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Goofy’s Kitchen Character Dinner Review

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Much to the surprise of any Walt Disney World frequent visitor, Disneyland has only one character dinner option. So, on my most recent trip with my mom, we had to check out Goofy’s Kitchen character dinner!

Goofy's Kitchen Character Dinner

Goofy’s Kitchen Character Dinner

On my previous trip, I dined at Goofy’s Kitchen for breakfast and enjoyed it. On this trip, we decided to try the restaurant for dinner. As with breakfast, it’s a buffet meal featuring fun pizzas! It’s currently priced at $55/adult and $32/child.

The Characters

You meet the exact same characters at dinner and breakfast here. My mom and I got a picture with Goofy prior to entering the restaurant. Then, while we were eating we also met Minnie Mouse, Chip, Dale, and Pluto! We had a great time meeting the characters and enjoyed taking photos with each of them. My mom loves Pluto, so it was a hit with her. We also enjoyed the little dance around the restaurant when everyone holds their napkin up in the air.

The Food

I will start by saying if you want to try something fancy or high class, this probably isn’t the restaurant for you. However, if you are looking for some good classics, this is a good place. I was surprised to find BBQ ribs on the buffet. They weren’t the best I’ve ever had, but they were pretty good. I also enjoyed a creme brulee cornbread. It was sweeter than traditional cornbread and a nice surprise. They also had a good turkey pot pie.

If you eat here, you have to check out the variety of pizzas available. I liked the buffalo chicken one as well as the peanut butter and jelly one. The s’mores pizza was pretty good too.

Unfortunately, the desserts weren’t that good. I took a bite out of several things, but didn’t care for much. They tasted really sweet and artificial to me. I liked the lemon bars that they also had at breakfast previously though.

My Mom’s Birthday

This trip was a few days out from my mom’s birthday. I had noted that on every reservation and this was the only place to acknowledge it. Our waiter brought out a special cupcake with a candle on it just for her. Then, they sang happy birthday to her and gave her a celebration button. My mom was over the moon with this little celebration. So, I recommend eating here if you want a little extra something for someone’s birthday!

Is Goofy’s Kitchen Character Dinner worth it?

As with all character meals, this is a pricey experience. However, it is really nice to have characters come to your table to meet you. Plus, the food wasn’t bad and they had a good amount of selections for picky eaters to enjoy. I mentioned in my breakfast review that this restaurant is located away from the parks a good pace. I think this is a good option for folks staying at the Disneyland Hotel since it’s right there. However, I don’t know that it’s a good fit for people staying off-site due to its location. It’s also hard to recommend a character meal to someone on a tight budget.

Have you ever eaten here? What was your experience like?

Plaza Inn Character Breakfast Review

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During my September trip to Disneyland, I enjoyed the Plaza Inn Character Breakfast with my mom on our Disneyland park day. Here are my thoughts on it to help others decide if it’s worth it.

Plaza Inn Character Breakfast

Plaza Inn Character Breakfast

Plaza Inn is a quick service dining spot for lunch and dinner. It’s known for its fried chicken. However, during the AM hours it hosts the only in park character dining at the resort! The Minnie & Friends – Breakfast in the Park as it’s called guarantees you will meet Minnie Mouse along with other random characters while eating from a buffet of breakfast food. It’s currently $46/adult and $27/child.

The Food

I find character meals with buffets to be mostly about the characters. The food here was ok and pretty basic, to be honest. I enjoyed the bananas and caramel on French toast the most. The biscuit and gravy was ok, better than some other theme parks attempt at biscuits. The Minnie waffle was just like a typical Mickey waffle, but having Minnie was a nice touch. Personally, I would have liked a little more variety of food here, but it was sufficient and nothing tasted bad. It was just simple food to fuel your park day.

The Characters

This is where this meal really shines! This meal is truly a random characterpalooza. We started by getting our picture taken with Minnie Mouse before we even entered the restaurant. Then, we met Winnie the Pooh, Tigger, Pluto, and Dale! Finally, I was shocked to meet Max! My mom didn’t actually know who Max was and thought it was “a little Goofy.” Hahahaha! Once she learned who he was, she was happy to meet a new (and somewhat rare) character.

Two of the girl mice from Cinderella were also going around, but they skipped our table each time. So, we didn’t get to meet them and there really wasn’t anyone we could tell about this. So, that was a bit of a bummer. My mom assumes it was because we were two adults. I think they just couldn’t tell that hadn’t seen us yet.

