Disneyland Without Kids

Breakfast – While you won’t find a 6-station Vegas style breakfast buffet in the park there’s a few good options for early day dining. For a complete meal check out the Carnation Café which serves croissant sandwiches and Mickey Mouse Pancakes among others. For a quicker breakfast on the go try the Blue Ribbon Bakery which serves an assortment of pastries, fruit as well as coffees, lattes and hot chocolate.  Both establishments tend to be packed in the mornings so expect a line.

Yummy Lunch – Chicken strips are always a great option and not just for kids. While many places offer them, our favorite is the Stage Coach Café, a little shop in adventure land right by the boat launch.  The chicken strips run for about $8 and include a small portion of fries, a side of bbq or ranch sauce and all the ketchup you want. They also sell mozzarella sticks and fish and chips as well as funnel cake.

Yummy Dinner – If you’re looking for a nice sit down meal consider the Blue Bayou restaurant located inside the Pirates of the Caribbean ride. The quiet and cool atmosphere combined with the quality food makes this a popular pick for couples and groups. While the food is some of the best you’ll find in the park (think mahi mahi, steak, etc…) it’s also probably the most expensive and one of the most popular (our favorite when we have the time). Reservations are almost always required for dinner and can be booked before the park even opens so consider calling in advance.

For something more casual but still seated consider Cafe Orleans or River Belle Terrace. Both serve a variety of sandwiches and hot entrees with a little flare. Prices are in the $10-20 range. There can be a wait so check in and take another ride while you let the time pass.  Check the menus to see what’s been offered currently but generally either will have something to please most appetites and both have great outdoor seating for views of the water and any shows that happening to be going on.

The Pizza Port located in Tomorrow Land is even more casual with open tables and kiosk service. This restaurant offers more traditional Disneyland food including burgers, pizza and pasta. You can also find a variety of salads and chicken sandwiches on the other side of the building.

Healthy Options – The Plaza Inn serves a decent fried chicken and tasty pasta but if you’re looking to save the calories for desert they have a massive, fresh and even well priced (about $10) chicken chef’s salad which comes tossed in a ranch dressing or can be customized with your choice  chicken, bacon, tomato, cheese, hardboiled egg and dressing.  The salad is big enough to split for two medium appetites.  The Plaza Inn also offers a nice respite from the hustle of the park with cool temperatures indoors, ample outside seating, refills on soft drinks and enough space to generally let you stretch out.

Desert – Ice Cream is the mandatory desert for most guests and on Main Street there are two good places to get it. The Gibson Girl Ice Cream Parlor shop which is attached to the larger candy shop offers the widest assortment of ice cream options from sundaes to chocolate dipped waffle cones. Unfortunately the crowds also flock to this location and lines can take 30 minutes or more. Luckily there’s a second and often overlooked option just down the street; the Main Street cone shop (look by the lockers) sells most of the same options as the larger shop but without the long lines (most of the time). Unfortunately they close down a lot earlier but when they are open it’s a great bet.

If Ice Cream isn’t your thing there’s just about everything else known to the world from funnel cake to caramel apples, fudge, chocolates, taffy, and on and on. You can find most of these at the Main Street shop but for funnel cake you’ll have to trek down to the Buzz Light Year Café in Tomorrow Land or the Stage Coach Café in Adventure Land.