Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
vendors. A simple request is likely to get you what you need even if it doesn't neces-
sarily appear on the menu.
Cutting Your Dining Time at the Theme Parks
Even if you confine your meals to vendor and counter-service fast food, you lose
a lot of time getting sustenance in the theme parks. At Disneyland Park and DCA,
everything begins with a line and ends with a cash register. When it comes to fast
food,
fast
may apply to the time you spend eating it, not the time invested in obtaining
it.
Here are suggestions for minimizing the time you spend hunting and gathering
food:
1.
Don't waste touring time on breakfast at the parks. Restaurants outside Disney-
land offer some outstanding breakfast specials. Many hotels furnish small refri-
gerators in their guest rooms, or you can rent one. If you can get by on cold cereal,
rolls, fruit, and juice, having a fridge in your room will save a ton of time. If you
can't get a fridge, bring a cooler.
2.
After a good breakfast, buy snacks from vendors in the parks as you tour, or stuff
some snacks in a hip pack. This is very important if you're on a tight schedule and
can't spend a lot of time waiting in line for food.
3.
All theme park restaurants are busiest between 11:30 a.m.-2:15 p.m. for lunch and
6-9 p.m. for dinner. For shorter lines and faster service, don't eat during these
hours, especially 12:30-1:30 p.m.
4.
Many counter-service restaurants sell cold sandwiches. Buy a cold lunch (except
for drinks) before 11:30 a.m., and carry it until you're ready to eat. Ditto for din-
ner. Bring small plastic bags in which to pack the food; purchase drinks at the ap-
propriate time from any convenient vendor.
5.
Most fast-food eateries have more than one service window. Regardless of the
time of day, check the lines at all windows before queuing. Sometimes a window
that's staffed but out of the way will have a much shorter line or none at all. Note,
however, that some windows may offer only certain items.
6.
If you're short on time and the park closes early, stay until closing and eat dinner
outside Disneyland before returning to your hotel. If the park stays open late, eat
dinner about 4 or 4:30 p.m. at the restaurant of your choice. You should miss the
last wave of lunchers and sneak in just ahead of the dinner crowd. Be warned,
however, that most eateries at Downtown Disney and the Disneyland Resort ho-
tels stop serving at 10 p.m., even when the parks are open until midnight.
