[RickL.]

My best wishes to all!!! I am taking the family to Disneyland in March and am curious as to the restaurants in the area. We will be staying at the Candy Cane Inn. We would have loved to have stayed at one of the Disney hotels...but just too $$$$$ for this budget. Any words of advise or recommendation would be sooooo appreciated! Thanks and a Happy New Year to all!!!

[dizneeluvr]

We went in 1999 and stayed "off site" (directly across the street). We ate at IHOP and Tona Roma's. We mostly ate at the park. I don't know if the CandyCane Inn is near where we stayed or not but those are the only two places I can think of. Oh, there is a McDonald's nearby as well.

[anaheimboy]

IHOP is good for breakfast and Tony Romas is good for dinner. Tiffy's Family Resturaunt is also a good place to eat. When you get there you'll find many good places to eat. Dont forget about DTD dinning too. There are also a few fast food places to eat if you would want that.

[RickL.]

Thanks so much for the info. - especially from folks who know!!! As you can probably guess, we are doing this on a semi-tight budget. My wife and I just adopted two boys(twin brothers) in their early teens who have never been anywhere in their young lives.....so it's off to Disneyland we go, a great celebration for us all!!!!! Thanks again so much for the information! We are looking so forward to this vacation! Can't wait!!!

[dznygrl]

Hi Rick! Wow, I must say that if you can't stay at Disney, you made the next-best choice by staying at Candy Cane Inn. That was the place I stayed at my first trip to Disney more than 14 years ago, and it remains just as fantastic to this day.

That is simply wonderful that you are taking the boys to Disney!!

As for my restaurant suggestions...having lived in the area as well as worked at DLR this summer, I have A LOT of experience eating at the nearby restaurants. Denny's is your best deal. Their prices are best when it comes to the amount & quality of food you get. Now that's not saying a whole lot (LOL ) but I found that IHOP was significantly more expensive for not as much food. McDonald's is a little further down Harbor, and for fast fixes that is your best bet. You also have a nice little mini-mall across & just down the street slightly, with a Chinese restaurant as well as a pizza place with pretty good pizza. Next door to your hotel you will have a 7 Eleven, where you can pick up snacks, and just around the corner at your neighboring Desert Palm Inn & Suites there is a Quizno's Subs. They are not open very late, but are a good lunch option.

WARNING: If there is one place you should NOT eat during your stay, it is Captain Kidd's. Captain Kidd's gets a lot of business because it is directly across the main crosswalk to Disneyland, and "next door" to IHOP. But in all of my many experiences there, I was NEVER impressed. They are as expensive or more expensive than IHOP, and the food quality is awful. The only thing that I felt "safe" eating there was scrambled eggs! LOL. Even the virgin raspberry daiquiri tasted like a half-melted cherry Slurpee from 7-Eleven. The "buffet" is barely as long as I am laying down (and I'm NOT tall!) and contained not much more than some deep-fried meats and salad swimming in water. The staff must have a lot of people walk out without paying, because one time after eating there I had a server chase me all the way down to the crosswalk, yelling after me because she thought I hadn't paid!!

Captain Kidd's is probably really appealing to a lot of people because of its decor...they've done a nice job in the seating area with a very tropical/pirate theme. But it doesn't carry over into the food or prices! I also found it funny, because in the ladies' room there were pictures hanging on the walls of Anne Geddes kids, Casper, some girl with a sunflower hat, and Lady & The Tramp. It looked like they'd picked up their prints from a dollar store down the street!

Anyway, sorry to blab. I lived off of those restaurants this summer, so I'm very opinionated I guess. Good luck and have a GREAT trip!

[RickL.]

DYZNYGRL.....You gave me some excellent info. and insights! It really helps. Great site here...and people too. Thanks again.....

[anaheimboy]

always glad to help in anyway I can. :-)

[dznygrl]

Originally Posted by RickL.

DYZNYGRL.....You gave me some excellent info. and insights! It really helps. Great site here...and people too. Thanks again.....

You are so very welcome, Rick! I know you will have a fantastic trip...I only wish I could still be there to personally greet you as a cast member.

[unome1434]

We will be traveling to DL May 5-10 from Hawaii! Mother's Day falls on that sunday ...There will be 19 of us including 4 Moms and 9 kids...Anyone have any idea for a Mother's Day Brunch or Dinner?

[anaheimboy]

hmmm, a mothers day brunch or dinner that is fun that could accomidate that many....hmm. Goofys Kitchen might have a Mothers Day thing (you will most likely have to call in advance to get that many seats) and if not Im sure there is something in DTD for breakfast and deffinatley for dinner. You might want to make a reservation just so there is enough seating. If you go to DL's web site Im sure you'll be able to find something, sorry I could'nt help anymore than what I said. :-)

[dabomb2045]

is Goofy's Kitchen basically the "Chef Mickeys of Disneyland"??

[Mr. Incredible]

Originally Posted by dabomb2045

is Goofy's Kitchen basically the "Chef Mickeys of Disneyland"??

I can't say as I haven't been to Chef Mickey's, but Goofy's Kitchen is a character buffet that serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner. It is MOST fun, and when we ate there after our wedding, the characters included Captain Hook, Rafiki, Mulan, Pluto, and obviously Goofy. It was the BEST brunch EVER!! All the characters did the Macarena, and there was a Disney camera crew filming...Anyways, point being, it is FUN!

Hope that helps...a little.

[Disneywife]

Originally Posted by dabomb2045

is Goofy's Kitchen basically the "Chef Mickeys of Disneyland"??

Yes, it's very similar, except that Goofy is the chef, not Mickey. The decor is pretty much the same as well. Goofy's Kitchen has recently been remodeled and moved into the new tower at the DL Hotel, so it's a lot bigger than it used to be and a lot bigger than Chef Mickey's. (Those who haven't been to Goofy's Kitchen in a few years may not recognize it!)

[dznygrl]

Originally Posted by Disneywife

(Those who haven't been to Goofy's Kitchen in a few years may not recognize it!)

That's very true...I had not been to Goofy's Kitchen in about 9 or 10 years, and when I set foot in there after our wedding ceremony, it looked like a completely different place.

And dabomb...yes, it is essentially the Chef Mickey's of Disneyland. Very similar.

[pumouse]

Originally Posted by RickL.

My best wishes to all!!! I am taking the family to Disneyland in March and am curious as to the restaurants in the area. We will be staying at the Candy Cane Inn. We would have loved to have stayed at one of the Disney hotels...but just too $$$$$ for this budget. Any words of advise or recommendation would be sooooo appreciated! Thanks and a Happy New Year to all!!!

I cannot say enough about Millies, across harbor from Disneyland, the food is great, the portions are big and the service is fast and friendly. No I do not work for the company! And Biggs Pizza is also very good. We always eat at Carrows and you can get coupons from the TV guide you get at the Hotel.