The 15 Halloween-Themed Food and Drinks We Tried at Disneyland

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through these links, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products or services that I believe will add value to my readers.

When Disney released the 2024 Disneyland Halloween foodie guide, there were a number of items that immediately caught the attention of my wife and I. As avid Disneyland foodies, we always make sure to carve out enough time in the parks to try as much as we can whenever a foodie guide is released.

During our visit, we tried a number of Halloween food at Disneyland, 15 of them to be exact, and I’m writing this post to share not only photos of them with you, but information such as price, what my wife and I thought of them, applicable discounts, and more.

Let’s get into it!

1) Poison Apple Churro

Location: Churro cart near Goofy’s Sky School (DCA)

Price: $7.50

Mobile Order: No

Discounts: None

Churros are a Disney staple and often considered to be among the best food at Disneyland. That said, it’s no surprise that with any special event going on at the resort, we see a multitude of variants of this classic treat (literally) rolled out.

We’ve seen this at past events, such as the ever-delicious Mr. Potato Head churro during 2024’s Pixar Fest, so when I heard that Disney was rolling out a poison apple-themed churro for the Halloween season, it immediately peaked my interest.

This was the first Halloween-themed treat we tried and we were not disappointed. The churro is rolled in green-cinnamon sugar and drizzled with a granny smith apple icing. You would think this would be overly sweet, but it isn’t. It’s just right and we thoroughly enjoyed it. However, I didn’t get much of an apple flavor from it.

2) Pumpkin Expresso Martini

Location: Schmoozies! in Hollywoodland (DCA)

Price: $17.50

Mobile Order: Yes

Discounts: None

There was nothing stated on the website or foodie guide as to an ingredient list for this item, other than it’s made with a caramel vodka. Clearly, a pumpkin foam is included, along with a couple shots of expresso. In short, this drink was delicious.

The pumpkin and expresso flavors were balanced well, with no one flavor overpowering the other. The hint of sweetness from the caramel vodka didn’t come through until the end, though. To get the full range of flavor, I suggest using a straw or spoon to mix the pumpkin foam and expresso together before consuming.

3) Spiced Bundt Cake

Location: Jolly Holiday in Main Street U.S.A (DL)

Price: $6.79

Mobile Order: Yes

Discounts: Respective Magic Key discounts apply

The Spiced Bundt Cake served at Jolly Holiday is filled with cream cheese frosting and topped with a purple glaze icing, sprinkles, and spiced mousse with a chocolate Mickey head decoration. The cake wasn’t dry but for what this was, I felt it was simply ok.

The “spiced” flavor came through in a big way, though (in a good way), but it still isn’t something I would go out of my way to get. If you already happen to be eating at Jolly Holiday, it’s a fitting treat to cap your meal with, but if you’re only seeking out a dessert, there are plenty of superior options out there. Such as…

4) Enchanted Pumpkin Stuff

Location: Red Rose Tavern in Fantasyland (DL)

Price: $7.29

Mobile Order: Yes

Discounts: Respective Magic Key discounts apply

Ever since converting the former Village Haus Restaurant into Red Rose Tavern (a fitting Beauty and the Best theme) in 2017, a dessert from the classic animated film, The Grey Stuff, has been a featured item on the menu. If you don’t know what I’m referring to, it originated from a line in the song “Be Our Guest” when Lumiere sang, “try the grey stuff, it’s delicious, don’t believe me?, ask the dishes!”. Disneyland foodies know what’s up.

The classic grey stuff is indeed delicious, but much like the churros, Disney will typically put a seasonal spin on this fan favorite during events. This year for Halloween it’s a pumpkin version and let me tell you, this variant rivals the original. It’s a pumpkin cream with an apricot marmalade center, topped on a pumpkin cookie. It’s simply fantastic and well balanced. I would order it again and again, as I feel it’s one of the best Halloween foods at Disneyland right now.

5) Blueberry Corn Dog

Location: Little Red Wagon on Main Street U.S.A (DL)

Price: $11.59

Mobile Order: Yes

Discounts: Respective Magic Key discounts apply

Yes, you read that title correctly. When I first discovered this item in the Disneyland Halloween foodie guide, I wasn’t quite sure how to feel about it. It didn’t seem like something I would typically enjoy, but simultaneously, I was intrigued enough to want to try it.

If you haven’t seen it, it’s your standard hand-dipped-and-fried corn dog from the Little Red Wagon, but topped with a blueberry compote and bacon powdered sugar. In short, I ended up thoroughly enjoying it. The saltiness from the corn dog and sweetness from the compote made for an oddly satisfying combination.

6) The Monstropolis Float

Location: The Tropical Hideaway in Adventureland (DL)

Price: $9.29

Mobile Order: No

Discounts: None

The Monstropolis Float is yet another seasonal spin on another Disneyland classic treat, the Dole Whip. It’s the classic pineapple flavor Dole Whip swirled with mango, with passion fruit coconut juice, and topped with Lychee fruit and ube dust.

As the follow-up to the Pineapple-Coconut Float during Pixar Fest, the Monstropolis Float delivers in every way and is yet, another home run for Tropical Hideaway. It’s a sweet, refreshing treat perfect for those hot, humid Anaheim days.

7) Ube-Vanilla Twist Soft Serve

Location: Cozy Cone #2 in Cars Land (DCA)

Price: $5.99

Mobile Order: Yes

Discounts: None

This was my first time trying an ube-flavored ice cream, but now that I’ve tried it, I’m a fan for life. You have the option of ordering an ube-only soft serve, or go with the ube-vanilla swirl. Additionally, you can order it in a cone or cup.

We tried both flavors and each one was fantastic for their own reasons. We really didn’t prefer one over the other, but if you force my hand, then I’ll have to give slight favoritism to the ube-only option, for no real reason other than the punch of ube flavor.

8) Muensters, Inc. Sliders

Location: Lamplight Lounge - Boardwalk Dining in Pixar Pier (DCA)

Price: $24.00

Mobile Order: Not available

Discounts: Respective Magic Key discounts apply

If you’re looking for something on the heartier side at Disney California Adventure, look no further than the Muensters, Inc. Sliders at Lamplight Lounge. Do note that these are only available at the boardwalk dining area on the patio and not in the main dining room.

You’re given two sliders, each with two smash-style beef patties and topped with muenster cheese, Anaheim chilies, house chipotle sauce, candied bacon, house pickles and crispy onions on a peppered-brioche bun. Additionally, they’re served with a side of house kettle chips, drizzled with a flavored oil.

Honestly, this is one of the best food at Disneyland right now, and not just of the seasonal items. The boardwalk dining offshoot of Lamplight Lounge has always had the superior menu in my opinion, with their regularly featured Barbacoa Spotlight Nachos a hit amongst Disneyland foodies. Be sure to get here right at opening to join the walk-up list, as reservations are not accepted at the boardwalk.

9) Transylvania Transfusion

Location: Harbor Galley in News Orleans Square (DL)

Price: $6.99

Mobile Order: Available

Discounts: Respective Magic Key discounts apply

Talk about a refreshing option on a hot, humid day at Disneyland. The Transylvania Transfusion is non-alcoholic and packed with flavor. It’s made with a combination of dark berry and cherry juices to create a wonderfully balanced drink.

The sweetness of the berry and the tartness of the cherry compliment one another, without one flavor dominating the other. Additionally, this drink is garnished with fresh berries. This drink’s photo on the Disneyland Halloween foodie guide shoes both dark and red berries for the garnish, however, I only received raspberries. Not complaining, just pointing out the discrepancy.

10) The Darth by Chocolate

Location: Galactic Grill in Tomorrowland (DL)

Price: $7.29

Mobile Order: Available

Discounts: Respective Magic Key discounts apply

Long regarded as a legend amongst Halloween-time desserts ever since its debut at Disneyland years ago, the Darth by Chocolate parfait continues to reign supreme all these years later. The parfait features several layers made up of chocolate pudding, red velvet cake, and chocolate mousse, topped with a Darth Vader chocolate piece and “crushed chocolate cream-filled cookies” (in other words…Oreos).

It’s a mega-popular dessert during Halloween time and tends to sell out on a daily basis. Do what the Disneyland foodies do and get those mobile orders in early. Doing so will ensure you will get one and if needed, you could always change your pick up time.

11) The Bride and Groom Churros

Location: The churro cart near the Haunted Mansion in New Orleans Square (DL)

Price: $6.50 each

Mobile Order: Not available

Discounts: None

Technically, these are two separate churros, but I’m including them both in the same listing because of how well they go together (like any bride and groom should). The groom churro is rolled in a mixture of milk and dark chocolate sugars, and the bride churro is dusted in a vanilla-based sugar.

Individually, the bride churro was the winner to me. My wife, however, preferred the groom churro. However, to get the full experience, order them both and take a bite out of both at the same time. Their combined flavor profile will blow your mind!

12) Pumpkin Cheesecake Cold Brew

Location: Red Rose Tavern in Fantasyland (DL)

Price: $6.79

Mobile Order: Available

Discounts: Respective Magic Key discounts apply

As a fan of Starbucks’ annual pumpkin foam cold brew, when I saw that Disneyland was going to feature a pumpkin cheesecake version of my holiday favorite, it immediately made my “must-try” list. I started seeing early reports from influencers stating this drink was, “way too sweet”, and got concerned.

However, now that I’ve tried it for myself, I can confidently report that, in my opinion anyway, it is a well balanced drink…provided you drink it correctly. What I mean by that is people often forget to mix the foam topping with the coffee before drinking it. If you sip it without mixing, you’ll definitely think the drink is too sweet because all you’re getting is the foam.

Much like the Pumpkin Expresso Martini listed above, if mixed thoroughly, the cold brew is a well balanced drink with a semi-strong pumpkin flavor. It’s a great pick-me-up whether you’re just beginning your day or pulling an open to close marathon. That said, I still prefer my pumpkin cold brew from Starbucks.

13) Poison Apple Cake

Location: Plaza Inn (near the entrance to Tomorrowland) in Disneyland

Price: $7.79

Mobile Order: Not available

Discounts: Respective Magic Key discounts apply

The Plaza Inn has become the spot to get a themed slice of cake during seasonal events at Disneyland, with their previous offering being the Pixar Cake during the prior two Pixar Fest events. The Poison Apple Cake, a not-so-subtle tribute to the animated classic, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, is the Halloween feature here.

The slice of cake is a red-cinnamon cake with cream cheese and caramelized apple filling, red cream cheese frosting, and a green ganache. Much like I stated in my review of the Pixar Fest cake, the cake was moist and tasty, but otherwise just ok. Nothing overly special and in my opinion, not worth the nearly $8 price tag.

14) Mickey-shaped Pumpkin Salted Dulce Cream Puff

Location: Rancho del Zocalo in Frontierland (DL)

Price: $8.29

Mobile Order: Not available

Discounts: Respective Magic Key discounts apply

This tasty cream puff is filled to the brim with delicious pumpkin mousse and salted dulce de leche. This treat isn’t getting nearly the amount of attention it deserves, with most complaining about the perceived lack of pumpkin flavor and overall being too tart.

Not sure which cream puff they were reviewing because the one we tried during our visit was delicious. The pumpkin flavor from the mousse, albeit light, did in fact come through, but with the flavor profile of actual pumpkin, not artificial or spiced. Definitely give this one a try.

15) Fantasyland Garlic Cheesy Brat

Location: Edelweiss Snacks in Fantasyland (DL)

Price: $12.99

Mobile Order: Available

Discounts: None

I saved this one for last as it was our hands-down favorite of all the seasonal items we tried this year. This item is the cheesy garlic pretzel bread we all know and love, with the addition of a juicy bratwurst. I already loved the cheesy pretzel bread, but this took it up so many notches, there’s no way I could ever look back.

This item needs to remain on the menu post-Halloween. If the Firetown Mac and Cheese Bites can remain on Troubadour Tavern’s menu post-Pixar Fest, then this too can survive. By the way, even though you can get the regular cheesy pretzel bread at both Edelweiss Snacks and Maurice’s Treats, you can only order the bratwurst version from Edelweiss.

Planning a Disneyland vacation? Catch up on all aspects of dining at the resort with my 2024 Disneyland Dining Guide. Additionally, read about our experiences at Centrico and Great Maple, two of the resort’s newest dining options. You can also see my 10 Disneyland dining tips here. Lastly, for great deals on Disneyland vacation packages, visit Get Away Today, a highly-rated Disney travel agency.

Our Experience at Centrico in Downtown Disney

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through these links, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products or services that I believe will add value to my readers.

During the 2022 D23 Parks Panel presentation, one of the few exciting announcements was the next phase of Disney’s overhaul of Downtown Disney with a slew of new and exciting restaurants. One of those mentioned was a modern, upscale Mexican restaurant, later announced as Centrico, would be taking over the space formally occupied by Uva Bar.

After nearly two years of construction, Centrico, as part of a trio of new restaurants by the same chef, would open to Disneyland Resort guests in May 2024. Along side neighboring eateries Paseo and Tiendita, Centrico became an instant success for Michelin-Starred Chef Carlos Gaytan. Both locals and tourists alike raved about the fresh entrees and tasty cocktails.

Shortly after their grand opening, my wife and I had the opportunity to dine here. We were so excited to finally be able to try the food and to no surprise to either of us, we loved everything we ordered. The service was impeccable as well. Below, I’ll share our experience in greater detail, including photos and prices of the food and drinks we ordered. Let’s get into it.

Centrico Downtown Disney Reservations

When it initially opened, you couldn’t make a reservation. You just showed up to the stand-by queue and put your name down. Recently, though, Centrico has been added to the Advanced Dining Reservation page on Disneyland’s website. Meaning, you can make reservations for Centrico up to 60-days in advance.

Additionally, you can make a reservation through Centrico’s website if you prefer. It looks like they use the OpenTable software, which means you won’t have to provide a credit card guarantee like you would if you booked through Disney.

Reservations don’t appear to be too hard to come by. I’ve been looking for the last several days for last minute table availability and always found an open slot. Like most things at Disneyland, it all depends on season, time of day, etc. If for whatever reason you could not make a reservation (or simply forgot to), you can still utilize the stand-by option.

Centrico Menu and Photos of What We Ordered

Centrico’s menu consists of high quality ingredients, used to prepare some of the most authentic Mexican cuisine in Anaheim. Many dishes on the menu are inspired by Chef Carlos Gaytan’s childhood in Mexico and it shows. The menu may come off as intimidating but trust me, even the pickiest of eaters won’t have trouble choosing a dish.

We kicked off our meal with a couple of carefully crafted cocktails and an appetizer. The appetizer we chose was the Shrimp Aguachile ($22). It’s made with shrimp, charred tomatillo, aguachile, cucumber, red onion, avocado and corn tortilla strips. I’m not a fan of shrimp, but my wife thoroughly enjoyed it and it could easily be split between two people.

The two cocktails we ordered were the El Mariachi in Manhatten ($20 - pictured above) and the Carajillo Expresso Martini ($18 - pictured below). These were two of the smoothest whiskey-based cocktails I’ve ever tried. If you appreciate good whiskey, the cost is justifiable.

For her entree, my wife ordered the Cochinita Pibil Tacos ($22). It’s a three taco dish with fresh corn tortillas, guerrero-style pork shank, black bean puree, pickled red onion and fresh habanero salsa. The flavor of the pork shank was out of this world. It definitely didn’t need the onions or salsa, but they made excellent compliments.

I’m a sucker for quesabirria so when I saw it on the menu ($22), I had to try it. The dish came with two, rather large corn tortilla tacos with lamb birria, Oaxaca cheese, onion, cilantro, avocado mousse and a side of consomme for dipping.

It was far and away the best quesabirria I’ve ever had. Every other “quesabirria” I’ve had involved beef as the protein. I can now attest that it is much better with lamb. Additionally, the consomme was thick and incredibly flavorful.

To cap off our meal, we ordered the Guava Meringue ($13) dessert. It’s a classic Mexican meringue and guava sorbet encased in a fresh horchata-orange foam casing. The outer exterior of the dish is solid, needing only a few taps of a spoon to crack it open, exposing the delicious meringue and sorbet inside.

We didn’t try any other desserts so I don’t have anything to compare it to, but you can’t go wrong ordering this. All of the flavors worked flawlessly together. The only negative I have is I could’ve done without the edible floral sprinkled over it. For me, they didn’t add anything to it other than making it more photogenic.

All told, our experience was nothing less than top notch. It’s so exciting to have these upscale dining options in Downtown Disney now. With Centrico, Great Maple American Eatery and the newly opened Din Tai Fung, Disney has been on a roll lately implementing elevated dining experiences into the resort line up.

Needless to say, I highly recommend giving Centrico a chance. Yes, it’s on the high-end of the pricing spectrum but considering they use fresh ingredients, the fantastic service, and eating delicious food crafted by a Michelin-Starred Chef, I say it’s well worth the expense.

2024 Disneyland Halloween Foodie Guide

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through these links, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products or services that I believe will add value to my readers.

Disney foodies, get ready to indulge and let the spooky fun begin because Halloween time is about to take over Disneyland Resort! Starting August 23, the resort will be filled with ghostly goodies, eerie decorations, and plenty of frightful fun.

The talented culinary teams at the Disneyland Resort are brewing up some spooky treats that you won't want to miss. Whether you’ve got a sweet tooth or prefer something savory, there’s a ton of delicious options to try. Imagine sinking your teeth into the new Caramel Apple Cheesecake at Jolly Holiday Bakery Cafe, or sipping on the returning Ursula Shake from Schmoozies!

Over at Disney California Adventure Park, the Día de los Muertos celebration at Plaza de la Familia runs from August 23 through November 2, 2024. This joyful event celebrates family with unique photo opportunities, a memory wall to share your own stories, live performances, character greetings inspired by Pixar’s Coco, and of course, some mouthwatering food.

There wasn’t much of anything announced for Oogie Boogie Bash specifically, so I omitted it from the list. You’re not missing much. It was literally just chicken strips at Flo’s V8 Cafe. I’m hopeful that OBB will receive its own foodie guide soon, otherwise it’ll be a massive disappointment. The rest, however, looks delicious!

It’s time to dive into this year’s foodie guide to Halloween at Disneyland. Let’s get into it…if you dare.

