Plaza Inn and Jolly Holiday Bakery Café

When I first started really looking at Disneyland restaurants (rather than just going to our regular few) the thing that surprised me was that almost all of them were "Quick Service". There are some that are obviously take-out windows and there are tables nearby, but many with indoor seating still have you going up to the register and placing an order, then seating yourself.

I realized that we'd had a tendency to avoid the ones that looked more like regular restaurants, perhaps because it seemed like it would take longer and be a hassle, but that was really not the case. Because of this, two that we have always avoided have been the Plaza Inn and Jolly Holiday Bakery Café, which stand opposite from each other at the end of Main Street.

The Plaza Inn does do character dining in the morning, so that would be a different type of experience. For dinner, there are different counters to go up to depending on what you want to eat, and they give you your plate. I had chicken dinner and my mother ordered the penne alfredo.

She could also have gotten her penne with marinara sauce, or chosen pot roast, fish, or salad. There are also some kid-size plates available, a beverage fountain, and some dessert offerings.

There is lots of outdoor seating. I had been curious to try the Plaza Inn anyway, but it also occurred to me that this could be a good place to watch the Main Street Electrical Parade.

(I asked to make sure it was okay. The cast member said if they ran out of seating for diners it could be an issue, but otherwise should be fine. That did not end up being a problem, and many other people came and watched from these tables also.)

While waiting for the parade it seemed like a good time to check out the Jolly Holiday Bakery, which was right there across the street. There were a lot of people in line, so I did not end up ordering, but I still went in to take a look around.

There is that old time Americana feel that goes with Main Street, but as the name indicates, it also pays tribute to Mary Poppins.

The best part of this is the incorporation of the penguins, not just on the windows, but also on the paddles that the cast members use to call you forward.

There are other nice touches too. Sandwiches are available, but the main attraction is probably the bakery case.

With such long lines, my mother waiting, and a parade on the way, I only took a few quick pictures, then ran into Candy Palace and Candy Kitchen and bought some Minnie's Bake Shop cookies. My mother and I split one of the Chocolate Chip Supreme cookies. They are award-winning, and their only serious competition are the Colossal Ghirardelli Chocolate Chip Cookies at the Ghirardelli Soda Fountain and Chocolate Shop in California Adventure. We also split a Minnie's Bake Shop Raspberry White Chocolate Cookie, which I had never tried before and was also quite good.

So that night include trying a new place, seeing a new place, and trying one new thing while also enjoying and old favorite and sharing it with my mother. And there was still a parade on the way.

That will be the subject of next week's post.

https://disneyland.disney.go.com/dining/disneyland/plaza-inn/
https://disneyland.disney.go.com/dining/disneyland/jolly-holiday-bakery-cafe/