Eating at the Disneyland Resort has come a long way from hamburgers and pizza. Today guests at the theme parks can select healthier options and even vegetarian and vegan options. If you think you can’t get a decent veggie meal in Disneyland or Disney California Adventure, think again. Whether you want breakfast, lunch, or dinner, there are plenty of selections in the two parks. Below are some options.

 

Vegan

Breakfast in the park is fun and even a necessity for guests who want to get an early start on their fun-filled day. A couple Vegan options are the hash browns and mini vegan Mickey waffles at the Disneyland Park Plaza Inn on Main Street USA.

 

Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa, which is accessible from Downtown Disney and Disney California Adventure, also offers a vegan omelet with a layer of hash browns and mushrooms, tomatoes, spinach and bell peppers.

 

Lunch and dinner offerings are vast. How about a vegan burger at the Carnation Café?

 

The Royal Street Veranda in New Orleans Square has a vegetarian gumbo, and the nearby French Market has N’awlins salad and a vegetable jambalaya. The Blue Bayou Restaurant (the one visible from The Pirates of the Caribbean ride) has a vegan Portobello mushroom and couscous maque choux. Also in New Orleans Square at the Café Orleans there is a Crescent City Salad and a N’awlins Vegetable Ragout.

 

In Tomorrowland a great vegan meal is the tomato-basil pasta without cheese, and the spaghetti with “Mars-inara” sauce without cheese at Redd Rockett’s Pizza Port.

 

Over in Disney California Adventure at the Boardwalk Pizza & Pasta on Paradise Pier, guests can order a boardwalk field of greens without pecans or blue cheese. And at the Carthay Circle Restaurant on Buena Vista Street there is a vegan pasta or vegan tower featuring seasonal produce all customized for each guest.

 

A short walk through Downtown Disney or a fun ride on the monorail will get guests to the Disneyland Hotel and the Steakhouse 55 restaurant where a vegan item is their baked potato with broccoli, spinach, and sautéed mushrooms.

 

Vegetarian

 

Vegetarian breakfast options at the Carnation Café include apple-granola pancakes and huevos rancheros, which is a corn tortilla with poached eggs, jack cheese, and fire-roasted salsa.

 

At Disneyland Hotel’s Tangaroa Terrace there is a grilled cinnamon-spiced oatmeal cakes and an egg white vegetable and tofu bake. And the Storytellers Café at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa offers a California omelet or banana-stuffed French toast.

 

Over at the Harbour Galley in Disneyland’s Critter Country, vegetarians can order the broccoli cheese soup in a sourdough bread bowl. The nearby Hungry Bear Restaurant has a fried green tomato sandwich and a watermelon salad for vegetarians.

 

New Orleans Square has several restaurants including the French Market where the corn chowder is also served in a sourdough bread bowl. The Café Orleans offers a three-cheese Monte Cristo and a N’awlins Vegetable Ragout.

 

In Fantasyland the Village Haus Restaurant features a garden burger and at Edelweiss Snacks guests can order a chile lime corn on the cob.

 

And the Tomorrowland Terrace has a grilled vegetable sandwich.

 

If you’re in Frontierland the Big Thunder Ranch Barbecue has a vegetable and tofu skewer and the Rancho del Zocalo Restaurante has soft flour tacos as well as a vegetable burrito and enchiladas.

 

Flo’s V-8 Café in Cars Land in Disney California Adventure offers a Veggie Tater Bake, and the Paradise Garden Grill on Paradise Pier has a vegetable and tofu skewer with select special flavorings. The Boardwalk Pizza & Pasta has a vegetarian pizza as well as pesto ravioli. Also at Paradise pier, the Cove Bar has vegetarian nachos and a spinach and artichoke dip. And Ariel’s Grotto serves fire-roasted corn cakes.
The Wine Country Trattoria offers a Tuscan salad that can be made vegetarian, roasted vegetable Panini, Quattro Pomodoro Pasta, Broccolini Aglio Olio, and roasted vegetable bruschetta.

 

On Buena Vista Street, vegetarian selections at the Carthay Circle Restaurant include a garden vegetable risotto and the Award Wieners retro trolley car in Hollywood Land has a Portobello mushroom Philly sandwich which consists of grilled Portobello mushrooms with onions and bell peppers sautéed in hefeweizen beer and topped with pepper jack.

