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Review: Paradise Garden Grill in Disney California Adventure

I’m not sure how beautiful a day it is today in your neck of the woods, but on my last visit to Paradise Garden Grill in Disney California Adventure, it sure did FEEL like paradise! Ah, the SoCal weather…

Paradise Garden Grill

Atmosphere

This dining spot is an outdoor eatery. It shares its Paradise Pier location and seating with Boardwalk Pizza and Pasta next door, and Bayside Brews nearby.

The whole group forms a little mini-town at the edge of the Pier, and its relatively remote location means that you could luck into an un-crowded eatery if you’re dining at the right times!

Paradise Garden Grill and Boardwalk Pizza and Pasta Seating Area

Available seating includes covered and uncovered outdoor seating, so if it’s unseasonably cold or warm, take that into consideration before dining here.

But, like I said, it’s SoCal, so it’s probably going to be beautiful. 😉 (Yes, I’m originally from Buffalo, and yes, I’m jealous.)

Paradise Garden Grill Covered Outdoor Seating

Once you’ve ridden Toy Story Midway Mania a few times and checked in with Ariel “Under the Sea,” it’s time to head on over for a relatively healthy meal!

Eats

The menu here follows the (I think) awesome trend of customizing your eats to your liking. It’s basically a mix-and-match Mediterranean menu where guests get to choose their skewer base: Steak, Chicken, Beef Kefta, or Veg/Tofu; and their sauce: Moroccan Chili, Chimichurri, Tandoori-Spiced Yogurt, or Tzatziki.

(Note that the price has gone up to $11.49 for the platters since this photo was taken.)

Paradise Garden Grill

Dessert choices include Baklava and a Brownie and Strawberry Skewer (not noted on the menu, but reviewed here!), and you can indulge in [Read more…]

Top 6 Disneyland Bars and Lounges

By AJ 9 Comments

Let’s face it. Sometimes a Disney vacation can be absolutely exhausting! That’s why we like to seek out bars and lounges in which we can share fun with family and friends or relax while enjoying good food and special beverages.

Schweitzer Falls at Trader Sam’s Tiki Bar

A while back, we took a look at our Top 10 Disney World Bars and Lounges, and now it’s time to take a peek at our favorites in the Disneyland Parks and Resorts!

Here are our picks for Top Six Disneyland bars and lounges — a list that includes a little help from our Facebook Friends! Thanks for your input!

Ready to jump in? Here’s our favorite place to while away some time at the Disneyland Resort…

Trader Sam’s Enchanted Tiki Bar

Trader Sam’s

should be your first choice for chilling out in Disneyland!

This is due to some great bartenders, unique drinks (often served in souvenir glasses), good food, and, of course, the interactive activities here. (Careful not to sit on the sinking bar stools!)

This place is an awesome tropical retreat located at the Disneyland Hotel. Check out our Trader Sam’s Review here!

Trader Sam’s Bar

While there is indoor and outdoor seating, all of the action is inside where there is limited seating (about 50 spots); so get here early as evenings may be quite crowded.

Cove Bar

Located in Disney California Adventure, the Cove Bar (not to be mistaken for Cove Cafe on the Disney Cruise Ships or the Cove Bar at Disney World’s Contemporary Resort…) is your place to escape the long lines and hot sun while enjoying great water-side views.

View from Cove Bar

Leave the thrills behind and savor specialty drinks and craft beers. The Raspberry Rain is a memorable choice! Look for an attractive menu offering my favorite, Buffalo Wings, and Lobster Nachos.

Hearthstone Lounge

Make the Hearthstone Lounge in the Grand Californian Resort a must-do in Disneyland.

Whether you are looking for some quiet alone time or bringing along friends, this cozy fireside lounge has a lodge theme and soaring ceilings that immediately relax you. And that’s before your first drink order!

