Disneyland Dining Discounts, Deals & Coupons - MouseSavers.com (2024)

LAST UPDATE: 1/23/24

There are many Disneyland dining discounts available in the parks and resort hotels, as well as meal discounts, coupons and deals at nearby restaurants. You just have to know how to find them!

Jump to:

• Dining Reservations
• Avoid Seasonal Restaurant Price Increases
• Email Offers, Rewards Clubs and Other Restaurant Deals
• Birnbaum’s Disneyland Resort Guidebook Coupons
• Restaurant.com
• Disney Visa Card Discounts
• Disneyland Annual Passholder Discounts
• Disney Vacation Club Discounts
• D23 Member Discounts
• AARP Member Discounts
• AAA Member Discounts
• Landry’s Select Club
• Costco Deals on Restaurant Gift Cards

Dining Reservations

Special note: If you are making a reservation for a restaurant in a theme park, you will also need valid admission and a theme park reservation.

Most Disneyland visitors are locals who tend to plan their visits at the last minute. For that reason, it’s usuallynot very hard to get a table at Disneyland restaurants. In most cases you can skip making reservations, except perhaps in peak seasons like Spring Break and Christmas/New Year’s. If you don’t have a reservation, you can usually just walk up and put your name on the list. You may have to wait, but you should get seated eventually.

The Blue Bayou has limited seating space and is such a unique Disneyland experience that it can be a bit harder to get a table. If you don’t have an advance reservation, go straight to the restaurant when the the park opens and try to arrange a table.

• You can makeonline dining reservationsfor allDisneyland Resort restaurantsup to 60 days in advance.
• You can also call (714) 781-DINE (3463) up to 60 days in advance to make dining reservations at Disneyland.
• You are required to provide a credit card number for all dining reservations. At most restaurants, a $10 per person penalty will be charged to the card if you don’t show for the reservation or if you don’t cancel at least 2 hours in advance.

Reserving Independent Restaurants Directly

Not all restaurants on Disney property are actually run by Disney. Most ofthe table-service restaurants at Downtown Disney are independently managed. While all of them can take reservations viathe Disney Dining system, many of themalso accept reservations directly or sometimes viaOpenTable. They may actually have availability even when Disney says they’re sold out, because they allocate a portion of their reservation slots to Disney and keep the rest for themselves. This is especially true for large parties; many of these restaurants can easily handle a group of 12 or more, but may not bother to make those tables available through Disney; you have to call to make a group reservation of that size.

One other advantage to booking directly or via OpenTable is that there is no credit-card guarantee or no-show fee to worry about. We don’t advocate making reservations you don’t intend to use, but it’s one less thing to worry about if something happens and you can’t make your reservation.

• As of January 2024, the following Downtown Disney restaurants were available on OpenTable (this list changes from time to time; check the Anaheimarea to see what’s available):
  • Jazz Kitchen Coastal Grill & Patio
  • Naples Ristorante e Bar
  • Splitsville Dining Room

Mobile Ordering in the Parks & Resorts

Most Quick Service restaurants in the Disneyland theme parks and hotels offer mobile ordering. Using the Disneyland mobile app on your phone, you can place your order and pay using a credit card or debit card.

Once you have placed your order, you select a time range for pick up. Once you arrive at the restaurant, open up the app and tap the “I’m Here, Prepare My Order” button. When your order is ready, you will get a notification on the app. To pick up your order, look for the specially marked pickup spot for mobile orders.

The mobile ordering app is pretty easy to use and means you don’t have to get to the restaurant, stand in line, and then place your order. Instead, you can place your order whenever you want, and then head over to the restaurant during your time range, find a table, and get your food once it’s ready. Unless there is literally no line, we would always choose mobile ordering if it’s available.

Avoid Seasonal Restaurant Price Increases

Disneyland sometimes raises the prices of its Character meals during busy times of year. During these periods, a Character meal may cost you up to 25% more than normal! All of the Character meals participate in this upcharge and it is based purely on dates, not on any “enhanced” menus.

Easter / spring break time, summer and the Christmas-to-New Year’s period are usually subject to these increases.

If you needed another reason to avoid visiting Disneyland during peak seasons, this is a good one!

