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Birthdays. Celebrating a birthday at Disneyland is something the vast majority of us have done at one point of another. If your child is visiting Disneyland on her/his birthday, you can obtain a sticker for them by dropping by City Hall (if they're out of Birthday Stickers, you might get an "Honorary Citizen of Disneyland" sticker instead). Restaurants will not discount prices for you, unfortunately. Here are the three most frequently asked questions, and their answers:

Will the employees sing "Happy Birthday" to my child? Almost always. Your best experiences will occur at the following locations: Hotel restaurants, the Blue Bayou, and Redd Rockett's Pizza Port. They all have good reputations in singing the birthday song - many of them in fact have cute variations of it - and they often involve nearby guests in congratulating your child's birthday. Actually, they'll sing for anyone with a birthday, not just a child.

Can you buy your own cake? Yes, but you probably don't want to. None of the restaurants will offer you a discount: a 12-piece cake bought in its entirety will cost you twelve times the price of a single slice of cake already on the dessert menu. Additionally, you may have to wait a couple of minutes while they fetch the uncut cake. It is possible to order a cake in advance, and I think you can request special greetings messages on top of the cake, but that might cost extra. To inquire further about cakes or to order one, call the Disneyland Restaurant Information at (714) 956-6755. Restaurants that don't normally offer cake on the menu might sell you a complete cheesecake instead.

What about a birthday party? Yeah, you can get that, but not easily at the restaurants inside the berm. It's much easier accomplished at the Disneyland Hotel; call (714) 956-6755 for further information. Al Lutz has also provided pricing information on birthday cakes - follow this link to get Al's birthday info.

Here's the info from the AP Newsletter Winter 1998: throughout the park you may find eggnog, hot cider or Mexican hot chocolate (chocolate con leche), beef or pork tamales, buneulos (crispy sweet pastry), berry-flavored churros, and holiday-colored freeze drinks. Village Haus and Daisy's Diner will have unique Christmas Tree shaped pizza. The Fire House on Main Street will offer cookie decorating, and the Blue Ribbon Bakery will have freshly baked gingerbread, shortbread cookies, bundt cakes, eggnog latte and mulled cider.
The Gibson Girl will have special ice cream flavors, such as eggnog and peppermint, as well as togurt flavors of eggnog, holly berry, and peppermint.
The California Beef Council "has joined with us to sponsor a hearty prime rib meal with all the delicious trimmings, as well as a tarragon beef & pasta salad dish that's sure to delight. Of course, you'll find other terrific beef specialities at Carnation Cafe, Bengal Barbecue, the Blue Bayou restaurant and Big Thunder Barbecue."

Over at the Disneyland Hotel, you could get a "carve your own turkey" meal at Stromboli's (minimum party size of four) or Beef Wellington at Granville's.

Wheelchairs. The vast majority of restaurant locations are wheelchair accessible. Fast-food locations usually have enough space between aisles, but Harbour Galley is a notable exception. For those locations where there is not obvious access, you should be able to enter through the exit or ask a nearby Cast Member how to gain admission. Buffeterias all have wide enough "tray slide" areas that wheelchairs can fit. One caveat: the Plaza Pavilion is only accessible by ascending a few steps - there are no ramps to enter that restaurant. In the case of table-service restaurants, you'll find instructions on how to proceed from the reservations/doorperson at the front (for example, at the Blue Bayou you will enter through a service door halfway up the EXIT of the Pirates attraction). For both buffeterias and fast-food locations, you will need to find a way to bring your food, once purchased, to your table. Frequently Disney Cast Members will assist you, particularly if asked to do so.

Masticated Food. For guests who have special eating needs and cannot chew their own food, your choices are more limited. Blenders exist in only a few of the restaurant locations at Disneyland: Carnation Plaza Gardens and the Blue Ribbon Bakery are two such locations that might be able to blend food for you, but their menus are small. Your best bet is to check with City Hall upon arrival at Disneyland and seek specific help; possibly they can arrange certain foods for you at designated restaurants, to be prepared at a pre-arranged time.

Walking Disabilities. Guests who experience difficulties while walking or who require the use of a cane or walker may need assistance at buffeterias, where you push a tray down a tray slide and then carry it to your own table, and at fast-food locations, where your food is offered to you on smaller cardboard boxtrays. Disney employees can assist you, and will gladly, but if you are part of a very large group it is best to arrange for helpers yourself or to check with the restaurant ahead of time so that they will be better prepared to assist you. Table service restaurants require no specific notification, as you should no encounter no difficulties there.

Speech Disabilities. As a rule, Disney Cast Members have no special training in recognizing distorted speech, and the vast majority do not speak American Sign Language. Isolated Cast Members may have learned ASL on their own initiative, but your best bet is to make contact with City Hall if you will require a translator. All restaurant locations require some manner of verbal communication - pointing at the menu (or food items) may work at some locations, but in most will be problematic (i.e., the Cast Member cannot see the menu as you can, or multiple Cast Members will ask you about different items as you pass by them).

For both compliments and complaints about menu selection or the service you've received, your first stop should be the manager on duty (if the manager is an hourly employee, her/his title is "lead"). Frequently this person will be able to pass on compliments and deal immediately with complaints, hopefully to your satisfaction. Tremendously positive compliments can be registered at City Hall, as can written complaints, but Disneyland prefers that both of these be handled at the restaurant itself. If the lead/manager is uncooperative, you can always ask to speak to a higher supervisor right there.

Some people breast-feed right there on the outdoor patio. If you are discreet, especially if you use a blanket to cover yourself, then likely no Cast Member or guest will disturb you (you may, however, get more attention than you would like, particularly if you don't use a blanket). If you expose a little too much, you will likely be approached by a Cast Member.

If you must change a diaper, please do not use the tables. People eat on those tables! Also, please have the decency to dispose of the dirty diaper yourself in one of the large trash bins - leaving it on the table is very bad form and is highly unsanitary.

For both feeding and changing needs, you are best served elsewhere. You'll find changing tables in all the restrooms and at the Baby Care Center on Main Street. The Baby Center also has plenty of facilities for feeding: here you can warm your bottle the proper way or breast-feed in privacy.