Are you in sticker shock about the price of the Disney Princess Breakfast Adventures at the Grand Californian Hotel & Spa? Find out if this Disneyland princess breakfast is worth it in my latest blog post.
This Disneyland Princess Breakfast was written by family travel expert Marcie Cheung and contains affiliate links which means if you purchase something from one of my affiliate links, I may earn a small commission that goes back into maintaining this blog.
This is what my friend texted me as I headed to the airport after we spent the previous 3 hours at the Disney Princess Breakfast Adventure at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa at Disneyland back in 2019.
Since it had been a while since I reviewed this swanky Disneyland character breakfast, I figured we should revisit it to see if the Disneyland Princess Breakfast is still worth it.
So, we went back in April 2023 to see what has changed and if it’s still one of the coolest character dining at Disneyland Resort.
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Disneyland Princess Breakfast: Character Dining Experience Overview
As you enter Napa Rose restaurant, you’ll be greeted by a staff member as you check-in.
Then, you are invited to sit in a designated lobby until the first Disney princess is available to see you. These princesses rotate throughout the morning.
When we visited, Mulan was in this area. We were able to take our own photos and there was not a Disney PhotoPass photographer there.
What Happens After You’re Seated
We were invited to peruse the menu for upgraded “Royal Morning Libations” (both alcoholic and non-alcoholic) or order complimentary drinks (juices, milk, tea, coffee, or soda.)
Then, our waiter theatrically laid napkins on each one of our laps and let us know our first course would be delivered shortly.
This Disneyland Princess Breakfast 3-course meal is set up in a nice way.
First, you’ll sit down and enjoy a basket of pastries.
Next, the waiter will present a tiered tray full of finger foods. It’s very much like a kid-friendly afternoon tea.
After you have finished, your waiter will escort you to the buffet area with lots of brunch items.
Then, it’s the epic dessert course, which is presented at the table.
Throughout the meal, guests are invited to go outside to see Disney princesses who will chat, sign autographs, and pose for photos. These princesses rotate every 20 minutes or so.
At the end of your meal, your server will bring special goodies for the kids and adults.
Disney Princess Breakfast Adventures Menu
Now, I don’t know about your kids, but my kids usually eat a few bites of food and then just want to play.
So, I’m always hesitant to pay too much for food for them at restaurants.
But, my kids ate a lot more food than I expected both at the buffet and the food brought to the table. The sumptuous three-course breakfast at this Napa Rose princess breakfast is outstanding!
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DISNEYLAND PRINCESS BREAKFAST FIRST COURSE
Right as we were seated, our server brought us a basket of pastries. This was to tide us over until our three-tiered tower of items arrived.
Then, a server will come by with a large tower of finger foods. Our tower had the following:
- Banana crepe with Nutella and berry compote
- Open-faced Tangled Ham and Cheese Sandwich with cranberry cream cheese and berries
- Mini Lobster Rolls on a thick brioche bun
- Magic Carpet Parfait of coconut chia pudding with mango, kiwi, and coconut, topped with edible flowers
- Mini beignets
Our server asked if we especially liked anything and when my 9-year-old raved about the crepe, she brought out a special plate with extras!
DISNEYLAND PRINCESS BREAKFAST BREAKFAST BUFFET
I thought there was a nice selection of food options for both kids and adults. And guests are welcome to go through several times if they wish.
I saw:
- Perfect scrambled eggs
- Mickey waffles
- Mickey chicken and waffles
- Thick cut bacon
- Sausage
- Fruit: apples, fruit salad, oranges, fruit skewers, blueberries, blackberries, & strawberries
- firecracker shrimp with dipping sauce
- Mini mac & cheese
- Braised short ribs
- and roasted tomatoes and asparagus.
And, you’ll also get a plate of fries (called Papas Bravas) with Romesco and ketchup dipping sauces delivered to your table.
DISNEYLAND PRINCESS BREAKFAST DESSERT COURSE
The dessert course is also delivered to your table. But, before you dig in, let the server sprinkle some edible gold glitter “pixie dust” on top!
What you’ll get:
- Pocahontas Peanut Butter Mousse
- Royal Princess Cake Pops
- Belle’s Raspberry Bouquets
- Ariel Sea Shell macarons
- Mulan’s Firecracker Sorbet (strawberry honey sorbet made with fresh strawberries & topped with cotton candy and Pop Rocks!)