Take a seat at the bar, on a cozy sofa, or at a [Read more…]

Review: Limited Time Magic Golden Horseshoe Revue Dinner in Disneyland

By Heather 8 Comments

Disney’s Limited Time Magic events have begun, and Disneyland is currently celebrating with “A Salute to the Golden Horseshoe Revue.” This is a nod to the original show that Walt Disney created in 1955.

The Golden Horseshoe at Disneyland

Show Details

The show features comedy, songs, and dancing set to a fun musical score that will make you want to dress up, put a feather in your hair, and learn to Can-Can.

Tables and Clean Glasses Available for Ladies!

Tuesdays through Mondays now until February 4th, the “flashback” show can be seen a few times a day with a special Annual Passholder only showing at 6:30. The annual passholder show is $35 and you must make reservations in advance though the annual passholders events line at (714) 781-PASS.

The Annual Passholder show is a $35 ticketed event that includes dinner & reserved seating for the revue. If you’re not a passholder, stop at guest services to get a ticket to one of the earlier shows.

Your Hostess for the Show: Miss Lilly

Golden Horseshoe Revue Tribute Show

Can-Can Dancers

Please note that the entertainment is exactly the same as the shows performed during the day. So, if you don’t feel a need to spend $35 or aren’t interested in the foods being served at the Annual Passholder event, I highly recommend you still go check out one of the Thursday through Monday tribute shows.

Eats

Starter: Corn chips in a souvenir Golden Horseshoe boot mug
Entrees: Black forest ham and roast beef sandwiches
Sides: Golden raisin and carrot salad, Yukon golden potato salad, Very Berry fruit salad
Children’s Menu (available upon request): 2 PB&J sandwiches with sides
Vegetarian Option (available upon request): Vegetable and cheese sandwiches with sides
Beverages: Mint Julep, water, coffee
Dessert: Walt & Lilly’s 30th Anniversary Celebration Cake

We started off with our table being adorned with Fritos in a boot. My absolute favorite item of the evening: Crunchy, salty Fritos served up in a take home souvenir Golden Horseshoe plastic boot (which I plan to fill with root beer floats at home in the near future).

Drinks were then served, bottles of water or a bottomless Mint Julep if you prefer. We shared one at the table [Read more…]

Dining in Disneyland: Seasonal Pumpkin Spice Brittle

By Heather Leave a Comment

Although it’s only available for a few more days, I wanted to share a fun snack that I came across at the Candy Palace in Disneyland: Pumpkin Spice Brittle.

For $4.99, you get a 6 oz bag of what I thought was a very tasty treat!

Pumpkin Spice Brittle

I love brittle and I love pumpkin, but I was a little unsure of how I’d like this snack. I was quite surprised to find the brittle really [Read more…]

Disney Recipe: Monte Cristo Sandwich from Disneyland

By AJ 23 Comments

It’s been a little too long since I’ve had a chance to travel to Disneyland. I can always tell when I need to schedule a trip, because I start dreaming of having a Monte Cristo Sandwich!

Monte Cristo Sandwich at Blue Bayou

This amazing sandwich is, hands down, my most favorite meal in all of Disneyland, and whether I have it during lunch at Blue Bayou, or I stop in Cafe Orleans, one thing is certain: I will make time and room for one on every single visit!

Close Up of Monte Cristo Sandwich

But if you haven’t the opportunity to journey westward, you’re in luck! Because today, we’re sharing the recipe for this showstopper right here. So go ahead and [Read more…]

Dining in Disneyland Review: Club 33 Dessert Buffet

By Heather 11 Comments

Although I do prefer the ambiance of dinner at Club 33, one thing that dinner doesn’t offer is the dessert buffet. The desserts are so pretty that I couldn’t resist sharing some photos of them! Note that the dessert buffet changes up regularly.

Lunchtime Dessert Buffet

Mini Cherry Pies

Fruit Torte

This one was a [Read more…]

Dining in Disneyland: Cookie Decorating at the Jingle Jangle Jamboree

By Heather Leave a Comment

We just told you about the awesome new S’mores Bake in Big Thunder Ranch at Disneyland, and now we’ve got another awesome treat to share!

