Disneyland Food- what's worth the splurge?

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msespresso
msespresso Posts: 153 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I'm heading to California (hello sunshine!) and will be doing a day at Disneyland and a day at California Adventure (plus several days at a trade show)... I'm planning to stick to healthy eating at least 80% off the time, but it's DISNEYLAND and therefore requires a splurge!

Which foods are worth the splurge?

If you have any nutritional info that would be awesome, too... I haven't looked in the food database yet.
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Replies

  • Felidae_1981
    Felidae_1981 Posts: 200 Member
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    I went to DisneyWorld Saturday and had a cinnamon pretzel filled with cream cheese. It was like a cinnamon danish...yummy :)

    I also went to gym in morning and that was my lunch ;)

    Have FUN!
  • bahacca
    bahacca Posts: 878 Member
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    Disneyland-Pineapple Whip! Served in front of the Tiki room. Don't get the float-ruins the taste of the whip and adds too many calories. 1/2 cup serving is 110 calories.
    For splurge, the BBQ place that is right by Jungle Cruise and Indiana Jones is pretty darned good. I usually would just get a veggie burger at the swiss family robinson looking place by the carousel/Dumbo since I always went with my girls.
    CHURROS!
    California Adventure-there is a tortilla factory that hands out free samples(tortillas-the small ones), so I would always go there for a free snack. Not much is free there;-)
    Splurge-Their Mexican place, take out place(chinese I guess) are decent. I haven't eaten at any of the sit down places there.
    My fav is at a little stand near the entrance to Bug Land. It is a chicken wrap with grapes, and a honey yogurt sauce.

    As an FYI, you can bring in ANYTHING EXCEPT GLASS, so I would most always take fruit, sandwiches, granola bars, etc with me(I had season passes for 2 years and took my 2 young kids with me, so...) We'd always get pineapple whip-a true treat and relatively cheap for DL.
    ETA: If you know anyone in the S.CA area, ask them if their companies are members of Club 33. It is a long shot as it is exclusive, but my old company were members before the economy went south so I got to go. TOTALLY worth the $$$ to see a piece of DL history that even the majority of workers don't even get to see.
  • oceanrose78
    oceanrose78 Posts: 133 Member
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    Churro!

    Actually though, Disneyland is FILLED with healthy food. Disneyworld not so much, but DL when I was there in May had fruit everywhere. You also walk a lot there (I walked 9 hours a day the 3 day we were there, and that's figuring in another 3 hours minimum spent in the park as well.) so the food issue isn't as great. We chose to eat at the Blue Bayou where I had salmon, and we ate at the French Quarter, where again I had salmon. The worst thing I ate all that trip was probably the breakfast of stuffed french toast, which was a treat item. We also did have a churro and a Dole Whip Float (pineapple juice and ice cream). My clothes felt looser when we left though the following 3 weeks at the ocean and copious amount of maple bars that I consumed later in the trip took care of that.

    We're going to Disneyworld in June for 2 weeks, and I'm planning on allowing myself 2 treats a day. I'm also going to wear a HRM, or at least a pedometer though, just to see how far I really do walk there.
  • jfluchere
    jfluchere Posts: 346 Member
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    Giant turkey leg or the pineapple soft serve at the tiki room. The food there is really overpriced and crappy. There is a jamba juice in downtown Disney, id rather get an 800 calorie peanut butter moo'd shake for the day.
  • sixxbaby
    sixxbaby Posts: 543
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    ONE WORD!!!!! CHURRO!!!!!!! they are the BEST, I LOVE THEM!!!

    and at California Adventures they have the BEST soft serve ice cream on the Boardwalk but California Screamin (a roller coaster)

    If you wanna little splurge for dinner take the monorail over to Rainforest Cafe; decent dinner and good drinks; but a ton of fun for the kiddos
  • ascott048
    ascott048 Posts: 61
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    Everyone I know talks about the pineapple whip, if I were going I would try it!
  • dayylight
    dayylight Posts: 69
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    I love the jalapeno cream cheese pretzels. I usually stick to the stands for most foods because they are delicious. Also as many have said the pineapple whip is delicious. And there are healthy options basically everywhere. I have a pass and I never have any problems keeping it healthy.
  • airlily
    airlily Posts: 212 Member
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    Churro!

    That was all I was going to say! Everything else there, to me, is pretty run-of-the-mill crap you've have at Denny's, but the churros are pretty yummy! It's only 240 calories, too!

