Big Thunder Ranch BBQ plus a visit from Woody

What's the best restaurant on Disneyland property? My vote is Big Thunder Ranch BBQ. For just $30 you get an all-you-can-eat meal with lots of tasty sides, plus a bucket full of meat! Whenever we were getting together with friends at the park and having dinner together, Big Thunder Ranch BBQ was always on the top of our list.
So for Saturday at lunch, the entire family was really feeling like some tasty BBQ. 

Unfortunately for us though, the real Big Thunder Ranch BBQ closed permanently back in January to make room for the new Star Wars land being build inside Disneyland. What to do, what to do? Well if we can't go to the Big Thunder Ranch BBQ, we're just going to have to bring Big Thunder Ranch BBQ to us!

I loaded up the smoker with four racks of baby back ribs, two whole chickens, and you can never forget the reason we always went to BTR for dinner and not lunch. The sausage!

To get everyone in the mood of being in Frontierland, I had the park audio playing throughout the house. I recommend you play the video below while you read the rest of this report!

"But what about the rides?" you might say. Oh don't you worry. We have rides.

Even the littlest cowpoke got to go on the swings.

While the bigger ranch hands helped with the pushin.

"Can we eat it now?"

Mmm. What a spread. BTR always brought out all the meat in a big bucket. These metal bowls were the closest thing I could find. While I took care of the meat, Theresa knocked out the cole slaw and corn. Jacob followed up with the corn bread and beans. Check, check, and check. Everything that would have been served at BTR is here!

Normally any time we'd go to the parks, we'd have Jacob and Ruston. Sadly Ruston had other plans today and couldn't make it. Ian kept thinking he'd be coming though. While I was smoking the food, he'd make a comment like "Ribs for Uncle Ruston."

Mmm. Let's eat.

Now that's a fine plate. Also note the beverage that has been served in a mason jar.

Taking a healthy bite out of that drumstick. I think all little boys like drumsticks, right?

I said there'd be a visit from Woody in the title, right? I told Ian to wait right there while I went in the back to look for Woody. He got a fun smile on his face when "Woody" came out.

Howdy partner!

Showing off his Woody toy.

It was very rare that we'd ever have room for dessert at BTR BBQ, but occasionally it would happen. The servers would always ask you if you wanted dessert early on, under the guise that it took 30 minutes to make it. I think they were just trying to get you to order before you were stuffed to bursting and didn't want to possibly eat anything else.
The dessert we'd always get was the deep dish cookie bake with ice cream. And so, even though everyone was ridiculously full, I made that for dessert.

And somehow everyone always finds room for dessert.

Well we're still sad that Big Thunder Ranch BBQ is gone for good, but we had a great time recreating it at home.
Now I'm going to loosen my pants and I'm pretty sure I'm skipping dinner.