried the 2319, which is a a Non-Alcoholic Mocktail with Frozen Strawberry Purée, Cream of Coconut, Pineapple Juice topped with Coca-Cola.

Adorable Snowman Frosted Treats opened before the grand opening of Pixar Pier and it has already been a big hit with Park goers.  They serve frosted treats like lemon, chocolate and vanilla soft serve in cones and cups.   They also have the “It’s Snow Capped Lemon” which is lemon soft serve topped with white chocolate.

The biggest seller seems to be the Pixar Pier Frosty Parfait, which is lemon soft serve with a blue raspberry swirl.  This is so refreshing on a hot day!  I love the tart mix of the lemon with the sweetness of the blue raspberry  It was really good!  Lines form early for these treats, but they are totally worth it.  I’ve also heard great things about the lemon and vanilla swirl cone, that is next on my list of things to try.

I recently tried the It’s Snow Capped Lemon Cone and I would pass on this one, the lemon is a little too much on it’s own. Plus, as soon as I took a bite, all my white chocolate broke and fell on the ground.  I do think the lemon is great with the blue raspberry float or swirled with vanilla, but on it’s own not so much.

A brand new quick service option is the Poultry Palace.  How cute is the take-out box shaped building?  Here you can get a take-out box with 3 Chicken Drumsticks and Coleslaw or a Jumbo Turkey Leg.   They also have corn on the cob with either chili-lime or butter.

I tried the 3 drumstick box and I was impressed.   I love the take-out box!  Drumsticks aren’t usually my favorite (I prefer white meat), but the drumsticks were super moist and the seasoning was really well.  It did have a little kick to it, but it wasn’t bad, I’m not a fan of super spicy food.  The coating on the outside kind of reminded me of a lighter version of Shake-and-Bake.   That probably sounds weird and not like a compliment, but it is.  I like the fact that it comes with 3 drumsticks so it makes it super easy to share, and at $9.99 I didn’t think the price was all that bad.  I will definitely hit up the Poultry Palace next time I visit California Adventure.

Churros are a must on every visit with several members of my family.  Now you can feed your Churro addiction on Pixar Pier with Señor Buzz Churros.  They have two flavors to choose from the Cinnamon Super Galaxy Churro or the Caliente Churro.

The Cinnamon Super Galaxy Churro is the regular cinnamon-sugar churro with a sparkly sprinkles.  The Caliente Churro has a coating with a flavor similar to Red Hots.

Angry Dogs sells hot dogs, you can choose either the Slightly Angry Dog, which is a regular hot dog with chips or the Angry Dog which is a spicy all beef hot dog.  The Angry Dog is served with “hot fries”, which are essentially flaming hot Cheetos fries.

You can top your angry dog with different condiments ranging from “Keeping it Together” (Ketchup) to “Raging” (Buffalo Hot Sauce).   I had the Slightly Angry Dog, because like I mentioned before, I don’t do spicy.  The hot dog was full of flavor and actually pretty good.

You’ll find Jack-Jack Cookie Num Nums at the exit of the Incredicoaster.   Don’t pass this one by!   They have 3 different varieties of cookies, warm Chocolate Chip, Shortbread Cookie with frosting and a gluten-friendly Blackberry Jam-filled Cookie.  You can wash it down with regular, chocolate or strawberry milk.  They also have vanilla almond milk and soy milk too.

I had the Warm Chocolate Chip cookie and it was amazing!  I’d give it a 10 out of 10.   It’s thick and gooey you can eat with with a fork.  The chocolate is just the right amount of melty.   The only thing I think would make it better is a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top.

You will find Boardwalk Games along the right side of Midway Mania.  These games were previously on the Paradise Pier too, but now they have been themed to match some of your favorite Pixar movies.

You will find the following games:

• Laluna Star Catcher
• Wall-E Space Race
• Heimlich’s Candy Corn Toss
• Bullseye Stallion Stampede

At the Pixar Promenade you can listen to music and meet your favorite Pixar characters.  While we were at Pixar Pier there was a dance party with Sully and other Pixar characters at the Promenade.