Tips & Tricks for Saving in the Parks and Resorts

Jump to:

• Bringing in Outside Food and Drink
• Make Breakfast in Your Room
• Best Bets
• Check Out Portion Sizes to Cut Costs
• Table Service – Worth It?
• Starbucks

Bringing in Outside Food and Drink

According to the Disneyland FAQ: “Guests are allowed to bring outside food and nonalcoholic beverages into the parks for self-consumption, provided they are not in glass containers, do not require heating, reheating, processing or refrigeration and do not have pungent odors. Inform a Security Cast Member of any food items when you enter the park.”

You absolutely will NOT be allowed to bring in the following: alcoholic beverages, loose or dry ice, coolers larger than 6-pack sized.

Small glass containers, such as baby food jars, are allowed.

Wine may be brought into Downtown Disney to be consumed at select table service restaurants only, corkage fees apply.

Disneyland provides a designated picnic area outside the gates of Disneyland, and there are lockers available that are large enough to store a moderate-sized cooler.

Make Breakfast in Your Room

There are several advantages to eating breakfast in your hotel:

• It’s expensive to eat breakfast in the theme parks. You can save a lot of money by eating outside the parks.
• Eating breakfast before you leave the hotel allows you to hit the road earlier and get to the parks before the crowds arrive. It also means you’re not wasting precious morning hours (the least crowded of the day) sitting in a theme park restaurant.
• Many people find that their over-excited kids are much more focused on going to see Mickey than they are on eating breakfast — making a restaurant breakfast a real waste. MouseSavers.com reader Lynn H says, “More than once my son has eaten his breakfast cereal from a styrofoam cup with box milk. It saved us 45 minutes over a sit-down restaurant… [plus] starting the day with a familiar food and routine for small children is invaluable.”

Consider bringing or buying a few items so that you can make breakfast in your hotel room. Many hotels provide a mini-fridge, a coffee maker and a daily packet of coffee, so it’s easy to put together a light breakfast before you head off to the parks. This is a great money-saver.

All of Disney’s resort rooms include a refrigerator(a mini-fridge in the hotel rooms and studios; a full-size fridge in the villas).Cold “Continental breakfast” items that require minimal preparation are ideal: individual cups of cold cereal, bakery items (pastries, bread, donuts, bagels), juice boxes, whole fruit (apples, oranges, bananas), boxed milk (white or chocolate) that doesn’t require refrigeration, peanut butter and cheese are all good bets. Other items to consider: instant oatmeal, instant cocoa, fruit cups, applesauce cups and hard-boiled eggs. If you want to bring items from home, we recommend using a small (six-pack sized) collapsible cooler, which can easily be packed in your luggage. If you’re flying, remember that you can’t bring any item that the TSA may consider a “gel” or “liquid” in your carry-on bags, so peanut butter, juice or milk boxes, applesauce cups, frozen gel packs, etc. will have to go in your checked bags.

The Howard Johnson Plaza Hotel also offers in-room refrigerators, microwave ovens and coffee makers, and has an on-site shop with a wide variety of grocery items at reasonable prices. Hilton Anaheim has mini-fridges in the rooms, and a full-serve Starbucks and several restaurants off the main lobby.

Best Bets

You’ll save a lot of money by sticking with counter-service or cafeteria-style restaurants, which are substantially cheaper than the table-service restaurants. If you look around you can find some decent options besides corn dogs, hamburgers and fries.

Note that the cheapest beverage options at all of the theme park counter service restaurants are apple juice, orange juice or milk, any of which will cost you $2.49, though the portion is small. (Or you can ask for a cup of ice water for FREE.) Regular-sized fountain sodas are $4.59 and bottled water is $4.39. And the cost of coffee or hot tea is an outrageous $3.79!