Disneyland Park Halloween Delights

Alien Pizza Planet (Available Aug. 23 through Nov. 14; mobile order available)  

• Dark Matter Pizza: Slice with celestial tomato sauce topped with mozzarella cheese, spicy Italian sausage, roasted mushrooms, and black olives (Available by the slice or a whole pie) (New)  

• Alien Buzz Macaron filled with berries and cream (New)  

• Blush Pasta: Italian Sausage with chef’s choice of pasta topped with spicy blush sauce and garnished with tomato relish (Currently available through Nov. 14)  

• Apple & Pecan Salad: Mixed greens with frisée, candied pecans, Granny Smith apple, feta cheese crumbles, and maple dressing​ 

Bengal Barbecue (Available Aug. 23 through Nov. 13; mobile order available)  

• Hoopla Wrap: Wild boar sausage with a cucumber-tomato salad and miso aïoli on a grilled lavash (New)  

Blue Bayou Restaurant (Available Aug. 23 through Nov. 14; reservations recommended) 

• Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake with spiced anglaise, chocolate crumb, and pecan tuile (New)  

Café Daisy (Available Aug. 23 through Nov. 14; mobile order available)  

• Daisy’s Goody-Goody Donuts: House-made mini apple cider donuts with spiced apple sugar (Available Aug. 23 through Jan. 7, 2025) (New)  

• Caramel Apple Cold Brew: Cold brew coffee with apple and caramel syrups, whipped topping, caramel drizzle, cinnamon sugar, and an apple chip (Non-alcoholic) (New)  

• Toontown Fall Harvest Pumpkin Iced Tea: Sweet tea with vanilla and pumpkin spice syrup, whipped topping, caramel drizzle, and cinnamon sugar (Non-alcoholic) (New) 

Carnation Café (Available Aug. 23 through Nov. 14; reservations recommended)  

• Spicy Chicken Sandwich: Hand-breaded fried chicken breast tossed in spicy chile sauce with pepper jack and mustard on a brioche bun  

• Spiked Pickle Lemonade: Tito’s Homemade Vodka, Minute Maid Lemonade, pickle juice, and sweet and sour topped with Sprite and a pickle spear (New)  

• Elysian Brewing Night Owl Pumpkin Ale (New)  

• Spaten Oktoberfest Ur Märzen (New)  

Churros near Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters (Available Aug. 23 through Nov. 14)  

• Green Apple Churro with Caramel Sauce: Classic churro rolled in green apple sugar and served with a caramel dipping sauce 

• Caramel Dipping Sauce  

Churros near Haunted Mansion (Available Aug. 23 through Jan. 5, 2025) 

• Bride Churro: Elegantly dressed churro in a bouquet of vanilla and sugar 

• Groom Churro: Classic churro dressed in a duo of dark and milk chocolate  

• Couples First Kiss: A side of strawberry sauce and wedding cake crumbles to top off your Bride or Groom Churro 

Churros near Sleeping Beauty Castle and Churros near Town Square (Available Aug. 23 through Nov. 14)  

• Maleficent Churro: Classic churro rolled in chocolate cookie crumbles 

• Peanut Butter Dipping Sauce

Edelweiss Snacks (Available Aug. 23 through Nov. 14; mobile order available)  

• Fantasyland Garlic Cheesy Brat: Bratwurst in a cheesy garlic pretzel bread (New)  

• Alpine Almond Delight: Rolled Danish filled with pastry cream and almond cream finished with sliced almonds (New) 

Galactic Grill (Available Aug. 23 through Nov. 14; mobile order available)  

• “Ghost” of Anaheim Burger: Angus beef and vegetable patty, ghost pepper salsa verde sauce, pepper jack, green chile pico de gallo, cilantro-lime cabbage slaw, and crispy onions on a toasted brioche bun (New)  

• Pumpkin Pie Chai Tea: Iced chai tea topped with a pumpkin pie cream (Non-alcoholic) (New) 

• Açai Blueberry Smoothie with açai, blueberries, banana and orange topped with whipped cream and matcha powder (Non-alcoholic) (Also available with Glow Cube or Mickey Mouse-shaped Pumpkin Glow Cube) (New)  

• Darth by Chocolate: Layers of chocolate pudding, red velvet cake, chocolate mousse, and crushed chocolate crème-filled cookies 

Gibson Girl Ice Cream Parlor (Available Aug. 23 through Nov. 14; mobile order available)  

• Rest in Chocolate Sundae: Rocky Road Ice Cream buried in a chocolate-covered waffle cup with chocolate cookie crumbles and gummy worms, topped with a chocolate tombstone  

Harbour Galley (Available Aug. 23 through Jan. 5, 2025; mobile order available)  

• Transylvania Transfusion: Dark berry and cherry punch garnished with fresh berries (Non-alcoholic) (New)

Jolly Holiday Bakery Cafe (Available Aug. 23 through Nov. 14; mobile order available)  

• Jack-O’-Lantern Mickey Pumpkin Macaron: Pumpkin macaron shell filled with caramel buttercream and pumpkin cheesecake (New) (Available Aug. 23 through Oct. 31) 

• Spiced Bundt Cake: Spiced cake filled with cream cheese frosting and topped with purple glaze, sprinkles, and spiced mousse with a Mickey chocolate decoration (New)  

• Caramel Apple Cheesecake: Caramel cheesecake with a caramelized apple filling, green-colored white chocolate mousse, chocolate flakes, and chocolate bat decoration (New)  

• Apple Almond Croissant: Apple-stuffed croissant with almond topping (New)  

• Hazelnut Brownie Tart with Chocolate Frosting: Hazelnut spread and brownie filling topped with chocolate frosting and sprinkles (New) 

Pear Blackberry Cheesecake Crostata: Fresh pears with New York cheesecake and blackberry jam in pie crust topped with caramel (New)  

• Boo-gogi Toasted Sandwich with Corn Cheese Soup: Marinated beef, grilled onion, mozzarella, and kimchi aïoli on sourdough served with corn cheese soup 

• Pumpkin Muffin topped with cream cheese icing 

• Mickey Bat Cookie: Shortbread bat cookie dipped in dark chocolate with a vampire Mickey face (Available Aug. 23 through Oct. 31)  

Little Red Wagon (Available Aug. 23 through Nov. 14; mobile order available)  

• Blueberry Corn Dog: Hand-dipped corn dog topped with blueberry compote and bacon powdered sugar (New)  

Market House (Available Aug. 23 through Oct. 31) 

• Mickey Bat Cookie: Shortbread bat cookie dipped in dark chocolate with a vampire Mickey face

Maurice’s Treats, Fantasyland Fruit Cart, and Lemonade at small world Promenade (Available Aug. 23 through Nov. 14)  

• Trick-or-Treat Mix with gummy worms, M&M’S Chocolate Candies, marshmallows, and pretzel sticks 

Mint Julep Bar (Available Aug. 23 through Nov. 14; mobile order available)  

• Tangy Apple Mickey-shaped Beignets dusted with tangy apple powdered sugar (Available in packs of three or six) (New)  

• Caramel Dipping Sauce (New)  

Plaza Inn (Available Aug. 23 through Oct. 31) 

• Poison Apple Cake: Red cinnamon cake with cream cheese & caramelized apple filling, red cream cheese frosting, and a green ganache (New)  

• Chocolate Shortcake: Chocolate pound cake, cookie crumbs, chocolate syrup, whipped topping, gummy candy, and a chocolate tombstone (New)  

• Chocolate Silk Cheesecake: Chocolate cheesecake topped with white chocolate mousse, chocolate curls, and sprinkles (Available Aug. 23 through Nov. 14) (New)   

Popcorn near Haunted Mansion (Available Aug. 23 through Nov. 14)  

• Halloween Candy Mix-in: Popcorn with chocolate-covered pretzels, candy corn, and M&M’S Peanut Butter Chocolate Candies (New)  

Pretzels near Star Tours – The Adventures Continue (Available Aug. 23 through Nov. 14)  

• Supernova Pretzel​: Jalapeño cheese-filled pretzel topped with spicy crumble and lime

Rancho del Zocalo Restaurante (Available Aug. 23 through Nov. 14)  

• Churro Loops con Cajeta: Fried churro loops tossed with spiced cinnamon sugar and served with cajeta caramel (Available Aug. 23 through Jan. 4, 2025) (New)  

• Mickey-shaped Pumpkin Salted Dulce Cream Puff filled with pumpkin mousse and salted dulce de leche (New)  

• Iced Mexican “Hot” Chocolate with whipped cream and chocolate shavings (Non-alcoholic) (New)  

• Cantaloupe Agua Fresca: Cantaloupe purée with lime juice (Non-alcoholic) (Available Aug. 23 through Jan. 4, 2025)  

Red Rose Taverne (Available Aug. 23 through Nov. 14; mobile order available)  

• Autumnal Harvest Flatbread: Roasted butternut squash purée, roasted mushrooms, plant-based feta and roasted diced butternut squash topped with garlic miso sauce and fried sage (New)  

• Enchanted Pumpkin Stuff: Pumpkin mousse with pumpkin cake and apricot marmalade center topped with green sprinkles, silver stars, chocolate branch, and leaf (New)  

• Spicy Chicken Cordon BOO: Fried chicken filet seasoned with four-chile spice, pickle aïoli, pickle chips, prosciutto, and Swiss cheese on a toasted brioche-style bun 

• Maple French Toast Sandwich: French toast with an egg patty, bacon, and muenster cheese served with maple syrup (Available for breakfast only) 

• Pumpkin Cheesecake Taverne Cold Brew: Caramel, vanilla and cinnamon cold brew with pumpkin cheesecake topper (Non-alcoholic)  

• Mickey Bat Cookie: Shortbread bat cookie dipped in dark chocolate with a vampire Mickey face (Available Aug. 23 through Oct. 31)

Refreshment Corner (Available Aug. 23 through Nov. 14; mobile order available)  

• Philly Potato Dog: Baked potato topped with an all-beef hot dog, thinly-sliced beef, peppers, pepperoncini, provolone, and cherry spread (New)  

• Embers con Queso: Hot crunchy cheese curls with nacho cheese and jalapeños (New)  

River Belle Terrace (Available Aug. 23 through Oct. 31; reservations recommended)  

• Pumpkin Spice Pancakes: Pumpkin maple syrup and cream cheese icing with choice of bacon or sausage (Available for breakfast)  

• Candy Bowl Pudding: Chocolate pudding with peanut butter chantilly and chocolate-peanut butter pieces  

Royal Street Veranda (Available Aug. 23 through Nov. 14; mobile order available)  

• Pumpkin Spice Fritters: Warm pumpkin spice fritters served with a cream cheese dipping sauce 

• Pumpkin King Cold Brew: Joffrey’s Pumpkin Creme Brûlée Cold Brew, pumpkin spiced creamer, toffee chips, and Jack Skellington décor (Non-alcoholic) (New)  

Stage Door Café (Available Aug. 23 through Nov. 14; mobile order available)  

• Graveyard Banana Funnel Cake: Classic funnel cake topped with banana cream, chocolate cookie dust, Halloween candy, whipped topping, and sprinkles  

Tiana’s Palace (Available Aug. 23 through Nov. 14; mobile order available)  

• Strawberry Pie-filled Beignet: Strawberry cream filling topped with strawberry glaze (New)  

The Tropical Hideaway (Available Aug. 23 through Nov. 13)  

• Utundu Chicken: Fried chicken thighs, shishito peppers, harissa aïoli, and a lime wedge (New)  

• Monstropolis Float: Ube-dusted DOLE Whip Pineapple and Mango with passion fruit coconut juice and lychee fruit (New)  

Halloween Delights at Disney California Adventure

Aunt Cass Café (Available Aug. 23 through Nov. 14; mobile order available) 

• Taro Bread Pudding: Warm taro and white chocolate bread pudding with whipped cream and boba pearls served with a coconut-vanilla sauce (New)  

Award Wieners (Available Aug. 23 through Nov. 14; mobile order available)  

• Brewery X Baja Breeze (New)  

• Party Beer Co. LAFC Hazy IPA (New)  

Boardwalk Pizza & Pasta (Available Aug. 23 through Nov. 14)  

• Spicy Meats Pizza: Mango-habanero sauce topped with pepperoni, spicy sausage, and chicken drizzled with ranch dressing (Available as a slice or whole pie) (New)  

Cappuccino Cart (Available Aug. 23 through Nov. 14; mobile order available)  

• Peanut Butter Cold Brew: Chocolate and peanut butter-infused cold brew topped with a peanut butter cold foam, drizzle, and M&M’S Peanut Butter Chocolate Candies (Non-alcoholic) (New)  

• Peanut Butter Cold Brew Cocktail: Peanut butter whiskey with chocolate and peanut butter-infused cold brew topped with peanut butter cold foam and drizzle (New) 

• Pumpkin Bundt Cake: Pumpkin cake drizzled with dulce de leche and topped with cream cheese frosting

Churros at Hollywood Land (Available Aug. 23 through Nov. 14)  

• Matcha Chai Madness Churro: Matcha and pistachio sugar-coated churro drizzled with chocolate sauce and topped with almonds (New)  

Clarabelle’s Hand-Scooped Ice Cream (Available Aug. 23 through Nov. 14; mobile order available)  

• Lava Cake: Warm chocolate lava cake topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, fresh berries, and strawberry sauce (New)  

• Candy Corn Float: Fanta Orange with mango sorbet and whipped cream (Non-alcoholic) (New)  

• Witch’s Hat Sundae: Mint chip ice cream with hot fudge and whipped cream topped with a “witch’s hat” waffle cone 

Corn Dog Castle (Available Aug. 23 through Oct. 31; mobile order available) 

• Spicy Beef and Mozzarella Corn Dog drizzled with blackberry sauce and topped with pickled serranos served with Cuties Mandarin or a small bag of chips

Cozy Cone Motel 1 – Churros (Available Aug. 23 through Nov. 14; mobile order available) 

• Peanut Butter-Chocolate Churro: Peanut butter sugar-coated churro with peanut butter candy and chocolate sauce (New)  

• Fire Truck Slush: Strawberry slush with a hint of chile-lime seasoning and lime 

• Strawberry Slush Margarita with a hint of chile-lime seasoning and lime (New)  

Cozy Cone Motel 2 – Ice Cream Cones (Available Aug. 23 through Nov. 14; mobile order available) 

• Mater’s Haul-O-Ween Cone: Ube soft-serve with black sprinkles served in a cup or a cone (New) 

• Ube-Vanilla Twist Soft Serve: Ube and vanilla swirl with black sprinkles served in a cup or a cone (New)  

Cozy Cone Motel 3 – Chili Cone Queso (Available Aug. 23 through Nov. 14; mobile order available) 

• Slow-burning Mac and Cheese: Pasta with red pepper cheese sauce topped with chile-cheese puffs  

Cozy Cone Motel 4 – Frozen Cone-Coctions (Available Aug. 23 through Nov. 14; mobile order available) 

• 4-by-S’more Mule: Toasted marshmallow mule with cinnamon whiskey (New)  

• Cucumber-Jalapeño Lemonade (Non-alcoholic) (New)  

• Cucumber-Jalapeño Margarita (New)  

• Golden Road Brewing Street Cart Cerveza Cucumber-Jalapeño Beer Cocktail: Cucumber-Jalapeño Chamoy Lemonade with Golden Road Street Cart Cerveza (New)  

• Party Beer Co. Cool Dood Cucumber Sour Cucumber-Jalapeño Beer Cocktail: Cucumber-jalapeño chamoy lemonade served with Party Beer Co. Cool Dood Cucumber Sour (New)  

• Unsung Brewing Company Poison Green Apple Hard Seltzer (New)  

• Party Beer Co. Cool Dood Cucumber Sour (New) 

• Green Cheek Beer Co. West Coast IPA (New) 

• Golden Road Brewing Street Cart Cerveza 

Cozy Cone Motel 5 – Popcorn Scoop (Available Aug. 23 through Nov. 14; mobile order available) 

• Cozy Corn: Buttered corn on the cob with spicy lime mayo, rolled in a choice of cotija or spicy crushed chile-cheese puffs

Flo’s V8 Cafe (Available Aug. 23 through Nov. 14; mobile order available)  

• Mango-Habanero Chicken Strips tossed in mango-habanero sauce, topped with green onions, and served with steak fries drizzled with ranch dressing  

• Seaborn Chili Mango Margarita (New)  

• Hamilton Family Brewery Cross Street Cherry Seltzer (New)  

• Seaborn Prickly Pear 

• Hamilton Family Brewery Blinker Fluid West Coast IPA

Hollywood Lounge (Available Aug. 23 through Nov. 14; mobile order available)  

• Asian-inspired Spicy Pork Tacos: Kimchi, cucumber, carrots and pickled onions with sriracha aïoli in a flour tortilla (New)  

• Cucumber-Mint Lemonade (Non-alcoholic) (New)  

• Mystical Mandarin Margarita: Tequila, mandarin syrup, triple sec and lemon-lime mix (New)  

• Dreadful Dragon Fruit Margarita: Tequila, dragon fruit syrup, triple sec and lemon-lime mix (New)  

• Spooky Spicy Pineapple Margarita: Tequila, pineapple-habanero syrup, triple sec, and flavors of lemon-lime (New)  

• Sisters Elixirs with mandarin, dragon fruit, and spicy pineapple margaritas (New) 

• Mango Habanero Michelada: Calidad beer, classic Mexican-style lager mango habanero michelada with chile-lime seasoning and lime (New) 

• Backlot Michelada: Calidad beer, classic Mexican-style lager michelada with chile-lime seasoning and lime 

• Seaborn Paranormal Peach Margarita (New)  

• Blueberry Moonshine Cocktail (New)  

• Calidad Beer Classic Mexican-style Lager (New)  

• Green Cheek Beer Co. Lavender Lemonade Hard Seltzer (New)  

• Paperback Brewing Backlot IPA (New)  

• Route 30 Brewing Co. Oktoberfest (New)  

• Paperback Brewing Backlot IPA Mango Habanero Michelada (New) 

• Paperback Brewing Backlot IPA Michelada (New)  

Jack-Jack Cookie Num Nums (Available Aug. 23 through Nov. 14) 

• Monster Baby Cookie: Shortbread cookie dipped in chocolate with a Jack-Jack chocolate piece 

Lamplight Lounge – Boardwalk Dining (Available Aug. 23 through Nov. 14) 

• Muensters, Inc. Sliders: Smashed burger patties, muenster cheese, Anaheim chile, house chipotle sauce, candied bacon, house pickles, and crispy onions on a peppered brioche bun served with house kettle chips 

• Halloween Cocktail: Frangelico, orange juice, vanilla vodka, butterscotch syrup, almond orgeat syrup, and angostura bitters (New)  

Lamplight Lounge (Available Aug. 23 through Nov. 14; reservations recommended) 

• Pumpkin Spiced Latte Donuts (New)  

• Halloween Cocktail: Frangelico, orange juice, vanilla vodka, butterscotch syrup, almond orgeat syrup, and angostura bitters (New)  

• Bivouac Cat’s Paw Cider (New)  

• Ommegang Imperial Peanut Butter Stout (New)  

Mortimers Market (Available Aug. 23 through Nov. 14)  

• Vampire Mickey Bread  

Poultry Palace (Available Aug. 23 through Nov. 14) 

• Chipotle Chicken Drumstick Box served with slaw (New)  

Sonoma Terrace (Available Aug. 23 through Oct. 31; mobile order available)  

• Enegren Brewing Company Oktoberfest Märzen Lager (New)  

Señor Buzz Churros (Available Aug. 23 through Nov. 14) 

• Poison Apple Churro: Green cinnamon sugar with granny smith apple icing

Schmoozies! (Available Aug. 23 through Nov. 14; mobile order available)  

• Ursula Shake: Coconut and taro shake with whipped topping and cotton candy, dusted with blue sugar  

• Mickey Mouse Mummy Shake: Chocolate shake with whipped topping and chocolate cream-filled cookie ears made with M&Ms Crunch Cookie Chocolate Candies  

• Mickey-shaped Waffles with maple syrup (New)  

• Pumpkin Espresso Martini with caramel vodka (New)  

• Party Beer Co. Catpuccino Vanilla Bean Coffee Stout (New)  

• Bivouac Ciderworks San Diego Jam Mixed Berry Cider (New) 

• Unsung Brewing Company Mimosa Hard Seltzer 

Smokejumpers Grill (Available Aug. 23 through Nov. 14; mobile order available)  

• Villainous Double Cheeseburger: Double cheeseburger with pepper jack, chile peppers, arugula, and spicy aïoli served with crinkle-cut fries (New)  

• Oogie Boogie Apple Lemonade: Green apple lemonade with cherry-flavored popping spheres and raspberry sauce (Non-alcoholic)  

• Green Apple Lemonade Cocktail: Vodka with green apple lemonade, cherry-flavored popping spheres, and raspberry sauce (New)  

Studio Catering Co. (Available Aug. 23 through Nov. 14; mobile order available)  

• Asian-inspired Spicy Pork Tacos: Kimchi, cucumber, carrots and pickled onions with sriracha aïoli in a flour tortilla (New)  

• Cucumber-Mint Lemonade (Non-alcoholic) (New)

Willie’s Churros (Available Aug. 23 through Nov. 14)  

• Pumpkin Spiced Churro drizzled with cream cheese icing and topped with graham cracker cereal 

Wine Country Trattoria (Available Aug. 23 through Nov. 14; reservations recommended; book here) 

• Pumpkin Tiramisu: Layers of pumpkin mousse and coffee-soaked ladyfingers topped with cinnamon sugar  

Select Outdoor Vending Locations (Available Aug. 23 through Nov. 14)  

• Ghost Pepper Turkey Leg (New)  

• Garlic Cream Cheese Bread (New)  

• Red Beef Tamale with molcajete salsa (New)  

• Green Chile and Cheese Tamale with tomatillo salsa (New)  

• Candy Apple Cotton Candy: Green and purple caramel apple cotton candy (New)  

• Spicy Dog 

• Pickle Enchilado 

• Candy Apple Mimosa: Sparkling wine with green apple and caramel syrups (New)  

• Sierra Nevada Brewing Oktoberfest 

• Seaborn Baja Lime Margarita (New)

Halloween Snacks at Disneyland Resort Hotels

Disneyland Hotel 

Trader Sam’s Enchanted Tiki Bar (Available Aug. 23 through Oct. 31)  

• Spider Eye Punch: Planteray Pineapple Rum, Smith & Cross Jamaican Rum, Tanqueray London Dry Gin, Heering Cherry Liqueur, Luxardo Maraschino Originale Liqueur, lime juice, pineapple juice, honey syrup, and Angostura Bitters with Green Poison Red Apple Glow Cube (New)  

• Pina Ghoulada: Planteray 3 Star White Rum, Plantation Original Dark Rum, Giffard Crème de Banane, lemon juice, creme of coconut, tamarind syrup, Amaro Montenegro Liqueur, and Angostura Bitters (New)  

• Scarecrow Old Fashioned: Buffalo Trace Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, St. Elizabeth Allspice Dram Liqueur, Falernum, and Angostura Bitters (New) 

The Coffee House (Available Aug. 23 through Oct. 31; mobile order available)  

• Mickey Bat Cookie: Shortbread bat cookie dipped in dark chocolate with a vampire Mickey face (New)  

• Pumpkin Bundt Cake drizzled with dulce de leche and topped with cream cheese frosting (New)  

• Maple Apple Cider: Minute Maid Apple Juice, maple syrup, and fall spices (Non-alcoholic) (New)  

• Pumpkin Spice Latte (Non-alcoholic) (Available hot or iced) (New)  