Bing Bong’s Sweet Stuff is open and you will find Pixar souvenirs and sweet treats throughout the store.

The entire store has a fun colorful theme.  With a rainbow on the ceiling and a candy design on the floor.

You can order Memory Refreshers here, which are fruit slushies in the following fun flavors: Rainbow Unicorn, Sunshine in a Cup, Imaginary Pal, Slow Burn and Gloomy Blues.

You can also get the yummy Churros Toffee here at Bing Bong’s Sweet Stuff.

Don’t forget to stop by Knick Knacks for even more Pixar souvenirs.

Coming later:

• Inside Out Headquarters (coming 2019)

When booking our Disneyland trips I use both Get Away Today and Costco Travel for the best package deals.  This time around we used Get Away Today and stayed at the Four Points Sheraton (previously Menage).  I have priced numerous vacations and Get Away Today is usually always priced the lowest.  I usually save hundreds of dollars with the packages from Get Away Today.

For even more Disney news, check out our following posts. They will provide you with tips, money saving ideas and great places to eat!

• Everything you need to know about Pixar Fest
• Check out the highlights from our trip to Disneyland Paris
• 10 of the BEST places to eat breakfast at Disneyland
• 10 of the BEST places to each lunch at Disneyland
• Several ways you can save on Disneyland Park Tickets.
• Great tips that will help you to do Disneyland (and California Adventure) in a day.
• Craving a Dole Whip? Check out our recipe for Homemade Dole Whip
• Check out the time my husband and I has six meals & one snack at Disneyland and paid less than $30 (thanks to a lot of planning)

The post Complete Guide to Pixar Pier at the Disneyland Resort appeared first on Gather Lemons.

We had a spring trip to Disneyland planned and we were thrilled to find out that the last day of our trip just happened to be the very first day of Pixar Fest at the Disneyland resort.  Having had the chance to experience Pixar Fest, I can say without a doubt, you don’t want to miss this celebration of all things Pixar happening this summer at both Disneyland and California Adventure.

Pixar Fest runs through September 3, 2018.  To plan your vacation, I highly recommend booking a package deal through Get Away Today. You will find that booking a package with Get Away Today can save you some serious money. Use the code THRIVING10 to save an additional $10 on your Disneyland package.  Here are the fun things you can expect to find during Pixar Fest at the Disneyland resort.

Together Forever Nighttime Spectacular – Oh my goodness, this show is amazing! I recommend viewing this show in the middle of Main Street. While images are projected onto the castle, they are also projected onto the buildings of Main Street and if you plant yourself directly in front of the castle you will miss some of the amazingness.

Main street will get crowded! We were there on opening night and we started waiting 45 minutes before the show started and we were all the way back at the entrance of main street (right next to the Emporium). At first I was a little bummed that we were so far away from the castle, but once the show started, I loved the location.  I assume it will be even busier in the middle of summer.

Photo Credit: Disney Parks

One of the highlights of the show is the Up Balloon soaring over Sleeping Beauty Castle.  Seeing the balloon soaring into the sky brings all the feels!

Photo Credit: Get Away Today

Paint the Night Parade – My all-time favorite parade returns for Pixar Fest!!   This is the same parade that ran during Disneyland’s Diamond Celebration, only this time it runs through California Adventure and it includes a brand-new float featuring The Incredibles.  This is another must-see in my book!  I love the catchy music and all the bright lights!

Pixar Play Parade – The Pixar Play Parade also makes a return and this time it winds down the streets of Disneyland (it used to be at California Adventure).  This is a bubbly, high-spirited day time parade that includes some new characters like Joy, Sadness and Bing Bong in Riley’s “Rocket” Wagon from Inside Out.

Pixar Entertainment & Activities – You may find the Dapper Dans getting into the Pixar Fest festivities by adding “You’ve got a Friend in Me” to their repertoire.   Stop by the Animation Academy where you can draw some of your favorite Pixar pals.  The Animation Academy has recently become one of our favorite things to do.  We may even visit the academy more than once (or even twice) on our trips.  You can check the schedule at the check-in desk so you know exactly which characters will be drawn at what time.