 

These are only some of the vegan and vegetarian options in Disneyland Resort. The menus change periodically however there are always plenty of healthy choices.

 

About the Author

Francine Brokaw has been covering all aspects of the entertainment business for 20 years. She also writes about technology and has been a travel writer for the past 12 years. She has been published in national and international newspapers and magazines as well as internet websites. She has written her own book, Beyond the Red Carpet The World of Entertainment Journalists, from Sourced Media Books.

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Often overlooked because it is tucked away in the back of Disneyland, Mickey’s Toontown might not be as popular as the other sections of the theme park but it has many fun things to offer visitors to Disneyland and deserves recognition.

 

With two “rides” and many other attractions, Toontown is a fun place to spend time and see how the cartoon characters live. Visitors to Toontown can explore Mickey and Minnie’s homes, which, incidentally, are next to each other, and often the characters are there to personally meet and greet their guests. Meeting the big cheese in his own house is a real treat. And when you’re in his house, look for Pluto’s doghouse, and check out Mickey’s gloves in the laundry. Another little “tidbit” is inside Minnie’s refrigerator there is a recipe for chocolate chip cookies, with a little tweaking from Minnie herself. Instead of chocolate chips, this little darling prefers cheese chips. To each his or her own!

 

 

Chip ‘n Dale have their own treehouse in which little visitors can explore, and Goofy’s has his own playhouse to visit too. Also check out Donald’s boat. There are plenty of places to grab a bite while visiting the residents of Toontown.

 

For some additional excitement, there is the Gadget’s Go Coaster, which is a junior sized roller coaster inspired by Chip ‘n Dale’s Rescue Rangers. This is a favorite among young kids and tweens.

 

Roger Rabbit’s Car Toon Spin is a fun little ride that is similar to the Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride but with a twist. Literally. The ride adds a bit of the Mad Tea Party so guests can make their little car spin while going through the story ride. If you don’t want to spin and enjoy the slow moving ride, you can do that too. Simply don’t turn the wheel in the little car and enjoy a peaceful and imaginative experience. But once in awhile you might want to turn it just a bit for additional fun. You control it all.

 

 

A little unknown fact about Toontown is that the Official Seal of the city is from the 1948 cartoon “Mickey and the Seal.”

 

If you’ve overlooked Mickey’s Toontown on previous visits to Disneyland, make a point to check it out next time you’re in the park. It’s next to “It’s a Small World.”

 

Mickey’s Toontown is a colorful and creative place to visit, and the younger guests at Disneyland especially enjoy it. It immerses them in the world of the characters we all know and love, and gives them a place to get up close and personal with Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Pluto, Goofy, Chip and Dale, and some others. This is a great place for little guests to enjoy fun time in an area designed more for them than for adults. But don’t get me wrong. It’s still a fun place for adults too. This is the best place for families to unwind and explore, eat a meal or snack on something delicious, and be immersed in the town of toons.

 

About the Author

Francine Brokaw has been covering all aspects of the entertainment business for 20 years. She also writes about technology and has been a travel writer for the past 12 years. She has been published in national and international newspapers and magazines as well as internet websites. She has written her own book, Beyond the Red Carpet The World of Entertainment Journalists, from Sourced Media Books.

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For Disneyland’s Diamond Celebration there are three new nighttime spectaculars. Each one is amazing in its own right. They are intricate, colorful, and downright dazzling.

 

Neil Patrick Harris and Mickey Mouse host the new water show, “World of Color – Celebrate” in Disney California Adventure. Projected on the water fountains in Paradise Bay is a history of Disney films, beginning with a clip from “Steamboat Willie” and going through the years to Star Wars. With songs and scenes from favorite films, this nightly show is sure to please all visitors to Disney California Adventure.

 

“World of Color – Celebrate” utilizes the “Glow with the Show” technology so special Mickey Ear hats change color depending on the scenes being projected. For the 60^th anniversary, there is a limited edition paintbrush and some special drink sippers to purchase that also interact with the show and each other, making for a colorful show as well as a colorful audience.