• Joffrey’s Pumpkin Crème Brûlée Cold Brew (Non-alcoholic) (New) 

• Chai Ginger Latte (Non-alcoholic) (Available hot or iced) (New) 

Goofy’s Kitchen Celebrates Halloween (Aug. 23 through Oct. 31; reservations recommended)  

• Treat you and your ghouls to an all-you-care-to-enjoy meal with a Halloween twist featuring Goofy and friends for a frightfully fun experience. (Reservations available starting Aug. 15)  

• Menu highlights include:  

  • Blackberry Ginger Soda: Blackberries, Liquid Alchemist Ginger Syrup, simple syrup, lime juice, and soda water (Non-alcoholic) (New)  

  • Blood Orange Spritz: Pomegranate juice, lime juice, blood orange juice agave, and soda water (Non-alcoholic) (New) 

  • Maple Apple Cider: Minute Maid Apple Juice and maple syrup with fall spices (Non-alcoholic) (New) 

  • Maple Apple Hot Toddy: Buffalo Trace Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, Liquid Alchemist Ginger Syrup, fall spices, maple syrup, and Minute Maid Apple Juice (New)  

  • Pumpkin Mule with Mickey-shaped Pumpkin Glow Cube: Tito’s Handmade Vodka, pumpkin purée, lime juice, ginger, simple syrup, and fall spices

Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa  

Hearthstone Lounge (Available Aug. 23 through Oct. 31)  

• Dark Comes the Night: Buffalo Trace Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, Domaine de Canton Ginger Liqueur, lemon juice, honey syrup, ginger ale, and bitters (New)  

• Halloween Espresso Martini: Flor de Caña Spresso Coffee Liqueur, and Flor de Caña “Eco” 15 Year Rum (New)  

GCH Craftsman Bar (Available Aug. 23 through Oct. 31)  

• Dark Comes the Night: Buffalo Trace Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, Domaine de Canton Ginger Liqueur, lemon juice, honey syrup, ginger ale, and bitters (New)  

• Halloween Espresso Martini: Flor de Caña Spresso Coffee Liqueur, and Flor de Caña “Eco” 15 Year Rum (New)  

GCH Craftsman Grill (Available Aug. 23 through Oct. 31)  

• Mummy Donut: Donut bar glazed with white and dark chocolate 

• Pumpkin Donut: Cake donut decorated with Halloween colors

Grand Californian Great Hall Cart (Available Aug. 23 through Oct. 31) 

• Oogie Boogie Cookie (New)  

• Gingerbread Pumpkin Cookie (New)  

• Apple Crumble Loaf Cake (New)  

• Halloween Cookie Box (New)  

• Poison Apple Cookie: Decorated sugar cookie 

• Spooky Pretzel Sticks: Decorated pretzel sticks 

• Macarons  

• Halloween Crisped Rice Treat  

Storytellers Cafe (Available Aug. 23 through Oct. 31)  

• Dark Comes the Night: Buffalo Trace Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, Domaine de Canton Ginger Liqueur, lemon juice, honey syrup, ginger ale, and bitters (New)  

• Halloween Espresso Martini: Flor de Caña Spresso Coffee Liqueur, and Flor de Caña “Eco” 15 Year Rum (New)  

Mickey’s Autumn Adventures at Storytellers Cafe (Available Sept. 3 through Nov. 18; reservations recommended)  

• Join Mickey, Minnie, and their pals sporting their best fall fare for a delightful breakfast or brunch with an autumn touch. (New) 

Pixar Place Hotel  

The Sketch Pad Café (Available Aug. 25 through Oct. 31) 

• Pumpkin Cheesecake Overnight Oats topped with granola, dried cranberries, and gummy worms (New)  

• Salted Caramel Whoopie Pie made with dark cocoa powder and layered with a salted caramel buttercream (New)  

• Pumpkin Cold Brew (Non-alcoholic) (New)

Ghoulish Goodies in Downtown Disney

Ballast Point Brewing Co. (Available Aug. 23 through Oct. 31) 

• Black Garlic Thai Chili Wings: Wings tossed in spicy black garlic Thai chili sauce, served with ranch, and garnished with sesame seeds and green onions (New)  

Beignets Expressed (Available Oct. 1 through Nov. 21)  

• Caramel Apple Crumble: Caramel apple icing with a caramel drizzle sprinkled with “pumpkin” spiced crumbles  

Black Tap Craft Burgers & Shakes (Available Oct. 31 through Nov. 3)  

• Fright Night Mini CrazyShake Flight (New)  

• Candy Apple Mini CrazyShake: Apple butter shake with a vanilla-frosted and crushed candy apple rim topped with a candy apple, whipped cream, and crushed candy apple 

• Mini Pumpkin Pie Mini CrazyShake: Pumpkin pie shake with a vanilla-frosted and sugar cookie crumbs rim topped with a pumpkin pie bar, whipped cream, and a cherry  

• Witch’s Brew Mini CrazyShake: Ube blueberry shake with a vanilla-frosted rim with purple and black sprinkles topped with a witch’s hat sugar cookie and whipped cream 

California Churro (Available Oct. 1 through 31)  

• Spooky Churro: Cinnamon sugar churro covered in peanut butter and chocolate drizzle with peanut butter candies  

• Vampire Juice Churro: Chocolate cream cookie with vanilla cream-flavored sugar with edible glitter and buttercream frosting topped with gummy vampire candy (New)  

• Witches Brew Churro: Green sour apple sugar with edible glitter and caramel drizzle topped with sour gummy candies (Available Oct. 28 through 31 only)(New)  

Céntrico (Available Aug. 23 through Nov. 3)  

• Halloween Buñuelo: Spiced chocolate, cinnamon sugar, and seasonal corn (New)  

• Boo-ñuelo: Cinnamon-sugar coated buñuelo covered with chocolate and Halloween candy (New)  

• Pumpkin Spice Horchata (Non-alcoholic) (New)  

• Casa de Sangre Margarita: Tequila blanco, black cherry syrup, liqueur, lime juice, and black cherry garnish (New)  

Clyde’s Hot Chicken (Available Aug. 23 through Oct. 31)  

• Spooky Scorch: 5-piece chicken stick seasoned with habanero and ghost pepper blend of spices (New)  

Kayla’s Cake (Available Sept. 1 through Oct. 31)  

• Caramel Apple Macarons: Dulce de leche buttercream with salted caramel ganache (New)  

Naples Ristorante e Bar (Aug. 23 through Oct. 31)  

• Blooderscotch Cannoli filled with pumpkin and butterscotch chip cream, whipped cream, red caramel “blood” drizzle, and a sugar knife 

• Pumpkin Pancakes: Two pumpkin spice pancakes served with mascarpone cream, candied pecans, and maple syrup (New)  

• Strawberry Brains: Black sugared rim, lemonade, and strawberry purée (Non-alcoholic) (New)  

• Haunted Casa: Blanco tequila, sour mix, soda, and purple casa mix floater served in a clear skull glass (New)  

• Monster Mule: Reposado tequila, sour mix, pumpkin syrup, and ginger beer served in a black copper mug (New)  

• Pumpkins and Pancakes Ticketed Event: Celebrate the flavors and fun of fall with this special event featuring a family-style breakfast with hot cocoa and cider, pumpkin picking and decorating, a photo opportunity, take-home treats, and – for those over 21 – bottomless mimosas. Reserve your spot here.  (Available Oct. 19, 20, 26, and 27) (New)  

Paseo (Available Aug. 23 through Nov. 3)  

• Pumpkin Dessert: Spiced sponge cake, maple syrup ganache, walnut crumble, pumpkin mousse, gruyere, and rosemary ice cream (New)  

• Muertos Margarita: Tequila blanco, RIPE Margarita Mix, orange juice, pineapple juice, and salted black sugar foam top (New)  

Salt & Straw (Available starting Aug. 23)

• Pumpkin Spiced Waffle Cone: Salt & Straw’s signature waffle cone infused with a blend of warm spices 

Splitsville Luxury Lanes (Available Aug. 23 through Oct. 31)  

• Mad King Burger: 14 oz. double-decker burger with American cheese, special sauce, and bacon topped with onion rings and served with lettuce, tomato, pickle, onion, and a side of fries (New)  

• Ghost Brownies: Ghirardelli brownie topped with torched marshmallow fluff, chocolate drizzle, and ghostly marshmallows  

• Vampire’s Kiss: Raspberry vodka, raspberry purée, and black raspberry liqueur topped with Moscato 

Tiendita (Available Aug. 23 through Nov. 3)  

• Halloween Buñuelo: Spiced chocolate, cinnamon sugar, and seasonal corn (New)  

Candy Locations Throughout the Disneyland Resort

• Scare-Car Apple: Granny Smith apple dipped in caramel and green-colored chocolate and decorated with dark chocolate-covered marshmallow wheels, rainbow sour strips, M&M’S Mini Chocolate Candies, and a white chocolate hat (Available Sept. 29 through Oct. 31)(New) 

• At Disney California Adventure Park: Trolley Treats 

• Black Bat Minnie Cake Pop: Chocolate cake pop and chocolate Minnie ears covered in black-colored dark chocolate and finished with a dark chocolate bat bow (Available Aug. 23 through Oct. 31) (New)  

  • At Disneyland Park: Candy Palace  

  • At Disney California Adventure Park: Trolley Treats and Bing Bong’s Sweet Stuff  

• Lotso Cake Pop: Vanilla cake pop covered in magenta-colored chocolate and decorated with chocolate pieces (Available Aug. 23 through Oct. 31) (New)  

  • At Disney California Adventure Park: Trolley Treats and Bing Bong’s Sweet Stuff  

• Skeleton Minnie Apple: Granny Smith apple dipped in caramel and decorated with white chocolate-covered marshmallow ears, a black sugar dress, white M&M’S Milk Chocolate Candies, and a black and white skull bow (Available Sept. 29 through Oct. 31) (New)  

• At Disneyland Park: Candy Palace  

• At Disney California Adventure Park: Trolley Treats  

• Llama Poison Cereal Treat: Bottle-shaped cereal treat dipped in pink and tan-colored chocolate and topped with a white chocolate llama piece (Available Sept. 29 through Oct. 31) (New)  

  • At Disneyland Park: Candy Palace

• Oogie Boogie Cereal Treat: Cereal treat dipped in green-colored white chocolate with a dark chocolate face (Available Aug. 23 through Oct. 31)  

• At Disney California Adventure Park: Trolley Treats and Bing Bong’s Sweet Stuff  

• Black Bat Minnie Caramel Apple: Granny Smith apple dipped in caramel and decorated with dark chocolate-covered marshmallow ears, a black sugar dress, black M&M’S Milk Chocolate Candies, and a black dark chocolate bat bow (Available Aug. 23 through Oct. 31) 

  • At Disneyland Park: Candy Palace 

  • At Disney California Adventure Park: Trolley Treats and Bing Bong’s Sweet Stuff  

  • At Downtown Disney District: Marceline’s Confectionery

• Skull Apple: Granny Smith apple dipped in caramel and decorated with marshmallow ears dipped in red-colored white chocolate and a green-colored white chocolate skull face (Available Aug. 23 through Oct. 31)  

• At Disneyland Park: Candy Palace 

• At Disney California Adventure Park: Trolley Treats

• Candy Corn Minnie Apple: Granny Smith apple dipped in caramel, vanilla chocolate, orange-colored chocolate, and yellow-colored chocolate, and decorated with a chocolate bow and marshmallow ears (Available Aug. 23 through Oct. 31)  

• At Disneyland Park: Candy Palace 

• At Disney California Adventure Park: Trolley Treats   

• Minnie Bat Cereal Treat: Mickey-shaped cereal treat dipped in black-colored dark chocolate, sprinkled with black and grey sugar, and finished with a bat chocolate piece (Available Aug. 23 through Oct. 31)  

  • At Disneyland Park: Candy Palace  

  • At Disney California Adventure Park: Trolley Treats and Bing Bong’s Sweet Stuff  

  • At Downtown Disney District: Marceline’s Confectionery 

• Ghost Cereal Treat: Ghost-shaped cereal treat dipped in white chocolate with a dark chocolate ghost face (Available Aug. 23 through Oct. 31)  

  • At Disneyland Park: Candy Palace  

  • At Disney California Adventure Park: Trolley Treats and Bing Bong’s Sweet Stuff  

• Pumpkin Mickey Cake Pop: Vanilla cake pop dipped in orange and yellow-colored white chocolate with chocolate stem and chocolate Mickey ears (Available Aug. 23 through Oct. 31)  

  • At Disneyland Park: Candy Palace 

  • At Disney California Adventure Park: Trolley Treats and Bing Bong’s Sweet Stuff  

Halloween Marshmallow Wand: Marshmallows on a stick dipped in caramel and milk chocolate and drizzled with orange and purple-colored white chocolate (Available Aug. 23 through Oct. 31)  

• At Disneyland Park: Candy Palace  

• At Disney California Adventure Park: Trolley Treats and Bing Bong’s Sweet Stuff  

• At Downtown Disney District: Marceline’s Confectionery 

• Minnie Witch Caramel Apple: Granny Smith apple dipped in caramel and decorated with milk chocolate-dipped marshmallow ears, a purple skirt, orange M&M’S Milk Chocolate Candies, and a chocolate witch hat (Available Aug. 23 through Oct. 31)  

  • At Disneyland Park: Candy Palace  

  • At Disney California Adventure Park: Trolley Treats and Bing Bong’s Sweet Stuff  

2024 Plaza de la Familia Foodie Guide

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through these links, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products or services that I believe will add value to my readers.

Plaza de la Familia is making its return to Disney California Adventure Park from August 23 through November 2, 2024! The entire familia can join in on a celebration inspired by the traditions of Día de los Muertos. With festive décor, lively music and delicious food, it's a celebration you won’t want to miss. Plus, there are special offerings inspired by Pixar’s award-winning film, Coco!

Over at Paradise Garden Grill, you can indulge in both savory and sweet treats that draw inspiration from Coco and the rich cultures that celebrate Día de los Muertos. From Al Pastor Tacos to Street-style Watermelon, you’re in for a treat.

Once you’ve satisfied your cravings, why not get creative? Design your own paper alebrije, or spirit guide, and craft masks of Pepita or Dante, Miguel’s loyal companions. You might even get to meet Miguel himself! And don’t forget to leave a heartfelt message to a loved one on the Memory Wall at the Mexican Árbol de la Vida, or Tree of Life.

2024 Plaza de la Familia Foodie Guide

Paradise Garden Grill (Available through Nov. 14; mobile order available) 

• Carnitas Wet Burrito: House-made pork carnitas, Spanish rice, refried beans, cilantro, onions, salsa verde, and salsa roja served with house-made tortilla chips  

• Al Pastor Tacos: Pineapple-achiote-marinated pork with avocado spread and tomatillo salsa, served with Spanish rice and refried beans topped with queso fresco  

• Huarache with soy chorizo beans and seasoned steak tips topped with lettuce, cheese, avocado crema, and tomatillo salsa and served with Spanish rice and refried beans topped with nopales pico de gallo (Plant-based)

• Street-style Watermelon with lime juice, chile-lime seasoning and chamoy (Plant-based) 

• Chile Verde Chicken Flautas topped with avocado spread, shredded lettuce, crema, queso fresco, tomatillo salsa, and pickled onions served with Spanish rice and refried beans topped with nopales pico de gallo

• Street-style Taco: Pineapple-Achiote-marinated pork in a corn tortilla served with Spanish rice and refried beans topped with queso fresco (Kids Meal Offering) 

• Vanilla Layer Cake: Layers of vanilla cake filled with a cinnamon mousse and sweet cream cheese frosting

Boardwalk Pizza and Pasta (Available through Nov. 14)

• Horchata Cheesecake: Horchata-flavored cheesecake finished with orange, white chocolate curls

These offerings should come as no surprise to anyone who visited during Plaza de la Familia last year, as many (if not, all) of the dishes are repeats of 2023’s event. Additionally, quite a few of the entrees, including the carnitas wet burrito, chicken flautas, and the al-pastor tacos are the exact Coco-inspired offerings from Pixar Fest.

For me, the clear stand-out is the horchata cheesecake offered at Boardwalk Pizza and Pasta. I’m a sucker for anything horchata and I don’t remember seeing this one on the menu last year, so I’m looking forward to it. The remaining offerings, however, are a bit of a dud for me.

We tried a number of these on our visit during Pixar Fest and to put it simply, we weren’t impressed. The chicken flautas depended too much on the toppings, with the chicken itself lacking any kind of flavor. Additionally, the wet carnitas burrito was not only equally bland in flavor, but doughy in texture as well.

To say we were disappointed would be an understatement. I’d like to say that Disney improved upon these entrees for this event, but I seriously doubt it. Personally, I would have liked to see a complete overhaul of the menu and possibly even bring in a reputable chef to handcraft the menu. It feels as though this event is an afterthought, just living in the shadow of the concurrent Halloween festivities and considering what this event represents, it deserves more. A lot more.

Beyond the food and celebrations, Disney characters representative of Hispanic culture regularly conduct meet and greets in this area of the park. There’s a hut placed between Goofy’s Sky School and Paradise Garden Grill - that’s where the characters will often be.

Typical characters you’d encounter here are Miguel from Coco, as well as Mirabel and Bruno from Encanto. Additionally, it isn’t unheard of to see some of Disney’s legacy characters, such as Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Goofy and Daisy in special outfits, stop by to celebrate with guests.

As is, this isn’t an event I would plan an entire trip around. I do hope to see it ascend to that status, as it’s a deeply meaningful celebration and should be treated as such. That aside, if you’re already planning a trip to the parks during the event’s timeframe, I definitely recommend carving out some time to partake in the festivities.

Hungry Bear Barbecue Jamboree Foodie Guide

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through these links, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products or services that I believe will add value to my readers.

Recently, Disney made an announcement that absolutely nobody saw coming. The Hungry Bear restaurant, located in the formally named Critter Country - now Bayou Country - is receiving a new name and re-theme to Hungry Bear BBQ Jamboree. Yes, you read that correctly. The beloved Country Bears are taking over the Hungry Bear!

It’s a nostalgic nod to the Country Bear Jamboree attraction, which formally occupied the space adjacent to Hungry Bear and closed in September of 2001 to make way for the Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh attraction.

The Country Bears have been making a comeback of sorts, with the Magic Kingdom version receiving a modern update and the newly minted Big Al statue placed in DCA’s Grizzly Peak area. It only makes sense for Disneyland proper to partake in their revival as well.

While we have yet to receive an opening date from Disney, it was announced during D23 that Tiana’s Bayou Adventure and Bayou Country will be making their debuts on November 15. It’s safe to assume that Hungry Bear would definitely be open by then, though there’s reason to believe that it may open sooner than that. Time will tell.

In the meantime, Disney has surprised us with a foodie guide for Hungry Bear. If the new name didn’t give it away, the new menu is a call-back to Hungry Bear’s original BBQ-joint flare with a couple of twists sprinkled in.

Traditional BBQ favorites make up the majority of the menu, including pulled pork, sliced brisket, baked beans and spareribs. Oddly, the only chicken option is the garden-variety fried strips on the kids menu. No grilled or smoked options to speak of (as of now, anyway).

While it may or may not be the final menu, let’s get into the offerings Disney is planning to serve up at opening.

Hungry Bear Barbecue Jamboree Foodie Guide

Entrees

• Smoked Barbecue Combo Platter: A selection of house-smoked meats, served with baked beans, house slaw, white bread, and pickles with a choice of two of the following: Pork Spareribs, Pulled Pork, Sausage Link, or Beef Brisket (New) 

• Barbecue Pulled Pork Sandwich: Tangy BBQ sauce, house slaw, bread and butter, and pickles served with beer-battered fries (New) 

• Smoked Beef Brisket Sandwich with tangy BBQ sauce, pickled red onions, and pickled jalapeños served with beer-battered fries (New) 

• Smoked Angus Beef Burger and Pulled Pork with American cheese, golden aïoli, pickled red onions, bread and butter pickles, and crispy onions served with beer-battered fries (New) 

• Corn Ribs Plate: Chile-lime aioli, parmesan, crispy onions, cilantro, and scallions with house slaw and beer-battered fries (Plant-based) (New) 

• Loaded Fries topped with smoked pulled pork, queso sauce, pickled red onions, and pickled jalapeños, cilantro, and scallions (New) 

• Classic Cheeseburger served with beer-battered fries

• Chicken Tenders Plate served with house slaw and beer-battered fries

Sides and Kids Menu Offerings

• Beer-battered Fries (New)  

• Baked Beans (New)  

• House Slaw (New) 

All kids’ meals are served with Cuties Mandarin Orange and Applesauce and a choice of small DASANI Water or small Low-fat milk. 