Photo Ops & Meet & Greets – You will find fun Pixar photo ops all over the park.  The entrance to Cars Land is dressed up with Woody and Buzz to celebrate Pixar Fest.  Head over to the Paradise Gardens to meet a rotating cast of Pixar characters like Mr. & Mrs. Incredible,Woody & Buzz from Toy Story, Russell and Dug from Up and Flik & Princess Atta from A Bug’s Life.

Photo Credit: Disney Parks

Pixar-themed Food – One of the best things about a Disney trip is always the food!  The special themed food they have for Pixar Fest does not disappoint!   There are so many new options to try!  I already want to go back, because one day wasn’t enough to try all the snacks and food on our list.  You can learn more about the Pixar Fest food offerings, but here are a few of the highlights:

• Alien Macaron (Alien Pizza Planet) – Bright green alien macaron with lime and blackberry filling.
• Berry Funnel Cake (Stage Door Cafe) – A house-made funnel cake topped with blueberries, strawberries, chocolate cookie crumbles, crème anglaise, white chocolate, and gold-dusted whipped cream.
• Mint Chip Shake (Schmoozies) – A Monster’s Inc themed shake that sounds divine!
• Habanero Meatball Cone (Cozy Cone Motel) This has turkey meatballs in a habanero derby sauce with a cheese crisp and spiral pasta “smoke stacks.”

Pixar Merchandise – You will find plenty of Pixar themed merchandise, including a fun Sully themed popcorn bucket (which may be sold out now).   There are shirts, hats, bags, pins, drinkware and more all with your favorite Pixar characters.

Photo Credit: Disney Parks

Opening of Pixar Pier –  – Pixar Pier will be opening to the public on June 23rd. The newly themed pier will house the Incredicoaster, Pixar Pals Fun Wheel, Toy Story Midway Mania and several new themed food options. We’ll have a full report on all the fun things you can experience on Pixar Pier once it is open.  If you want to stay on top of all the Pixar Pier and other Disneyland festivities, I recommend you follow our Disney Instagram account.

Don’t forget to check out the great package deals you can score when you book through Get Away Today.  I have used them on numerous occasions and they always seem to offer the best price and great service too.  You can save an additional $10 off your package by using the code THRIVING10 at checkout.  You will find the perfect package whether you want to stay at a Disney hotel, a budget hotel, a hotel within walking distance or a hotel for a large family.  They cover them all!  If you just need Disneyland park tickets you can get those from Get Away Today at a discount too.

The post Everything you Need to Know about Pixar Fest at Disneyland appeared first on Gather Lemons.

When we have a trip planned to visit Disney World I look forward to making reservations for our favorite restaurants.  Each trip I plan I think we’ll try someplace new (and occasionally we do), but more times than not we tend to stick to our favorites.  Here are 4 restaurants that seem to make it onto reservation list nearly every time we visit Disney World.

Chefs de France (Epcot) ~ The food here is divine + they deliver fresh baguettes to your table.   I don’t usually eat dessert, but dessert is a must here!  The french know how to do dessert.   Another reason why we love this restaurant so much is because all of the restaurant staff is from France. My husband served a 2 year mission in France (and so did one of my sons) and they both can carry on a conversation with our waiter…in French.   I love it!

Liberty Tree Tavern (Magic Kingdom) ~ This one is a classic and we can’t seem to get enough of it! We usually go for dinner here, but I’ve heard lunch is super too.  At dinner they serve you family style and it starts with Tossed Mixed Greens with House-made Dressing. Your meal consists of Roasted Turkey Breast, Pot Roast, Sliced Tavern Ham with Mashed Potatoes, Seasonal Vegetables, and Herb Stuffing. You finish it off with Baked Apples in crispy Pastry Shell topped with ice Cream and dried cranberries. I honestly never seem to have room for dessert but I do take a few bites, because I love the ice cream with the tart cranberries.

