
Many of us think that standard Disney pizza is subpar, so after a couple of years away from the parks, enjoying a lunch at Alien Pizza Planet in Disneyland Park was definitely not on my radar.
However, on a recent visit to the parks with my Connecting With Walt colleague, Michael Bowling, he was raving about a noodle dish that he had eaten at Alien Pizza Planet. I was intrigued, but the thought of cardboard pizza still clouded my memory. Then I remembered trips with my son and my ex and how much we enjoyed the chicken Alfredo pasta at what was then Pizza Port.
I agreed to give it a try, so Michael and I made plans for lunch at Pizza Planet. It was quite a bit after the lunch rush, so making an almost immediate Mobile Order was not a problem.
We ordered the noodles that Michael recommended, the pasta that I remembered, another pasta dish, and a slice of the infamous pizza.
We started with Michael’s favorite, the Chicken Sesame-Ginger Vegetable Noodles [$13.49], with grilled chicken, stir-fried vegetables, sesame-ginger sauce, cilantro and scallions.
While the Italian theme of the restaurant kind of goes out the window with this dish, it may be worth it. Michael was right about this dish, it was tasty and a very light alternative to heavy spaghetti. The noodles were perfectly dressed and the veggies were fresh and crisp. If the family wants Italian and you don’t, this might be the perfect solution.
Next up was the dish I used to enjoy, the Count Down Chicken Fusilli [$12.49], with seasoned grilled chicken, parmesan-pesto cream sauce, sun-dried tomatoes, and shaved parmesan.
While heavier than the Asian noodles, this pasta is delicious. The dish is fairly simple…pasta, chicken, and sauce…but it works and is as good as I remembered. If you’re not a fan of sun-dried tomatoes, it probably won’t be an issue as they’re in the sauce and almost indiscernible. The fusilli pasta is also served with shrimp [$13.49]. Give it a try.
The other pasta we tried was the Blush Pasta [$13.49], with rigatoni, Italian sausage, spicy blush sauce, tomato relish, and shaved parmesan.
This dish was done well, although we didn’t enjoy it as much as the first two. The sauce only had a slight spice to it, so don’t let that scare you away. If you’re looking for something with a classic red sauce, this might be a good choice for you.
To accompany the pasta dishes, we picked up the Garlon Bread [$5.79] with zesty dipping sauce. The breadsticks were passable and very similar to those found at Olive Garden. Unfortunately, we had so much food that the side went mostly uneaten.
Finally, we decided that we had to give a slice of the Mega Pepperoni pizza [$8.99] a try. Our memories were not faulty.
The sauce was bland, the toppings were sparse, and the crust was basic. Unless your kid will absolutely not eat anything else, avoid this pizza at all costs. I think you already know that, though.
There are a couple of pluses to Alien Pizza Planet that you don’t find in many other Disneyland restaurants, including free refills on drinks at a serve-yourself drink station and a plethora of indoor and outdoor seating.
With some decent pastas and nice salads, Alien Pizza Planet is not necessarily a restaurant you should avoid anymore, just heed our warnings and order wisely.