Mickey’s Tales of Adventure Breakfast Buffet

August 24, 2020

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On our first trip to Disneyland as a family, we decided we wanted to splurge on a character meal. We thought it would be a super fun and exciting thing for Emma, and since we booked this breakfast for the morning of our departure, it would also be a great way to say “goodbye” to the Happiest Place on Earth. Well, the time came for our meal at Goofy’s Kitchen, and . . . we loved it! The food was delicious and we all really enjoyed getting to meet some really great Disney character’s from the comfort and ease of our breakfast table. It was the perfect way to end our trip. So when it came time to plan our next Disney adventure, Hubby and I agreed that another character breakfast was definitely in order! Because Disney offers several different character dining options – and they’re all so hard to choose from – we decided that we’ll try a different restaurant each trip. For our last trip, we decided on Mickey’s Tales of Adventure Breakfast Buffet at Storyteller’s Cafe (inside The Grand Californian Hotel).

I’ve created a basic (from memory, so not 100% accurate) map of the restaurant layout (this will matter later). Storyteller’s Cafe is shaped much like a squat capital T. The horizontal area on the map is very long and is where the majority of the tables are found, with the buffet stationed in the center. The entrance to the restaurant is perpendicular to the long side, with two smaller dining areas on either side of it. We were seated in the smaller dining area to the left of the entrance (indicated by the star).

As with our previous character breakfast experience, the buffet was filled to the brim with delicious food! Hubby and I heaped our plates with Chilaquiles (made with fresh eggs and tomatillo salsa), loaded breakfast potatoes, omelettes fresh from the Omelette Station, mini parfaits, and more! The girls gobbled up Mickey-shaped waffles, applewood-smoked bacon, and fresh fruit. The restaurant even offers adult beverages, like Bloody Marys and Mimosas (for an additional charge), but since we were headed out on our drive home right after breakfast, I didn’t get to partake.

Our main draw to this particular character breakfast was, well, the characters! Mickey’s Tales of Adventure Breakfast Buffet is the only character dining experience where you can meet both Mickey and Minnie. Since our little Charlie girl was a huge fan of Mickey Mouse Clubhouse at the time, and watched it non-stop, I wanted her to be able to see and meet her favorite characters before she outgrew the show. Along with Mickey and Minnie, you also have the opportunity to meet Pluto, Chip, and Dale. Where Goofy’s Kitchen has a dedicated PhotoPass photographer, Storytellers has none. Cast Members are more than happy to help, but expect to be using your own camera or cell phone.

Now the character experience is where our seating location became a problem. While most of the characters made a loop of the entire restaurant, for whatever reason, Dale seemed to only make a loop through the larger dining areas, completely forgetting about the two smaller dining areas on the side. We waited well past when we were done with our meal, hoping to be able to see him, but we kept being bypassed. The other characters came through our dining room more than once, but never Dale. So maybe if you decided to give Storytellers a try, ask to be seated in the larger dining area for a better chance at meeting all the characters.

On top of the character meet-and-greet, at certain times, the characters would also parade through the restaurant to music. But before the parade would start, the children would be encouraged to join the group, and maracas were handed out. Seeing all those tiny humans, happily shaking their maracas, while following along with their favorite Disney characters was absolutely adorable!

Despite our minor character setback, we all agree, it was another successful character dining experience. While these types of dining experiences are pricier than non-character Disneyland meals, for us, it was worth the price. Reservations are highly encouraged and can be made up to 60 days in advance. We can’t wait until our next Disney trip and our next character meal!

What’s your favorite character dining experience?

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