• Fiddler, Fifer and Practical Cafe in Disney California Adventure and Market House in Disneyland Park both offer relatively inexpensive and filling hot breakfast sandwiches.
• Troubadour Tavern in Disneyland Park is a snack stand, but has several hearty items on the menu (such as a baked, stuffed potato) that could easily work as a meal. Similarly, the Cozy Cone Motel in Disney California Adventure is a series of snack stands, but one of them offers bread cones filled with chili con queso or bacon mac and cheese that will work as a meal.
• The plates at Rancho del Zocalo in Disneyland Park can be very substantial and filling, and the Mexican food served at this location is tasty.
• At River Belle Terrace in Disneyland Park, the sandwiches, while a little pricey, are very filling, plus there is a toppings bar with lettuce, tomato, onions, etc. So you could split one.
• MouseSavers.com reader Andrew S points out that “The Plaza Inn [in Disneyland Park] is a good dining option. I think a lot of people assume it is a character meal all day long. Turns out, after the Mickey and Minnie breakfast is over it turns into a regular [buffeteria-style] restaurant for lunch and dinner. The food is quite good, large portions, and decent prices.”
• Aunt Cass Café at Disney California Adventure has several hearty options, including mac and cheese (in a freshly-made sourdough bread bowl), curry beef and clam chowder.
• At Royal Street Veranda in Disneyland Park, can get soup in a fresh-baked sourdough bread bowl.
• Boardwalk Pizza & Pasta in Disney California Adventure offers reasonably priced and filling pizza, pasta and salads.

Outside the parks, the Earl of Sandwichand the Tortilla Jo’s takeout window in Downtown Disney are good bets. Tortilla Jo’s has a fairly expensive full-service restaurant, but check out the takeout window, where you can get something a little different at a reasonable price. There is seating nearby where you can enjoy your meal.

• Earl of Sandwich prices its high-quality, substantial hot sandwiches and meal-sized salads and wraps at $9 – $10. Kids (or not-too-hungry adults) can easily share one hot sandwich. Desserts and side dishes are reasonably priced. Breakfast sandwiches are a total bargain. Drinks are a little pricey, so if you’re really watching your pennies, bring your own. We love Earl of Sandwich! (Please note: the Earl of Sandwich Tavern is a table-service restaurant with a much pricey-er menu.)
• At Taqueria at Tortilla Jo’s, try the tacos, which are quite a bargain considering the quality. The nachos are good: the portion is large and reasonably priced, too. The burritos are large and filling enough to be split by two people who aren’t starving. Fountain drinks are ridiculously overpriced here: order water or consider “aguas frescas” (fresh Mexican juices), which are cheaper and healthier!

Check Out Portion Sizes to Cut Costs

Many of the entrees and combo meals served at Disneyland Resort cafeteria-style and counter-service restaurants include a large amount of food. If you’re not sure, a good trick at the counter-service restaurants and snack stands is to stand to one side for a minute and watch as people leave with their orders, so you can see how the portions look. If the portions are big and you are not big eaters, consider splitting an entrée or combo meal between two people. If you need just a little more food, possibly ordering an extra side dish or appetizer to share will be enough.

Adults looking for a smaller portion at the counter-service restaurants should not hesitate to order from the kids’ menu. No one will know you’re ordering the kids meal for an adult! The kids’ meals are an especially good deal because they include a cold beverage (you can usually choose from a small lowfat milk, small lowfat chocolate milk, juice box, small bottled water or small soda; some locations have a more limited selection of beverages, so check the posted menu). The kids’ meals are also often healthier than the adult options.

Unfortunately many of the kids’ offerings aren’t very exciting for adults (mac & cheese, hamburger, chicken fingers or pizza) but a few of the quick service restaurants have more interesting kids’ meals. In particular, check out Rancho del Zocalo, River Belle Terrace and Plaza Inn at Disneyland; and Flo’s V8 Cafe, Paradise Garden Grill, Boardwalk Pizza & Pasta, Cocina Cucamonga and Lucky Fortune Cookery at Disney California Adventure.

Adults are not allowed to order from the kids’ menu at full-service restaurants.

A good option at table-service restaurants, and one that works well for someone dining alone, is to substitute an appetizer for yourentrée. For instance, order two appetizers instead of an appetizer and an entrée, or order an appetizer instead of an entrée, thus leaving yourself room for dessert. Be sure to inquire about the portion size first — some appetizers are substantial and filling, but some aren’t.

Table Service – Worth It?

In our opinion, the table-service restaurants inside the parks are generally not a great value for the money. We list some of the better choices below.

