If you thought selecting a restaurant in your hometown was tough, it doesn’t get any easier at Disneyland. There are more than 90 eateries in the Disneyland Resort alone, and that doesn’t count the almost endless options beyond Disney’s gates. But before you go running for the exit, take heart. We’ve been to every eatery on Disney property at least once and we offer easily digestible descriptions and yummy ratings in this chapter.

First things first: decide how often you want to eat out. Many folks (including ourselves) bring or buy some food for in-room snacks or meals, with light breakfasts being the most practical choice. Most hotels can supply a refrigerator (sometimes for an additional fee), some include a coffeemaker, and a few even have kitchen facilities, too. For example, nearly every Good Neighbor Hotel has a microwave in their rooms, as well as a mini or full-size fridge . You can, of course, eat out every meal. We like to eat a light breakfast in our room with food we’ve packed or purchased, such as peanut butter and jelly on English muffins. We then do one or two special breakfasts “out” (such as a character breakfast—see page 242 ). We often eat lunch and dinner at the parks, hotels, or Downtown Disney. Some vacationers prefer to eat a big meal mid-morning and another mid-afternoon to save time and money. More money-saving ideas are on page 217.

Once you have an idea of how often you want (and can afford) to eat out, your next task is to decide when and where. Revisit your Touring Worksheet (page 210) and check the parks you want to visit—it is much easier to choose a restaurant in or near your day’s destination. Every Disney park offers table-service restaurants, and all theme parks offer counter-service eateries, snack shops, and carts. To help you choose from the overwhelming number of dining choices, this chapter offers descriptions of all eateries at the Disneyland Resort, Universal Studios, Universal CityWalk, and Knott’s Berry Farm. We’ve also included a selection of other area eateries outside the parks. Descriptions are organized alphabetically within each park and hotel to help you focus on your choices. Pick the eateries that fall within your budget, tastes, and needs—you may find it helpful to highlight or circle those eatery descriptions that interest you (or, in the LIVE version, bookmark them).

As you make decisions about your meals and the eateries you want to visit, jot them down on your Meal Worksheet at the end of the chapter on page page 246 or at DisneyPlanner.com. Make note of those table-service eateries for which advance dining reservations may be made. To learn about the reservation system at Disneyland Resort, continue on to the next page.