I know this sounds like a lot of food right after a buffet, right? Don’t worry, you can get most of the treats in a little to-go box to take home.
The only thing you need to eat right away is the sorbet because it will melt. It’s also the perfect way to cap off a delicious meal!
Disney Princesses Meet & Greets at the Disneyland Princess Breakfast:
So, the main reason for doing the Disneyland princess breakfast is to meet the princesses, right?
The Disney Princess Breakfast at Disneyland is set up so that families can see the princesses at their leisure during their meals. In the past, princesses came to your table, but now they are set up in specific areas.
The Disney characters available change from day to day so you never know who you might meet. We ended up seeing 7 Disney princesses and I’ll chat about our experiences below.
Mulan
The first Disney princess we saw was Mulan. This was pretty exciting for us because our boys have been studying Taekwondo this year and wanted to show her some of their martial arts skills to a fierce warrior.
She was so kind and patient with them and we got a really fulfilling experience. Nothing felt rushed and they really got a chance to connect.
Mulan taught my boys some fierce warrior poses for our photo ops.
Dress up like Mulan!
Jasmine
My kids were also pretty stoked to meet Jasmine. My 9-year-old had just bought an “awkward moments” pin featuring the Genie that he wanted to show her.
She chatted with them a lot about her story and they talked about their pet cats while she talked about her large pet cat!
Dress up as Princess Jasmine, Aladdin, or the Genie
Belle
We also met Belle and the boys talked about their favorite books with her. I think Belle was surprised when my 9-year-old started gushing about the Demon Slayer graphic novel series!
My 6-year-old just started to read this year and he was telling her about the funny picture books he likes and that he just started reading graphic novels, too.
Dress up like Princess Belle!
Cinderella
This was a character meet and greet that was located back in the restaurant with a Disney PhotoPass photographer.
Cinderella was really sweet and talked to my boys about how she has cats in the castle with Prince Charming. And we chatted about how they just like to play with her mice friends and never harm them.
Dress up like Princess Cinderella!
Aurora
We went back out to the first character photo spot near the front of the restaurant when we heard that Princess Aurora was there.
She was super sweet but my kids didn’t really know what to talk about since it’s been several years since they watched Sleeping Beauty.
Dress up like Princess Aurora!
Rapunzel
It was cute to meet Rapunzel! She asked the boys if they were princes or “ruffians” and that led to a discussion about what exactly constitutes a ruffian.
The boys had a lot of fun hemming and hawing before giving their answers!
Dress up like Princess Rapunzel!
Ariel
The last princess we met was Ariel. She was located where Cinderella was inside the restaurant. And there was a PhotoPass photographer there so we were able to get a family photo!
My husband ran back to our table so he could bring “dinglehoppers” aka forks so the boys could pose with them.
Dress up like Princess Ariel!
Which Disney Princesses Did We NOT See?
We didn’t see Pocahontas, Princess Snow White, Princess Tiana, Princess Anna, or Queen Elsa.
Disneyland Princess Breakfast Adventures Swag
When we went a few years ago, kids got to choose between a Swarovski crystal necklace or a sword and shield set. And they used to give the kids autograph books. This is no longer the case.
Instead, everyone gets a Princess Breakfast celebration button and the kids get canvas backpacks.
Honestly, it was quite a letdown since the previous gifts were so nice. My kids even looked to see if there was anything inside the bags, but they were empty.
So, is the Disneyland Princess Breakfast Worth it?
In my opinion, YES!
We do a lot of Disney character meals and this is by far the best experience.
Both times we’ve done it, I left the Disney character meals feeling relaxed. Yes, I’m using the word relaxed!
The pace of the meal was nice and leisurely and the princesses took a lot of extra time engaging with the kids.
The tables are spread out enough that you aren’t distracted by the people next to you and you don’t feel squeezed in.
I never felt rushed while eating (and I’m a slow eater) and the cast members were all so friendly, and respectful, and made us feel like cherished guests.
I appreciated that they really listened to the kids’ questions and came up with thoughtful answers.
Now, we probably won’t do the Disneyland Princess Breakfast on every trip because of the high price.
But, it’s a very special experience and a great way to celebrate an achievement, birthday, or just a lovely adventure with your kids!
Top Questions About this Disneyland Princess Breakfast:
WHERE IS THE PRINCESS BREAKFAST ADVENTURES LOCATED?
The Princess Breakfast Adventures is located at the Napa Rose restaurant and Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa.
DO I NEED THEME PARK TICKETS?
