How to make sure you eat delicious food at Disneyland Paris
Hello my little Disneys,
What a busy start to the year it has been!
Between getting back from Disneyland Paris, planning and celebrating my Engagement Party, and hosting my very close friend's Baby Shower, January has gone pretty quickly for me, and I'm pleased we're heading into the Spring months...
During my Disneyland Paris trip, something that I was super concerned about was of course, as ever, the food.
Ironically, based in the culinary capital of the world, Disneyland Paris has become notorious amongst park goers for offering some of the worst tasting and "laziest" treats and snacks that Disney parks have to offer.
This "how to" post will serve as a guide to ensure that you eat the very best of what Disneyland Paris has to offer, and will also help you to avoid the duds, leaving you with extra cash to spend on delicious treats elsewhere.
Enjoy! And remember that to hear even more from me and my recent Disneyland Paris trip, you can head over to the ChatDisney podcast!
My co-host (and friend) Tash and I post weekly on Monday mornings, and cover all kinds of topics from parks to movies, merchandise to marvel, and beyond!
- Mercedes
At Disneyland Paris, you can make your Dining Reservations up to 60 days ahead of your trip. If you're traveling during peak season or at the weekend, Advanced Dining Reservations are essential in order to ensure that you have a plan when it comes to where you'll be eating.
I would recommend any of the following for your meals:
Often, when we don't have a plan in place, this is when the inevitable desperation of "grab and go" sets in, and we end up spending a lot of money on something totally not worth it! Which leads me nicely on to my next point...
Now, I understand that budget is often very important when people are planning a Disney trip – so here me out!
I am not saying that you have to dine at five star luxury table service restaurants every night, but I would definitely avoid the Disney Quick Dine options at Disneyland Paris.
There is a McDonalds, a Starbucks, and an Earl of Sandwich in Disney Village that all offer delicious, affordable options. I would also recommend checking out some of the buffet options such as Agrabah Cafe and Plaza Gardens if you're able to stretch a little more.
On the whole, Quick Dine options at Paris are expensive for what they are, and not very tasty. If you absolutely have no choice but to eat at a Quick Dine, I'd stick to something simple like pasta and pizza which you can get from Colonel Haiti's and Bella Notre in the main Disneyland Park.
Whatever you do, avoid the salads at Hakuna Matata like the plague!
Characters will come to you, in a relaxed setting, whilst you leisurely sit back and relax.
8. Do something just that little bit EXTRA!
Want to eat dinner whilst watching the fireworks over Main Street USA? Want to enjoy an exclusive brunch with champagne and rare characters? Or how about a wild west dinner show experience? The possibilities at Disneyland Paris for dining are vast – and whilst the food is often second best (apologies Lumiere) you can make up for it in ambience and atmosphere. Splurge a little extra so that you have a truly magical experience... and then if the food is average, it's only half as disappointing!
What a busy start to the year it has been!
Between getting back from Disneyland Paris, planning and celebrating my Engagement Party, and hosting my very close friend's Baby Shower, January has gone pretty quickly for me, and I'm pleased we're heading into the Spring months...
During my Disneyland Paris trip, something that I was super concerned about was of course, as ever, the food.
Ironically, based in the culinary capital of the world, Disneyland Paris has become notorious amongst park goers for offering some of the worst tasting and "laziest" treats and snacks that Disney parks have to offer.
 |
| Delicious Chocolate Mousse at Chez Remy's |
This "how to" post will serve as a guide to ensure that you eat the very best of what Disneyland Paris has to offer, and will also help you to avoid the duds, leaving you with extra cash to spend on delicious treats elsewhere.
Enjoy! And remember that to hear even more from me and my recent Disneyland Paris trip, you can head over to the ChatDisney podcast!
My co-host (and friend) Tash and I post weekly on Monday mornings, and cover all kinds of topics from parks to movies, merchandise to marvel, and beyond!
- Mercedes
1. Make Advanced Dining Reservations
 |
| Dessert at Auberge De Cendrillon |
I would recommend any of the following for your meals:
- Inventions (Disneyland Hotel)
- Auberge De Cendrillon
- Chez Remy's
- Captain Jack's
- Walt's An American Restaurant
- The Steakhouse (Disney Village)
Often, when we don't have a plan in place, this is when the inevitable desperation of "grab and go" sets in, and we end up spending a lot of money on something totally not worth it! Which leads me nicely on to my next point...
2. Avoid Quick Dine
 |
| Amazing Rapunzel Ice Sculpture at Inventions |
Now, I understand that budget is often very important when people are planning a Disney trip – so here me out!