• The best value of the table-service restaurants in the theme parks is the Carnation Cafe. It’s fairly reasonably priced (for theme park food), and serves good classic American food.
• The Carthay Circle Restaurant at Disney California Adventure is without a doubt the best restaurant in either of the Disneyland theme parks. The food is excellent and the ambiance will transport you back to Hollywood’s Golden Age, when Walt Disney himself was rubbing elbows with movie stars. The prices are very high, but if you are celebrating a special occasion or just want to splurge, your meal will be memorable. If you don’t have a reservation or just want a nibble, drop into their lounge for some unique co*cktails and tasty bar bites.
• The Lamplight Lounge at Disney California Adventure is called a “lounge” but really it’s a sit-down restaurant, albeit with a lot of sharable small plates and an extensive drinks menu. Prices are a little high, but not crazy, and the food is quite good. The walls are decorated with concept art and artifacts from various Pixar films. Reservations are recommended, especially during peak seasons and weekends.
• The Blue Bayou in Disneyland Park has tables that overlook the beginning of the Pirates of the Caribbean ride, so it feels like you’re seated on an outdoor terrace at night, with crickets chirping and boats slowly floating by. It’s overpriced and the food is just OK, but it does have a unique and memorable ambiance you can’t experience anywhere else. If you primarily care about the experience, the lunch menu is a slightly better value, as it offers some cheaper items that aren’t available on the dinner menu.
• Cafe Orleans has approximately the same food quality as Blue Bayou, but is a little less expensive, and much easier to get a reservation for. They are famous for the Monte Cristo sandwich, a Disneyland tradition that has been served since 1966. To be honest, it’s a dietary nightmare – a ham, turkey and cheese sandwich that has been battered and deep-fried – but our kids absolutely love it. If you just want to try it out, you can split one as an appetizer.

There are far better table-service options outside the theme parks. The restaurants in the three official Disneyland hotels are all quite good, though expensive, and we’ve had no major complaints about any of them. Napa Rose is particularly good, if you’re looking for a high-end dinner experience. For a character breakfast, the food is really good at StorytellersCafé and we love the décor, but you’ll meet more characters and enjoy a bigger variety of foods at Goofy’s Kitchen.

In Downtown Disney,Jazz Kitchen Coastal Grill & Patioand Tortilla Jo’s are both reliably decent, if overpriced. Tortilla Jo’s has a takeout windows that is a better deal.

Starbucks

You can order all Starbucks drinks (lattes, macchiatos, Frappucinos, you name it) at the Market House on Main Street, U.S.A. in Disneyland Park, as well as at Fiddler, Fifer & Practical Cafe on Buena Vista Street in Disney California Adventure. There is also one in Downtown Disney.

• These locations do accept Starbucks cards as payment and you can earn “stars” in the Starbucks Rewards program for your purchases. However, they won’t allow you to take advantage of other benefits of that program, and you can’t redeem free birthday drinks or other free coffees that you may have earned through Starbucks Rewards.

Email Offers, Rewards Clubs and Other Restaurant Deals

There are quite a few discounts that can save you money on off-site restaurants in the Disneyland area. Most chain restaurants have online email clubs, which are well worth joining, because they often send out great coupons. If they ask you to select a “favorite” location, pick the one near Disneyland (zip code 92802), since some clubs restrict their coupons to a particular location. Also, sign up for the club no more than 2 weeks prior to your trip, as many clubs send out a really fantastic introductory coupon, but it’s often good for only a short time.

• The Patina Group operates several upscale restaurants in Downtown Disney:Naples andTortilla Jo’s(plus several restaurants in Disney Springs in Florida).Subscribe tothe Patina News & Notesemails and they’ll send you a coupon during your birthday month, plus occasional promotional mail about sales or events. Every year they run a special where you get a special bonus gift card when you buy a regular $100 gift card. The bonus gift card has a few restrictions and a short-ish expiration date.
• Earl of Sandwich (Downtown Disney) offers high-quality, substantial hot sandwiches, meal-sized salads and wraps at reasonable prices. Kids (or not-too-hungry adults) can easily share one hot sandwich. You can join the Earl of Sandwich eClub to receive special offers anda special gift on your birthday.
• Jamba(Downtown Disney) – You can sign up for the Jamba Rewards program and get special offers, a FREE birthday smoothie and earn points with every purchase.
• Visit Anaheim has a FREE Sip, Savor & Shop Pass that you can sign up for online to be eligible for discounts and special offers on dining, shopping and other Anaheim activities. The passport is sent to your phone via email or text and you show it to get the discount. The participating business can change, but we’ve see offers for House of Blues and Mimi’s Cafe.
• Anaheim GardenWalk – join the Anaheim GardenWalk email club and get information about deals and offers for restaurants in this mall, which is within walking distance of Disneyland.
• Orange County Restaurant Week is offered each spring. (In 2024, March 3-9.) During Restaurant Week, top restaurants offer special flat-price menus. Usually several of the Downtown Disney and Anaheim GardenWalk restaurants participate.
• Mimi’s Café (next door to Howard Johnson Hotel, within easy walking distance of Disneyland) has great food. It’s one ofour favorite chain restaurants. Join Mimi’s E-Club and receive special offers and a birthday reward.