Nonetheless, I loved meeting all of these random characters during one meal! It was lots of fun to see who would come out next.

Is the Plaza Inn Character Breakfast worth it?

As with any character dining, this is an expensive meal. However, it is the only in park character dining option at Disneyland. Sidenote: if you are visiting DCA and want a character meal, I highly recommend Storytellers Cafe Brunch Disneyland Character Meal at the Grand Californian. We booked this meal around 9:30 AM. This gave us time to enjoy the early park entry as resort guests and ride several rides. Then, we had a late breakfast (or lunch for us Easter Coasters) here. That worked out well for us. If you want to meet several characters, this is the meal for you. If you prefer more unique foods, you may want to look elsewhere. Also, if you are on a tight-budget this probably isn’t the place for you.

Solo Disneyland: Tips for Going Alone

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Earlier this year, I took a solo Disneyland trip to experience the Disney100 at Disneyland Resort. So, I thought I would share a few tips for anyone considering visiting the resort alone.

Solo Disneyland

Solo Disneyland

I know that most people think of theme parks, particularly Disney parks, as places for children and/or families to enjoy. However, I am a prime example of why there are so much more than that. If you ever get the chance to visit Disneyland alone, I highly recommend it. You are free to come and go as you please (as long as you have park reservations).

Tips

Here are some tips for making the most of a solo Disneyland trip:

  • Have a list of things to do/see/eat – You are free to do exactly what you want. However, I think it’s best if you know which things you actually want to experience. Then, you have an idea of which direction you would like to head in when you arrive.
  • Utilize the Single Rider Line – Several rides have a Single Rider Line, which means you can ride a favorite ride quicker if you are willing to be added to another group. This would happen anyways as a single person, so you might as well cut down on the wait time. I rope dropped and then entered the Single Rider Line for Radiator Springs Racers at DCA. It was a blast! You can see a full list of attractions with this special line at the link above.
  • Change your mind – The beauty of being alone is that you can have a plan and then change it if your mood changes. Want to run across the park to get in line for a ride and then realize you’d rather do something else? Do it!
  • Relax – I enjoyed people watching on this trip and just taking in the ambiance of being at Disneyland. I rode lots of rides, but I also tried to make time to just chill.
  • Speed walk – I also ran around the park riding rides with Genie+. I took a much slower approach when my mom went with me in September. Not having to worry about losing or tiring another person means you can travel at your own pace.
  • Book a meal or two – I really enjoyed dining by myself at Cafe Orleans. I highly recommend taking a breather with a nice meal if you visit by yourself. I also liked sitting outside at Plaza Inn while the band played nearby.

So, do you have any tips for a solo Disneyland trip?

Disneyland Hotel Review

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On my most recent trip to California, I was lucky enough to share a room with my mom at Disneyland Hotel! This is one of the three deluxe accommodations on property. Keep reading to see if I think it’s worth it.

Disneyland Hotel

Disneyland Hotel

There are three on-property hotels at DL: Paradise Pier (soon to be Pixar Pier), Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel, and this one. Typically Paradise Pier has the lowest price of the three and we were initially planning to stay there. However, a promo came out in early July that made this hotel cheaper than Paradise Pier! So, we jumped on it and booked it immediately.

This hotel is special in its long history and current design. It opened during Walt’s lifetime, but he didn’t have the money to build it. Thankfully, the company now owns and operates it. It has the most pure Disney feeling of any domestic resort, in my opinion. So, without further ado, here are my pros and cons of staying here…

Pros

  • Magical touches – This resort has the most magical touches of any Disney resort I’ve stayed at. I loved taking in all of the little things in the room. My favorite part had to be the headboard with fireworks that light up and plays music! It’s fantastic to constantly feel like you are in this magical bubble.
  • Walking distance to parks – One of the reasons we love visiting DL (as opposed to WDW) is the walkability of it all. It’s so nice to just walk to the parks or back to the room for a break.
  • Early Park Entry – Staying at one of the three official resorts grants you 30 minutes early access to the theme parks. Although, starting in January 2024, this changes to just one park offering the perk per day. We took advantage of this perk on both of our park days and were happy we did so as we were able to knock out some stuff out early. We got in line for Runaway Railway at Disneyland and Radiator Springs Racers at Disney California Adventure early.
  • Preferred access to dining reservations – I’m not entirely sure what this guarantees, but I will admit that I had no issues getting the reservations we wanted 60 days out.
  • Comfortable bed – This hotel has a significantly better mattress than most of the Walt Disney World resorts. It felt comfortable all night.
  • Quiet – I think I heard people only once or twice from our room. This is significantly better than the Value resorts at Walt Disney World.
  • Good food – The quick service here (pictured below) is my favorite domestic Disney quick service restaurant. They also have a character buffet offering both breakfast and dinner!
  • Safety – This is the sole reason we booked an official resort this time. We feel safe on property and prefer to not have to walk by the homeless, unlike in my Sheraton Park Hotel Review.