• Pork Spareribs (New) 

• Toasted Cheese Sandwich (Disney Check Meal) (New)

• Hamburger (Disney Check Meal)

• Chicken Tenders 

Desserts and Drinks at Hungry Bear BBQ Jamboree

Desserts  

• Banana Pudding: Bananas, whipped cream, crushed wafer cookies, dulce de leche, and toffee (New)  

• Funnel Cake Fries dusted with powdered sugar. For an additional charge, add some extra sweetness to your funnel cake fries with Banana Caramel Dipping Sauce! (New)  

Beverages  

• Sparkling Strawberry-Pickle Lemonade​: Simply Lemonade, Minute Maid Strawberry Smoothie, flavors of lime, Sprite, pickle juice and a pickle spear (Non-alcoholic) (New)  

• Strawberry Shortcake Lemonade​: Simply Lemonade, Minute Maid Strawberry Smoothie, sweet cream topping, shortbread crumbles, and strawberry dust​ (Non-alcoholic) (New) 

• Lemonade-Iced Tea: Simply Lemonade and Gold Peak Unsweetened Iced Tea garnished with a lemon wheel (Non-alcoholic) (New)

• Hungry Bear Mason Jar with choice of beverage at time of purchase (Additional charge for specialty lemonades)

As stated at the beginning of the article, it is surprising that Disney decided not to include a grilled or smoked chicken option. Though that could be easily added once enough guests have expressed their desire for a proper chicken dish.

Additionally, I’m also surprised that Disney didn’t take advantage of this opportunity to add adult beverages to the menu, further expanding the efforts they began in the middle of 2023. Fewer things go as perfectly together than grilled meat and cold beer, but I digress.

Personally, I’m all for this change and I think most Disney fans will be as well. The Country Bears is an IP that, despite being around since the early 1970’s, is just now gaining major steam among millennials (who are all about nostalgia) and Gen Z, and Disney is taking full advantage.

While you never really know, I wouldn’t expect this newly-gained popularity to lead to a revival of the Country Bear Jamboree attraction. For starters, their old spot is currently occupied by Winnie the Pooh, and he’s a major merchandise mover for the company. That lovable, yellow bear isn’t going anywhere.

However, I would expect to see the Hungry Bears return to the area for meet and greets. Currently, you can see them in DCA’s Grizzly Peak from time to time. But I feel moving them back to Disneyland proper, in the land they once called home, would be far more fitting.

The 24 Pixar Fest Foodie Offerings We Tried (+ Our Recommendations)

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A couple of months ago, Disney released the 2024 Pixar Fest Foodie Guide and we were floored by how many items would be offered throughout the event. Over 80 new and returning treats are now available for guests to try.

The last Pixar Fest took place in 2018, and it didn’t have nearly the amount of food and drink that are being presented this year. I asked various cast members around the resort if Disney is trying to make Pixar Fest an annual foodie festival of sorts and while no one could (or would) say for sure, the general consensus was learning towards a “yes”.

No complaints here. Personally, we love the food festivals DCA puts on every year, especially Food and Wine Festival. Combine our love of trying new foods with our resounding millennial-loyalty to the Pixar characters we grew up with and Disney has a recipe for success.

There was no way we were going to be able to try everything in the three days we were there (we were also trying Season of the Force offerings as well), but we gave it our best. In total, we tried 24 Pixar Fest offerings in three days. Some were great, some were just ok and some were downright bad. In this list, we’re going to show you what we tried and what we liked/didn’t like about them, along with information such as price, where they’re sold, etc.

Finally, they’re in no particular order. Let’s get into it.

1) Panda Apocalypse

Location: 4*Town Favorites Marketplace (Performance Corridor)

Price: $6.75

Magic Key Discount: No

Mobile Order: No

Rating (out of 10): 7

This dessert features several layers of chocolate chunk brownie and New York-style cheesecake, finished with a topping of orange and red cream cheese frosting. It is inspired by Mei Lee’s (Turning Red) favorite fictional band, 4*Town.

The brownie portion was moist, not dry in the slightest. However, it was mostly all frosting. Additionally, the sweetness from the frosting overtook the hearty-ness of the brownie instead of complimenting it. All in all, it was good, but it isn’t something I would plan a visit to park around.

2) H2O-Rita

Location: Elemental Table (Performance Corridor)

Price: $17.00

Magic Key Discount: No

Mobile Order: No

Rating (out of 10): 8

The H2O-Rita is one of two cocktails offered at Elemental Table. It’s made with a tequila base and mixed with blue curacoa syrup, lychee nectar, yuja puree, lime juice and garnished with a rock candy stick. Essentially, it tasted like a blue-raspberry margarita.

Admittedly, the serving size took me by surprise (in a good way) as I was expecting a much smaller cup. The price tag is on par with most cocktails at the Disneyland Resort (maybe a buck or two cheaper, actually).

The rock candy stick gives the drink “gram” appeal, but doesn’t add much of anything to the flavor profile. The drink isn’t too strong, leading me to believe that there isn’t much tequila in it. If you enjoy margaritas, though, you’ll certainly enjoy this.

3) Ramon Nachos

Location: Studio Catering Co. in the Backlot

Price: $12.99

Magic Key Discount: Yes

Mobile Order: Yes

Rating (out of 10): 10

It’s an interesting choice on Disney’s part to omit the possessive from Ramon Nachos (for example, Ramon’s Nachos), but that’s just a nit-picky thing on my part that 99.99% of the remaining population cares nothing about. That’s literally my only “complaint” as these nachos were absolutely on-point.

The chips seem to be the same ones used in the Lobster/Barbacoa Nachos at Lamplight Lounge. They’re thick, crispy, salted just enough, and don’t sog under the pressure of its toppings. Speaking of toppings, they include grilled chicken, queso blanco, refried beans, pico de gallo, salsa verde, cotija, serrano peppers and radishes.

Again, no complaints here. The chicken had a smokey flavor profile and wasn’t dry. The flavor combination of the queso, salsa verde, and serrano peppers was astonishing. If I had to list a negative, it would be the amount of queso. There wasn’t much and I wish there was more. That’s it, though. Highly recommend.

4) Nobody Like U Cooler (non-alcoholic)

Location: 4*Town Favorites Marketplace (Performance Corridor)

Price: $7.50

Magic Key Discount: No

Mobile Order: No

Rating (out of 10): 9

The Nobody Like U Cooler is the sole drink offering at the Turning Red marketplace and to me, was the clear winner of all the drinks we tried (including the cocktails). It is made with a Joffrey’s Raspberry Rose Tea base, finished with white cranberry, lime & orange juices and cherry syrup, garnished with an orange wedge gummy.

Obviously, this drink is sweet, fruity and is essentially candy in liquid form. I didn’t find it offensively sweet, though, and orange is the flavor that comes through prominently. That tells me it’s the citrus saving this drink from being too sweet.

5) Sea Monster Friends Parfait

Location: Jolly Holiday Bakery (Disneyland)

Price: $6.79

Magic Key Discount: Yes

Mobile Order: Yes

Rating (out of 10): 6

The Sea Monster Friends Parfait sold at Jolly Holiday Bakery is layered with graham cracker crumbs, mascarpone cheesecake, berry blue gelatin and blue chantilly topped with an edible Luca chocolate decoration.

We were fairly split on this one, as Kisha felt the flavor of the gelatin grossly overpowered the dessert (and had a bad taste to begin with). While I didn’t mind it too much, I can agree that it definitely overpowers the rest of the ingredients.

The cheesecake and graham crack crust alone, without the gelatin, worked well together and unlike other parfaits we had during Pixar Fest, the crust wasn’t soggy and had an actual crunch to it. However, once you add the gelatin to the mix, it definitely takes it down a few notches.

6) 2319 Shake

Location: Schmoozies! (DCA)

Price: $9.79

Magic Key Discount: No

Mobile Order: Yes

Rating (out of 10): 9

The 2319 Shake was one of our favorites from Pixar Fest. If you don’t know what “2319” is, it was the code used in the animated film Monsters Inc. whenever a human-related contamination was found. One of the scarers in the film, George Sanderson, was often the ill-fated victim of this.

The shake is sold at Schmoozies, which is located in Hollywood Land near the entrance to the Backlot. It’s a shake made with orange, vanilla, guava and pineapple, topped with shaved coconut, whipped cream and garnished with an orange cone.

Much like most shakes from Schmoozies, it’s huge! Both of us split one and it was still too much. If you’re coming with a group of three to four, there would plenty for everyone to get multiple spoon fulls. That helps to stomach the nearly ten dollar price tag. Again, we loved this one and wouldn’t hesitate to get it again.

7) Joyful Mac and Cheese

Location: Hanger Management marketplace (Backlot)

Price: $8.50

Magic Key Discount: No

Mobile Order: No

Rating (out of 10): 3

This is where things take a turn for the worst. If you read my initial post about the then-upcoming Pixar-themed marketplaces, I mentioned how I felt the offerings at the Hanger Management booth were, at best, underwhelming and lazy. I get it, Disney needed to satisfy picky eaters, but this, in my opinion, was too dumbed down.

I knew I would hate it, but for research purposes, we tried the Joyful Mac and Cheese. We almost ordered the half and half dish, which featured a split plate of the Joyful and Angry Macs, but we just couldn’t stomach the idea of eating the red-dye loaded Angry Mac.

In short, the Joyful Mac and Cheese was a slight step up from its boxed counterpart, but a massive step down from mac dishes you’ll find throughout the resort (such as the Truffle Mac & Cheese at Hearthstone Lounge). Our dish, in particular, was cold, the Cheeto puffs were stale and the macaroni was overcooked. We both felt it would’ve been slightly better had the puffs been crushed and baked into the mac.

Needless to say, it’s a hard pass for us. If there’s an individual in your family (or perhaps it’s you) who is a picky eater, this is their safe option. Outside of that, I’m going to recommend staying far away from these dishes as there are other, far superior options throughout the resort.

8) Pixar Fest Cake

Location: Plaza Inn (Disneyland)

Price: $9.29

Magic Key Discount: Yes

Mobile Order: No

Rating (out of 10): 7

This cake is the flagship offering during Pixar Fest and is one of the only returning items from the 2018 event. As such, we had to try it. It’s sold at Plaza Inn which is located adjacent to the entrance to Tomorrowland in the hub. You cannot mobile order anything here, but the cake slices are readily available near each cash register.

We were happily surprised by how moist the cake was, especially considering how mass-produced it is. The red, yellow, and blue colors you see are simply food coloring to give it that Pixar flare and thus, do not add any flavor to it. The frosting was sweet, as you’d expect, but didn’t overpower as it was layered evenly with the cakes.

It isn’t something I would go out of my way to get, but if I found myself near Plaza Inn and wanted a slice of cake, the Pixar Fest Cake fits the bill nicely. I will say that the price point is way too high for what is essentially a basic (albeit good) slice of cake.

9) Pineapple Coconut Float

Location: Tropical Hideaway (Disneyland)

Price: $9.29

Magic Key Discount: No

Mobile Order: No

Rating (out of 10): 8.5

This was another favorite treat of ours. It’s sold at Tropical Hideaway in Adventureland and is inspired by the Pixar short film, “Lava”. It is made with Dole Whip pineapple soft serve, blue Dole pineapple-coconut juice, strawberry “lava” (syrup) and topped with a turtle gummy.

I’m not a huge fan of coconut, so I was a bit worried that I wouldn’t like it but honestly, the coconut didn’t come through as much as I thought it would. It actually helped to balance out the sweetness from the pineapple and strawberry syrup nicely.

Again, this is another item I feel is priced too high, even by Disney standards, but it’s definitely splittable between two people. Additionally, this location doesn’t offer mobile order and does not give Magic Key discounts. Despite the lack of competition from mobile order, the line here can get long. So plan to arrive close to opening (11am) if you want to avoid that.

10) Una Papa Loca!

Location: Troubadour Tavern (Disneyland)

Price: $10.49

Magic Key Discount: Yes

Mobile Order: Yes

Rating (out of 10): 7.5

The Una Papa Loca! is one of two baked potato “snacks” offered at Troubadore Tavern during Pixar Fest. If you’re unaware, Troubadore Tavern is a walk-up style snack stand situated near the entrance of Fantasyland Theatre.

The baked potato is topped with various ingredients, including chicken, cheese, avocado salsa, sour cream, onion, cilantro and spiced corn chip crumble. In case you’re wondering, those “spiced corn chips” were essentially crumbled up hot Cheetos.

Our only real complaint was the potato itself could’ve used seasoning as we felt there wasn’t any. They seemed to heavily rely on the toppings providing all the flavor, which they did. However, the potato having an appropriate amount of seasoning would’ve made this decent dish a great one.

11) Mood Stabilizer Cocktail

Location: Hanger Management marketplace (DCA - Backlot)

Price: $17.00

Magic Key Discount: No

Mobile Order: No

Rating (out of 10): 6

This Pixar version of a Makers Mule was decent enough. Again, the size of the cup took me by surprise as Disney doesn’t usually serve cocktails in cups this big, but I’m not complaining. The watermelon came through in a big way, making this a rather refreshing drink on a hot day. Which is something you usually don’t associate with a bourbon-based drink.

12) Mr. Potato Head Churro

Location: Churro cart near Goofy’s Sky School (DCA)

Price: $7.25

Magic Key Discount: No

Mobile Order: No

Rating (out of 10): 10

The Mr. Potato Head churro is sold at the churro cart near the stand-by entrance to Goofy’s Sky School in Paradise Gardens. This is one of three special churros offered for Pixar Fest and was he hands-down winner of the three.

There’s literally nothing I didn’t like about it, except maybe there was a tad too much chocolate sauce used on mine. As you can see in the photo above, my churro was practically swimming in it.

The saltiness from the chips (Lays, essentially) blended in perfect harmony with the sweetness of the churro and chocolate. I went into this wanting to dislike it but one bite in and I was hooked. I would order this again and again.

READ: Pixar Fest Character Locations Guide

13) Firetown Mac & Cheese Bites

Location: Troubadore Tavern (Disneyland)

Price: $11.49

Magic Key Discount: Yes

Mobile Order: Yes

Rating (out of 10): 8

These mac and cheese bites were getting a lot of hate online, so I was eager to try them for myself as I’m known to indulge on these whenever I see them on a restaurant’s appetizer menu. To make them even more appealing, Disney used gouda cheese (which I love) and tossed them in a four-chili rub to give them a spicy kick.

I’m a bit of a wimp when it comes to spice, but I found these to be tolerable. If you’re a connoisseur of all things spicy, you may even find these not spicy at all. To me, they are more about the flavor of spice rather than containing an actual heat.

My only two complaints were the price and the lack of an accompanying dipping sauce, which I feel it needed. I ordered a side of BBQ sauce with mine, but it doesn’t come with the dish on its own. Offering a chili-spiced ranch or even a jalapeño-queso dip would’ve been fantastic.

14) Mixed Emotions Popcorn

Location: Troubadour Tavern (Disneyland)

Price: $8.79

Magic Key Discount: Yes

Mobile Order: Yes

Rating (out of 10): 8.5

This popcorn has every reason to be hated but to be honest, we thoroughly enjoyed it. In the box, you’re given a mixture of ube-flavored popcorn, M&M chocolate candies, freeze-dried skittles and pretzel sticks. I never would’ve imagined that these four ingredients would work so well with one another, but they do.

For the price, you’re given a rather decent portion size. The popcorn is served in a box with theming to the original opening-day lands of Disneyland; Adventureland, Frontierland, Fantasyland and Tomorrowland. I wish it was served in a bag instead of a box, though, as that would’ve been easier to stash in my backpack, but I digress.

15) Red Panda Bao

Location: 4*Town Favorites marketplace (DCA - Performance Corridor)

Price: $9.00

Magic Key Discount: No

Mobile Order: No

Rating (out of 10): 6 (7 with the sauce)

The Red Panda Bao is a jumbo vegetable and pork stuffed bao served with a side of chili-garlic dipping sauce. It takes inspiration from Mei Lee, the main character in Turning Red, who turns into a giant red panda when she experiences strong emotions.

The bun was cooked to perfection, however, we felt there should’ve been more stuffing inside considering this is being billed as a “jumbo” bao. Additionally, the pork was mostly flavorless. However, once you add that chili-sauce to the mix, it kicks it up a couple notches. It’s spicy, but not unbearably so. Without the sauce, it’s a fairly basic bao not worth going out of your way for.

16) Kol Nut Cookie Whoopie Pie

Location: Elemental Table marketplace (DCA - Performance Corridor)

Price: $7.00

Magic Key Discount: No

Mobile Order: No

Rating (out of 10): 8.5

This dessert sold at the Elemental Table marketplace takes inspiration from the rocks from Pixar’s sleeper hit, Elemental. It’s two cake cookies baked with cocoa powder, with cream cheese frosting sandwiched between and topped with crushed cinnamon candies.

All told, this dessert was delicious. The hero is the creamy frosting in the middle, but the cake cookies were perfectly moist with the cinnamon candies on the top cookie giving it a “burnt” texture, without actually being burnt. It was an all around great dessert option.

17) Lotso Berry Lemonade

Location: Troubadour Tavern (Disneyland)

Price: $9.99

Magic Key Discount: Yes

Mobile Order: Yes

Rating (out of 10): 6.5

The Lotso Berry Lemonade is made with strawberry-flavored lemonade with a sweet cream topper and “garnished” with an Outshine strawberry fruit bar. Yes, you get a whole ice cream bar included with your lemonade.

This drink is practically liquid sugar and is delicious, but only in small doses. Here’s a tip, use the ice cream bar as a stir-stick to mix the lemonade and the sweet cream together. It gives it a thicker consistency and ups the ante on the overall flavor.

18) Blackberry Churro

Location: Tomorrowland Churro Cart (Disneyland)

Price: $7.25

Magic Key Discount: No

Mobile Order: No

Rating (out of 10): 1

I never thought I would be giving a Disneyland churro such a low rating but for us, this blackberry-flavored churro was a miss. While we all know the flavoring for the churros is often artificial, Disney usually does a better job at hiding the taste. That wasn’t the case here, as it had “artificial” written all over it.

The banana-strawberry dipping sauce didn’t help matters, as it wasn’t anything to write home about either. All told, there was nothing redeeming about this churro for us. For our money, we’ll stick with the traditional churro or head across the esplanade to pick up the above-mentioned Mr. Potato Head churro.

19) Carnitas Wet Burrito

Location: Paradise Gardens Grill (DCA)

Price: $13.99

Magic Key Discount: Yes

Mobile Order: Yes

Rating (out of 10): 6

The Carnitas Wet Burrito served at Paradise Gardens Grill is from the eatery’s special Coco-inspired menu during Pixar Fest. For me, it falls under the category of didn’t hate it, but didn’t love it either. It was simply ok. The filling inside the burrito was decent, but I felt the carnitas could’ve used more and/or better seasoning.

The tortilla itself is really where it fell apart for me. Perhaps it’s because I’ve been spoiled with fantastic Mexican food, but I found the tortilla to be doughy and flat in flavor. If there was an option to make this dish a burrito bowl, I would likely rate it much higher.

20) Multi-Colored (Sulley) Churro

Location: Hollywood Land Churro Cart (DCA)

Price: $7.25

Magic Key Discount: No

Mobile Order: No

Rating (out of 10): 5

The Multicolored Churro (or what I affectionately refer to as the, “Sulley” churro) is sold at the Hollywood Land churro cart. Sometimes the cart is placed in the Backlot and other times it’s parked near the entrance of the Backlot.

This churro is one of three Pixar-themed churros offered during Pixar Fest and to be perfectly honest, it was only mildly better than the blackberry version discussed above. The flavor from the white-cherry drizzle comes through in a big way and distracts from the churro. If you like artificial white-cherry, you’ll love this.

21) “Adventure is Out There” Cold Brew

Location: Troubadour Tavern (Disneyland)

Price: $6.79

Magic Key Discount: Yes

Mobile Order: Yes

Rating (out of 10): 9

The “Adventure is Out There” cold brew is the final Pixar Fest-themed treat we tried at Troubadour Tavern. It’s made with dark chocolate cold brew with a butterscotch cream topper and garnished with confetti quins and a wafer cookie.

We all know the running joke about Disneyland and their cold brews. My personal favorite (and the only one worth getting more than once) is the Black Caf at Docking Bay 7. This cold brew, however, was exceptional and came extraordinarily close to claiming that title. This needs to stay on the regular menu once Pixar Fest concludes.

22) Chile Verde Chicken Flautas

Location: Paradise Gardens Grill (DCA)

Price: $13.99

Magic Key Discount: Yes

Mobile Order: Yes

Rating (out of 10): 6

This dish is also from the Coco-inspired menu at Paradise Gardens Grill and much like the burrito discussed above, was also in a gray area in terms of how we liked it. Reason being is the chicken inside the flautas was flavorless with seemingly no seasoning at all. Disney relied solely on the toppings to provide all the flavor. Additionally, the accompanying refried beans tasted like they came out of a can.

