Welcome to planDisney, DeAnne! Thanks so much for stopping by and sending us your question. I'm happy to help!
Celebrating birthdays at the Disneyland Resort makes them so much more magical and I have a few suggestions for your daughter's special day! The first thing you should do is to make sure you have your
theme park tickets and
theme park reservations in place for that day. I would suggest a park hopper ticket so that you can spend time at both
Disneyland Park and
Disney California Adventure. With a park hopper ticket, you can switch parks beginning at 1:00 p.m., subject to availability. I would suggest having your daughter look at the restaurant choices to decide where she would want to have a special dinner that evening and then make your park reservations accordingly. You can make
advanced dining reservations up to 60 days before your arrival date. If your daughter wants to take advantage of her new ability to order alcoholic drinks, Disney California Adventure will have more choices. There are only two locations at this time at Disneyland Park,
Oga's Cantina and
Blue Bayou Restaurant, that can serve alcohol. At Disney California Adventure, one of my favorite spots to relax and enjoy cocktails and yummy food is
Lamplight Lounge! They have a great cocktail selection and with an internet search, you can even find a secret drink menu! I especially love having a waterside table to enjoy the sights and sounds of
Pixar Pier. Another favorite spot of mine to enjoy cocktails and appetizers is alfresco dining at
Carthay Circle Lounge. There is also
Carthay Circle Restaurant if you prefer to have a meal there.
Besides enjoying great food and drinks, you can order a
Mickey Mouse Celebration Cake to celebrate if you are dining at select restaurants. I would also suggest picking up a complimentary "Happy Birthday" celebration button at either City Hall on Main Street, U.S.A. in Disneyland Park, or at Guest Services in Disney California Adventure Park.
I would also recommend getting your daughter's photo taken to capture the special day. My favorite spot when celebrating a family member's milestone is to have a
Disney PhotoPass photographer capture the memory in front of
Sleeping Beauty Castle. If you decide to add
Disney Genie+ to your park tickets that day, not only will you make the most of your park time, but you can enjoy unlimited Disney PhotoPass digital downloads from the day!
If you have more questions as you are planning, please visit us again at planDisney! We're always happy to help you plan your vacation at The Happiest Place on Earth!
Smiles,
Lisa