Below are our reviews of the individual character dining experiences, which we have listed in order of our preference.  Note that we haven’t yet had the opportunity to experience the Princess Breakfast at the Napa Rose, and will update this post when we do, but for now we have done our research for you on that breakfast to provide the information below.  The remaining meals we have experienced, and have provided the details and our pros/cons for each.  Also note that Disney only “guarantees” one character for each of the four experiences, which we have highlighted in bold for each experience, but we always see at least a few of the other characters as they do a good job of rotating the characters around the restaurant in the time it takes to have a meal.  Note that Although both Storyteller’s and Donald’s are open for Dinner, these are not character meals for dinner, so if you’re looking for a character Dinner, know that Goofy’s is your only option.

1. Mickey’s Tale of Adventure Breakfast Buffet – Storyteller’s Café (Grand Californian Hotel)
   • Hours: 7:00 a.m. – 11:25 a.m.
   • Characters: Mickey, Minnie, Pluto, Chip, Dale
   • Price: $44/Adult, $26/Child (3-9)
   • Review/Notes:
     • Why we love this: The theming in the Grand Californian is worth the time to just walk around and experience, and Storyteller’s café carries over that theming into a beautiful, peaceful setting, which is an escape from the Disneyland park experience.  More than any other character dining experience you don’t feel the Disneyland craziness.
     • This location is best for – a convenient character dining location on a DCA park day, classic characters, relaxing environment, guests of Grand Californian Hotel and those wanting to see the Hotel.
     • What could be better – the food is the standard breakfast buffet fare, nothing better or worse than other breakfast buffets. The waiting area is the only crazy area in the restaurant and could/should be a bit bigger.

2. Minnie and Friends Breakfast – Plaza Inn (Corner of Main Street U.S.A. and Tomorrowland Entrance inside Disneyland Park)
   • Hours: 8:10 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
   • Characters: Minnie, Fairy Godmother, Captain Hook, Winnie the Pooh, Tigger, Eeyore, Chip, Dale
   • Price: $34/Adult, $19/Child (3-9)
   • Review/Notes:
     • Why we love this: the Minnie and Friends Breakfast has great characters. Our kids love the Fairy Godmother and Captain Hook especially, but the Winnie the Pooh characters are big hits too.  The location of this restaurant can’t be beat.  This is convenient to anywhere in DL.  Also this is the best priced of the breakfast buffets, when in our opinion the location should call for a premium on the pricing.
     • This location is best for – a character dining experience on a limited schedule, especially on a DL park day.
     • What could be better – the food is the standard breakfast buffet fare, nothing better or worse than other breakfast buffets. Décor is dated, and if you’re like us that appearance can have an impact on your impression of the restaurant as a whole, including the quality of the food.

3. Disney Princess Breakfast Adventures – Napa Rose (Grand Californian Hotel)
   • Hours: 8:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
   • Characters: Rapunzel, Tianna, Belle, Jasmine, Mulan, Pocahontas, Aurora, Ariel
   • Price: $125/adult; $125/child (3-9)
   • Review/Notes:
     • Why we love this: we put this one in the middle to be fair. We haven’t had the experience yet, but based on our research, we’re going to love the total experience they create with this meal.  From the appetizers to the final stories, Disney definitely tries to provide a different level fo product at this price point.  Each child receives souvenir autograph book and pen, and either a crown or shield when they leave.  Adults receive bag and truffles.  Overall it is two and a half hour experience with lots of extras.
     • This location is best for – Personal interaction with Princesses, and a no rush, pampered treatment. This really is one of those once in a lifetime sort of experiences that Disney creates, knowing it’s not for everyone.
     • What could be better – the price point is obvious downside, especially the across the board $125/person pricing. Normally we would say that the price for children should be cheaper because there is little value in a meal for children, but here we think the opposite is true.  We equate this much more to the Princess makeover in the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique.  It really is the child’s experience that you’re paying for here, and for that reason, we think that if the child’s price is $125, the adults accompanying the child should be paying a much lower admission, such as $50 for the meal.  If you have a little one that will really enjoy the princesses, consider as alternatives Anna and Elsa’s meet and greet in DCA and the Royal Hall meet and greet in DL as alternatives.  The nice part there is that you get to meet 3 or more characters in each meet and greet, so the time in line is less per character.