‘Ohana (Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort) ~ We love to do dinner here!  They only do a character breakfast and dinner at the restaurant and both meals are great when you have your whole family with you.  They have such a fun dinner atmosphere with storytelling and games.  The food is great too.  They bring around skewers of chicken, steak and shrimp and you can eat as much as you want.  The dinner also comes with teriyaki noodles, veggies and more.

Kona Cafe (Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort) ~ This is one of our favorite places to eat breakfast.   If you can’t get a reservation at ‘Ohana, I recommend giving this a try.   We love the  Strawberry Compote they bring for the pancakes and other items like the Tonga Toast which is Banana-stuffed Sourdough French Toast rolled in Cinnamon Sugar.   We always start our day here when we plan to be in the Magic Kingdom.  After breakfast it’s so convenient to jump on the monorail and head straight to the park.

I would love to hear which Disney World restaurants are your faves. Do you have a restaurant that you feel you must visit every time you go to Disney World?   Leave a comment and let me know, maybe we’ll broaden our horizons this fall we visit Disney World and give something new a try (but probably not).

The post 4 Disney World Restaurants we Keep Visiting appeared first on Gather Lemons.

Our family has been making yearly trips to Disneyland for over 8 years now and we have used research and trial and error to figure out the best places to eat at Disneyland (we’ve also found some places to avoid).  When it comes to vacations I love to plan and I will even plan where we will eat most days.  I do this for a couple of reasons, I want to make sure we are eating at a place that has good food and I want to avoid the “I don’t know where do you want to eat” that everyone seems to say when we ask.  We have 7 people in our family so that is a lot of indecision.

Before our trips I read Disney message boards, check reviews and prices to find the best places to eat. I’ve compiled this list of 10 of the best places we have found to eat breakfast at Disneyland (lunch, dinner & snacks are coming too).  You will find these locations in the parks, at the hotels and in Downtown Disney. Enjoy!

Goofy’s Kitchen (Disneyland hotel) – Goofy’s Kitchen is a character breakfast and is ridiculously expensive. How is that for a selling point? While the character meals are expensive I also think it’s worth every penny (at least once). There is a buffet which should please absolutely everyone in your family. The characters will come around to your table and visit with you while you eat. It’s great fun!  Many of the character meals we have enjoyed have been because we booked our trip through Costco Travel and it included a character meal for each person.

Steakhouse 55 (Disneyland hotel) – Steakhouse 55 is located right next door to Goofy’s Kitchen, so while everyone is waiting in the long line to eat with characters you can enjoy a great breakfast without the crowd.  This is one of our favorite places for a sit down breakfast. The service here is top notch.

Tangaroa Terrace (Disneyland hotel) – The Disneyland hotel has lots of great options when it comes to breakfast and if you are looking for something quick and delicious this is the place. The Tangaroa Terrace is the most inexpensive option at the Disneyland hotel and a most of the menu item have a twist on the classics to give them an “island flavor” to them.

Plaza Inn (Disneyland) – Plaza Inn is another character meal and while we generally like to plan our character meals for days we aren’t in the park I had to give this one a try. We loved the cast of characters and the food is great.  Plus, you can’t beat the atmosphere since you are right there at the end of main street.

Carnation Cafe (Disneyland) – There is something special about eating breakfast right there on Main Street!  There are some great selections here that should pleases everyone in your party like the All-American breakfast or Apple-Granola Pancakes.

River Belle Terrace (Disneyland) – Lots of places service Mickey Mouse waffles, but this is the one place you can find Mickey Mouse pancakes!  We recommend trying the Cinnamon Roll French Toast or my husbands favorite Country-style Biscuits n’ Gravy.

White Water Snacks (Grand Californian hotel) – This is a great place to pick up a quick breakfast.  They offer breakfast burritos, buttermilk biscuit sandwiches, Mickey waffles and more.  For those that like something smaller they also offer croissants and pastries.  You will find something for everyone in the family.  Plus, the prices are reasonable too.

