Best Resort character breakfast?

[marivigi]

When you say resort I'm assuming you mean the ones at the Hotels? Which would mean:
DL Hotel: Goofy's Kitchen - IMO overpriced and little character interaction, only 4 characters and their time at the table has been short in our experience.
Paradise Pier: Surf's Up - Awesome, we always do this on our departure day (as to not waste precious park time!), there are only 4/5 characters, BUT they get up and dance with teh kids every 20-30 minutes so it is a lot of fun and a lot of interaction. I think it is the cheapest one too.
Grand Californian: Is the Storytellers one with the much less-known forest characters. We've never done it as both ourselves and our kids aren't that familiar with the characters.

The park options are:
DL: Plaza Inn w/ Minnie & Friends - as others have said this one has by far the MOST characters and it is great. We don't have Magic Mornings with our AP's (And we do not stay in DL hotels) so we plan on this for a Tuesday or Thursday first thing, during Magic Morning. We are usually done right around regular park opening.

DCA: Ariel's Grotto - we've never done this one for breakfast as we enjoy the others more & we usually hit this one for a late lunch or dinner since we like to break up both the day by having a reservation on a busy day (i.e. weekend day) and by not having all our character meals be breakfast.

Thank you!

Super helpful to have them all listed in one place.

Do you know until what time are characters around for Ariel's Grotto?

 

[GatorChris]

My biggest beef with Character Breakfasts is that they're breakfasts. And while I love eggs, bacon, sausage, waffles, and all that other fine stuff, I prefer to eat them at lunch or dinner. I eat small at breakfast, so these Character Breakfasts are too pricey for what I want in the early morning. I think the latest you can get into Plaza Inn for breakfast is around 10:40 or so. Late for breakfast and early for lunch.

That's why I'm returning to Goofy's Kitchen. You can get a late morning or even noon time (on the weekends) ADR. Then it's more like a lunch with all the breakfast foods I love. Character interaction was adequate, not great, there. Better than what I had at Storytelers, but far less than Mickey's Surf's Up. They also have a character dinner, though I can't speak to that.

Also, Ariel's Grotto has a character lunch. The food there is very good (TriTip is great) as is the princess interaction. But it is very, very pricey. Close to $50/adult. And while Goofy's is still pricey in the mid-30s, it's a lot cheaper than Ariel's.

 

[lffam]

Another vote for Plaza Inn here. We did this and Storytellers and there was no comparison in our opinion, Minnie's was so much better and more fun.

Here is my post from Storytellers

and here from Minnie's Plaza Inn

 

[egritz]

Thank you!

Super helpful to have them all listed in one place.

Do you know until what time are characters around for Ariel's Grotto?

I'm not sure, but I think Ariel's has characters all day - breakfast lunch & dinner. I do know they do a WOC Dinner too that is NOT character, I'm guessing it is either later times or possible seating in a different area (i.e. inside is the princess dining and outside is WOC dining?_ Check out this page for more info on character dining (I'm not affiliated, Casey is just my go-to place for info on DL), and if you don't find the info you're looking for, ask on her FB page, she is VERY responsive to reader questions and goes weekly to get answers to the questions she can't answer.
http://dlrprepschool.com/a-complete-guide-to-character-meals-at-disneyland-resort/

 

[Kindermouse]

I'm not sure, but I think Ariel's has characters all day - breakfast lunch & dinner. I do know they do a WOC Dinner too that is NOT character, I'm guessing it is either later times or possible seating in a different area (i.e. inside is the princess dining and outside is WOC dining?_ Check out this page for more info on character dining (I'm not affiliated, Casey is just my go-to place for info on DL), and if you don't find the info you're looking for, ask on her FB page, she is VERY responsive to reader questions and goes weekly to get answers to the questions she can't answer.
http://dlrprepschool.com/a-complete-guide-to-character-meals-at-disneyland-resort/

Ariels dinner doesnt have characters-WOC or not.


https://disneyland.disney.go.com/dining/disney-california-adventure/ariels-grotto-restaurant/
Please note: Disney Princesses do not appear during the World of Color or regular Dinner Celebration.

 

[marivigi]

I'm not sure, but I think Ariel's has characters all day - breakfast lunch & dinner. I do know they do a WOC Dinner too that is NOT character, I'm guessing it is either later times or possible seating in a different area (i.e. inside is the princess dining and outside is WOC dining?_ Check out this page for more info on character dining (I'm not affiliated, Casey is just my go-to place for info on DL), and if you don't find the info you're looking for, ask on her FB page, she is VERY responsive to reader questions and goes weekly to get answers to the questions she can't answer.
http://dlrprepschool.com/a-complete-guide-to-character-meals-at-disneyland-resort/

Thanks for the link!

Was wondering about the WOC package but if it doesn't have characters, then makes no sense to book at Ariel's Grotto.

 

[marivigi]

Ariels dinner doesnt have characters-WOC or not.


https://disneyland.disney.go.com/dining/disney-california-adventure/ariels-grotto-restaurant/
Please note: Disney Princesses do not appear during the World of Color or regular Dinner Celebration.

Thank you so much for the clarification and the link!

We would be eating there for the princesses, so I guess lunch it is!

 

[egritz]

You can do a very late lunch with the princesses, I think our reservation is for 4:30 with princesses...which is our normal dinner time anyway. But good to know that what the consider "dinner" ADR is without princesses.

 

[marivigi]

My biggest beef with Character Breakfasts is that they're breakfasts. And while I love eggs, bacon, sausage, waffles, and all that other fine stuff, I prefer to eat them at lunch or dinner. I eat small at breakfast, so these Character Breakfasts are too pricey for what I want in the early morning. I think the latest you can get into Plaza Inn for breakfast is around 10:40 or so. Late for breakfast and early for lunch.

That's why I'm returning to Goofy's Kitchen. You can get a late morning or even noon time (on the weekends) ADR. Then it's more like a lunch with all the breakfast foods I love. Character interaction was adequate, not great, there. Better than what I had at Storytelers, but far less than Mickey's Surf's Up. They also have a character dinner, though I can't speak to that.

Also, Ariel's Grotto has a character lunch. The food there is very good (TriTip is great) as is the princess interaction. But it is very, very pricey. Close to $50/adult. And while Goofy's is still pricey in the mid-30s, it's a lot cheaper than Ariel's.

Wonderful tips!

Thank you

 

[Laur0406]

The park options are:
DL: Plaza Inn w/ Minnie & Friends - as others have said this one has by far the MOST characters and it is great. We don't have Magic Mornings with our AP's (And we do not stay in DL hotels) so we plan on this for a Tuesday or Thursday first thing, during Magic Morning. We are usually done right around regular park opening.

DCA: Ariel's Grotto - we've never done this one for breakfast as we enjoy the others more & we usually hit this one for a late lunch or dinner since we like to break up both the day by having a reservation on a busy day (i.e. weekend day) and by not having all our character meals be breakfast.

Maybe I don't know this because I am a newbie, but can you make reservations before park opening for DL/DCA restaurants if you don't have magic morning and still get it??