4. Goofy’s Kitchen – (Disneyland Hotel)
   • Hours: 7:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
   • Characters: Goofy, Mickey, Minnie, Pluto, Chip, Dale
   • Price: $44/Adult, $26/Child (3-9)
   • Review/Notes:
     • Why we love this: The Disneyland Hotel is a classic part of the DL experience and worth visiting even if you’re not staying. And if you’re going to make the walk over to the Disneyland Hotel, it may be a good time to experience some of the classic characters.  They had a good picture setup with Goofy at the entrance when we were there, which was nice to have before we got to the table and characters starting coming around.  We went here for dinner and
     • This location is best for – guests of Disneyland Hotel and those visiting the hotel. Best and only option for dinner.  Best for fans of Goofy!
     • What could be better – the food is the standard breakfast buffet fare, nothing better or worse than other breakfast buffets. It can be a long walk to get to breakfast if starting the day in the parks.  Somehow this also feels overpriced, especially when compared to the other four options.

5. Donald Duck’s Seaside Breakfast – PCH Grill (Paradise Pier Hotel)
   • Hours: 7:00 a.m. – 11:25 a.m.
   • Characters: Donald, Daisy, Stitch, Minnie
   • Price: $39/Adult, $23/Child (3-9)
   • Review/Notes:
     • Why we love this: well, we really didn’t, which is why it is at the bottom of our list, but we went there when it was Mickey’s and it wasn’t as important for us to see him when we had already seen him so many times. Now that Donald is a guaranteed character there may be more appeal.  The one memorable experience for us was with Stitch, who took over the reception desk and was causing trouble while we were waiting for our table.  The kids loved it.
     • Best for – guests of Paradise Pier Hotel and those that want to visit the hotel. This is the best for Donald fans and the best place to see Stitch cause trouble.
     • What could be better – the food is the standard breakfast buffet fare, nothing better or worse than other breakfast buffets. The theming was nothing impressive when we were there, and it was a noticeable long walk from the parks to get to breakfast.

Brunch/Lunch Restaurants

1. Mickey’s Tale of Adventure Brunch Buffet – Storyteller’s Café (Grand Californian)
   • Hours: 11:30 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
   • Characters: Mickey, Minnie, Pluto, Chip, Dale
   • Price: $46/Adult, $26/Child (3-9)
   • Review/Notes:
     • See above for general notes. While we prefer the late breakfast, this is a good alternative for a lunch in the Grand Californian, and a good place to break mid-day from time in DCA (although the Whitewater Café is our favorite such spot and one of the top on our list of hidden gems, which we’ll get to in a future post)

2. Donald Duck’s Seaside Brunch – PCH Grill (Paradise Pier Hotel)
   • Hours: 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. (Friday, Saturday and Sunday only)
   • Characters: Donald, Daisy, Stitch, Minnie
   • Price: $42/Adult, $23/Child (3-9)
   • Review/Notes:
     • See above for general notes. One thing we’ll note is that the weekends are the busiest in the parks, so if there was a day to take some time to experience a character breakfast outside the parks, it might be a Friday, Saturday or Sunday, which aligns perfectly with the only days this brunch/lunch menu is available.

Dinner Restaurants

1. Goofy’s Kitchen – (Disneyland Hotel)
   • Hours: 5:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. (Monday-Thursday) and 4:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. (Friday through Sunday)
   • Characters: Goofy, Mickey, Minnie, Pluto, Chip, Dale
   • Price: $48/Adult, $27/Child (3-9)
   • Review/Notes:
     • See above for general notes. Again, this is the only restaurant open for Dinner that has character experience, and if you’re not a breakfast person, this is a good way to get in a character dining experience.  The price starts to get a bit high here, as the food quality makes it tough to find value in a $48 meal or a $27 child’s meal, but there are definitely things that the kids will love, such as the ice cream sundae bar.

Overall, our advice on character dining is this.  If you or your family really want character experiences as a part of your trip – you want autographs and pictures with the characters – then  character dining is our preferred way to have those experiences.  Standing in line in the parks for Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Daisy, Donald or Pluto can be a waste of valuable time.  Having the chance to meet 2, 3 or 4 of those characters plus a couple of extras characters while taking a break to eat is a much better value in our opinion, and allows you to get out of the crowds for a bit during what can be an otherwise hectic day.  Have fun and enjoy your Mickey waffles!