Laughing Lindsay

Travel Reviews, Giveaways, & More!

Character Breakfast at Storytellers Cafe Disneyland Review

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When my mom and I visited Disneyland last year, we booked the character breakfast at Storytellers Cafe at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel. Seeing as how we are from the east coast, I booked us the earliest timeslot available and we were able to be some of the first people in the restaurant for the day!

Character Breakfast at Storytellers Cafe

Character Breakfast at Storytellers Cafe

You may recall from my Disneyland Hotel review that we stayed at the amazing Disneyland Hotel on this trip. That meant that this meal was just a quick walk over to Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel. We opted to start our day by exploring the other two resorts in the morning since our park ticket for this day was for Oogie Boogie Bash. Following our adventure, we headed back to our resort and took a nap! So, it was a convenient option that gave us an excuse to explore more of the resort.

The Characters

On my May trip, I booked this restaurant for the brunch and enjoyed it very much. However, when I was there in May I missed seeing Pluto. This time, I was able to see all of the characters! In fact, Pluto came over a few times! So, it kind of made up for the last time I ate here.

My mom and I had a great time with the characters at this meal. Since we had an early reservation, we got some extra time with the characters as the rest of the restaurant was empty. I even got to dance with Chip at one point! The character interactions here are top notch!

The Food

As you may recall, I gave the food at brunch here high marks. However, I don’t think I can say the same for breakfast. I tried several things from the buffet and most things were just ok. Nothing was outright bad, but I also didn’t find a single item that wowed me. My mom was also disappointed with the food here. Suffice it to say that I much prefer the brunch menu here and will probably only book it if I come back.

Is the character breakfast at Storytellers Cafe worth it?

According to Disneyland’s website, brunch and breakfast are now the same price of $52. I don’t recall if that’s what we paid for this meal or not. However, if given the choice, I would definitely go with brunch over breakfast. Breakfast wasn’t bad and I probably would have been happy if I had not experienced brunch first. So, if breakfast is your only option for eating here, then go for it. You will leave entertained and full.

Have you ever eaten here? Do you prefer breakfast or brunch?

A Look Back at 2023: Year in Review

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It’s hard to believe, but another year is coming to a close! Just for fun, I thought I would do a little look back at 2023!

Look Back at 2023

Look Back at 2023

Maybe it’s just me, but the last few months have flown by! I can’t believe 2023 is almost over! The end of a year always makes me reflect on what I accomplished or what happened. It also makes me happy to look ahead to the new year. So, here’s a brief look at my 2023!

Return to Solo Travel

Prior to the pandemic, I would travel a couple of times a year by myself. However, that all stopped during the pandemic. In May of this year, I finally resumed my solo adventures! I visited Disneyland and Knott’s Berry Farm by myself! This felt like quite the accomplishment as I had to fly across the country and navigate things all by myself. I also wrote a post Solo Disneyland: Tips for Going Alone in case anyone else is interested in doing the same thing!

I wasn’t initially planning to visit Universal Orlando this fall. However, I ended up taking a bit of a last minute trip to see the Stranger Things house! Attending Halloween Horror Nights by myself feels like another accomplishment since their slogan is literally “Never go alone.” I also wrote Halloween Horror Nights Solo Tips for anyone considering taking the plunge to do HHN alone.

Visited Some New Places

I kicked off this year with my first visit to Busch Gardens Tampa Bay. My mom and I visited the park for two days and enjoyed doing many of the Busch Gardens Tampa Animal Tours.

Then, in March my husband and I made a last minute trip to Colonial Williamsburg! It was his first time visiting and my second. Although, my first time was on a field trip in fourth grade and it’s a blur. I’m already discussing returning to Williamsburg for the food alone. You can read my Colonial Williamsburg Food Guide to see for yourself how good the food is!

In June I managed to book a weekend stay in Mt. Airy, North Carolina with my mom. You can read my Andy Griffith Homeplace Review to learn about our stay. I also wrote a Mt. Airy Food Guide for Mayberry North Carolina that has gotten several views.

Returned to Some Old Favorites

In February, I was happy to return to Universal Orlando for Mardi Gras! In fact, my mom and I did the Mardi Gras Float Ride and Dine and absolutely loved it! I was also tickled to visit my favorite festival at Epcot: Festival of the Arts! My Epcot Festival of the Arts 2023 Review details why I love it so much!

In September, my mom and I visited Disneyland for their Halloween festivities for the first time! You can read my Halloween 2023 at Disneyland Guide to see what I recommend. Suffice it to say that Oogie Boogie Bash is awesome!

Other Hobbies

In 2023, I also got into some other hobbies besides travel. I painted several door hangers and little home decor items. In addition to that, I also got better at baking. I made my first ganache for a chocolate peanut butter pie in September. In November, I made my first meringue for a pie for a family Thanksgiving get together. I realize these aren’t things most people would include in a post like this, but they are things I’m proud of.

Looking Ahead to 2024

You may have noticed a pattern in this year’s travels: I did several last minute trips. I prefer to have trips planned out in advance. However, that isn’t always possible. I’m not certain where I will end up next year, but I currently have one trip booked for 2024. I will be heading to UO for Mardi Gras and WDW for Festival of the Arts in February again! My mom and I are leaning towards canceling our UO passes and visiting some other places in 2024.

So, what was your 2023 like? Where did you go? Do you have trips planned for 2024?

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?