Nope. Since this character breakfast takes place at the hotel, you do not need theme park tickets.
In fact, I’d recommend doing this breakfast on a non-park day.
DO I NEED A RESERVATION?
It’s always a good idea to have a reservation for Disneyland character dining.
However, I will say that the first time we went, I thought I had a reservation for the Disney Princess Breakfast Adventures, but I must not have completed it.
The cast members were able to squeeze us in and even print a name card for our table just moments after creating a new reservation.
WHERE SHOULD I PARK FOR THE DISNEYLAND PRINCESS BREAKFAST?
If you do valet parking at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa, you’ll get 5 hours of complimentary parking.
HOW MUCH IS THE DISNEYLAND PRINCESS BREAKFAST ADVENTURES?
It’s $125 per person (including children ages 3 and older.) That doesn’t include taxes or tips.
HOW LONG IS THE DISNEYLAND PRINCESS BREAKFAST ADVENTURES?
The Disney Princess Breakfast Adventures is available Thursday through Monday between 8:00 AM and 12:00 PM.
They say it’s about 2 hours long, but we were there about 3 hours the first time. It kind of depends on how busy they are and how quickly you eat.
We really took our time!
WHAT PRINCESSES CAN I MEET AT DISNEY’S PRINCESS BREAKFAST ADVENTURES?
Like with all Disney character meals, none of the characters are guaranteed.
While we were there, we saw Jasmine, Belle, Cinderella, Rapunzel, Ariel, Aurora, and Mulan. But, we have seen Tiana and Pocahontas previously.
WHAT SHOULD I WEAR TO THE DISNEYLAND PRINCESS BREAKFAST?
If you really want to get into the spirit, dress up! Almost every adult we saw was wearing “nice” clothes.
And the kids were all dressed up in either specific Disney costumes or in little ballgowns. And lots of tiaras!
I wore Minnie Mouse ears and a Disney Dress Shop dress and my kids wore button-down shirts.
IS THIS DISNEYLAND PRINCESS BREAKFAST JUST FOR KIDS OR FAMILIES?
Nope! We saw a ton of adults-only at this Disneyland character meal. It’s an upscale dining experience.
IS ARIEL’S GROTTO CLOSED?
Yes, you can no longer do a princess breakfast at Ariel’s Grotto inside Disney California Adventure. Ariel’s Grotto is closed and now there’s the Lamplighter Lounge instead.
ARE THERE GLUTEN-FREE OPTIONS?
Yes, the table next to us ordered their gluten-free menu and I got all the details!
1st Course: Bananas Foster (no Nutella crepe); The ham sandwich (no raspberry cream cheese, as there is cross contamination); Chia Pudding; and Lobster roll on GF bread.
2nd Course: Everything at the buffet was gluten-free except the chicken and waffles and mac & cheese. The kitchen did make them GF mac & cheese, as well as pancakes and waffles.
Dessert: Sorbet with cotton candy, a chocolate cake pop, the seashell macaron, and a GF oatmeal cookie bite.
DO I GET ANYTHING SPECIAL FOR BEING AN ANNUAL PASSHOLDER?
Yes, you’ll get a special pin. But, there are no dining discounts.
DOES DISNEYLAND HAVE FOOD PASSES OR A MEAL PLAN?
This is always a popular question!
No, Disneyland does not have food passes or a meal plan. Each meal is purchased separately and there are no dining credits to worry about.
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Other Disneyland Character Meals
MINNIE & FRIENDS — BREAKFAST IN THE PARK
Located at the Plaza Inn at Disneyland Park, Minnie & Friends — Breakfast in the Park is the only character meal inside the theme park.
This is a very popular Disney character breakfast because families get to see a TON of characters! We’ve done it before and it’s a lot of fun and full or random characters.
And, if you have the first reservation of the day, you can enter Disneyland Park earlier than everyone else!
Since it’s located in the park, you need to use your theme park tickets to participate.
GOOFY’S KITCHEN
This is one of my family’s favorite Disneyland character meals! We’ve gone to Goofy’s Kitchen for breakfast and dinner and it’s fantastic!
They have a TON of buffet food choices (including their famous PB&J pizza) and the characters do a little dance and parade several times during your meal.
It’s located at the Disneyland Hotel and you do not need theme park tickets to dine there.
Read my full post on Goofy’s Kitchen.