• Panera Bread (at 1480 Harbor Blvd., within easy walking distance of Disneyland) offers reasonably priced breakfast items, sandwiches (hot and cold), soups and salads, all freshly made. Become a My Panera member and earn rewards that can be used on purchases. MouseSavers.com reader Amanda K has this tip: “We often place our order online (and use our rewards account) which allows us to have one member of our family go inside the location and pick up our breakfast and pass it out to our family…We have started doing this for breakfast and sometimes for dinner, if we return to our hotel for naps in the afternoon.”
• Coco’s (1100 W. Katella Avenue, an easy walk from the three Disney hotels) has an app, Coco’s Rewards, which is FREE to join. You earn points with every order which can be used to earn rewards, like a free slice of pie.
• IHOP (International House of Pancakes) across the street from Disneyland at 1560 S. Harbor Blvd. is certainly convenient, though we feel the food is mediocre. Sign up for their International Bank of Rewards program and you can earn rewards, receive discount offers and get FREE birthday pancakes.
• Denny’s (right across the street from Disneyland at 1610 S. Harbor Blvd.) is pretty average. Sign up for Denny’s Rewards to receive offers via email.
• Johnny Rockets, a 50s themed diner, is located in in Anaheim GardenWalk, less than a mile from Disneyland (take the ART shuttle if you don’t want to walk). Join the Rocket E-Club for info on deals and offers, plus get a FREE hamburger for joining.
• Buca di Beppo restaurant offers Italian food served family-style in a fun, themed atmosphere. It is about 1.4 miles down the street from Disneyland at 11757 Harbor Blvd., Garden Grove (near the Embassy Suites Anaheim South, in case you want to take the ART shuttle down there). Sign up for the Buca eClub to receive offers via email. Enter the Anaheim location as your favorite since the discounts usually are limited to a specific location.
• Joe’s Crab Shack is another fun family option, about 1.6 miles down Harbor from Disneyland at 12011 Harbor Blvd., Garden Grove (near the Anaheim Marriott Suites, in case you want to take the ART shuttle down there). This themed, reasonably-priced seafood restaurant is a hoot. Join the Joe’s Catch e-Club and receive a FREE appetizer for joining and other special offers. Enter the Anaheim location as your favorite to be sure to receive discounts for that specific location.

Birnbaum’s Disneyland Resort Guidebook Coupons

Birnbaum’s Disneyland Resort 2024includes these food coupons:

• Blue Ribbon Corn Dogs in Downtown Disney, 10% off entire purchase. Expires 12/31/24.
• California Churro in Downtown Disney, 10% off entire purchase. Expire 12/31/24.
• Diggity Dogs in Downtown Disney, buy one hot dog, get a second hot dog FREE. Expires 12/31/24.
• Kayla’s Cake in Downtown Disney, 10% off entire purchase. Not valid on gift cards. Expires 12/31/24.
• Wetzel’s Pretzels in Downtown Disney, buy one pretzel, get a second pretzel FREE. Expires 12/31/24.

Restaurant.com

Save money at some Disneyland-area restaurants by purchasing discounted certificates from Restaurant.com. Most certificates are for a specific amount (usually $25) and you get them at a discounted price (usually $10 or less).

The Anaheim/Disneyland area restaurants offered through Restaurant.com also change frequently, so it’s always worth checking. If you’ll have a car, be sure to consider restaurants in Orange, Garden Grove and Fullerton, because those cities are very close to Disneyland. (The easiest way to find nearby restaurants is to search zip code 92802, and then narrow your search to within 1 mile or 5 miles of that zip code.)

• We havemore information about using Restaurant.com certificatesand possible discount codes that can save you even more!