The Jingle Jangle Jamboree is proving to be a super fun, and not to mention, delicious place to spend some time. We’ve already shared the amazing Monte Cristo Bites, and now we’re back to tempt you more because it’s cookie decorating time!

Cookie Decorating!

For just $6.00, you can choose one of three different sugar cookie kits to decorate. Options include a Mickey Gingerbread Man, Santa’s Stocking, and a Snow Mickey.

Jingle Jangle Jamboree Menu

The kit includes the cookie of your choice (we went with Mickey); 3 cups of colored frosting in green, red & white; mini M&M’s; a cup of red, green & white nonpareils; white crystal sugar sprinkles; and a spreading stick.

Unveiling Our Cookie Decorating Kit

I was quite impressed with the amount of supplies that came with the kit. The portions were [Read more…]

Dining in Disneyland: Big Thunder Ranch BBQ’s S’mores Bake

By Heather 5 Comments

It’s been quite some time since I’d been over to the Big Thunder Ranch BBQ. My rib-loving son had been begging to go over there for some time, so it worked out that we were able to squeeze in a lunch date with a friend about a month ago.

Big Thunder Ranch BBQ

The menu is basically the same, minus the BBQ sausage in the meat bucket; but there are some new dessert options that I was not familiar with. Hello S’mores Bake!

S'mores Bake on the Menu

Warm chocolate brownie topped with roasted marshmallows, graham crackers and hot fudge? Seriously? No twisting my arm necessary for this one and it wasn’t hard to get my kid and my friend Katherine on board either.

The only downfall is that this dessert takes at least 20 minutes to prepare, so just go ahead and order it when you sit down. That way it will be ready for you before your feast begins to settle and you get too full to eat dessert.

You wouldn’t want that to happen because this situation is worth eating yourself sick for…

The S'mores Bake: Isn't it gorgeous?

The S’mores bake is served up in a HOT skillet. The brownie underneath is moist and gooey, the marshmallows are perfectly caramelized, the graham crackers are crunchy, and the hot fudge is [Read more…]

Disney’s Best Grilled Cheese

By AJ 35 Comments

It’s been grilled cheese weather for us out there, and I’m pretty sure it has been for many of you as well! So it’s time to put together our list of the Best Grilled Cheese in Disney Restaurants…and I can’t wait to hear your additions!

You know we love cheese around here, and Disney has found lots of different ways to be creative with this particular recipe for success. Let’s take a look at our favorites in Disney World and Disneyland!

[Read more…]

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Review: Paradise Garden Grill in Disney California Adventure

Atmosphere

Eats

Top 6 Disneyland Bars and Lounges

Trader Sam’s Enchanted Tiki Bar

Cove Bar

Hearthstone Lounge

Review: Limited Time Magic Golden Horseshoe Revue Dinner in Disneyland

Show Details

Eats

Dining in Disneyland: Seasonal Pumpkin Spice Brittle

Disney Recipe: Monte Cristo Sandwich from Disneyland

Top 10 Disney Dining News Stories of 2012

#1: Alcohol Served at the Magic Kingdom in Disney World

#2: Starbucks Debuts in Disney Parks

#3: Citrus Swirl Returns to Sunshine Tree Terrace in the Magic Kingdom

Dining in Disneyland Review: Club 33 Dessert Buffet

Dining in Disneyland: Big Thunder Ranch BBQ’s S’mores Bake

Disney’s Best Grilled Cheese

CHECK OUT OUR OTHER EBOOKS

POLICIES & CREDITS

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STAY CONNECTED

Category: Disneyland

Atmosphere

Eats

Trader Sam’s Enchanted Tiki Bar

Cove Bar

Hearthstone Lounge

Show Details

Eats

#1: Alcohol Served at the Magic Kingdom in Disney World

#2: Starbucks Debuts in Disney Parks

#3: Citrus Swirl Returns to Sunshine Tree Terrace in the Magic Kingdom

CHECK OUT OUR OTHER EBOOKS

POLICIES & CREDITS