 

The new “Paint the Night Parade” in Disneyland is an updated version of the popular Electrical Light Parade, which impressed guests for years. Over 1.5 million LED lights showcasing eight Disney stories is “an inspired version of the original parade,” explained Randy Wojcik, Creative Director Parks & Resorts and Show Director of the parade. “The heart and soul of any parade is our performers,” he said, and the performers, combined with the lights and music blend to make this an electrifying parade. Besides many notable Disney characters, the parade also introduces Mack Truck, for the first time. The lights on Mack are bright and beautiful, to say the least.

 

The parade features several Disney princesses and characters from Cars, Monsters Inc., Peter Pan, and Toy Story. This after-dark spectacular is musical, magical, and memorable. It’s also filled with colorful lights that sparkle and ignite the sense of wonder in us all.

 

The highlight of the Diamond Celebration and something not to be missed is the “Disneyland Forever” Fireworks spectacular. It’s more than a fireworks show. Guests are immersed by images projected on the buildings on Main Street USA, the Sleeping Beauty Castle, the Matterhorn, and there are also projections along the Rivers of America and “It’s a Small World.” So no matter where you are in the park, you will get an amazing experience and a different one from each location.

 

“The beginning of the show is a lovely tribute to Disneyland with the orange grove,” explained Sayre Wiseman, Executive, Parades & Spectaculars, Walt Disney Imagineering Creative Entertainment. Guests will feel as though they are standing in an orange grove, which was what the land was before becoming Disneyland. “The show is charming,” she exclaimed, and it truly is. It is more than charming. It is the most amazing and creative thing ever done by the Disney Imagineers, which is saying a lot.

 

Where should you stand for this spectacular show? If you stand on Main Street USA you’ll get an astounding experience seeing the visuals on the castle as well as the buildings lining the street. The buildings transform and at one point actually look as though they are dancing. Many graphics are present during this fireworks extravaganza. The Matterhorn transforms into Mt. Wannahockaloogie, the volcano from Finding Nemo. And at one point it erupts. Heffalumps and Woozles, Elsa’s falling snowflakes, stampeding African animals from The Lion King, bubbling bubbles from The Little Mermaid, and floating lanterns from Tangled are also displayed on the buildings. Plus, let’s not forget the stunning fireworks. Guests will be looking left, right, up, and over because they are immersed in the creativity that is the piece de resistance of the Diamond Celebration.

 

“We’re the industry leaders in painting the sky,” claimed Steve Davison, Executive Producer, Walt Disney Imagineering Creative Entertainment. “We integrate media with pyrotechnics in this show.” “Disneyland Forever” has “a multi-layered effect” yet it “is music-driven.”

 

In the past the nighttime fireworks shows were spectacular. No one puts on a fireworks show like Disneyland. But now it is more than just fireworks set to music. It is an immersive experience for all the senses. There is too much to see in one visit. This is an event that needs to be seen and experienced many times from every angle. It’s just that incredible.

 

The experience doesn’t end when the final fireworks have faded. The finale, or walking out music, is a new song from celebrated composer Richard Sherman titled “A Kiss Goodnight,” and provides a memorable way to end the show.

 

With the three new nighttime shows, the Disneyland Diamond Celebration dazzles the senses and sets the bar for the future. How can they improve on these fantastic shows? Time will tell. But it will be difficult because these are nothing short of amazing.

 

About the Author

Francine Brokaw has been covering all aspects of the entertainment business for 20 years. She also writes about technology and has been a travel writer for the past 12 years. She has been published in national and international newspapers and magazines as well as internet websites. She has written her own book, Beyond the Red Carpet The World of Entertainment Journalists, from Sourced Media Books.

Follow her on Twitter

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On July 17, 1955 Walt Disney opened Disneyland by saying, “To all who come to this happy place: Welcome. Disneyland is your land. Here, age relives fond memories of the past, and here youth may savor the challenge and promise of the future. Disneyland is dedicated to the ideals, the dreams, and the hard facts that have created America, with the hope that it will be a source of joy and inspiration to all the world.” When introducing the new nighttime spectacular shows for the Diamond Celebration on May 21, 2015, Walt Disney Company CEO Bob Iger amended those comments by saying, “To all who HAVE come to this happy place, Thank You, and to all who will come to this happy place, welcome. Disneyland is TRULY your land.”