Flo’s V8 Cafe (Disney California Adventure) – I plan on making a lists of the 10 best places for breakfast, lunch and dinner and I am pretty sure Flo’s V8 Cafe will make the list for every meal . It’s one of our faves for sure!  They don’t have an extensive breakfast menu, but what they do have is good.  Give the Brioche French Toast with Salted Caramel Sauce and Bananas a try!

Earl of Sandwich (Downtown Disney) – I am thrilled that Earl of Sandwich is now at Disneyland (we have loved it at Disney World).  Breakfast here is inexpensive, tasty and quick.  You can grab something and eat it on your way to the parks (especially if you are staying at the Disneyland Hotel, you will walk right past it).   Choose from hot egg sandwiches, omelets or yogurt parfaits. When we have a big lunch or dinner planned we really like to start our day here with a smaller breakfast.

Ralph Brennan’s Jazz Kitchen Express (Downtown Disney) – It’s totally okay to start your day with Beignets (French-style donuts dusted with powdered sugar) for breakfast and this is the place to do it!  If you prefer a more traditional breakfast they have several options too.  Seriously, just go for the Beignets!

If you are looking to book a vacation to Disneyland, I highly recommend using Get Away Today for hotel packages and tickets.  I have used them numerous times and have always been pleased with the prices and service.

I was provided (2) one-day Park Hoppers to help facilitate my list.    My opinions and love for Disney (and it’s food) are honest and true.

If you plan to visit Disney in the near future, make sure you check out all of my other Disney posts:

• Check out our Ultimate Guide to Disneyland Snacks
• Food recommendations and guide for the Get Your Ears on Celebration
• Your complete guide to Pixar Pier
• I share honest reviews of all the hotels we’ve used near Disneyland
• 10 of the BEST places to each lunch at Disneyland
• Great tips that will help you to do Disneyland (and California Adventure) in a day.
• Another great way to save on Disneyland package deals is through Costco Travel

The post 10 of the Best Places to Eat Breakfast at Disneyland appeared first on Gather Lemons.

Okay think about the happiest place on earth…Disneyland Right?  When I think about the treats I am going to splurge on at Disneyland this treat is at the top of my list.  I LOVE the refreshing, tropical and sweet treat.  Well if you are a fan like I am than this recipe for you.

Pineapple Dole Whip Ingredients:
Recipe from Your Trip to Disney

• 2 cans (20 oz) Dole crushed pineapple
• 2 Tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 cups of heavy whipping cream whipped

Blend pineapple, lemon juice, until smooth then freeze for 1-2 hours

Stir in frozen pineapple slush into the whipped cream.   Freeze again for another 2 hours.

Then scoop and serve.  Enjoy!

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Have you been to Cars Land at Disney’s California Adventure park yet? I love that place! You can’t help but smile the minute you enter Cars Land and you hear the tow-tapping music of Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree. The theming in this part of the park is amazing! It also happens to be the location on my very favorite quick service restaurants – Flo’s V8 Cafe!

The restaurant has the feel of a 50’s diner and it’s decked out in aqua, pink and neon.  It looks super cool when it’s all lit up at night.  The music is great fun too, inside there is a playlist of Motown hits while outside you can hear Route 66 tunes.

When you walk in the door you will be handed a menu.  DO NOT be fooled by the faded photos of the food, they don’t do the meals justice, the food is way better than it looks on the menu!

The dinner menu consists of the following choices:

Dinner Flo’s V8 Cafe

• NY Strip Loin with homestyle gravy
• Pork-Loin with Coca Cola BBQ sauce
• Turkey Breast with old fashioned turkey gravy
• Citrus Turkey Salad
• Veggie Tater Bake

If you choose one of the 3 meals with meat you also get to choose 2 sides:

• Roasted Corn Medley
• Vegetarian Baked Beans
• Peas & Carrots
• Mashed Potatoes
• “Radiator” Pasta Salad
• Signature Cole Slaw

I have eaten dinner at Flo’s V8 cafe 3 times now and every single time I order the Turkey Breast with old fashioned turkey gravy.    It is so good!   I can’t seem to order anything else because I crave the delicious turkey and gravy.