23) Silenzio Bruno! Sandwich

Location: Jolly Holiday Bakery (Disneyland)

Price: $14.99

Magic Key Discount: Yes

Mobile Order: Yes

Rating (out of 10): 9

The Silenzio Bruno! sandwich is served at Jolly Holiday Bakery located near the entrance to Adventureland in the hub. It’s a cold sandwich on an Italian roll filled with chopped ham, salami, provolone, lettuce, tomato, pickled onion and pepperoncini with Italian dressing and served with house-made potato chips.

Kisha reports that the sandwich is the perfect meal on a hot day. It isn’t overly dressed, contains the perfect amount of filling (not too much or too less of a certain ingredient) and the bread itself seemed hallowed as to not contain too much bread, which is a common issue with sandwiches.

24) Red Velvet Tres Leches Parfait

Location: Paradise Gardens Grill (DCA)

Price: $7.49

Magic Key Discount: Yes

Mobile Order: Yes (does get taken off mobile order from time to time)

Rating (out of 10): 9.5

The Red Velvet Tres Leches Parfait was probably the most delicious dessert out of everything we tried. It’s served at Paradise Gardens Grill and is layered with a pink cinnamon mousse, churro crunch, red velvet cake and orange mousse, garnished with a chocolate skull decoration.

All the flavors of this parfait came together so well that it was hard to put down. We both regretted not getting our own. So why did I give it 9.5 and not 10? The churro crunch in the middle had no crunch to it at all, which was a bit of a let down. Had it been crunchy as advertised, this parfait would’ve exceeded a 10.

Planning a Disneyland vacation? If so, be sure to consult my 2024 Disneyland Refurbishment Calendar to stay on top of ride closures. Also, learn about the different aspects of dining, such as mobile order and advance dining reservations, by reading my 2024 Disneyland Dining Guide. Furthermore, learn about the recent changes to Disney’s DAS program here. Finally, for great pricing on Disneyland, Disney World, and Disney Cruise Line vacation packages, visit my partners at Get Away Today (use code “INKED10” for $10 off your purchase).

An Overview of the Six Pixar-Themed Marketplaces at Pixar Fest

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through these links, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products or services that I believe will add value to my readers.

When Disney released details of what to expect during Pixar Fest in 2024, one of the offerings mentioned were several Pixar-themed marketplaces in the Hollywood Backlot area. If you’ve ever attended a Food and Wine Festival or Lunar New Year, you’d know exactly what those “marketplaces” are.

If you don’t know, they’re essentially themed food booths with certain elements having to do with whichever festival is taking place. For example, during Food and Wine, one of the marketplaces was called “Garlic Kissed” and featured food items related to - you guessed it - garlic.

They’ve proven to be insanely popular, so it only made sense for Disney to theme after some of Pixar’s most beloved films and use them to elevate the offerings during Pixar Fest.

In this post, we’re going to take a look at the names of these marketplaces, which film they’re themed after, and images and descriptions of what each one is going to offer. Unfortunately, I can confirm that there will not be a Sip and Savor Pass for sale during this event.

1) “The Spark” - Inspired by Soul

Inspired by Pixar’s hit film Soul, “The Spark” will offer several brand new food and cocktail offerings, in addition to an exhaustive amount of beers and seltzers. The booth’s sole entree offering is the Supper Club Chicken & Potato Waffles with peach cobbler sauce and cinnamon-herb crumble. For dessert is the Half Note Jazz Cake which, by the website’s own admission, is essentially a basic red velvet cake.

The Great Beyond, one of two crafted cocktails at this booth, is made with gin, maraschino liquor, violet & blue curacoa syrups, lemon juice and pear nectar. The second cocktail, SPARK-ler, seems like it’ll be on the sweeter side with a concoction of varying syrups including mango, pineapple and cotton candy.

2) 4Town Fav*4*ites - Inspired by “Turning Red”

The Turning Red marketplace is the one I’m most looking forward to, as all of the offerings look stellar! First, the Red Panda Bao is a jumbo bao stuffed with vegetables, pork and a chili-garlic sauce. The word “jumbo” in the description indicates a single bao per purchase, though a sizable one.

You can follow this up with the Panda Apocalypse, a pan-baked, chocolate-layered brownie and New York-style cheesecake topped with orange and red cream cheese frosting. Finally, wash it all down with the Nobody Like U Cooler, a non-alcoholic beverage made with Joffrey’s Raspberry Rose Tea, white cranberry, lime & orange juices and cherry syrup, garnished with an orange wedge gummy.

3) Gusteau’s To-Go inspired by “Ratatouille”

It would’ve been criminal for Disney to feature Pixar-themed marketplaces at Pixar Fest and not include the most food-relatable IP in their portfolio. After all, Ratatouille’s entire premise was centered around a rat who loved to cook.

Gusteau’s To-Go’s criminally small menu consists of the Ratatouille Pizzetta topped with mozzarella, eggplant, squash, zucchini, a drizzle of tomato sauce, and a wedge of French camembert. The only other food offering is a macaron themed after Chef Gusteau, with creme brulee mousse and a caramel center.

The two alcoholic offerings, the Le Critique Cognac Sidecar and Little French Daiquiri, make up the only drinks on the menu, with no non-alcoholic options.

4) Portorosso Pasta inspired by “Luca”

Representing Italy, the Luca booth features only one food offering, but may be the most interesting of the bunch that has the potential to “steal the show”. It’s the Portorosso Pesto Pasta, Portorosso being the fictional Italian town where the movie is based. The dish is ribbon pasta tossed in a basil pesto with potatoes and green beans mixed in.

The non-alcoholic Sea Monster Lemonade consists of white grape juice, lemonade and peach syrup garnished with blue citrus mango jellies. Rounding out the drink offerings, the adults-only Silenzio Limoncello! has a Limoncello base with amaretto & Aperol liquors, blood orange syrup, lemonade and house-made oregano tea and garnished with micro daises.

5) Hanger Management inspired by “Inside Out” 

The Hanger Management marketplace offers a simple menu consisting of two variations of a basic macaroni and cheese dish. One of which is traditional yellow mac topped with a handful of Cheeto puffs and the other being the “angry” version topped with hot Cheetos. In all honesty, this is quite disappointing and uninspiring as it looks to be nothing more than boxed mac and cheese.

The cocktail appears to be a variation of a Maker’s Mule. It’ll have a bourbon base with watermelon liquor, candied orange & watermelon syrups, and orange & lime juices topped with ginger beer and garnished with watermelon candies.

I feel Disney dropped the ball here (the food, specifically). The food offerings are about as basic as it gets without any real creativity added whatsoever. Considering all of the mood elements featured in Inside Out, this marketplace could’ve been the stand-out with multiple incredibly creative dishes.

6) Elemental Table inspired by “Elemental”

If you’re looking for plant-based options, the Elemental marketplace is for you. Food offerings include a BBQ-spiced IMPOSSIBLE chicken dish with hot mustard sauce, pickles and charred onions, followed by the Kol Nut Whoopie Cookie Pie baked with cocoa powder and filled with cream cheese frosting and topped with crushed cinnamon candies.

The drink offerings, both of which are tequila-based, are visually stunning and will undoubtedly be popular. First is the H2O-rita made with tequila, blue curaçao syrup, lychee nectar, yuja purée and lime juice garnished with a rock candy stick. Lastly, the Exothermic Margarita consists of tequila, ancho chile liqueur, passion fruit nectar, lime & grapefruit juices and agave nectar garnished with a rock candy stick.

While there are some disappointments on the menus of the marketplaces (Hanger Management, specifically), overall, I’m looking forward to sampling the majority of them.

Of the all the cocktail offerings, the two at the Elemental marketplace are sure to be the clear stand-outs as they’re the most Insta-worthy of the bunch. As it pertains to food, I’m most looking forward to the jumbo bao at the Turning Red marketplace and the pesto pasta dish at Luca’s.

I’m going to reiterate my stance on what I believe is an epic let-down at the Hanger Management marketplace. I wish Disney would have gone the BBQ route here, offering a creative version of the classic pulled-pork sandwich with several emotions represented in different variations, or something similar.

Despite this, I’m predicting Pixar Fest will be a massive success. More and more, guests are clamoring for more “non-standard” Disney. Usually, that comes in the form of an After Dark event where in order to partake, you’d have to pay for another ticket.

Special events like Pixar Fest and Season of the Force, however, are available to all guests who hold a regular ticket or Magic Key, making it accessible for everyone to enjoy. With Pixar Fest looking like an un-official “foodie festival”, I hope to see it become a part of DCA’s annual line up of festivals. Time will tell.

Planning a trip to Disneyland? If so, be sure to stay on top of ride closures by reading (and saving) my 2024 Disneyland Refurbishment Calendar. To see all the activities taking place at Pixar Fest, read Pixar Fest 2024: 10 Things to Know. Additionally, to see the newly transformed Pixar Place Hotel, read my Tour of the Pixar Place Hotel post. Lastly, for deals on Disneyland tickets and vacation packages, see my friends at Get Away Today.

New Downtown Disney Restaurants Opening Soon (+ More Announced)

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It’s time to ready your stomachs because two new, highly anticipated restaurants are opening soon in the Downtown Disney District! Additionally, we now have word of what’s coming to the location formally occupied by Tortilla Jo’s, which has recently permanently closed.

The two upcoming restaurants (well four, technically) I’m referring to are Din Tai Fung, Paseo, Centrico and Tiendita. These eateries were announced during the parks panel presentation during the loathed 2022 D23 expo and while progress has been slow, we’re now just a month or so away from these culinary delights making their debuts.

Let’s dive into the details of these restaurants and what we know about what’s taking over Tortilla Jo’s spot. Additionally, we’ll discuss the status of a few other eateries that have been confirmed, but haven’t yet began construction.

Paseo, Centrico, and Tiendita in Downtown Disney

As recently announced by Disney Parks Blog, this three-in-one eatery will open to guests in May. No specific date was given but considering that Mother’s Day is a massively profitable weekend for restaurants, I would imagine they would push to be open by then.

These concept restaurants are being brought to the Disneyland Resort by Mexico’s first Michelin-starred Chef Carlos Gaytan. His dishes inspire a multi-cultural journey to his homeland of Huitzuco, Mexico, with style and technique from his culinary training in France.

I took the photo above in March and as you can see, much of the infrastructure of Centrico and most parts of Paseo are already done. Since this photo, they’ve begun installing tables and decorative features, indicating that an opening date is imminent.

In Paseo, a stunning wooden staircase leads you upstairs to the main dining room and bar lined with rich tiles, woods, textures, leathers and accents that showcase Mexico’s proud culture of craftsmanship. In addition to the main dining room, there will be an extended patio offering a unique view of Downtown Disney.

A full menu hasn’t been released yet, but a few examples you can expect include elevated versions of ceviches, roasted marinated pork, lamb barbacoa and mejillones (mussels). These dishes, and more, celebrate Chef Graytan’s love of his homeland, with nods to the French culinary style.

The courtyard bar and restaurant, Centrico, will occupy the space of the former Uva Bar in the center of the walking space through Downtown Disney. Its open, airy space designed with lush greenery and wooden elements create an upscale, yet relaxing environment for guests.

Again, we haven’t seen a full menu, but elevated quesabirria, chicken enchiladas, tlayuda (an Oaxacan, pizza-like sharable), Caesar salad and an assortment of tequila-based cocktails make up a few of the featured items.

Tiendita, the third and final element to this new concept, will serve as the quick-service location, with a variety of selections such as fish tacos, roasted corn, ice cream-stuffed chocolate tacos (you read that right) and breakfast favorites such as a chorizo burrito will be served.

This is great as the resort, Downtown Disney specifically, is severely lacking in the breakfast department. It’ll be great to have an option in the morning (and a quick one, at that) for a pre-park meal. Furthermore, Tiendita will feature self-ordering kiosks instead of traditional cashiers.

Din Tai Fung and More Upcoming Downtown Disney Restaurants

The next restaurant we’ve finally received an update on, and the one I’m personally looking forward to the most, is Din Tai Fung. Much like Paseo and Centrico, we don’t have a firm opening date yet, but Disney is advertising a summer 2024 opening.

Din Tai Fung is another Michelin-level restaurant coming to the resort, with the brand being based out of Taiwan. They’re known for the house-made baos, but also feature signiture soup dumplings, wontons, noodles, steamed buns, pork chop fried rice and a variety signature, crafted cocktails.

Furthermore, we now know the highly anticipated Ponto’s Bakery will move into the space currently occupied by Earl of Sandwich, in the building adjacent to the entrance to Disney California Adventure. Earl of Sandwich is in the process of moving into a temporary location near the Star Wars Store to accommodate this move.

Presumably, the current building will be demolished to allow Ponto’s to build a custom space. Earl of Sandwich will finally get its permanent space in the west end of Downtown Disney near the guitar pick-shaped stage.

New Steakhouse and BBQ Concepts Coming to Downtown Disney

Tortilla Jo’s, a long time Downtown Disney restaurant that’s been open since 2004, recently closed its doors for good. It simply didn’t fit in with the new aesthetic Disney is going for with the new Downtown Disney. For a while, what would take its place was a mystery. Until now, that is.

While Disney remains mum on the details, we now know that a new steakhouse and bbq concept will take the place of Tortilla Jo’s. Disneyland has been without a steakhouse since the closure of Steakhouse ‘55 at the Disneyland Hotel a few years ago and the resort has never had a proper BBQ eatery, so these will undoubtedly be welcomed additions.

It’s unclear if the steakhouse will be a revitalized version of Steakhouse ‘55 or one run by a third party. The latter of which is the most likely, as Disney already has a relationship with STK Steakhouse at Disney Springs in Florida. Personally, as long as it isn’t a Ruth Chris, I’m good either way.

Planning a trip to Disneyland? If you’re considering staying on property, read about our tour of the new Pixar Place Hotel. Additionally, get tips and advice on purchasing tickets by reading 10 Best Disneyland Tips: Tickets. Furthermore, stay updated on ride closures by reading and bookmarking my 2024 Attraction Refurbishment Calendar. Finally, to save money on Disneyland tickets and vacations packages, see my friends at Get Away Today.

The 17 Offerings From the 2024 DCA Food and Wine Festival We Loved

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through these links, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products or services that I believe will add value to my readers.

A couple of weeks ago, we attended our very first Food and Wine Festival at Disney California Adventure and let me say, it was an awesome experience.

We deviated from our usual tactic of hitting every attraction we can and devoted the entire day to trying as many of the foods as we could, while also checking out the festival’s live music and vibes.

While we didn’t get around to trying everything (we can only eat so much, after all), we were able to try quite a bit - a total of 20 different foods and drinks. Not all were hits, though.

In this post, I’m going to discuss 17 of those 20 that were we enjoyed, what we liked about them, what we didn’t like, etc., in hopes it’ll help you decide whether or not you’d like to try them yourself. Some of them will be listed in a single list, as I grouped one or two into one photo.

Before we get to the list, be sure to also read my post, The 2024 Food & Wine Festival Sip and Savor Pass: 8 Things to Know. If you’re wanting to try multiple food offerings, you’ll want to purchase this pass because if you use it correctly, you’ll end up saving money with it.

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#1 - The Frozen Old Fashioned

Marketplace: Golden Dreams

Price: $7.00

Let’s begin with dessert, shall we? The frozen old fashioned is a non-alcoholic bourbon-flavored ice cream bar, with bitters crema, orange zest glaze and topped with cherry spheres (bobas).

Many online have stated that while it’s delicious, it doesn’t taste anything like an old fashioned and there’s no hint of bourbon. I disagree. I did get a hint of bourbon in the ice cream, but it dissipated quickly. The main flavors I got from it were the orange zest and cherry.

To be fair, yes, it didn’t taste like an old fashioned, but I don’t think it was ever intended to. It has all of the old fashioned elements in an ice cream bar, hence the name. Honestly, there wasn’t anything about it I didn’t like.

#2 and #3 - Blueberry Pancake Cold Brew & Fig Matcha Latte

Marketplace: Golden Dreams

Price: $7.00 (Fig Matcha) / $7.25 (Blueberry Pancake)

Golden Dreams was the first marketplace we tried in the morning when the festival began, so it was only natural that we needed a quick caffeine boost.

I ordered the Blueberry Pancake Cold Brew, a returning favorite of festival goers. It’s made with Joffrey’s Coffee, a variety of syrups, oat milk and blueberry flavored sweet cream and garnished with what Disney describes as, “cinnamon-flavored cereal crumbles”. In other words - Cinnamon Toast Crunch.

Kisha ordered the Fig Match Latte. It’s made with matcha, soy milk, coconut and simple syrups, fig oat sweet cream and garnished with matcha powder.

I liked the Blueberry Pancake just fine but honestly, I didn’t get much blueberry out of it. Additionally, I found the cereal topping to be nothing more than a novelty as they got soggy rather quickly and got lost in the unbearably think ice Disney uses for their cold brews.

The Fig Matcha Latte, on the other hand, was a surprising hit for me. I’m not much of a matcha fan, but this drink won me over. Perhaps it was the sweetness from the fig that balanced it out? Either way, I would order it again.

#4 - Grilled Top Sirloin

Marketplace: Garlic Kissed

Price: $9.00

The Grilled Top Sirloin at the Garlic Kissed booth was in my top three favorite festival offerings. You’ll receive several pieces of grilled sirloin steak with black-garlic chimichurri, on a bed of roasted garlic-gruyere mashed potatoes.

It’s difficult for a theme park to prepare steak bits for the masses without it becoming dry. While, admittedly, the steak was a bit overcooked, the seasoning was incredible. Throw in the garlicky flavors of the chimichurri and potato mash and you have a winning dish.

#5 - The Olive Oil Cake

Marketplace: D*Lish

Price: $7.00

For my money , the olive oil cake was the clear winner of the dessert options. Yes, it beat out the frozen old fashioned. The cake itself was much like a Twinkie, but more dense. It’s glazed with lemon curd and topped with vanilla bean Chantilly, finished with fresh candied lemons, strawberry crunch and a lemon-lime Gelee.

Don’t be fooled by the name, as it seems olive oil has more to do with the baking process of the cake, rather than a visual ingredient. Furthermore, the “lemon-lime Gelee” is straight-up flavorless jello. I didn’t get any lemon-lime from it at all. It’s more of a decorative piece than anything.

Those two things aside, both Kisha and I thoroughly enjoyed the olive oil cake. The lemon flavor wasn’t overbearing, it was lite and refreshing, and the sweetness of the cake was the perfect follow-up to the hearty grilled sirloin dish we just ate.

#6 - Carnitas-style Pork Belly

Marketplace: LA Style

Price: $9.00

Forgive the photo above, but the lighting was horrible in this area of the park and I was having focusing issues with my camera.

Moving on to the food. For this dish, you’re served a small helping of amazingly seasoned pork belly with a side of mac salad, topped with Tajin habanero.

I’ll be perfectly honest, I didn’t give the mac salad the time of day. I had zero interest in it. I did devour the pork belly, however, as it was delicious. It was fatty, but that’s to be expected with pork belly. Additionally, it wasn’t dry in the slightest. We thoroughly enjoyed it.

For what it’s worth, Kisha did eat the mac salad and loved it. She said it wasn’t soupy like mac salad can sometimes be, but not dry either. She also felt the flavor from the Tijin habanero elevated it greatly.

#7 - Butter cake a la mode

Location: Clarabelle’s Hand-Scooped Ice Cream

Price: $7.99

Many don’t realize that the marketplaces (festival booths) aren’t the only locations where you can find special festival offerings. Many of DCA’s year-round eateries have gotten into the festivities as well.

One such eatery is Clarabelle’s, located adjacent to Fiddler, Fifer, and Pratical Cafe (or simply…Starbucks) on Buena Vista Street in the park’s hub.

Their festival offering is the butter cake topped with vanilla ice cream, fresh strawberries and whipped cream. It’s a simple dish that we both loved!

Keep in mind that yes, you can use your Food & Wine Sip and Savor pass for the butter cake here, but not any other item on the menu.

#8 - Cheese Pizza-Flavored Wings

Marketplace: Cluck-a-Doodle-Moo

Price: $8.50

This one wasn’t on many people’s “favorites” list but admittedly, I have a fairly basic palette and I’m not too hard to please. Though my palette has gotten a bit more refined in recent years, I still like to throw it back from time-to-time, and pizza flavored chicken wings fits the bill nicely.

I see what others are saying about the wings being too dry, as mine were, but only a little bit. Perhaps I got a good batch? Not sure, but they weren’t that bad. The seasoning consisted of what I can only describe as the same “dust” you would find on pizza-flavored Pringles. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, though.

I preferred to eat them without the ranch, but Kisha used it as she felt the wings needed it. I was perfectly fine without as I’ll take a solid dry rub over a saucy mess anytime.

#9 - PB&J Whiskey Shake

Marketplace: Nuts About Cheese

Price: $16.00

The PB&J Whiskey shake was, to me, the clear winner among the drink selections. Both alcoholic and non-alcoholic. The shake is made with a peanut butter whiskey (Screwball, possibly), raspberry liquor, vanilla ice cream, Joffrey’s Mexico Origin coffee, with peanut butter and raspberry syrups.

