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We frogs are big fans of character dining — it combines two of our favorite things, after all! There's something to be said for fueling up on scrumptious food while also greeting your favorite pals. And it's always fun to get character hugs and good food at character dining at Storytellers Cafe. The Disneyland character dining at Storytellers Cafe at Disney's Grand Californian Hotel is one of our favorite character dining experiences at Disneyland. It offers buffet service.
Overview of Character Dining at Storytellers Cafe
Storytellers Cafe is a character dining restaurant located inside Disney's Grand Californian Hotel & Spa. It's a buffet style restaurant that is conveniently located between the lobby and the hotel's theme park entrance to Disney California Adventure. It has a more upscale and relaxed vibe that matches the hotel's casual elegance.
Traditionally, character dining has been reserved during breakfast and brunch, however, Storyteller's Cafe now has a character dinner! The Mickey's Tales of Adventure breakfast/brunch remains in the morning with Mickey, Minnie, Pluto, Chip and Dale. Then there's a new character buffet with Donald Duck in charge for dinner. Donald's Tales of Adventure dinner has Donald, Daisy, Clarabelle, Goofy and Pluto in new explorer outfits. Reservations are recommended.
Storytellers Cafe was refurbished in March 2025. It got an expanded menu and a more open buffet area!
Whether you visit on a park-free day, or a day when you are also in the theme parks, the Tales of Adventure character dining at Storytellers Cafe always hits the spot. We love to visit and fill our frog bellies for brunch after a busy morning in a theme park. It's conveniently located just inside the hotel theme park gates for Disney California Adventure. It's a great way to fill up, rest and meet up to five characters before heading back to the parks.
Holiday Meals
If you are visiting over a holiday, there are special menus and different hours on select holidays. You'll see Easter brunch, Mother's Day brunch, Thanksgiving brunch or dinner, Christmas meals and more.
During certain times of the year, enjoy a themed seasonal spread over a longer period of time. You can attend Mickey's Autumn Adventures Breakfast and Brunch Buffet. The characters get new fall outfits, and you can enjoy some additional seasonal menu items (such as bananas foster French toast). You must cancel one day in advance or pay the full price.
During Holiday Time, you can attend a Mickey’s Holiday Pajama Party breakfast and brunch. Both of these holiday offerings launched in fall 2024, and we do not know if they will return for 2025.
Reservations and Parking
You’ll want to make a reservation for this character dining experience. You may reserve dining up to 60 days in advance of your visit beginning at 6 a.m. These days, dining reservations fill up quickly. If you do not see any times, keep checking back because reservations get released at different times of the day. As the date approaches, you might be able to pick up someone else's cancellation, so do not lose hope!
If you still cannot secure a reservation, you may be able to join the Walk-Up List on the day of your visit. There is a button on the Storytellers' page in the Disneyland app for joining the Walk-Up List.
Arriving at the Hotel and Restaurant
This restaurant is located inside Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel. If you are not staying on the property or within walking distance and are driving to the Grand Californian, pull on up to the valet. You get three hours of complimentary valet parking with validation. (Remember to get your ticket validated at the restaurant check-in stand.) If you are staying longer than three hours (or plan to visit the theme parks), you might want to arrive early and park in theme park parking areas. The restaurant does not validate parking for Downtown Disney or theme park lots.
The restaurant is located near the main pool entrance and is just around the corner from the hotel's direct entrance to Disney California Adventure. In fact, on our recent hotel stay, we used that park entrance at park opening to ride rides with the shortest lines during Early Entry and the first two hours of the day, then we sat down to brunch to fill our hungry bellies before relaxing at the pool for a few hours. It was all so conveniently close to each other and made for a great day. Then we hopped to Disneyland for the evening and dinner. We did not have to worry about waiting in line to see characters in the park since the characters came to us at brunch!
When you check-in, collect your complimentary button and let them know if you are celebrating any special occasions. You’ll be shown to your table. You pay at the end, and tax and gratuity are added to the bill. Be sure to show your server any discounts such as Magic Key before you pay.
Breakfast/Brunch Food at Storytellers Cafe
The breakfast choices generally match the other Disneyland character dining buffets, but this breakfast is a little more high-end than some of the other buffets, with some choices unique to this location. You can enjoy muffins, croissants, fruit, a charcuterie platter, smoked salmon and a bagel, and agua fresca or other fresh beverages. Main dishes include scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, pancakes, Mickey waffles, French toast with berries and whipped cream, chilaquiles, carved meats and breakfast potatoes with Impossible meat. You can order a gluten-free, vegan pancake or impossible patties from the chef.
Enjoy oatmeal with all the fixings and a custom omelet. Juices, coffee and soft drinks are included, as well. Special coffee drinks, specialty beverages and alcoholic beverages — such as the ultimate bloody mary, mimosa, bellini or raspberry champagne — cost extra. Once brunch time rolls around, more food comes out. You may need to ask your server about oatmeal and yogurt parfaits.
Brunch includes breakfast foods, a carving station and a rotating menu of daily lunch specials, several of which remind us of some popular items in the theme parks. You can expect all the breakfast items as well as ciabatta, veggies, salmon poke, crab cake, truffle fries and beignet bites. Menus are subject to change.
The tadpoles (or adults too) will enjoy serving themselves chicken tenders, fries, pizza and more. You may enjoy as much as you like at breakfast and brunch so come with a hungry belly! You no longer order kids foods separately, as they have worked some of them into the buffet.