Cons

  • Price – This has to be the biggest con of staying on property. Even with our discount, the room was very expensive! Honestly, the costs of the flights and rooms are prohibitive for many return trips at this point. However, I suppose it’s difficult to put a price on feeling safe.
  • Few plug ins – This isn’t a deal breaker by any means. However, simply due to the age of the resort, there aren’t many electrical outlets in the rooms. They have added a desk with plug ins. That meant that all of our devices were across the room, away from the bed. I was happy I brought an adapter to add more plug-ins.
  • Annoying green light – Again, this isn’t a deal breaker. However, the smoke detector has a bright green light that glowed in my face all night long. I ended up stacking pillows in front of my face in order to sleep.
  • A lot of walking – This hotel is a bit further out than some hotels from the parks. So, wear comfortable shoes.

Is Disneyland Hotel worth it?

I think once again, the value of something is highly subjective. DL charges outrageous prices to stay on-property. However, it’s also hard to put a price tag on feeling safe and secure. It’s definitely a wonderful place to stay for any Disney parks fan though. If it’s in the budget, I say go for it. If it’s not, maybe consider Paradise Pier or an off-site property close to the gates.

Halloween 2023 at Disneyland Guide

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Having just returned from a trip to celebrate Halloween 2023 at Disneyland, I thought I would do an overview post about all of the fun happenings taking place this year. I will provide reviews and tips of anything I actually did or if I think something might be worth the money.

Halloween 2023 at Disneyland

Halloween 2023 at Disneyland

Personally, I found planning a trip to Disneyland for Halloween a little annoying. They don’t really announce much in advance, so it’s hard to plan a trip to visit from across the country. For instance, they initially announced that Halloween time would kick-off at the resort in early September. Then, in August they announced a special Halloween themed meal that didn’t start until September 21st. Unfortunately, by then I already had my trip booked and couldn’t change it to accommodate a meal. Ha! So, here’s a rundown of everything I know about celebrating spooky season at the resort.

Halloween at Disneyland Park

Disneyland became fully decorated in early September. You can see characters in their special costumes as well as a special fireworks show “Halloween Screams” with regular park admission. Unfortunately, we only met Minnie in her costume as the line for Mickey was too long. Also, I was very surprised to discover people staking out spots for the fireworks 2+ hours in advance!

In mid-August they announced and started selling tickets for the Happiest Haunts Tour as well as the Plaza Inn Dining Package. I didn’t book either of these add-ons for a couple of reasons. For one, we visit the park so infrequently that a tour eating up hours of our day didn’t make sense. I decided against the dining package due to the timing (we are east coasters) who don’t eat dinner at 10 PM ET. However, if we ever go back at Halloweentime, I will look into booking something with reserved seating since people started lining up hours in advance to see the fireworks.

Halloween at Disney California Adventure Park

DCA also has some decor that can be seen during a regular park day. However, the real fun comes during the separately ticketed Oogie Boogie Bash event. I just published a full review of this party in addition to the Oogie Boogie Bash Dessert Party that you can read by clicking those links.

Halloween at Downtown Disney

Individual businesses in Downtown Disney celebrate the fall season with seasonal foods. Additionally, guests can pay $10 to do Pluto’s Pumpkin Pursuit scavenger hunt to look for character-inspired pumpkins. You can also look for pumpkins without paying for the scavenger hunt, but you receive a prize of a small character sipper for completing the hunt.

Halloween at Disneyland Hotels

The one late addition to the offerings that annoyed me is the Goofy’s Kitchen Halloween meal. It didn’t start until September 21st! I would have loved to have done this, but we were there too early. Nonetheless, Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel had a nice display for spooky season. Unfortunately, the treat stand doesn’t open until later in the day so we didn’t get to sample any of those goodies either.

Is Fall a Good Time to Visit Disneyland?

While I encountered some frustration with DL releasing special events too close to the dates, I still enjoyed my trip. I wouldn’t hesitate to go back during this time of the year. My biggest complaint was the heat. If I go back in fall, I will probably aim for a late September date just to avoid the heat and ensure maximum Halloween event enjoyment.