 

Over the past 60 years, Disneyland and its sister theme parks have been a constant vacation destination for millions of people, young and old. While it was originally an idea by Walt Disney as a place where families could come and enjoy their time together, Disneyland is not only for the young, but also for all the young at heart. It is a place where children, parents, families, grandparents, singles, seniors, boomers, and everyone can come to enjoy a little magic and fun.

 

The Benjamins from Modesto, California are empty nesters and have annual passes to the park. They enjoy coming for visits throughout the year to eat, shop, and revel in the Disney magic, proving that you don’t have to be a kid to enjoy this special place. “We enjoy spending time here.” Walking around the park guests of all ages enjoy the magic of Disney.

 
To commemorate the Diamond Celebration, the folks in the Disney merchandising department have created hundreds of new products for all age groups that are sure to become collectables. We are all familiar with the popular Mouse Ear Hats that have evolved over the years. Now there are Mouse Ear hats in many forms, however Minnie’s rhinestone headband is projected to be one of the most popular products to come out of this anniversary. “Headbands have superseded the ear hats,” claimed Michelle Harker, Manager of Merchandise Marketing and Communications. However don’t be concerned that the mouse ear hats are going away. There is a new 60^th anniversary blue hat with silver ears.

 

And for true Disney followers, a special diamond necklace worth $4200.00 has been created to mark the 60^th anniversary. If you don’t want to spend that much money, Harker showed off a new mug with the letter “D” for a handle, a new rolling duffle bag, a sparkling light-up cell phone case, and a new plush Pinocchio. Disney will be rolling out special editions of plush Pinocchio, Mr. Toad, Maleficent, and Genie during this Diamond Celebration.
Another new product is a magic limited edition paintbrush that lights up. It joins the already-popular “Glow with the Show” Mickey ears. The paintbrush and new sippers in specific “Made with Magic” drinks, as well as the ear hat and wands, will all work along with the nighttime shows. The colors interact with the shows in a way that amazes everyone.

 

The new specially designed Cinderella Coach keepsake popcorn bucket, along with more than 500 new items make up the Diamond Celebration merchandise collection.

 

Besides the new products and three new nighttime shows, Disneyland has updated several of their popular attractions. They are “adding new technology to Peter Pan’s Flight. It will keep the same track. Everyone loves that track and likes to fly,” said Larry Nikolai, Creative Director, Walt Disney Imagineering Creative Entertainment. “There is magic and fantasy in the Peter Pan ride.” They are concentrating on new technology in the old attraction, making the visuals more updated and picturesque. Peter Pan is currently closed but is scheduled to reopen with the new modernizations on July 1.

 

The Imagineers have reorganized another popular attraction – The Haunted Mansion. They brought back the hatbox ghost. This is a ghost that holds his hatbox. Sometimes his head appears in the box and sometimes it is on his shoulders. And the audio in the attraction is much better. The entirety of the Haunted Mansion has been updated, but the ghostly encounters are still there.

 

“We added new magic to enhance the story in the Matterhorn,” explained Jeff Shaver-Moskowitz, Producer, Walt Disney Imagineering. The yeti is scarier than ever and adds a little change the classic experience on the bobsleds that guests have enjoyed for decades.

 

For the special anniversary, guests to Disneyland will see Sleeping Beauty’s Castle transformed with “diamonds” so it sparkles in the day and at night it twinkles with plenty of glittering lights while taking a starring role in the dazzling new Disneyland Forever Fireworks spectacular.

 

The new products, updates to several attractions, and three amazing new night shows make the Diamond Celebration a tribute to the ingenuity, technology, inspiration, and creativity of all the people who have been a part of this park for 60 years. The Disneyland Resort is a place that far exceeds the original dream of Walt Disney.

 

About the Author

Francine Brokaw has been covering all aspects of the entertainment business for 20 years. She also writes about technology and has been a travel writer for the past 12 years. She has been published in national and international newspapers and magazines as well as internet websites. She has written her own book, Beyond the Red Carpet The World of Entertainment Journalists, from Sourced Media Books.