Disney Visa Card Discounts

Disney Visa cardholders get 10% off at select dining locations at Disneyland Resort:

Disneyland Park

• Cafe Orleans
• Carnation Cafe
• Golden Horseshoe
• Harbour Galley
• Plaza Inn
• River Belle Terrace
• Royal Street Veranda
• Troubadour Tavern

Disney California Adventure

• Carthay Circle Lounge – Alfresco Dining
• Cocina Cucamonga Mexican Grill
• Lucky Fortune Cookery
• Paradise Garden Grill
• Sonoma Terrace
• Studio Catering Co.
• Wine Country Trattoria

Disneyland Resort Hotels

• GCH Craftsman Bar (Grand Californian)
• Goofy’s Kitchen (Disneyland Hotel)
• Storytellers Café (Grand Californian)

Downtown Disney

• Ghiradelli Soda Fountain & Chocolate Shop (10% off select purchases)
• Wetzel’s Pretzels (20% off select purchases)

Offer excludes alcoholic beverages, merchandise, tobacco, room service, holiday buffets, tax and gratuity. Must use your valid Disney Visa card at time of purchase.

Disneyland Annual Passholder Discounts

Holders of the Dream Key and Inspire Key annual passes get up to 15% off select restaurants and walk-up food counters in Disneyland, California Adventure, and Downtown Disney. All other annual passholders get up to 10% off.

Disney Vacation Club Discounts

Disney Vacation Club (DVC) members get a 10% meal discount at virtually all dining locations throughout Disneyland Resort.

Unless otherwise specified, discounts apply to a maximum party of 8 people. Not valid at outdoor cart locations, snack locations, Club 33, Napa Rose, and Room Service locations. Dining discounts are not valid in combination with any other discounts or promotions and exclude alcoholic beverages, tax and gratuity.

Must show valid DVC membership card to receive DVC discount. Discounts are nontransferable. Subject to change without notice.

D23 Member Discounts

D23members get various dining discounts by presenting their membership card.

AARP Member Discounts

Some Landry’srestaurants offer 10% off to AARP members. Landry’s locations near Disneyland includeBubba Gump and McCormick & Schmick’s Grillein the Anaheim GardenWalk, which isa fairly easy walkfrom the Disneyland resort entrance on Harbor. Thanks to Marlene for info.

Denny’s offers 15% off to AARP members. (There’s one right across the street from Disneyland at 1610 S. Harbor). Thanks to Marlene for info.

AAA Member Discounts

A few restaurants offer “show your card and save” discounts for members of the American Automobile Association (AAA) or the Canadian Automobile Association (CAA).Some of them are listed on the AAA or CAA site, but not all. Any restaurant can give guests an AAA or CAA discount if they choose, but to be listed on the website and tourbooks they have to pay a fee. So some restaurants just choose to offer a discount on request, figuring that word of mouth and social media will get the word out. The bottom line is that if you’re a AAA or CAA member, it’s always worth asking if there’s a discount.

• All Landry’srestaurants offer 10% off to AAA members. Landry’s locations near Disneyland includeBubba Gump and McCormick & Schmick’s Grille in the Anaheim GardenWalk, which isa fairly easy walkfrom the Disneyland resort entrance on Harbor.

Landry’s Select Club

If you plan to eat at a lot of Landry’s restaurants it may be worth your while to buy a membership in theLandry’s Select Club. Landry’s locations near Disneyland include Bubba Gump and McCormick & Schmick’s Grille in the Anaheim GardenWalk, which is a fairly easy walk from the Disneyland resort entrance on Harbor. There is a one-time fee of $25, but you receive an immediate $25 credit on the card when you register online. Basically this is a rewards card: after you spend $250 (earning 250 points) at Landry’s restaurants, you get a $25 credit on the card that you can use toward your next meal. Points are not earned for the $25 membership enrollment fee, coupons and discounts, and (in some states) alcohol purchases. You also get a $25 credit during your birthday month.

Costco Deals on Restaurant Gift Cards

If you are a Costco member and you plan to eat at one or more restaurants that are part of a chain, it’s always worthwhile to check out the restaurant gift cards available through your local warehouse, which are typically discounted by 20%. Keep in mind that a gift card for a particular restaurant brand in the chain might also be accepted at other restaurant brands owned by the same chain.