Dinner Food at Storyteller's Cafe
Dinner is served from 4:00 to 9:00 p.m. The new menu features scrumptious dishes and treats, including:
- Charcuterie
- Baby back spareribs
- Slow-roasted prime rib with creamy horseradish
- Carved turkey
- Fried chicken
- Brisket
- Popcorn shrimp
- Salmon
- Pasta
- Creamed corn
- Soup
- A variety of vegetables and salads
- Fresh fruit
- S’mores bread pudding
- Sweets and confectionaries (including new frozen treats)
- An array of beverages
The kid-friendly choices include:
- Fruit
- Chicken tenders
- French fries
- Pizza
- Mac and cheese
The dinner has an option to upgrade to a World of Color dining package.
Allergies and Special Diets at Storyteller's Cafe
If you have dietary needs (vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free or have allergies) ask your server if you can talk to the chef. Note your allergies when you reserve, check in and are seated at your table. Your sever can bring the chef to your table to go over safe options at the buffet. The chef and may even whip up something allergy friendly (such as gluten-free Mickey waffles) or meat-free options for vegetarians. Hop over to our post on dining at Disneyland with food allergies for more tips.
Characters at Storytellers Cafe
The food is great, but it's the characters you came for, right? The characters come to your table to meet you and pose for photos. They also periodically parade through together, pausing in front of the buffet.
You can expect to meet Mickey, Minnie, Pluto and Chip 'n' Dale at breakfast and brunch.
You can meet Donald, Daisy, Goofy, Clarabelle and Pluto at Dinner (as of May 16, 2025). The characters are ready for adventure in their outdoor gear. The characters circulate through the restaurant while you dine. They'll stop by your table, pose for photos and sign autographs. You can even get a hug if you like.
We had multiple characters sit down at our booth and hang out with us! Lily fed Mickey pancakes and jabbered with him awhile. Toadally fun! We had the characters pass by our table multiple times during our brunch.
Prices, Dining Times and Holiday Meals at Storytellers Cafe
It's a little more refined to dine here in the cozy Craftsman-style dining room than, say, Plaza Inn or Goofy's Kitchen. It has a more relaxed vibe and feels less crowded.
You will serve yourself from the buffet. Once brunch rolls around at 11 a.m., a few items may change. At Plaza Inn, the cast members put the buffet food on your plate, and while we appreciate fewer hands touching the serving utensils, we'd rather use hand sanitizer and choose yet another Mickey waffle at Storytellers without feeling self-conscious about it.
Breakfast and Brunch are the same price. (Prices are subject to change, especially for special holiday menus on Thanksgiving and Christmas.) The prices for meals do not include tax nor the automatic 18% gratuity. For parties of 8 or more, a 20% gratuity gets added to the meal.
Pricing for non-themed breakfast and brunch:
- $65 per adult, plus tax and gratuity.
- $36 per child (ages 3 to 9), plus tax and gratuity.
Breakfast is served from 7 a.m. until 10:55 a.m. For brunch, food comes out from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. We always enjoy the brunch additions to our meals and can walk out satisfied. Get seated by 10:30 a.m. so you can enjoy both breakfast and brunch offerings! Even though many breakfast items stay put, a few get swapped out.
Pricing for non-themed dinner (now with characters):
- $62 per adult, plus tax and gratuity.
- $36 per child (ages 3 to 9), plus tax and gratuity.
You can upgrade the dinner to a World of Color Dining package. The dining package costs $69 for adults and $46 for kids, plus tax and gratuity.
You'll get a voucher for a preferred, centered view that is out of the soak zone.
Holiday and Seasonal Meals
You may see special holiday character dining meals and expanded hours on days such as Easter, Mother's Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas. You can view those prices online when offered. Prices may go up for some holiday offerings.
In fall, enjoy a seasonal spread at the Mickey's Autumn Adventures Breakfast and Brunch Buffet. The characters get new fall outfits, and you can enjoy some additional seasonal menu items (such as bananas foster French toast). You must cancel one day in advance or pay the full price.
During Holiday Time, enjoy Mickey’s Holiday Pajama Party breakfast and brunch. It serves holiday-themed meals, accompanied by seasonal décor and select characters donning new pajamas. There is also a Mickey’s Holiday Pajama Party Character Brunch on Thanksgiving as well as a Thanksgiving Character Dinner with Mickey and pals in their holiday best.
Mickey’s Holiday Pajama Party is a holiday-themed meal. Dine surrounded by seasonal décor and select characters in their new pajamas. Mickey, Minnie, Chip, Dale and Pluto love to show off all the details of their new outfits. In between meeting guests at tables, they march around the restaurant and dance in front of the buffet together from time to time.
Brunch is 11 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. and includes the breakfast offerings, plus mac and cheese, tabbouleh-crusted salmon, bread pudding and much more. You must cancel the day before.
Tips for Attending Mickey's Tales of Adventure Buffet
Follow these tips to make the most of your visit:
- Make a reservation 60 days in advance.
- Allow yourself plenty of time to arrive, enjoy the hotel lobby and dine.
- Bring a camera.
- Request a seat that is not in the corner, facing the wall, so you can see the characters coming.
- If you have a later breakfast seating, you will still have access to breakfast foods, but you might get to experience the brunch foods, as well.
- Alert the server and host to any food allergies or preferences.
- Let them know if you are celebrating a birthday. Even though the dessert buffet comes with your meal included, your server might surprise you with a special complimentary cupcake and candle.
- Arrive by 10:30 a.m. to try all breakfast and brunch offerings!
- Note whether they added the 18% gratuity (20% for parties of 8 or more) to your bill before you tip.
- Note that the seasonal meals may be a different price than the normal dining experience.
Do you have any questions about character dining at Storytellers Cafe? Please let us know in the comments below. If you are looking to stay at Disney's Grand Californian Hotel & Spa, you can save some green when you book through Undercover Tourist. We also sell discount Disneyland Resort theme park tickets. Ribbit!
Related: The Ins and Outs of Disneyland Dining Reservations
Hoppy planning!