    If you're worried about food at Disneyland, try this link: http://www.mouseplanet.com/7278/Dieting_at_Disneyland

    Oh, and don't forget to try "Mr. Toad's Wild Ride." Awesome. :D
  • Cold_Steel
    Cold_Steel Posts: 897 Member
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    I haven't been in ages but there are nice places in downtown disney and the boardwalk that you can eat at without admission. If you want good food at a theme park go to Knotts Berry Farm... Great BBQ and great Fried chicken...
  • wdwghettogirl
    wdwghettogirl Posts: 559 Member
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    My husband's favorite thing ever is the Monte Cristo Sandwich at the Blue Bayou restaurant by the Pirates of the Caribbean. Every time we go, that's the first thing we do... make a reservation at Blue Bayou. lol
  • valeriebpdx
    valeriebpdx Posts: 499 Member
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    I came on to tell ya about the pineapple Dole Whip but these lovely ladies beat me to it. It is the best!

    Oh, yeah--the food and sourdough bread at Boudin's (from the SF bakery) at CA adventure is quite good and moderately healthy, if not low-cal. If you are not interested in moderately healthy, the foot-long hand dipped corn dog is damn tasty.
  • cgeiser1
    cgeiser1 Posts: 145
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    I am a disneyland Freak. I would be there every week if I could. Here's what I always have to eat.

    Breakfast- I normally eat before I go into the park I can take or leave the breakfast food. UNLESS I have the character breakfast, the foods not that good but I love to eat and take pictures with all the characters. I'm a nerd I know :-)

    Lunch- the bbq place by the jungle cruise- they have really good veggie skewers!

    Snack- Pineapple whip at the tiki room! It's amazing!

    Dinner- I always get a clam chowder bread bowl, in new orleans square! SOOOO many calories, but worth it in my opinion.

    Snack- Mickey pretzel with cheese!

    Churros and Turkey legs are good too!

    I would hate to add up all those calories luckily I'm too poor to go to Disneyland more than once a year.
  • msespresso
    msespresso Posts: 153 Member
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    heehee- some great ideas! I know there are tons of treats, and I'm willing to splurge a little, but I only want to eat them if they're worth it :)

    I'd heard the corn dogs are amazing and have wonderful memories of Dole Whip from last time I was there... looks like I definitely need a churro, too. Love those things!

    A side note... what is NOT worth the splurge?
  • spookystitches
    spookystitches Posts: 37 Member
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    Pineapple whip!! <3

    Also I love the Mexican place someone else was mentioning above. :)

    So many great things in Disney, so few calories to waste... lol

    There is this list of a top 10: http://www.la-foodie.com/blog-posts/top-ten-disneyland-foods/

    Disney's website lets you really see a lot of options so check this out too: http://disneyland.disney.go.com/dining/list/#/disneyland,disneys-california-adventure
  • Felidae_1981
    Felidae_1981 Posts: 200 Member
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    Churro!

    Actually though, Disneyland is FILLED with healthy food. Disneyworld not so much,

    We're going to Disneyworld in June for 2 weeks, and I'm planning on allowing myself 2 treats a day. I'm also going to wear a HRM, or at least a pedometer though, just to see how far I really do walk there.

    I was just there Saturday (DW) and they do have fruit everywhere. It is expensive though...and I do not like fruit so it won't work for me. Since I live here (Orlando) I try to not eat there, unless maybe have a snack...

    I would not deprive myself of all "goodies" as it creates a craving (for me) and I would then binge. I'd rather take what I like, but in moderation. :)
  • Felidae_1981
    Felidae_1981 Posts: 200 Member
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    A side note... what is NOT worth the splurge?

    To me? The turkey leg...it looks gross and probably has more than my daily calorie allowance... :P
  • tmm01
    tmm01 Posts: 137
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    Be grateful you're going to California, we went to Disneyland Paris, a couple of years ago. Hadn't started diet then, so not a problem. Now if I went I wouldn't be able to eat a thing - it was burgers, pizza, chips (fries) and not a vegetable in sight. Also it was incredible expensive. I haven't been to the California one, but years ago (2001) I went to Florida DW, had a great time, seemed much more health conscious. However the amount of calories you burn walking all day long & in heat (from UK, so really felt it) will certainly count as exercise calories.
  • mrnls
    mrnls Posts: 95 Member
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    OP Thank you for the topic, I will be there this weekend. Everyone, thanks for the great suggestions.

    I also say Dole Whip, it's my favorite and worth the 5K Friday night to have one
  • thepetiterunner
    thepetiterunner Posts: 1,238 Member
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    Meh, maybe it's because I've been to Disneyland so many times having lived in CA all my life, but I don't really think anything there is THAT fantastic. That said, the churros are probably the only thing that I buy. The pineapple whips are pretty good too, I've had those, but again, I'm not that into anything they serve there.

    But if it adds to the experience for you, indulge :)
  • heidiski
    heidiski Posts: 5
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    Beignets!! I don't know the official Disney count, but I think they're generally 147 calories each.

    Monte Cristo! I think it's 971 calories XD Good to share!

    Seafood Crepe!

    Chocolate Bread Pudding!

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