As stated above, this was my favorite drink of the festival. I didn’t get any hint of raspberry at all, but both the peanut butter AND whiskey were apparent. I had no idea peanut butter and whiskey went so well together.

Its price does sting, but it isn’t far off from the usual price you’d pay for cocktails. I initially complained (to myself) about the portion size but considering how strong it was, I feel like they couldn’t make it any bigger without things flying off the rails from those who can’t handle liquor well.

Keep in mind that because this is an alcoholic drink, you cannot use your Sip and Savor allotments for it and there are no Magic Key discounts either.

#10 - BBQ Pulled Pork Mac & Cheese

Marketplace: Nuts About Cheese

Price: $9.00

Initially, neither of us had any interest in this one, as even I felt it was too basic, but we had a couple of spare allotments on our Sip and Savor Pass and didn’t want to waste them. Honestly, I’m glad we ended up trying it.

For the most part, it’s your garden variety mac and cheese (not low quality, but definitely not great) topped with a decently seasoned, fairly dry pulled pork. What helped to save it, though, was the crispy dill pickle onions hiding underneath the pulled pork.

I’m not saying they elevated this offering into a gourmet-level dish or anything, but for me (again, basic palette) the crispy dill onions lifted it out of obscurity. If there’s a picky eater in your group, they’ll almost certainly enjoy this.

#11 - Chile Relleno Empanada

Marketplace: Peppers Cali-ente

Price: $8.50

The Chile Relleno Empanada ended up being Kisha’s favorite food offering. It was a last-minute decision as we initially wanted the Shrimp Papas Locas, but switched to this and no, we don’t regret that decision.

It’s an empanada with a roasted chile inside, topped with arbol pepper salsa, Oaxaca and Cotija cheeses. While not overbearing, the empanada did have quite a kick to it. However, the “kick” was mostly flavor based, instead of novelty heat. It dissipated quickly without the need of a drink.

For me, this offering landed a spot in my top three. Every flavor worked cohesively and had a perfect amount of heat. Additionally, the pastry had zero sogginess to it. It had a nice crisp and flakiness to it.

#12 - Tangerine Tiki Cocktail

Marketplace: Cluck-a-Doodle-Moo

Price: $17.00

This was our second alcoholic drink during the festival and while I strongly favor the PB&J Whiskey shake, the Tangerine Tiki cocktail came in at a close second.

The cocktail is made with dark rum, vanilla-citrus liqueur, tangerine and lime juices, honey syrup and garnished with a dried red pineapple wheel.

It was close to the middle of the day when we ordered this, so this lite and refreshing, tropical drink hit the spot. Though I feel there was a lot less rum in this drink than the amount of whiskey in the shake.

#13 - Napoleon churro

Location: Churro Cart near Redwood Creek Challenge Trail

Price: $7.25

We’ve had our fair share of Disneyland churros. Normally, we stick to the tried and true churro with traditional cinnamon sugar. For the festival, however, we broke from that and tried the Napoleon churro from the cart in Grizzly Peak.

It was more than we were expecting, as it’s actually two churros rolled in strawberry sugar and topped with whipped cream and chocolate drizzle. In a word…it was OUTSTANDING. The only criticism I have, and this is mostly personal preference, is I would’ve preferred a dark chocolate sauce to balance out the sweetness from the strawberry.

While I’ll always love the classic Disney churro, I wouldn’t be mad to see the Napoleon become a permeant fixture at this churro cart.

#14 - Mickey-Shaped Macaron w/ Snikers

Marketplace: Nuts About Cheese

Price: $7.75

As you can see in the photo above, this thing was HUGE. I’ve never had a macaron before, but I have seen them and don’t recall them being this size. I guess they had to justify the nearly $8 price tag somehow.

The macaron is in the shape of Mickey Mouse and made with caramel ganache, Snickers pieces and topped with peanuts. As a fan of Snickers, I thought it was good but at the same time, it was way too big. Definitely bring a plastic baggy for this one.

#15 - The Fun & Fruity Beer Flight

Location: Festival Beer Garden near Paradise Grill

Price: $18.50

During our mid-day break from the festival, we headed over to the Festival Beer Garden to watch a local band, Westside 6, perform a set. While there, we decided to order the Fun & Fruity Beer Flight.

All the beers were good, but the clear stand-out was Fuzzy Logic Peach (number two in the photo above). I’m not sure how to review beer as I don’t drink it often, but it had a great taste. It was on the lite side, refreshing and didn’t give me that bloated feeling other beers do.

#16 - Cheeseburger Bao

Marketplace: California Craft Brews

Price: $8.50

In the interest of transparency, let me state that this was another dish that I had no interest in trying. Kisha, on the other hand, loved it and insisted it be added to the list. So here it is.

My better half reports that the cheeseburger bao tastes exactly as it’s named - a cheeseburger. The bao wasn’t dry at all and the meat inside was flavorful. Topped on the bao are the same ingredients you’d find on a burger, thousand island dressing, grilled onions, pickle and relish.

#17 - Carbonara Garlic Mac & Cheese

Marketplace: D*Lish

Price: $9.00

The final dish on this list was also our favorite, the carbonara mac and cheese featuring Nueske’s Peppered Bacon. If I could imagine a perfect mac and cheese dish, it would be this one.

The saltiness from the bacon pieces, in combination with the garlic, in addition to the crunch from the bread crumbs, elevates this otherwise simple (but classic) dish.

There’s a reason why it continues to reappear, festival after festival. If you’re only going to try one dish at the California Food and Wine Festival, make it this one.

Planning a trip to Disneyland? For information on tickets, be sure to read 10 Best Disneyland Tips: Park Tickets for advice. If you’re visiting during the Food and Wine Festival, read The 2024 Food & Wine Festival Sip and Savor Pass: 8 Things to Know. To read about our recent experience at the resort’s newest restaurant, read Our Experience at Great Maple Modern American Eatery. Finally, to save money on your Disneyland tickets and vacation packages, see our friends at Get Away Today.

I want to hear from you…

Did you attend this or last year’s California Food and Wine Festival? What did you try and which were your favorites? Is there anything on this list you would’ve left off or added on? Sound off in the comments below.

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Star Wars: Season of the Force 2024 Foodie Guide

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through these links, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products or services that I believe will add value to my readers.

On the morning of March 25, Disney finally announced the foodie guide for this year’s Star Wars: Season of the Force event taking place at Disneyland Park and, partially, at Downtown Disney.

The event begins in the spring and runs through early summer and celebrates all things Star Wars. Throughout the event, there will be a new way to watch the fireworks from within Galaxy’s Edge, exclusive merchandise, limited-time experiences and themed food offerings.

Season of the Force begins on April 5 and will culminate on June 2, running (partially) concurrently with Pixar Fest, which is mostly taking place across the esplanade at Disney California Adventure.

So what are the food and drink offerings going to be this year? Where will they be sold? I answer these questions and more in the post below. Let’s get into it.

Tomorrowland Star wars offerings

As mentioned above, the majority of the Star Wars festivities will be taking place at Disneyland park, mostly within two of the park’s lands, Galaxy’s Edge and Tomorrowland.

You won’t find any Season of the Force offerings at Disney California Adventure as there isn’t anything Star Wars related in that park and DCA will be busy hosting the majority of Pixar Fest activities.

In Tomorrowland, the only restaurant that will be offering Star Wars-themed foods is Galactic Grill, as Alien Pizza Planet will be preoccupied with celebrating, you guessed it, Pixar Fest.

The above are reference photos provided by Disney, showcasing the foods and drinks you’ll be able to order at Galactic Grill. They are, in order from top left to bottom right:

• Bantha Burger: An angus beef and vegetable patty, marinated pork belly, American cheese, Asian-inspired slaw and “sambal” sweet mayo on a toasted brioche bun (new offering)

• Chorizo Loaded Fries: Waffle fries, pork chorizo, chile de arbol cheese sauce and black beans, topped with avocado-tomatillo sauce, green onions and Oaxaca cheese

• Wookiee Parfait: Chocolate sponge cake, chocolate pudding and caramel mousse on a chocolate-coffee crust with chocolate pearls

• Watermelon Slush with Death Star glow cube (new offering)

• Granny Smith Apple Slush with Millennium Falcon glow cube

For me, the two stands outs from this line up at the chorizo fries and Wookiee parfait. In prior years during Halloween, Disney sold a favorite of ours, the “Darth by Chocolate” parfait at Galactic Grill. It’ll be interesting to see how the Wookiee version of the parfait will hold up against it.

Also offered in Tomorrowland are two, sure-to-be insanely in-demand popcorn buckets themed after Jabba the Hut and a “Salvaged Stormtrooper Helmet”.

The Jabba the Hut bucket will be sold at two locations - Galactic Grill and the popcorn cart near Star Trader. The Stormtrooper helmet will also be sold in those locations, in addition to several locations within Galaxy’s Edge.

The press release stats that these will be available “beginning April 5”, which is the start of the seasonal event, but doesn’t mention an end date. Indicating they could possibly (and probably) sell completely out before the end of the event.

Disney’s themed popcorn buckets have surged in popularity over the last few years, often commanding huge queues upon their release and selling out quickly. I predict these two will be no different and will, given their themes, likely eclipse past buckets.

The aforementioned popcorn buckets won’t be the only food-related accessories you’ll be able to purchase at Galactic Grill. Others, in order of top left to bottom right in the photo above, include:

• Darth Vader Stainless Steel Tumbler

• Grogu Sipper

• Millennium Falcon Popcorn Bucket

• Death Star Glow cube

Both the stainless steel tumbler and sipper will include a fountain beverage at time of purchase, but they will not entitle you to free refills.

In addition to Galactic Grill, you’ll also be able to purchase the Darth Vader tumbler at GCH Craftsman Grill at the Grand Californian Hotel. Additionally, the Gorgu sipper will also be sold at the Tomorrowland fruit cart.

Not pictured is the Darth Vader premium mug, also sold at Galactic Grill. It’ll include the option of a fountain beverage or bottle of DASANI water at time of purchase. ALL of these accessories are limited to two per person.

Star wars galaxy’s edge offerings

The fun doesn’t stop at Tomorrowland as Galaxy’s Edge is also getting in on the fun. Here is where the new fireworks experience named "Fire of the Rising Moons” will take place. Note this isn’t a separate fireworks show, but a new way in which to view it.

From within Galaxy’s Edge, you’ll be viewing the same fireworks show as everyone else but instead of hearing the show’s usual music, you’ll hear Star Wars-related music. It’s essentially like you’re watching fireworks in actual Batuu, furthering the immersive nature of the land. Personally, I’m excited for this.

Let’s get back on track with the food offerings at Galaxy’s Edge. While all food-related locations in the land will be offering something, the vast majority are concentrated between Docking Bay 7, the sole quick-service location in the land, and Oga’s Cantina, which you’ll need a reservation or join the walk-up list to get into.

There will be two new entree offerings at Docking Bay 7. One is a returning favorite and the other is a brand new option. They are:

• Fried Chicken Baos: Two crispy chicken boas with spicy katsu sauce and creamy slaw (new offering)

• Dewback Chili Noodles: Spiced fettuccine noodles with gingered ground pork, broccolini stems and red cabbage shred

They couldn’t have come up with two dishes more perfect for Kisha and I. Kisha is a huge fan of baos and those spicy noodles are calling my name. We can’t wait for them to hit the menu.

Unfortunately, they won’t be selling a specialty cold brew, outside of the usual Black Caf. I’m a sucker for cold brews and while I love me a Black Caf, I would’ve liked to have seen another option added to the event line up.

At Oga’s Cantina, five brand new galactic-themed drinks will make their way to the menu. Four of the five contain alcohol while the fifth is the sole kid-friendly option. They are:

• Oga’s Obsession: Minute Maid lemonade, wild strawberry flavor, yogurt-filled boba, garnished with strawberry and grape candle pebbles (Nerds)

• Fiery Mustafarian: El Mayor Añejo Tequila, Aperol Aperitivo Liqueur, peach purée, peach syrup and lime juice served with a dropper of spicy lava syrup

• Silver Sea Martini: Hendrick’s Gin, Minute Maid Lemonade, ginger syrup, honey and mint syrup with a shimmery butterfly pea flower tea topping

• Chandrilan Chalice: Hendrick’s Gin, Minute Maid Lemonade, ginger syrup, honey, and mint syrup topped with a shimmery butterfly pea flower tea served in a souvenir wine glass

• Chandrilan Orb Glass: El Mayor Añejo Tequila, Aperol Aperitivo Liqueur, peach purée, peach syrup and lime juice served with a dropper of spicy lava syrup in a souvenir wine glass

Normally, I don’t get excited over the food and drink accessories sold at Disneyland. This one, however, might be the one that breaks me. In addition to the drinks above, Oga’s also selling a beer flight served on a souvenir board with four Rancor teeth.

I have no idea how much it’s going to cost, as Disney neglected to list that detail in their press release. My guess is a minimum of $50, as this will surely be a high-demand souvenir. I’d make a reservation early in the day to ensure you can get one.

Rounding out the options in Galaxy’s Edge is the Pasaana Punch at Ronto Roasters (pictured in the top photo), the Celto Slush at Kat Saka’s Kettle and the Toydaria Swirl at Milk Stand.

Ronto Roasters is known for their delicious Ronto Wraps, but also for their specialty beverages like the famed Tatooine Sunset (a personal favorite of mine). I’m curious to see how this new beverage compares.

Resort Hotels & Downtown Disney offerings

The seasonal offerings continue throughout the resort, namely at the Grand Californian Hotel & Spa and select locations in the Downtown Disney District.

At the snack cart near the lobby of the Grand Californian, there will be several Star Wars-themed treats for sale, similar to the ones sold during the holidays and other events. One such example, as pictured above, is a Grogu shaped macaron.

Additionally, the lobby will feature a massive, showpiece cake in the shape of the Millennium Falcon arriving in Black Spire Outpost. Designed by Disney’s in-house culinary team, this cake will surely impress. It’ll only be available to view from April 5 - May 31.

Furthermore, two of the hotel’s restaurants, GCH Craftsman Grill and Hearthstone Lounge, will serve a “Bitter Martini” made with Hendrick’s Gin, Campari liqueur, lemon juice, simple syrup and green grapes. I’m not much of a gin person, but I’ll likely give this one a shot.

In Downtown Disney, there were only two eateries listed as participants in Season of the Force. They are Salt & Straw and Splitzville Luxury Lanes.

At Salt & Straw, they’re serving up an interesting, frozen concoction called, “Maraschino Cherry with Tye-Dye Marshmallow Fluff”, made with pink and blue marshmallow “milky way” fluff with purple, dark cherry ice cream.

If you’re a fan of sushi, you’ll want to head over to Splitzville. On the menu will be the “Cosmic Roll”. It’ll feature nori wrapped around sushi rice with tempura-fried kanikama crab, avocado, jalapeños and crispy garlic topped with eel sauce and sesame seeds.

When it comes to libations, only one drink is making its way to their menu. It’s called the “Order 2018”, made with gin, Italian liqueur and fresh-squeezed citrus (pictured on the right of the photo collage).

Planning a trip to Disneyland? If you’ll be visiting for Pixar Fest, read Pixar Fest 2024 at Disneyland: 10 Things to Know. For information about the different aspects of dining, read my 2024 Disneyland Dining Guide. Furthermore, for information and tips, read 10 Best Disneyland Tips: Food and Drinks. Finally, for great deals on Disneyland tickets and vacation packages, as well as expert travel assistance, visit my friends at Get Away Today.

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Our Experience at Great Maple Modern American Eatery in the Pixar Place Hotel

During the D23 Parks Panel event in 2022, Disney released a slew of details pertaining to the soon-to-be newly rechristened Pixar Place Hotel. Among them was a new location for Southern California favorite, Great Maple Modern American Eatery restaurant.

After waiting months and much to the delight of Disney fans, Great Maple opened its doors to guests on November 15, 2023, a few months prior to the official re-opening of the newly branded Pixar Place Hotel.

This is the fourth location for the brand, with its flagship in nearby Newport Beach and two others in Pasadena and San Diego, respectively. The menu is the same for the latter two and Anaheim locations, but differs slightly from the San Diego location.

Great Maple features a unique, all-day menu, meaning you can order from the brunch or cocktail menu no matter the time of day. Brunch favorites include French Toast Logs, Smoked Bacon Scramble, Cajun Shrimp Biscuit Benedict and the Fried Chicken and Maple Doughnuts dish.

If brunch isn’t your thing, you can order from their “mains” offerings, including Soda Pop Baby Back Ribs, Maple Pecan Crusted Salmon, Lemon Shrimp Pasta, in addition to a variety of sandwiches and burgers. And least we forget, they offer delicious, house-made doughnuts topped with maple and bacon, in addition to seasonal offerings.

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Restaurant Location, Entrances and Reservation Difficulty

As previously stated, Great Maple is located on the bottom level of Pixar Place Hotel, in the space previously occupied by the often loathed PCH Grill. There are two entrances to the restaurant, one from within the hotel and another from the sidewalk along Disneyland Drive. For those who are wondering, you do not need to be a guest of the hotel to dine here.

It doesn’t particularly matter which entrance you use, as the street-side entrance takes you through a small hallway before leaving you at the hotel’s interior entrance, anyway. I doubt the street-side entrance will be used often, as hotel guests are already inside anyway.

Furthermore, if you’re getting dropped off via an Uber or Lyft, your driver will likely drop you near the hotel lobby, as it’s a safer and less stressful option for them. Additionally, if you’re walking to the restaurant from the parks or Downtown Disney, you’ll likely use the backside entrance to the hotel before making your way to the restaurant’s interior entrance.

The only guests I can see who will utilize this entrance are those coming from the Grand Californian Hotel and Spa across the street, as the crosswalk places you just feet away from it, or off-property guests walking up from the southern end of Disneyland Drive or Katella.

It doesn’t seem that Great Maple has caught on fire in Anaheim just yet, as reservations are easy to come by right now. As I type this, reservations are available in one hour and continue throughout the day. Looking ten days out, they’re wide-open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. (By the way, reservations are made via the Disneyland website or app).

They’ve only been open a few months, so as time progresses and word gets out to more locals and out-of-state visitors, I wouldn’t be surprised to see that easiness subside a bit, though I don’t predict it’ll reach the level of difficulty of the likes of Napa Rose and Lamplight Lounge.

Despite that, if you’re keen on dining at Great Maple, I would still recommend securing a reservation, just in case. You never truly know what crowd patterns will be like at the resort these days and as previously stated, word will eventually get out about Great Maple. There’s always the possibility of sitting at their 360-bar if they’re full, which you can order food from and usually doesn’t have much of a wait anywhere you go.

Great Maple Interior, Our Entree Selections and Service

Great Maple features a stylish, brightly-lit interior with a modern-contemporary flare. Touches of gold and white can be found throughout, with a variety of blue and cream hues making up the fabric of the benches in the booths.

On the walls throughout the restaurant are portraits of some of Pixar’s legacy characters, such as Buzz Lightyear and Jessie in the back patio, and Woody and Bo Peep near the restaurants main entrance. The portraits are original drawings of the characters, drawn to appear as if the characters themselves posed for them. They’re done in the noir art style, which I found to be a nice touch, personally.

There’s tons of seating in the interior, with many booths and standard tables capable of hosting a variety of party sizes. The restaurant’s capacity expands with the addition of the open-air patio, with additional booths and table-top seating. This is where we sat. We appreciated the fresh air, soft sunlight and low traffic noise from Disneyland Drive.

One negative I will get into now is the volume of the music. In the main area of the restaurant, it wasn’t too bad, but I feel like they cranked up the speakers in the back patio to drown out the traffic noise. Personally (and this could just be because I just turned 40), I found the music to be way too loud, as it was difficult hearing my wife or our waitress speak.

The menu is all-day, meaning you can order breakfast, lunch, dinner or craft cocktails at any time throughout the day. We were here right around brunch time and already had a good idea of what we wanted to order. It’s a good idea to research the menu before going (it’s actually a tip from my “10 Best Disneyland Dining Tips” post).

Since it was my birthday, I ordered the Fried Chicken and Doughnuts plate ($27). If you order this, you’ll receive a hearty portion of two pieces of fried chicken and likewise, two of their popular maple bacon doughnuts, both of which come with a lite drizzle of maple syrup and powdered sugar.

While I had no issue clearing my plate, this entree could easily be split between two children (or even two adults if you don’t have huge appetites). I would’ve preferred to have had only one doughnut with the two pieces of chicken myself, but I digress. The chicken was fried to perfection, with absolutely no overly crunchy or burnt parts anywhere. I have no idea what their seasoning mix is, but it’s delicious, regardless.

