Are you in sticker shock about the price of the new 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.
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Forget rides, heat, and mid-day melt downs. I highly recommend this Princess Breakfast. No stress and all the magic!”
This is what my friend texted me as I headed to the airport after spending the previous 3 hours at the Princess Breakfast Adventures at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa at Disneyland.
She used to be my neighbor, but moved down to California last year. We thought it would be fun to get our kids together for a Disneyland character meal so we could all catch up.
I was really excited when I heard about the new Disneyland princess breakfast, until I saw the price tag. It’s $125 per person. Yes, including children ages 3 and older.
So, I did what any mom would do. I headed straight for the blogs to find out what other Disney bloggers thought of this Disneyland character breakfast.
The reviews seemed to be all over the place. And the experiences seemed to vary greatly.
But, it just sounded so unique and I decided to bite the bullet and fork over the cash “for research” so I could report back to my readers whether the Disneyland Princess Breakfast was really worth it.
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So, let me break this newest character dining at Disneyland.
Disneyland Princess Breakfast: Character Dining Experience Overview
Right at check in for this Disneyland breakfast, the kids are offered their choice of Disney princess autograph book or classic Disney characters and pens.
Then, you are invited to sit in a designated lobby until someone comes to show you to your table.
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 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, Disney princesses will come by to chat, sign autographs, and pose for photos.
At the end of your meal, your server will bring special goodies for the kids and adults.
After your bellies are full and you’ve paid the bill, they will walk you over to the outdoor princess story time area.
Finally, you’ll get to meet one last princess and pose for PhotoPass photos.
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 son ate a lot more food than I expected both at the buffet and the food brought to the table. The food at this Napa Rose princess breakfast is outstanding!
DISNEYLAND PRINCESS BREAKFAST FIRST COURSE
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 chia pudding with mango, kiwi, and coconut, topped with edible flowers
- Mini beignets
There’s also a little basket with scones and rolls that comes with a citrus curd.
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 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 Crunch
- 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, a main reason for doing the Disneyland princess breakfast is to meet the princesses, right?
The Disney Princess Breakfast Adventures is set up so that some of the princesses come by before, during, and after the meal.
But, they also have a few surprises after breakfast!
TIANA
The very first princess we met was Tiana. She’s my friend’s daughter’s favorite princess and they talked a lot about cooking.
They kids found her to be extremely friendly and she was so patient as they talked and talked about all sorts of random topics.
She actually came back around later in the meal to continue the conversation she had with the kids! I was so impressed!
Dress up as Princess Tiana!
JASMINE
So, my friend’s daughter dressed up in a beautiful Jasmine costume and my son Disneybounded as the Genie.
Jasmine spent a lot of time with the kids talking about the characters in the story and whether my son was “free” or not.
He informed her that he must be free because “we didn’t buy the handcuffs!”
And she was quite gracious why my friend’s daughter informed her that she was her “third favorite princess!”
Dress up as Princess Jasmine, Aladdin, or the Genie!
BELLE
We really appreciated that Belle was dressed in her lovely blue and white dress, as opposed to her gold ball gown. It made for cute photos!
Plus, when she saw that my son was `bounding as the Genie from Disney’s Aladdin, she asked if he could make a wish for Gaston to be nicer to her!
Dress up like Princess Belle!
POCAHONTAS
For the outdoor portion of the new Disney Princess Breakfast Adventure, cast members invited the kids to sit on the ground as Pocahontas read them a story.
Kids were encouraged to ask questions during the story and share about the people they love.
After the story, the kids lined up and Pocahontas signed autographs and posed for photos.
Dress up like Pocahontas!
MULAN
This was one of our favorite Disneyland princess meet and greets!
Mulan invited the kids to come in and they talked about being warriors. Since my son had picked the sword and shield (see below), Mulan showed him exactly how to pose with them for the photo.
There was a Disney PhotoPass photographer there to take complimentary photos that were linked to our Disney account.
Dress up like Mulan!
Disneyland Princess Breakfast Adventures Swag
At the end of the meal, kids get to choose between a Swarovski crystal necklace or a sword and shield set.
Note: I really like that they gave kids both options instead of assuming. My friend and I were actually surprised that her daughter didn’t choose the sword!
So, is the Disneyland Princess Breakfast Worth it?
In my opinion, YES!
This was the first time I left a Disney character meal 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, respectful, and made us feel like cherished guests.
I appreciated that they really listened to the kids’ questions and came up with thoughtful answers.
The outdoor story time and special photo op at the end really capped off a wonderful experience.
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 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.)
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. 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 Tiana, Jasmine, Belle, Pocahontas, and Mulan. But, other people have seen Rapunzel, Ariel, and Aurora.
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!
While I didn’t see anyone wearing Minnie ears (I was really surprised!) I still think they would be appropriate!
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!
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.
While we haven’t been yet, this is a very popular Disney character breakfast because families get to see a TON of 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.
We’re heading there next month, so I’ll be doing a full blog post and video highlighting the experience and linking it here!
DONALD DUCK’S SEASIDE BREAKFAST
Located at Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel, your family can head to PCH Grill for a beach-themed character breakfast or brunch.
Donald Duck’s Seaside Breakfast or Brunch offers an extensive breakfast buffet and character meet and greets.
You do not need theme park tickets to dine here.
Note: This used to be the Surf’s Up! Breakfast with Mickey.
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 here.
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 friends.
It’s located at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa and you do not need theme park tickets to dine here.
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 it’s own entrance to Downtown Disney and Disney California Adventure.
This is where you’ll find the Disney Princess Breakfast Adventures and Mickey’s Tales of Adventure Breakfast Buffet.
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 2 Monorail slides!
This is where you’ll find Goofy’s Kitchen.
PARADISE PIER HOTEL
The most budget-friendly of all the Disneyland hotels is Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel.
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!
This is where you’ll find Donald Duck’s Seaside Breakfast.
Here’s a review from when we stayed there.
FAIRFIELD INN BY MARRIOTT ANAHEIM RESORT
One of our favorite off-property Disneyland hotels is the Fairfield Inn by Marriott Anaheim Resort.
It’s right across from the entrances to the Parks and there’s a Panera Bread conveniently located in the parking lot.
Read my full review here.
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!
It’s the closest deluxe hotel to the gates!
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!