Flo’s also offers shakes topped with “road gravel” which is basically cookie crumbs and  I love the addition of the “road gravel”.   I will say the first time I had a shake the gravel was different than it was the most recent time I went, but I was happy with both.    The picture here is from my first trip and my most recent trip the crumbles were more like a chocolate cookie.

Lastly, if you have room for dessert (you probably won’t), there are Flo’s Pie-O-Rama pies.    You can choose from apple-cheddar, chocolate mud or a seasonal fruit pie.     We decided to give the chocolate mud pie a try and it was WAY TOO rich.     Between my husband and I we couldn’t even eat half of the pie, and I am a chocolate lover!!    I think I only took 2 tiny bites.    I would give one of the seasonal berry pies a try or if you are adventurous, go for the apple-cheddar.

There is seating both inside and outside the restaurant.   Outside in the front there are tables surrounded by old fashioned gas pumps. If you sit on the side of the building you can have a view of the spectacular Radiator Spring Racers.

The service here has always been excellent too!  They will clear your plates and utensils for you, which is always nice when you are trying to juggle a tray full of dishes with a kid or two hanging onto your arms.

Flo’s V8 cafe also serves breakfast, and I have heard pretty good things about that too.     I am looking forward to giving the breakfast a try sometime.

Overall, I would say Flo’s V8 Cafe is by far our favorite quick service restaurants between the 2 parks at Disneyland.    You must give it a try!    If you’ve eaten and Flo’s, I would love to hear your thoughts on your meal.

Interested i more food at Disneyland?   Check out these posts:

• Mickey Beignets
• Get a FREE treat!

I am working on tons of reviews, tips and tricks to help you make the most of your Disney vacation, so keep an eye out for even more Disney posts in the future.

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One of the best things about visiting a Disney Park is all of the yummy specialty treats!   For some reason, treats shaped like Mickey Mouse are some how even more magical and delicious.   One of the treats we enjoyed on our most recent trip to Disneyland were the Mickey Beignets.   Have you tried them yet?

These cute little morsels are deep fried, donut like goodness that are sprinkled drenched with powdered sugar.  Yes, they are as good as they sound!

If you order the Beignets at Cafe Orleans, they will also come with a side of dipping sauces (Raspberry Coulis and Vanilla Creme Anglaise).

We were able to enjoy our beignets while being entertained by the swingin’ sounds of the Royal Street Bachelors, a talented jazz band that has been making music in New Orleans Square ever since the land first opened in 1966.   To catch these cool cats, make sure to check the Times Guide for show times – they perform 15-minute sets throughout the day.

Where to get Mickey Beignets:

Disneyland

Mint Julep Bar (walk up window within the Garden Patio of French Market Restaurant)

Cafe Orleans (New Orleans Square)

The post Mickey Beignets (Disney Treats) appeared first on Gather Lemons.

One of the best things to do when heading to the Disney Parks is to have some of their fantastic treats.   There is a small treat that you can get absolutely FREE!   If you stop by the Ghirardelli Soda Fountain & Chocolate Shop, there is a good chance they will give you one of their chocolate squares for FREE.   At Christmas time we got one of their Peppermint Bark squares and on our most recent trip in May it was Milk Chocolate with Caramel filling.   YUM!

Here’s were you can pick up your FREE samples:

Disney’s California Adventure (California) ~ Ghirardelli Soda Fountain & Chocolate Shop in the Pacific Wharf area

Walt Disney World – Downtown Disney (Orland0) ~ Ghirardelli Soda Fountain & Chocolate Shop (located near the World of Disney store)

You can also check out how my husband and I were able to eat 6 meals on our most recent 2-day Disney trip while spending less than $30 total.

We are expanding our Disney section here at Thrifty and Thriving, you can expect even more posts in the future with more Disney treats, reviews and tips.  

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