Kisha ordered the Cajun Shrimp Biscuit Benedict ($27), another featured entree from their brunch menu. The plate is made up of cajun buttered shrimp, cooked arugula and two poached eggs on a white cheddar biscuit, topped with a cajun hollandaise sauce. Served with it is a sour cream and onion scalloped potato square.

She reports that there was nothing about the dish she didn’t like. The shrimp was cooked to perfection, which is generally hard to come by in a restaurant setting. Additionally, she felt there was just enough sauce, the entire dish was seasoned well and the biscuits weren’t dry at all. We both agreed that the dish would also be a good split option for families.

We also ordered a couple of cocktails with our meal. It may not have been noon yet but hey, time doesn’t count when you’re on vacation, right? I ordered the Maple Bacon Old Fashioned ($18) and my better-half ordered the Expresso Martini ($22).

The former is made with bacon washed bourbon, maple syrup and Angostura bitters, served with a piece of torched bacon. I’m no connoisseur of whiskey, but I’ve had my fair share of old fashioned cocktails and can say that while it isn’t the best one I’ve ever had, it was definitely unique, tasty and easily drinkable.

The latter of the above cocktails on the other hand, the Expresso Martini, was easily one of the best cocktails to ever grace my tastebuds. When Kisha let me try it, I immediately regretted not ordering it. This drink is made up of vodka, Kahlua, Baileys and Cafe Moto Expresso, topped with cinnamon powder and coffee beans. It’s expensive for sure, but it’s so good that it would be criminal not to try it at least once.

Finally, to top off my birthday brunch, it was suggested that I try their seasonal doughnut, which has the same frosted base as their usual maple bacon option, but instead of bacon, it was topped with Lucky Charms, which hit me right in the millennial feels.

You can purchase these doughnuts in a plate of three for $9, or order a single (not advertised on the menu), which is what I did. I forgot to look at what the price was for one doughnut, but I imagine it was around the $3 mark. The doughnut was just ok. The Lucky Charms were more of a novelty than anything, as most of them fell off as I ate it. If you’re deciding between this or the maple bacon, the choice is obvious.

Finally, let’s discuss the service. To put it simply, it was fantastic. Our waitress was so kind, friendly and prompt. Even when we came back two days later to sit at the bar for a quick drink, she walked by, immediately recognized us and spoke with us for a moment. I wish I could remember her name because she was truly amazing.

It wasn’t a busy day when we dined, so we received our orders promptly. The gentleman who brought out the food and drinks was also friendly and kept checking on us throughout our meal. After we had paid the bill, he surprised me with a bowl of ice cream for my birthday, and treated me to a solo rendition of the “Happy Birthday” song. Was it awkward? A little bit, honestly, but it was an awesome gesture nonetheless.

All told, before tip and after my Magic Key holder discount, our final bill was $109.43 for the two of us. Even by Disney standards, that was hard to swallow. We didn’t exactly budget for this, though, as we splurged on a few side options and cocktails, so it wasn’t completely surprising.

If you’re a Magic Key holder, definitely take advantage of the discount. Since this is a third-party restaurant, key holders receive a flat 10% no matter the key tier. Another way to bring down the price, as mentioned above, is to split entrees between children. The two we ordered, plus many more, are totally splittable.

Due to the prices, we both agreed that we wouldn’t eat here every time (or even every other time) we visit, but we do feel that the quality of the food, portion sizes and great service make it a worthy destination and help ease the pain of the menu prices a bit. In my book, Great Maple Modern American Eatery is a welcomed and fantastic addition to the resort restaurant line-up.

Planning a vacation to Disneyland? For information and advice on tickets, read 10 Best Disneyland Tips: Park Tickets. To learn about Advanced Dining Reservations and other aspects of dining such as Mobile Order and Mobile Walk-Up, read my 2024 Disneyland Dining Guide. If you’re visiting during Pixar Fest, read Pixar Fest 2024: 10 Things to Know or for Halloween visits, read Disneyland Halloween 2024 Guide.

I WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU

Have you dined at Great Maple yet? What was your experience and which entree/cocktail did you try? If you haven’t dined here yet, are you planning to give it a try or does Great Maple not seem like it’s for you? Do you have another on or off-property restaurant to recommend? Sound off in the comment section below.

The 2024 Food & Wine Festival Sip and Savor Pass: 8 Things to Know

There have been several changes for the Disney California Adventure Food and Wine Festival in 2024. Among them are how to purchase and use your Sip and Savor Pass.

For those who are unaware, the Sip and Savor Pass is a coupon book of sorts that comes with a certain amount of allotments, of which you can redeem for tasting-sized portions of festival offerings.

While the Sip and Savor Pass isn’t new to the festival, there have been quite a few changes made, such as how to use it, how many allotments you receive, cost and more, as stated above.

In this post, I will discuss several aspects of the Sip and Savor Pass, eight to be exact, so you can make the best possible choice of whether or not it is worth it to you to purchase it.

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1) There are two versions of the Sip and Savor Pass this year

In prior years, the Sip and Savor Pass came with the same number of allotments - 8. For locals, this was great as they were able to spread out their redemptions throughout the length of the festival. For individuals who were only visiting for a single day, or those who only wanted to try a few of the offerings, eight was too much and thus, they wouldn’t purchase the pass.

In response to this, Disney changed it up for 2024 and are now offering two passes - the traditional pass with eight allotments and one with just four. This is great as it now enables those who are only visiting for a short time a way to save money. The prices for each pass are as follows:

• $61 for the eight allotment pass ($56 for Magic Key holders)

• $31 for the four allotment pass

No matter which pass you decide to go with, you can redeem your allotments anytime throughout the festival, which in 2024 is March 1 - April 22. After the conclusion of the festival, your allotments will expire and you will not receive a refund or credit.

2) Magic Key holders only receive ONE discount

While Magic Key holders do receive a few perks throughout the festival, discounts don’t seem to be prominently among them. In fact, the only discount you’ll receive is with the purchase of the eight allotment pass. You will not get a discount on the four allotment pass.

Additionally, be aware that if you do not purchase a pass and decide to purchase the offerings individually, you will not get a discount at the booths when doing so. Again, the only discount you will get is on the eight allotment Sip and Savor Pass ($56 for Magic Key holders).

Additionally, none of the third party stands at the festival offer discounts and as is the case with any other location on property, there are no discounts on alcohol.

If you’re a Magic Key holder and you purchase either Sip and Savor Pass, you’ll receive a special Magic Key lanyard. Additionally, there’s a shaded enclave between Avengers Campus and Cars Land with tables and chairs for key holders though during my visit, there wasn’t a cast member regulating it.

3) There are multiple locations where you can purchase Sip and Savor Passes

Most people will head for the Sip and Savor cart to purchase their passes. The cart is located in the Performance Corridor, just past Carthay Circle and across from the Grizzly Peak waterfall. If you’re here during the first couple hours of park opening, there won’t be much of a queue (we waited about five minutes).

However, if there is a significant queue at the cart, there are multiple alternatives that, since most people don’t know sell passes, rarely ever have an extensive wait. These include:

• Elias & Co. and Julius Katz & Sons, both of which are gift shops on Buena Vista Street

• Rushin’ River Outfitters, located at the Grizzly River Run exit

• Seaside Souvenirs, located in Paradise Gardens Park near Corn Dog Castle

• The Festival Merchandise Booth, located in the Performance Corridor, across from the former entrance to the Little Mermaid attraction

Additionally, I have heard rumors that if you’re a registered guest at the Grand Californian Hotel, you’ll be able to purchase a Sip and Savor Pass somewhere in the lobby, though I haven’t been able to confirm this. Furthermore, there are no locations in Downtown Disney or Disneyland Park that sells them.

4) New in 2024, redemptions are now digital

In prior festivals, the Sip and Savor Pass would come with eight physical, pull-off tabs on the sides and/or bottom of the pass. When redeeming one, you would break the tab off and hand it to the cast member taking your oder.

This year, and presumably going forward, the physical tabs are gone and the passes are now scannable. Now, to redeem one of your allotments, the cast member will scan the barcode on the back of your pass and you’ll enter your pass’s four-digit code on the credit card machine.

Assuming it goes through, the cast member will usually inform you of how many allotments you have remaining but if they don’t, it’ll also be printed on your receipt. Many people have complained online of this change but personally, I found it to be much more efficient than the tabs (and less wasteful, to boot).

5) There are two queues at the booths - one for ordering and another for pick ups

Throughout the festival at the marketplaces, you’ll find two queues - one for ordering your selections and another for pick ups. After you’ve paid for your selections or redeemed your allotments with the cast member, you’ll be given a receipt.

Take your receipt and find the pick-up queue for the same booth you ordered from (usually located on the opposite side) and hand your receipt to the cast member. You’ll then be given your selections. Keep in mind that some marketplaces share an order queue, but have separate pick-up queues.

PRO TIP: If you already know what you want to try at each marketplace, save yourself a lot of time in the order queues by ordering all of your selections at one marketplace. You can do this whether you’re using your pass or not. From there, you’ll only need to go through the pick-up queues at the individual marketplaces that offer the selections you’ve ordered.

Just be sure to keep your receipt because that’ll be the only proof you’ll have that you’ve paid for them. Cast members at each booth will mark items off on your receipt as you go. If you want to pick them up on another day, you can do that. Again, save your receipt.

6) Your Sip and Savor Pass can be used beyond the Marketplaces

There are a total of ten festival themed marketplaces scattered throughout the park, and your pass can be used at any of them. They are:

• “California Craft Brews” and “Cluck-a-Doodle-moo” in Paradise Gardens

• “Peppers Cali-Ente” in Grizzly Peak

• “Earth Eats” and “LA Style” in the Hollywood Backlot

• “Golden Dreams”, “Nuts About Cheese”, “Uncork California”, “D-Lish” and “Garlic Kissed” in The Performance Corridor

While many of the offerings served at the marketplaces are great, many don’t realize that there are many restaurants in DCA that are also taking part in the festival by offering their own special treats. A few of these include Award Weiners, Clarabelle’s, Willie’s Churros, Pym Test Kitchen and Lamplight Lounge (and more).

Furthermore, you can use your Sip and Savor Pass at these locations in the same way you would use them at the marketplaces. The only difference is you can’t order all of them in one place and just show your receipt. You’ll need to go to each restaurant individually.

It should be noted that when using your Sip and Savor Pass at these locations, you’ll be given a tasting-sized portion of the offering, not the full entree people paying separately would receive. We ordered at Willie’s Churros and Clarabelle’s and honestly, the portions we were given were more than sufficient, so fret not.

7) Allotments can NOT be used for alcohol

There are a number of marketplaces offering a variety of alcoholic beverages, including favorites such as beer, crafted cocktails, wine and mimosa flights. Unfortunately, you cannot use your Sip and Savor allotments for any of them. You can, however, use them for any non-alcoholic drinks.

I understand why Disney does this, as the $17 and up cocktails provide Disney with huge profit margins, but it would be nice if Disney sold an add-on to the Sip and Savor Pass that would be good for adult beverages. Then again, some could see three or four alcohol allotments as a challenge and for those who can’t handle their liquor, it could spell disaster for other guests. So perhaps it’s best to leave well enough alone.

8) Make sure you’re getting your money’s worth

The Sip and Savor Pass isn’t worth getting if you’re not using it correctly, as you can actually lose money with it. Assuming you’re not a Magic Key holder and you’re purchasing the eight allotment pass, that makes each allotment worth $7.62 ($61 divided by eight = $7.625). With a Magic Key discount, each allotment is worth $7 ($56 divided by eight = $7).

Meaning, in order to get the most value for your money, you’ll need to ensure that each item you order is at or above those dollar amounts. That presents a potential problem for non-key holders, as many of the desserts and non-alcoholic drinks are priced under that amount. Magic Key holders, though, will largely break even on those.

Thankfully, most food options (aside from desserts) are priced between $8 and $9. If you focus your allotments on those, you’ll maximize the value of your pass. Magic Key holders see the biggest savings, as they’ll save between $1 - $2 on each food offering.

Conversely, it gets even worse for those with the four allotment pass as, since there are no discounts, each allotment is worth $7.75, making the majority of desserts and drinks a loss (the sole exception being the Mickey Macaron, as it’s priced at $7.75) . If your intent is to purchase the four allotment pass, definitely use it only on food options priced between $8 - $9.

My advice would be to pay out of pocket for the desserts and drinks, and save your Sip and Savor allotments for food offerings. If you’re a Magic Key holder, you have a bit more leeway as you can go down to $7, which puts the desserts into break even or slight savings territory. Not to be repetitive, but either way, to get the most value, aim for items priced at the high end.

Planning a trip to the Disneyland Resort? For information and tips on tickets, read 10 Best Disneyland Tips: Park Tickets. To learn about Advanced Dining Reservations and Mobile Order, read my 2024 Disney Dining Guide. If you haven’t decided on dates yet, stay away from dense crowds by reading Dates in 2024 to Avoid Visiting Disneyland. Finally, stay up-to-date with ride closures by reading my 2024 Disneyland Refurbishment Schedule.

I WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU

Do feel that the Sip and Savor Pass is worth purchasing? Have you used Sip and Savor at past events? What do you think of the new scannable card over the physical tabs? Are you attending this year’s California Food and Wine Festival? Sound off in the comments below.

10 Best Disneyland Tips: Food and Drinks

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through these links, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products or services that I believe will add value to my readers.

This post began with the intent of being a list of tips and tricks for multiple aspects of a Disneyland vacation. One I started outlining it, though, it quickly became apparent that it would be a massively long post that absolutely nobody would want to read through.

So instead, I decided to break up the would-be gigantic post into a series, giving each topic its own space and making it easier for you, the reader, to get the information you’re after.

This particular post will focus on food, drinks and the many restaurants of Disneyland. I will offer ten of the best tips and tricks that I feel would be most beneficial to you. Some will help to save you money, others may help you avoid losing money, but all with prove valuable.

So read on to discover ten tips for food, drinks and dining at the Disneyland Resort. If you haven’t yet purchased your park tickets, be sure to read the first post in this series as it offers ten tips for purchasing Disneyland tickets.

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1) To save money, split entrees at many Disney restaurants

It’s no secret, dining at the resort restaurants is expensive, especially for a family with multiple children. One way you can save money is to split entrees.

As expensive as they are, there are entrees at many Disney restaurants that could easily be split between two kids, or even two adults in some cases.

A few examples include:

• The Monte Cristo Sandwich at Cafe Orleans ($24)

• The House Gumbo at Tiana’s Palace ($17)

• The Fried Chicken plate at Plaza Inn ($20)

• The lobster nachos at Lamplight Lounge ($25)

• The Fried Chicken and Doughnuts at Great Maple ($25)

To my knowledge, Disney does not charge a fee to split plates (with the one exception being Napa Rose). So as you can see, it could add up to significant savings.

2) Know where you can order an adult beverage

Until fairly recently, the only way you could order alcohol at Disneyland was if you held a membership at Club 33. That changed in 2019 with the opening of Oga’s Cantina in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge.

Shortly thereafter, the Blue Bayou restaurant began serving select cocktails and wine. Finally, in 2022, three additional Disneyland restaurants saw alcoholic drinks added to their menus; River Belle Terrace, Carnation Cafe and Cafe Orleans.

At Disney California Adventure, you never had to look too hard to find alcohol, as just about every restaurant, both sit-sown and quick serve, offers it in some form.

The difference between the two parks, though, is your ability to take your drink with you. You’re permitted to walk around the park with a beer in your hand at DCA but in Disneyland, you must finish your drink before leaving the restaurant.

Additionally, at Disneyland, you cannot order drinks exclusively. You MUST order a food item with it. The only exception to that rule is at Oga’s Cantina, as it’s more of a bar with only a couple food options.

3) Take advantage of the picnic area in the Esplanade

One of the main questions people have about visiting Disneyland is, are they allowed to bring food into the parks? The answer is yes, for the most part. You cannot bring glass containers or coolers in, but wrapped sandwiches and the like in your backpack is perfectly fine.

To the left of the entry gates to Disneyland Park, behind tall shrubbery, is a semi-private picnic area. It’s free to anyone to use. So if you are bringing your own food, this a great spot to take a break from the parks and enjoy your lunch.

4) Don’t forget to make reservations - 60 days out, if possible

There are many quick service restaurants in the parks where you won’t have to worry about this, but if you’re set on dining at a table service restaurant, you’ll likely need to secure a reservation or you’ll be out of luck.

Disney allows you to make advanced dining reservations up to 60-days out at their most popular restaurants. A few of these get snagged up quickly, even at the 60-day mark. So it’s important to be logged into your Disney account and be ready to go.

A few examples of the hard-to-get reservations include:

• Lamplight Lounge

• Blue Bayou

• Oga’s Cantina

• Napa Rose

• Carthay Circle

• Trader Sam’s Tiki Bar

How hard they will be to get largely depends on the time of year you’ll be visiting. If you’re visiting between January and early March, it’ll be easier. In the summer or holiday months, though, the demand is higher and much more competitive.

You could always try the easier-to-get restaurants, where last minute ADR’s are typically easy to come by. These include Wine Country Trattoria, Jazz Kitchen and River Belle Terrace, all of which are solid options.

However, if you’re dead set on a particular restaurant and you haven’t been able to snag a ADR, there is one more thing you can try, which leads me to number 5…

5) Utilize ‘Mobile Walk-Up’

Mobile Walk-Up is a feature in the Disneyland App that enables you to join a virtual wait list at select Disney restaurants that don’t have available reservations.

Virtually every Disney restaurant that accepts ADRs offers this option. Keep in mind that at Lamplight Lounge, this is only an option at the Boardwalk Dining area of the restaurant between the hours of 11:30am and 4:00pm.

What you’ll do is head to the restaurant you want to dine at. As you’re approaching it, open the Disneyland app and go to the ‘Dining Availability’ tab.

Go to the restaurant’s page on the app and select, “Join Waitlist”. If you’re not close enough to the restaurant, it won’t let you join until you are.

Once you’ve joined the list, you’ll be notified through the app when a table becomes available. Try not to the stray too far from the restaurant as you only have a short time to claim your table.

6) Don’t purchase overpriced bottles of water

Bottles of water at the parks are often priced at $5 or more for a single bottle of Dasani. That same bottle at the grocery store would cost you $1.50 or less.

It simply doesn’t make economic sense to purchase these. If you’re looking for ways to save money during your trip, definitely start here.

Bringing your own reusable water bottle, such as a Hydro Flask, will save you tons of money as there are water bottle refill stations throughout both parks.

Additionally, you can get free water at any quick service eatery by simply asking a cast member. The cups are small, but you don’t have to pay for them and you can go back as many times as you like, even if you’re not purchasing anything.

7) Don’t skip the resort hotel restaurants

With so many options at both parks and Downtown Disney, many don’t realize that the resort hotels offer their own dining options, with many of them being popular amongst locals.

Trader Sam’s Tiki Bar at the Disneyland Hotel and Villas if one of the most popular options for drinks. Though in my humble opinion, the food isn’t worth it.

My personal favorites include the GCH Craftsman Grill and Hearthstone Lounge, both at the Grand Californian. The former is fairly easy to get an ADR but if their aren’t any available, you could always sit at the bar. The latter doesn’t offer reservations but almost always has an open table or barstool.

8) Definitely use ‘Mobile Order’ to save time

Mobile Order has been a game changer for park-goers. It enables you to order/pay for your food and select your pick up time in advance. When your time comes, simply head to the restaurant’s pick up window to retrieve your order.

Virtually every quick service restaurant in the parks offer this feature, including Cocina Cucamonga, Lucky Fortune Cookery, Tiana’s Palace, Bengal BBQ and Pym’s Test Kitchen.

Remember that you’ll need the Disneyland app, plus a Disney account and stored payment method in order to use the Mobile Order feature. You can read more details about it in my 2024 Disneyland Dining Guide.

9) Plan out what you want to eat prior to going to allow for better budgeting

The Disneyland website is a gold mine of information, especially when it comes to its dining options. You’re able to see restaurant names, precise locations, menu offerings, nutrition information, prices, and more.

After deciding where you want to eat but prior to leaving for your trip, go to the website and research the menus at the restaurant you’re wanting to dine at.

I’m not saying you need to decide exactly what you want to eat, but going through the menus will give you a general idea of what it’ll cost to dine there and allow you to budget better.

10) Purchase ‘Sip and Savor’ passes during festivals

There are three food festivals throughout the year, all of which take place at Disney California Adventure. They are Lunar New Year Celebration, the Food & Wine Festival and the Festival of Holidays.

One of the main draws of the these festivals are the dozen or so individually themed marketplaces, each offering their own food options in individual sized portions.

The Sip and Savor passes come with digital allotments of four or eight. You can use your allotments for any entree or non-alcoholic drink option at the booths and select restaurants.

Remember, the higher priced the food or drink option you want is, the greater the savings. For example, the price for the eight allotment Sip and Savor pass during the 2024 Food and Wine Festival costs $61 (or $56 for Magic Key holders). That makes each allotment $7.62 each (or $7 each for the Magic Key price).

