Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
chicken, and rich pasta dishes. Each table starts with a tower of antipasto and finishes with
a dessert platter featuring lava cake and s'mores.
OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS
Herb-crusted chicken and a kids' menu featuring chicken
skewered on sugarcane and spaghetti.
SUMMARY AND COMMENTS
Ariel's Grotto is
fun
but very pricey and is also one of the
most popular dining spots in DCA. Kids will love the fact that Ariel and two to four other
Disney princesses—Snow White, Cinderella, Aurora, or Belle—are on hand for pictures
and autographs at breakfast and lunch. One set price buys adults an antipasto starter and
salad, main course, and dessert, or a kids' appetizer of celery and carrot sticks with ranch
dressing, a main course, and dessert (slices of Granny Smith apples and caramel dipping
sauce or fruit parfait). Even toddlers will enjoy the bright surroundings and nonthreaten-
ing character visits. Evening diners don't get to meet princesses, but they do receive re-
served viewing passes for
World of Color.
Demand is high here for obvious reasons, so
book your reservations early. Adults can escape upstairs to The Cove alfresco bar for a
cocktail, glass of wine, or bottle of beer. The Cove also serves a small selection of appet-
izers, including enormous lobster nachos. This is a good spot for catching
World of Color
without a Fastpass; views of the fountains from here are great, but the oblique angle to the
projection screens isn't ideal.
Big Thunder Ranch Barbecue
Disneyland Park; 714-781-
DINE
Reservations
Available.
When to go
Lunchordinner.
Entrée range
$15-$25.
Service
.
Friendliness
.
Dress
Casual.
Disabled access
Yes.
Hours
Daily, 11 a.m.-10 p.m.
SETTING AND ATMOSPHERE
Outdoor, family-style seating on long wooden tables and
benches with lots of Western Americana touches such as hurricane lamps and checkered
tablecloths.
HOUSE SPECIALTIES
Family-style, all-you-can-eat barbecue featuring buckets of pork ribs
and chicken in a sweet but nicely balanced barbecue sauce, a tangy citrus coleslaw, warm
cornbreadwithsweetbutter,andsmokedsausages.Theskillet chocolate-chip cookiewith
vanilla ice cream and hot fudge will definitely put you over the edge.
OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS
Vegetarians can request a barbecue skewer with potatoes,
squash, bell peppers, mushrooms, and tofu.
SUMMARY AND COMMENTS
Prices may surprise you, but if the family is ready to pound
some serious grub, this never-ending, all-you-can-eat palace to excess is just the spot.
Drinks (served in Mason jars) and dessert are à la carte. The dinner menu is the same as
lunch,plussmokedsausage andcorncobwheels. Acharming couple ofsingingcowpokes
in Dale Evans and Roy Rogers costumes, accompanied by a honky-tonk piano player, per-
formkid-friendlycomedicskitswhileyoueat,improvisingspecialoccasiontelegramsand
