Tuesday Reviews-Day: Napa Rose

We found ourselves at the Disneyland Resort for our first wedding anniversary, and since we wanted to have one super special meal, we made reservations at Napa Rose (located inside the Grand Californian).  This is one of the nicest places you can dine at Disneyland, and definitely one to book to celebrate a special occasion.  We love food and wine, so this fit us perfectly!

This restaurant has many options, but we thought “When in Rome” and went right for the chef’s menu with the wine pairing.  This option gives you a five course meal with different wines for each course.  Nope, not cheap, but totally worth it!  You waiter will come out and get any allergies or special needs out of the way, but after that, you’re at the mercy of the chef—and what better way to taste what’s best on the menu?

Some of the courses were small (yes, I leaned in and told my hubby we'd need to stop for a burger), but after salad, appetizer, sorbet, main course, and dessert, plus wine, we were more than full.  It was so delicious!  There is a sommelier on staff, so if the pre-fixe menu is not your thing, they will be able to help you select the perfect wine for your meal.  And yes, it's a little fancy, so you'll probably want to stop and change out of your Mickey ears and Goofy shirt before going to dinner.  I think our bill was somewhere in the $300 range for the two of us--I told you it was pricey!  There is a full menu, though, so you can get out for less, especially if you don't add wine.  While I wouldn't classify this restaurant as "kid friendly", I saw plenty of families who were having a wonderful time.

 Have you ever dined at Napa Rose?  Or is it on your "must-do" list for you next trip to Disneyland? 

Tuesday Reviews-day: Blue Bayou

Continuing on with some of our favorites at the Disneyland Resort, we could not even think of continuing without highlighting the Blue Bayou, possibly the most popular of eateries in the whole resort.  First, if this is your first visit to the Land, this is a must-do!  Go make your reservations now!  Now that that's out of the way, let's give you an official review.

The Blue Bayou is located inside New Orleans Square in the Disneyland park, and the restaurant is part of the Pirates of the Caribbean ride.  Yep, you are part of the scenery as you eat your lunch or dinner while boats full of park-goers pass you by.  The menu is a limited prixfixe menu and varies from lunch to dinner.  Don't worry, everything is absolutely delicious, so you're sure to find something you'll love. 

One of the most popular dishes is the Monte Cristo sandwich.  Yes, it's huge and we don't even want to start to calculate the calories.  This delicious sandwich is made up of ham, turkey, swiss cheese, and french toast which all gets deep fried and topped with a sprinkle of powdered sugar.  Add on some blackberry preserves and it is pure heaven!  Seeing as this is a running blog, fair warning: some dishes such as the Monte Cristo are not the best option before running, nor are they great too soon after.  This would make a great celebratory dinner after your achievement that evening or even the day after.

Celebrating Bill's 30th at Blue Bayou

A few more notes: there is no alcohol served at this restaurant.  If you want a drink, you will have to visit other areas of the resort.  While not scary or creepy, this restaurant is very low-lit and may be frightening to children who are really scared of the dark.  Definitely make reservations--it's almost guaranteed that you won't get in during busy days without a prior reservation.  You can make reservations up to 60 days in advance either online or by phone.  Visit www.disneyland.com for details.  Finally, this is not the most economical of meals; expect to spend $30+ per person.  We would highly recommend the Blue Bayou for a date night, special occasion celebration, or as a way to celebrate a successful runDisney race weekend!

Tuesday Reviews-day: Alfresco Lounge

In an effort to get you ready for everything you might need for the upcoming 2014 Disneyland Half Marathon Weekend, we have adopted a Disneyland theme for our first "Tuesday Reviews-day" posts.  Happy running, and happy vacation planning!

First up for food, our review of the Alfresco Lounge in Disney California Adventure.  We've stopped by this quick service dining/drinking lounge a few times while visiting the parks.  The Alfresco Lounge is attached to the Wine Country Trattoria restaurant (located downstairs from the lounge) and they share a kitchen.  Well, where is this place?  When looking at the complex, you will see stairs leading up to a balcony overlooking Cars Land.

There are casual open-seating options: low "regular" tables, high-top tables, and couches/loungers surrounding fire-pits.  You cannot make reservations, however the wait usually isn't very long, if you even have to wait at all.  They have a fun drink menu, including many California wines.  The food menu is limited to appetizers and small bites, but they really are delicious.  This is the perfect stop if you've had a large, later lunch, but don't want to go the "fast food" route.  It's the ideal "quick service feel but table service" venue.  

We love to celebrate with a glass of wine or champagne, and would highly recommend the Alfresco Lounge for that!  Cheers!

Cheers!  We did it!

Tuesday Reviews-day: Tropicana Inn & Suites--Anaheim

In an effort to get you ready for everything you might need for the upcoming 2014 Disneyland Half Marathon Weekend, we have adopted a Disneyland theme for our first "Tuesday Reviews-day" posts.  Happy running, and happy vacation planning!

This week, we decided to review a hotel we have stayed at many times while visiting the Disneyland Resort.  Growing up as a Walt Disney World girl, I was convinced early that staying on property was the only way to go!  Disneyland, however, is a totally different story—off property is (almost) just as convenient and much cheaper. 

Photo Credit: Tropicana Inn & Suites

We have stayed at a few duds (but let’s try to keep this positive).  A few years ago, we stumbled upon Tropicana Inn and Suites right after a remodel.  The price was right and the location couldn’t be beat.  We tried it once, and it has become one of our “go-to” choices. 

No, you won’t find much Disney magic here, but what you will find is a short walk to the park entrances, clean rooms, and a basic breakfast options in a café downstairs.  The price is a quarter of what you would pay to stay on property.  For runDisney race weekends, we love staying here because every extra step we can avoid, we do to save our legs.  It’s also great if you are one that likes to take a mid-day break.  No need to walk a few miles back and forth to get to your room.  The front desk and parking attendants have always been kind and helpful, even when arriving late or very early.  The rooms are basic, no frills, but when you are on a budget and planning on spending all your time in the parks, this works perfectly. 

Photo Credit: Tropicana Inn & Suites

The hotel itself is motel style, with room entrances surrounding a common courtyard.  There is a pool and spa, and while we aren’t big swimmers, there are always people in there enjoying the facility.  It looks to be well kept up and clean.  Yes, I’m big on hotels being clean.  As long as it’s clean and there is enough space to move around, I’m good.

During the 2013 Disneyland Half Marathon weekend, we stayed here, 4 adults in one room.  Now, I have to admit, it got a little crowded, especially when we started stacking up our souvenirs and expo purchases.  It was a huge plus, though, to have a fridge and microwave, especially for that weekend, so we could keep on top of our nutrition leading up to the race day. 

Whenever one of my social media groups asks for recommendations, I always jump on recommending Tropicana Inn & Suites.  I haven’t been disappointed yet, and I hope they continue to provide the same quality and affordable options for people traveling to Disneyland.  You can check the hotel out for yourself at http://www.tropicanainn-anaheim.com/

Where do you usually stay?  What's your best recommendation for off-site hotels near Disneyland? (And for the record, no, we were not compensated in any way for this post--just trying to help out fellow Disney bargain hunters!)