Follow her on Twitter

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Disneyland is turning 60 this year. It’s hard to imagine a time without “The Happiest Place on Earth.” Disneyland and Walt Disney World have been vacation destinations for families for several generations. They’re not just for kids. Teens, young families, and seniors all enjoy the food, flavors, fun, rides, shopping, music, and the entire Disney experience.

 

Here are some fun facts about Disneyland:

 

Since opening day in 1955, the Disneyland Resort has welcomed nearly 700 million guests to the happiest place on earth.

 

Through the years, a virtual “Who’s Who” of the 20th and early 21st centuries has visited the Disneyland Resort, including U.S. presidents (dating to Harry S. Truman), heads of state and countless athletes, artists, authors and celebrities.

 

Mickey Mouse ear hats are the most popular Disneyland Resort souvenirs of all time, with more than 84 million “ears” sold since 1955.

 

The Matterhorn Bobsleds was the first tubular steel roller coaster in the world when it opened in 1959. It set the standard for modern-day roller-coaster design.

 

Disneyland Park created the first daily operating monorail in the Western Hemisphere. It opened June 14, 1959.

 

The popular Pirates of the Caribbean attraction in New Orleans Square features more than 120 Audio- Animatronics figures, and guests often sing along with that catchy refrain: “Yo-ho, yo-ho, a pirate’s life for me.”

 

At nearly 300,000 square feet and 125 feet tall at its peak, The mountains of Ornament Valley in Cars Land make up the largest rock structure in any domestic Disney theme park.

 

The nighttime water spectacular “World of Color” uses a submersible platform that’s bigger than a football field, with more than 18,000 points of control and revolutionary lighting that infuses nearly 1,200 fountains with color — making it one of the largest show systems ever built. The show is regularly enhanced, with updates including “Glow With the Show” ears that flash in sync with the performance, and an all-new holiday version: “World of Color – Winter Dreams.”

 

Thirty-eight different languages are spoken among Disneyland Resort cast members.

 

More than 50 scuba divers work year-round to maintain Disneyland Resort attractions, including “World of Color” at Disney California Adventure and Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage at Disneyland.

 

From colorful flowers to 18,000 trees and 22 topiary animals and characters, the landscape panorama helps tell the story of each land in the parks.

 

More than 800 species of plants indigenous to 40 nations grow at the Disneyland Resort, making it one of the most extensive and diverse botanical locales in the western United States.

 

Guests will find more than 140 food and beverage locations at the Disneyland Resort, including 23 full- service restaurants and themed lounges such as Trader Sam’s Enchanted Tiki Bar at the Disneyland Hotel.

 

Disneyland Resort serves more than 6,500 food items, including citrus-marinated turkey breast at Flo’s V8 Café (Disney California Adventure), Hacienda Chicken Caesar Salad at Rancho del Zocalo (Disneyland) and Fire Cracker Duck Wings at Carthay Circle Restaurant and Lounge (Disney California Adventure).


 

Napa Rose, the award-winning restaurant at the Grand Californian Hotel, has a 17,000-bottle cellar withmore than 1,000 different labels and 80 wines available by the glass. The wine service ranks among the best in the country, with more than 31 certified sommeliers (four who are certified as advanced) on staff.

 

Fresh fruits and healthful options are available throughout the parks, and guests can look for the Mickey Check on menus to find meals that meet Disney Nutrition Guidelines.

 

Disneyland Resort employs 26,000 cast members, making it the largest single-site employer in Orange County..

 

More than 1,200 different costumes are maintained for use by cast members in the parks and hotels.

 

2015 is the Diamond Anniversary and there’s no better time to visit and revisit “The Happiest Place on Earth.” The Diamond Jubilee festivities kick off May 22, 2015.

 

About the Author

Francine Brokaw has been covering all aspects of the entertainment business for 20 years. She also writes about technology and has been a travel writer for the past 12 years. She has been published in national and international newspapers and magazines as well as internet websites. She has written her own book, Beyond the Red Carpet The World of Entertainment Journalists, from Sourced Media Books.

Follow her on Twitter

Like her on Facebook