I am not saying that you have to dine at five star luxury table service restaurants every night, but I would definitely avoid the Disney Quick Dine options at Disneyland Paris.
There is a McDonalds, a Starbucks, and an Earl of Sandwich in Disney Village that all offer delicious, affordable options. I would also recommend checking out some of the buffet options such as Agrabah Cafe and Plaza Gardens if you're able to stretch a little more.
On the whole, Quick Dine options at Paris are expensive for what they are, and not very tasty. If you absolutely have no choice but to eat at a Quick Dine, I'd stick to something simple like pasta and pizza which you can get from Colonel Haiti's and Bella Notre in the main Disneyland Park.
Whatever you do, avoid the salads at Hakuna Matata like the plague!
3. Sample only delicious snacks and treats...
 |
| Sadly, you won't find anything like Disneyland's Raspberry and Pineapple Swirl Dole Whip at Disneyland Paris... |
Research, research, research!
Instagram is your friend.
Unfortunately, if you have been lucky enough to sample the amazing snacks available at Disneyland in California, or Walt Disney World, you might be left a little disappointed when you visit Paris. On the whole, the snacks and seasonal treats don't really cut it in comparison to their American counterparts, but they still come with the hefty price tag!
As a rule of thumb, I would avoid any patisserie treats (oh the irony!) and I can personally guarantee that you will not be disappointed with the fudge at Main Street Bakery.
Instagram is your friend.
Unfortunately, if you have been lucky enough to sample the amazing snacks available at Disneyland in California, or Walt Disney World, you might be left a little disappointed when you visit Paris. On the whole, the snacks and seasonal treats don't really cut it in comparison to their American counterparts, but they still come with the hefty price tag!
As a rule of thumb, I would avoid any patisserie treats (oh the irony!) and I can personally guarantee that you will not be disappointed with the fudge at Main Street Bakery.
4. Enjoy delicious cocktails (with complimentary olives!)
 |
| The "Let it Glow" cocktail at Café Fantasia in the Disneyland Hotel |
If you're traveling with friends, or in a couple... or you have just managed to ditch the kids for a little bit, I highly recommend a leisurely visit to Café Fantasia at the Disneyland Hotel. They have a variety of delicious cocktails available, each served with olives and little nibbles! A really relaxing, top quality experience for those who would like it!
5. Make a plan when it comes to dining
As I sort of mentioned with regards to Advanced Dining Reservations, it doesn't matter where you eat, but it's good to have an idea before you go as to where things are so that you don't get stuck. You can be perfectly prepared but if you end up traveling off peak, like I did recently, you might be surprised to find that lots of places close early (if they are even open at all!)
Remember: Dining Reservations are NOT accepted at Disney Village, so you'll always have an option to "wait on the door" at any of the following, which I would say are all worth it in my opinion:
- Annette's
- Vapiano's (Highly recommend)
- Planet Hollywood
- Rainforest Café
- King Ludwig's
6. Don't be put off by prices
Disneyland is expensive. Fact.
Wherever you eat, it is going to be a lot of money – and I would seriously consider spending a little more to get the top quality food at Disneyland Paris.
That said, if you're clever, you might even be able to book with Free Disney Dining! We booked our trip in Autumn 2019 for a visit in early January 2020. We got a free Plus Meal Plan included in our package, which meant that we got one free meal (three courses) and a buffet breakfast per person, per day of our stay!
We were able to eat at Chez Remy's and Captain Jack's on this Plan, and paid a little towards an upgrade so we could enjoy the Inventions Brunch at the Disneyland Hotel.
7. Character dining may be the answer
 |
| Flynn Rider, Laura, Steph, Me, Tash and Rapunzel at Inventions Brunch |
First of all, character dining is expensive... like a lot more expensive that eating at a non-character restaurant. That said, if you value time over money, and your children are desperate to meet with characters, character dining could be the answer.
Characters will come to you, in a relaxed setting, whilst you leisurely sit back and relax.
At Disneyland Paris, the following character dining is available:
- Café Mickey (Disney Village)
- Inventions (Disneyland Hotel)
- Plaza Gardens
- Auberge De Cendrillon
8. Do something just that little bit EXTRA!
Want to eat dinner whilst watching the fireworks over Main Street USA? Want to enjoy an exclusive brunch with champagne and rare characters? Or how about a wild west dinner show experience? The possibilities at Disneyland Paris for dining are vast – and whilst the food is often second best (apologies Lumiere) you can make up for it in ambience and atmosphere. Splurge a little extra so that you have a truly magical experience... and then if the food is average, it's only half as disappointing!