MICKEY’S TALES OF ADVENTURE BREAKFAST BUFFET
Storyteller’s Cafe is home to Mickey’s Tales of Adventure Breakfast Buffet. They also do a Disneyland character brunch.
This is a great character meal to meet Mickey and his friends.
It’s located at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa and you do not need theme park tickets to dine there.
Where to Stay at Disneyland
DISNEY’S GRAND CALIFORNIAN HOTEL & SPA
The swankiest place to stay is Disney’s Grand California Hotel & Spa, which has its own entrance to Downtown Disney and Disney California Adventure. Read my full hotel review.
This is where you’ll find the Disney Princess Breakfast Adventures and Mickey’s Tales of Adventure Breakfast Buffet. Check the latest rates and availability.
DISNEYLAND HOTEL
The most mid-level priced on-property hotel is the Disneyland Hotel. They have rooms themed after the original lands at Disneyland: Adventureland, Frontierland, and Fantasyland.
They also have an incredible pool area with 2 Monorail slides! Read my top reasons to stay at the Disneyland Hotel!
This is also where you’ll find Goofy’s Kitchen, the only character breakfast AND dinner. Check the latest resort rates and availability.
PARADISE PIER HOTEL
The most budget-friendly of all the Disneyland hotels is Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel.
We’ve stayed here twice and I wrote up a full review.
The rooms are beach-themed and they have a rooftop pool. Some of the rooms face Pixar Pier and you can see the nighttime shows! Check the latest resort rates and availability.
FAIRFIELD INN BY MARRIOTT ANAHEIM RESORT
One of our favorite off-property Disneyland hotels is the Fairfield Inn by Marriott Anaheim Resort. We love staying here and you can read my full review.
It’s right across from the entrances to the Parks and there’s a Panera Bread conveniently located in the parking lot. Check the latest rates and availability.
COURTYARD ANAHEIM THEME PARK ENTRANCE
Another off-property option is the Courtyard Anaheim Theme Park Entrance. This is the one across the street from the Parks entrance with all the water slides! You can read our full review.
It’s the closest deluxe hotel to the gates! Check the latest rates and availability.
Disney Princess Breakfast Adventures Wrap Up
We really enjoyed doing the Disney Princess Breakfast Adventures for a second time. We saw more princesses than the first time and it was perfect for our young adventurers.
The entire experience made for a magical morning for our family!
Looking for more Disneyland posts? Check out our fun facts about Disneyland, Disneyland at Christmas, how to book a Disneyland photo shoot, and the best Disneyland hotels!
Karen
Wednesday 15th of January 2020
Thank you for this wonderful information! . I have a Niece who will be 4 and Princess obsessed so I am beginning my research for this event. I don't have children of my own so appreciate your research and point of view as an active Mom. It really helped and I will add to ensure I put together the best experience and get the most out of it. I agree at $125 a pop you want to ensure you are really taking advantage of all there is to offer.! Great info. Thanks for taking time to do put this together.
marciecheung
Monday 6th of July 2020
Glad to help! Once you get over the initial sticker shock, it's always nice to know exactly what to expect. Every kid is different and some won't enjoy but for others, it could be the highlight of their year.
Joy
Saturday 9th of November 2019
Very helpful review! I have been considering this breakfast for a while for my 3 daughters but the price has made me hesitate!
marciecheung
Friday 22nd of November 2019
Yes, I admit I had sticker shock the entire time, especially when I saw the bill (and that was just for the 2 of us.) But, it's been 5 months and that's the only part of our trip the my son brings up frequently. We won't do it every trip, but we're hoping to do it one more time (unless the price changes.)
Rachel
Friday 4th of October 2019
Thanks for this great review! Would you recommend this experience for two adults traveling with no children?
marciecheung
Monday 7th of October 2019
Personally, I would totally do it without my kids :) I'd use it as an excuse to wear a tiara and dress up a little bit. The food is legitimately good! I can't speak to the character interactions, though. I know sometimes adults without kids don't feel like the characters spend very much time with them. We got a TON of time with the characters, but the kids kept asking them questions.
KKS
Friday 6th of September 2019
Thankyou for your review....... feeling alot better about booking this breakfast experince now! Yes its a lot of cash, but when travelling from Australia, you gotta do it all :-) 12 days and counting
marciecheung
Monday 9th of September 2019
Good! It's seriously the best character meal we've done so far at Disneyland. My son begged us to do it again, so we might try again next year. I hope you have an amazing trip! That's quite a journey!