With most food options priced between $8 and $10, the savings are obvious. Due to this, it doesn’t make sense to use an allotment for a drink, which are usually priced at or under the $7 mark. It’s cost effective to use them for the higher priced items.

2024 Disneyland Dining Guide: Reservations, Mobile Order and More

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One of the biggest (and costly) considerations you’ll make when planning a trip to the Disneyland Resort is where and what you’re going to eat.

Between the two theme parks, three resort hotels and Downtown Disney District, there are more than 130 dining options ranging from snack carts to fine dining establishments.

Additionally, there are aspects of Disney dining such as mobile order, mobile walk-up and dining reservations to consider.

Of course, you can save yourself a considerable amount of money by bringing your own food. Disney does allow you to bring snacks, cold sandwiches, fruit and the like into the park.

Just outside the Disneyland Park gate, behind tall greenery and underneath the Monorail track, is a private picnic area with tables and chairs that are free for all guests to use.

However, if you’re able to, I do recommend trying at least a couple of the resort’s restaurants. Some of which serve food you can’t get at most places and are actually VERY good.

So if you’re bringing kids, which restaurants have the biggest portions so you can split entrees? If you’re Disney adults, which restaurants serve cocktails? Which ones are the hardest to get into? I answer all of these questions and more below.

Let’s get into it.

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Table-Service Restaurants

Disney’s table service restaurants are akin to the type you usually visit in your everyday life. You are greeted by a host/hostess, are seated, you place your order with the waiter/waitress and are brought your food.

Nearly all restaurants under this classification accept dining reservations, which you can make up to 60-days in advance and can do so on the Disneyland website or app. The following restaurants are table service AND accept reservations:

Disneyland Park

• Blue Bayou

• Cafe Orleans

• Carnation Cafe

• Oga’s Cantina

• River Belle Terrace

Disney California Adventure

• Carthay Circle

• Carthay Circle Alfresco Dining

• Lamplight Lounge

• Magic Key Terrace (Magic Key holders and their guests only)

• Wine Country Trattoria

Downtown Disney District

• Naples

• Jazz Kitchen Coastal Grill & Patio

• Splitsville Luxury Lanes

• Tortilla Jo’s (permanently closes March 31st)

*This list will expand further with the opening of several new restaurants in Downtown Disney throughout 2024/2025

Disneyland Resort Hotels

• GCH Craftsman Bar

• Great Maple Modern American Eatery

• Napa Rose

• Palm Breeze Bar

• Trader Sam’s Enchanted Tiki Bar

As stated above, you can start making dining reservations 60-days in advance. You DO NOT need to have a theme park reservation in order to make one.

Many of the restaurants listed above are difficult to get into, even at the 60-day mark. It really boils down to the time of year you’re going. If you’re going in January - early March, it shouldn’t be too difficult to get your preferred date/time 60-days out.

Conversely, if you’re going in the summer or holiday seasons, the demand will be higher and thus, more competitive. When you’re 60-days out, be logged into your account on the Disneyland website or app as early as 6am (when reservations are rumored to be released).

A handful of the difficult-to-get reservations from the list above include; Lamplight Lounge, Napa Rose, Trader Sam’s, Blue Bayou and Carthay Circle.

If you’re unable to snag a reservation for one of those, you can typically always get a reservation at Wine Country Trattoria, River Belle Terrace, Cafe Orleans and GCH Craftsman Bar, all of which are solid options.

*NOTE: I discuss another detail about reservations at the end of this post. You DON’T want to skip it.

Another trick you can try if you weren’t able to get a reservation for your preferred restaurant is to try the mobile walk-up list. Just about every restaurant that accepts reservations offers this.

Lamplight Lounge, for example, has gone as far as to reserve an entire section of the restaurant for it. The boardwalk area of Lamplight, formally known and fondly remembered as ‘Cove Bar’ is reserved for mobile walk-up guests.

To do this, simply approach the restaurant and open the Disneyland app. Once the app detects you, you’ll be able to join the list. Keep in mind that, at least at Lamplight, you’re only able to join the walk-up list between the hours of 11:30am - 4:30pm.

Quick-Service Restaurants

Quick-service restaurants are comparable to fast causal places like Chipotle and MOD Pizza, in that they’re the type where you’ll walk up to the window, order/pay for your food and find yourself a seat.

They’re located throughout both theme parks and are typically the busiest as they’re built to serve thousands of people daily.

To make things even more convenient, many of these quick-service eateries offer mobile order, a feature in the Disneyland app that enables you to order and pay for your meals digitally.

While not all quick-service restaurants offer mobile order, many of them do. Especially the most popular ones. Those include:

Disneyland Park

• Alien Pizza Planet

• Bengal BBQ

• Docking Bay 7

• Galactic Grill

• Gibson Girl Ice Cream

• The Golden Horseshoe

• Harbour Gallery

• Hungry Bear

• Jolly Holiday Bakery

• Mint Julep Bar

• Red Rose Taverne

• Refreshment Corner

• Ronto Roasters

• Royal Street Veranda

• Stage Door Cafe

• Tiana’s Palace

• Tiki Juice Bar

• Troubadour Tavern

Disney California Adventure

• Award Weiners

• Flo’s V8 Cafe

• Smokejumpers Grill

• Bayside Brews

• Cocina Cucamonga Mexican Grill

• Rita’s Turbine Blenders

• Sonoma Terrace

• Aunt Cass Cafe

• Corn Dog Castle

• Hollywood Lounge

• Lucky Fortune Cookery

• Paradise Gardens Grill

• Pym Test Kitchen

• Schmoozies!

• Studio Catering Co.

Disneyland Hotel

• The Coffe House

• Tangaroa Terrace Tropical Bar & Grill

As you can see, the list is extensive. Do note that currently, mobile order is not available at any restaurant in Downtown Disney, Pixar Place Hotel or the Grand Californian Hotel and Spa.

Using mobile order is quick and easy. First, make sure you have the Disneyland app downloaded to your device and create an account before going to the parks. You’ll also want to add a credit or gift card as your payment method.

When you’re ready to order yourself lunch, simply open the app and select, “order food”. Then you’ll scroll through the list and select the restaurant you want to order from.

Next, you’ll select your pick up window. Unless it’s a brand new restaurant or a particularly busy day, you shouldn’t have issues with pick up times being too far out. If so, you’ll need to think ahead and submit your order earlier in the day.

Once you’ve chosen your pick up window, you’ll then be presented with the restaurant’s menu and from there, make your selections and select your payment method. You can pay with credit/debit/gift cards or Apple Pay. Paying cash on pick up is not an option.

When your pick up window approaches, make your way to the restaurant, find yourself a seat and open the app. Select “I’m Here” and patiently wait while the cast members get to work.

When your order is ready, you’ll be notified by the app and given a numbered pick up window (I don’t know who needs to hear this, but there’s no need to clog up the pick up windows by waiting there). Simply head to your assigned numbered window and pick up your food when you’re called.

As stated above, you may need to think ahead a bit when using mobile order. If it’s a slow(ish) day, you should be able to get pick up windows within thirty minutes or so.

If it’s busy (think Halloween, summer, etc), you’d be better served by playing it safe and placing your order earlier in the day. For example, select your pick up window for lunch while everyone else is eating breakfast. This way, you’re not caught off guard.

If the pick up windows are too far out or you’re paying cash, then you’ll need to utilize the stand-by queue. I always recommend mobile order, though. Every time I use it, I always end up with my food long before those in stand-by do.

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Alcohol at the Disneyland Resort

If you’re a proud “Disney Adult” (or simply, a stressed out parent who wants to take the edge off), you’ll be happy to hear that alcohol is now served extensively throughout the resort.

Previously a mostly dry park, Disneyland Park now has a number of locations that serves beer, wine, cocktails or all the above. They are:

• Blue Bayou

• River Belle Terrace

• Carnation Cafe

• Cafe Orleans

• Oga’s Cantina

Additionally, guests who can afford it and/or who’re members, can order drinks at 21 Royal and Club 33. At DCA, most restaurants, even quick-service locations, serve alcohol.

As far as the theme parks are concerned, the only two locations that could primarily be considered a bar/lounge would be Oga’s at Disneyland and Pym Test Lab at DCA. The former does sell small bites but is mostly a bar and the latter serves alcohol exclusively.

Essentially, every restaurant in the Downtown Disney District serves a combination of beer, wine and cocktails, and most locations in the three resort hotels do as well.

If you’re interested in having a drink at Oga’s, you’ll need to be on the ball by getting a reservation 60-days out as it’s a popular place. You could try getting on the mobile walk-up list, but securing a reservation would be preferable.

Other bars and lounges in the resort, such as Pym Test Lab in Avengers Campus and Hearthstone Lounge in the Grand Californian Hotel, do not offer reservations and are generally easy locations to get a seat at.

Specialty Dining

Specialty dining can mean many things at Disneyland but generally speaking, this includes things like character dining and dining packages for the nighttime shows such as Fantasmic and World of Color.

The following locations offer dining packages for Fantasmic! (returning May 24th):

• Blue Bayou

• River Belle Terrace

• Hungry Bear Restaurant

I wrote an extensive post about my experience with the River Belle Terrace Fantasmic! dining package. You can read that here if you’re interested.

At Disney California Adventure, where World of Color show is shown, the following locations offer dining packages for that show:

• Carthay Circle (temporarily unavailable)

• Wine Country Trattoria

• Magic Key Terrace (for Magic Key holders and their guests only)

Character dining has long been a favorite of Disneyland fans. If you don’t know, they’re experiences where some of your favorite Disney characters interact with you at your table while you dine. It’s a time-saver as you won’t have to queue up to meet them.

Character dining experiences are available at the following locations:

• Minnie & Friends at Plaza Inn - Disneyland Park (breakfast only)

• Goofy’s Kitchen at the Disneyland Hotel (breakfast, lunch & dinner)

• Storytellers Cafe at the Grand Californian Hotel (breakfast, lunch & dinner)

• Disney Princess Adventure at Napa Rose (breakfast only)

The first three are all buffet, all-you-care-to-eat style meals. Disney Princess Adventure, though, is a prix fixe menu in which your selections are brought to you.

The three traditional character dining options are usually priced between $35 - $60 for adults and $25 - $35 for kids. The Disney Princess Adventure breakfast, however, commands an eye-watering $135 per person (yes, even kids).

You’ll typically get to meet, on average, 3-5 characters during your meal, dependent upon how busy it is. I was at the Plaza Inn on a slow day once and was bombarded with characters, multiple times over.

Conversely, at Goofy’s Kitchen, we only had a few characters come to our table throughout the entire meal. So your milage may vary. Just be understanding that the characters have to work their way through the whole restaurant and some parties are larger than others.

Additional Information About Reservations

In the Table-Service section at the beginning of this post, I briefly discussed making reservations for the more popular restaurants 60-days out.

There is another aspect of the reservation system I feel you should be aware of - the cancellation policy. For the most part, the cancellation policy is the same within the theme park eateries, but it varies throughout the rest of the resort.

When making a reservation, you’ll be asked to submit a credit or debit card number as a guarantee. If you fail to show up for your reservation or cancel outside the specified timeframe, your card will be charged a certain amount, per person.

This is done in order to prevent people from hoarding reservations and holding them for other people. It helps to ensure that the person making the reservation actually shows up or cancels in time for someone else to have a chance at getting it.

Cancellation policies at the following restaurants are:

Restaurants with a TWO HOUR cancellation window/$10 per person no-show charge:

• All restaurants inside Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure

• GCH Craftsman Bar at the Grand Californian Hotel

• Storytellers Cafe at the Grand Californian Hotel

• Goofy’s Kitchen at the Disneyland Hotel

• Trader Sam’s Enchanted Tiki Bar at the Disneyland Hotel

• Palm Breeze Bar at the Disneyland Hotel

• Great Maple at the Pixar Place Hotel

• Blue Bayou Fantasmic! Dining Package

Restaurants with a ONE DAY cancellation window/$10 per person no-show charge:

• Naples

• Jazz Kitchen Coastal Grill & Patio

• Tortilla Jo’s

• Splitsville Luxury Lanes

• River Belle Terrace Fantasmic! Dining Package

Restaurants with a ONE DAY cancellation window/varying per person no-show charge:

• Napa Rose - $25 per person

• Disney Princess Adventure - $135 per person (full charge)

• World of Color Dessert Party - full, per person charge (starts at $89)

Restaurants with a TWO DAY cancellation window/varying per person no-show charge:

• Tomorrowland Skyline Terrace - full per person charge (starts at $60)

As you can see, the penalties for no-showing or simply not cancelling within the specified window can be steep. If you find yourself in a situation where you’re going to miss your reservation and you’re within that window, there are two things you can try to avoid being charged:

1. Speak with the cast member and plead your case. I’ve heard of instances where after politely asking, people were able to cancel their reservation without being charged, despite being minutes away from their reservation time.

2. You can “modify” your reservation in the app or website to a date that’s further out and then cancel said reservation (note that this will NOT work if you’re close to your reservation time. Option #1 would be best in that instance).

There’s no guarantee of either working to your advantage, but it’s worth a shot. It’s understandable that things come up, but the best thing you can do is make it to your reservation.

Another thing to note is, say you’ve made a reservation for a party of six at Blue Bayou. Let’s assume that two of those six aren’t going to make it for one reason or another. You will not be penalized for that. As long as the person who's name is on the reservation is present, you’re good.

*PRO TIP: If the person who’s name is on the reservation cannot make it but you can, just give that person’s name to the host/hostess. They don’t check ID’s.

River Belle Terrace Fantasmic Dining Package

Last year in April, tragedy struck the Disneyland Resort when Murphy, the animatronic Maleficent dragon, caught fire during a live performance of Fantasmic!, forcing the fan-favorite show to go on an extended hiatus.

The future of the show was in doubt as fans were unsure of when, if ever, it would return and if it did, would it be changed so significantly that it would no longer be the same…

Disney finally answered those questions in November 2023, confirming that Fantasmic would indeed be returning on May 24th, 2024. With it, there’s expected to be a new battle scene between Sorcerer Mickey and Maleficent, new floats and the return of Peter Pan and Captain Hook.

With Fantasmic returning soon, you may be interested in booking a dining package to secure a reserved spot to watch the show. Gone are the days where you can camp out at the waterfront to save yourself a spot. If you want to sit up close, you’ll need to book a dining package.

There are three Disneyland restaurants that offer these. They are:

• Blue Bayou

• River Belle Terrace

• Hungry Bear Restaurant

While this post will focus on the standard package offered at the River Belle Terrace, I will also discuss the other two restaurants as well. Full disclosure, I have not personally purchased dining packages with Blue Bayou or Hungry Bear - only River Belle Terrace.

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River Belle Terrace Fantasmic Dining Experience

The Fantasmic (standard) dining package at the River Belle Terrace is a three-course meal offered at both lunch and dinner. The price for this package in 2024 is:

• $55 per adult

• $32 per child (ages 3 - 9)

Each person will receive one starter, one entree and one dessert. Regular drinks such as soda, juices and coffee are also included in the price. What isn’t included are alcoholic drinks, tip and tax.

Note that there are two versions of the dining package at River Belle Terrace - the standard and premium. The differences between the two are:

• Standard: You make a normal reservation for River Belle and at the time of your meal and inform your waitress that you want the Fantasmic dining package. At the conclusion of your meal, each person will receive a voucher to return to the viewing area prior to showtime.

• Premium: You’ll make a reservation for this package specifically at this link 60-days in advance. This package is only available during dinner and you’ll watch Fantasmic from your table. The cost for this package is $75 (adult) and $45 (child).

The River Belle Terrace Fantasmic! menu has a number of tasty offerings. Our table of four had no problem making our selections. I don’t know this first hand, but I’ve read numerous reviews of this location being flexible with substitutions. If you don’t see something you like on the Fantasmic menu, ask for the normal one.

On our visit, some of the menu items our party ordered were:

• Red Beans & Rice cup w/ Andouille Sausage

• Burnt Ends Grilled Cheese Sandwich

• Buttermilk Fried Chicken Sandwich

• Pimento Mac and Cheese Skillet

• Cookies n’ Cream Cheesecake

• Housemade Pudding

• The Seasonal Cobbler

No one at our table had a single negative thing to say about the food. All of it was presented well, was delicious and the portions were more than sufficient. Additionally, despite being a busy day, the service from our waitress was top notch.

*PRO TIP: If you’re just looking for somewhere to eat and looking to save money, dine here and split entrees. Disney allows this (from the regular menu, NOT the package). The portions here are enough for even two adults to split, let alone two children.

At the end of our meal, we were asked which of the two showings that night we wanted the voucher for. We booked a lunch reservation, so there were plenty of vouchers left. The danger of booking a dinner reservation is you may not be able to choose as they could have run out of one.

We chose the 10:30 showing and were advised to head over to Harbor Gallery/Pelican’s Landing (across from Haunted Mansion) about thirty minutes prior to showtime.

After everything was said and done, I paid about $260 for the four of us (all adults, inclusive of tax and tip). While I was really paying for a great view of the show, the food being as good as it was helped ease the pain of the final bill a bit.

The Viewing Area

Regardless of which restaurant you purchased your dining package, the check-in area is the same. Again, it’s located adjacent to Harbor Gallery/Pelican’s Landing. You’ll see cast members holding up signs in rows with each restaurant’s name on them. Simply line up in the row of your restaurant.

Shortly prior to showtime, the cast members will begin escorting you to your assigned viewing area. Blue Bayou guests will be seated (mostly) dead center to the stage, followed by River Belle guests, who’ll be seated to the right. Lastly, Hungry Bear guests will be to the left.

As you can see in the photo above, we were seated right up front. We weren’t directly center to the stage (we would’ve needed to dine at Blue Bayou for that) but it was a great view regardless. Not too shabby if you ask me.

If you want a chance at being seated in the front row, you’ll need to arrive at the check-in area early. It’ll state on your voucher to arrive thirty minutes prior to showtime. However, if you wait until then a rather large queue would’ve already formed.

Instead, I would suggest arriving closer to one hour early. When we first arrived, there were no cast members guiding the way, so we just hung around until they showed up. So if you do the same, don’t be alarmed. As long as you’re next to Harbor’s Gallery, you’ll be fine.

Also keep in mind that there are no actual seats included with the price of these dining packages and thus, you’ll be sitting on the ground (bringing a waterproof outdoor blanket to sit on, like this one, would be wise. Just think about how many people have walked over that spot).

The only exception to this is the premium package offered at the River Belle Terrace. You’ll enjoy the show from the comfort of your table on the restaurant’s patio. The downside is you’ll have the walkway and the Genie+ viewing area in front of you with little elevation.

All Fantasmic Dining Packages

There are three dining locations that offer a total of four Fantasmic! dining packages. They all vary in price and offerings, but the seating is generally the same. All of them are on the waterfront of the Rivers of America and form a horseshoe of sorts around the stage. Here is the information for all packages in 2024:

• Blue Bayou: Price is $89 (adult) and $35 (child), lunch or dinner. Each person receives an entree of choice, a non-alcoholic specialty drink and a Fantasmic! speciality dessert. Cocktails are separate. The viewing area is located center, or near-center, of the performance stage.

• River Belle Terrace Premium: Price is $75 (adult) and $45 (child). Each person receives a three-course meal from the Fantasmic! menu (though you CAN order from the regular menu if you wish). Cocktails are separate. You’ll watch the performance from your table on the outdoor patio of the River Belle. *Dinner only.

• River Belle Terrace Standard: Price is $55 (adult) and $32 (child), lunch or dinner. Each person receives a three-course meal (starter, entree and dessert), plus cold drinks. The viewing area is located to the right of the performance stage.

• Hungry Bear Restaurant: Price is $38 (adult) and $27 (child), lunch or dinner. Pick-up times are between 3pm and 8:30pm on most days. Each person will receive their choice of entree and side, in addition to a fountain beverage and Fantasmic! themed dessert. The viewing area is located to the right of the performance stage. *You cannot mobile order this package.

Clearly, Blue Bayou is the high end choice, followed by River Belle in the middle with Hungry Bear being the budget-friendly option. If seeing Fantasmic up close is important to you and your group, you really can’t go wrong with any of these as the view is essentially the same.

What it boils down to from there is your food preference. Blue Bayou and River Belle offer a traditional sit-down meal versus Hungry Bear’s grab-n-go style. Blue Bayou arguably has the best atmosphere, as it’s located inside of the Pirates of the Caribbean attraction. My recommendation, though, is River Belle. The viewing area is great and the food is satisfying. All for a middle-of-the-road price point.

To recap, if you want to book for the Blue Bayou or the premium option at River Belle, you’ll book a reservation through this link. Conversely, if you want to go with Hungry Bear, you’ll need to book through this link. If you’d rather do the standard option at the River Belle, then you just need to make a standard brunch or dinner reservation and inform the host when you arrive.