How to Eat Your Way Through Disneyland Like You're a Kid Again
For six seasons, millions tuned in to “Tori & Dean” and fell in love with the couple’s good friends Bill Horn and Scout Masterson, who became affectionately known as “The Guncles” (Gay + Uncles) to Tori and Dean’s four adorable children — Liam, Stella, Hattie, and Finn. Now Bill and Scout have their own family with their very own adventures, and when they hit the road, they want to share the experience with Yahoo Travel.
Simone takes a lick of her Mickey ice cream bar. (Photo: The Guncles)
We may be older than your average kid, but we still love Disneyland. Kids of all ages do. Even more so now that we get to visit and see the park through the eyes of our 4-year-old daughter, Simone.
There are so many reasons why people come back to the Disney resorts time and time again: the rides, the characters, the amazing parades, the fireworks show. When we were young, getting to the next ride was the priority. Now that we’re a little older, sitting down to watch the crowds has become our favorite pastime (yep, old people rule!). So what’s that entail? A lot of eating.
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Disneyland doesn’t offer the same standard fare across the entire park. Instead, it offers a wide array of foods that must make it impossible for even the most frequent of guests to taste everything.
There’s just one thing to remember: Forget about any diet you’re on, or any hard-and-fast rules you have about what you will and won’t eat. Just enjoy the food. And the experience. By the end of the day, you will have walked what seemed like a thousand miles and sweated out countless calories. So just have fun and EAT.
Here’s how we recently ate our way through a day at Disneyland with Simone:
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Simone starts the day off with Mickey Mouse pancakes at River Belle Terrace. (Photo: The Guncles)
9:30 a.m. — Mickey Mouse Pancakes
We started our day at the River Belle Terrace in New Orleans Square so that Simone could have the Mickey Mouse Pancakes ($7.99) complete with blueberries for eyes and a strawberry nose. You can get there quickly by jumping on the train at the park’s entrance and riding to New Orleans Square.
Nearby attractions: Pirates of the Caribbean, Mark Twain Riverboat
11 a.m. — Mickey Ice Cream Bar
We said to leave your diet at the door, and we meant it. For the long Pirates of the Caribbean line, we bought Simone a Nestlé’s Mickey Mouse ice cream bar ($4.19). Don’t judge. It kept her quiet for a good half hour. You can’t bring your stroller through the long, twisty line, so a bored toddler is likely to become a terrorizing toddler. Better to just keep your little one occupied with something delicious. (Warning: These ice cream bars on a hot summer day can get very, very messy, so make sure to have lots of wet wipes on hand.)
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The Hungry Bear Restaurant made us happy bears with the fried green tomato sandwich. (Photo: The Guncles)
1 p.m. — Fried Green Tomato Sandwiches
For lunch we headed over to the Hungry Bear Restaurant in Critter Country and had fried green tomato sandwiches ($8.79). Delicious! Cornmeal-crusted fried green tomatoes layered with two slices of fresh heirloom tomatoes, topped with Havarti cheese, remoulade, and slaw, all served up on a multigrain roll. The two-level, open-air restaurant has plenty of shade, and while you eat you can watch canoes and the Riverboat float by. It’s perfect for a casual, peaceful lunch amid the Disneyland crowds.
Nearby attractions: Splash Mountain, the Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
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Bill and Simone chow down on a Mickey-shaped beignet at the Mint Julep Bar. (Photo: The Guncles)
3 p.m. — Mickey-Shaped Beignets
Snack time! Who doesn’t love a beignet, especially when it’s shaped like Mickey Mouse (three-pack, under $5)? For this delicious, doughy, sugary treat, head over to the Mint Julep Bar, which is located on the side of the French Market outdoor terrace area in New Orleans Square. The walk-up window also offers a variety of coffees, including iced coffee, and refreshing freshly brewed iced teas.
Nearby attraction: Haunted Mansion
Some people call them simple mozzarella sticks. We call them heaven. (Photo: The Guncles)
5:30 p.m. — Mozzerella Sticks to End All Mozza Sticks
OK, we should be full by now, but a little birdie told us about the most delicious cheese sticks. You will not find them on the menu, because they are the “vegetarian option” at the Stage Door Café on the border of Frontierland and New Orleans Square. You might have to wait a couple of extra minutes, since they are made to order, but the sticks with marinara for dipping are well worth it. Dare we say, they’re the best we ever had? (We dare.)
Nearby attractions: Indiana Jones Adventure, Jungle Cruise
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Classic carnival food is a must-eat dinner for Scout and Simone, especially when it’s a hand-dipped corn dog. (Photo: The Guncles)
7:30 p.m. — Hand-Dipped Corn Dog
Finally, finish your day at Disneyland with a corn dog ($7.69). These classic theme-park indulgences are a must and are offered in two locations, one being in an old-fashioned-style cart at the end of Main Street near the Disney Photo Pass store (our favorite spot). There are a few tables and benches hidden behind the corn dog truck, and this area is rarely crowded. Once you’re finished with this last meal, you’re in a good area for the nightly fireworks extravaganza.
Nearby attractions: Tomorrowland, Fireworks
At this point, you’ll probably feel like never eating again. But once you’re back at your car (after that brisk 15-mile walk to the trams and parking garage), you’ll be planning your next eating adventure at Disneyland.
Pluto joins in a family photo with Simone and her two dads, Bill and Scout. (Photo: The Guncles)
What are your favorite spots to grab a bite in the park? We’d love to hear other any other suggestions for places to stop and people-watch. Message us at facebook.com/TheGuncles or on Twitter @TheBillHorn and @ScoutMasterson.
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