How to get Disneyland character dining reservations
Disneyland has four character dining experiences: Minnie & Friends at Plaza Inn, Goofy's Kitchen, Storytellers Cafe and Disney Princess Breakfast Adventures. See which need a park ticket, which offer dinner characters, and how to get a reservation.
Why Disneyland character dining reservations are hard to get
The Disneyland Resort has four character dining experiences, and three are at its hotels rather than inside a theme park.
Character dining combines a meal with time around Disney characters, which makes the most convenient times especially popular.
Disneyland's four character dining experiences
Disney lists four character dining experiences at the Disneyland Resort.
| Experience | Where | Characters at | Park ticket |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minnie & Friends – Breakfast in the Park | Plaza Inn, Disneyland Park | Breakfast | Needed |
| Goofy's Kitchen | Disneyland Hotel | Breakfast, brunch and dinner | Not needed |
| Storytellers Cafe | Disney's Grand Californian Hotel & Spa | Breakfast, brunch and dinner | Not needed |
| Disney Princess Breakfast Adventures | Napa Rose, Disney's Grand Californian Hotel & Spa | Breakfast | Not needed |
When Disneyland character dining reservations open
Reservations open 60 days ahead, one date at a time, at around 6:00 AM Pacific.
Each morning of your trip becomes bookable on its own day, so a long stay means several early starts.
See When do Disneyland dining reservations open?
Minnie & Friends at Plaza Inn
Plaza Inn hosts Minnie & Friends – Breakfast in the Park, which Disney calls the only character dining experience inside Disneyland Park, with views toward Sleeping Beauty Castle.
It is an all-you-care-to-enjoy breakfast buffet, and everyone eating there at breakfast pays for the character meal, except children under 3.
The restaurant opened with the park in 1955 as the Red Wagon Inn, and Disney says it was one of Walt Disney's favorite places to dine.
Disney takes Plaza Inn reservations for breakfast only. Lunch and dinner there are served without reservations and without characters.
You'll need a ticket and a park reservation for Disneyland Park on the same day.
Character meals at the Disneyland Resort hotels
The other three are in the resort hotels, so no park ticket is needed for any of them.
Goofy's Kitchen
Goofy's Kitchen at the Disneyland Hotel serves breakfast, brunch and dinner buffets, with Chef Goofy and his friends popping by the tables.
There's a photo spot in Goofy's own kitchen on the way in, and Disney themes the meal for Halloween, the holidays and spring.
Storytellers Cafe
Storytellers Cafe at the Grand Californian runs character buffets at breakfast, brunch and dinner, with Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck or their friends dropping in.
The Craftsman-style room is themed to California folklore.
Both hotel buffets change their themes with the seasons, and the characters dress for the occasion.
From November 16, 2026, Storytellers Cafe reservations come with Daisy’s Holiday Pajama Party at breakfast and brunch, and Mickey’s Christmas Carol Feast at dinner.
Disney Princess Breakfast Adventures
Disney Princess Breakfast Adventures takes place at Napa Rose, with a three-course breakfast, activity time and visits from Disney Princesses.
Children get a photo with a Disney Princess, share their "Best Day Ever!" with Rapunzel and learn warrior poses from Mulan.
It is booked separately from a Napa Rose dinner, and it doesn't run every day of the week.
Seating is indoors or on the terrace, and Disney moves terrace guests inside if the weather turns.
Which character dining experience suits your trip?
The right one depends on the day you have in mind and who you most want to meet.
- Inside Disneyland Park: Minnie & Friends at Plaza Inn, on a day you already have park tickets.
- Characters at dinner: Goofy's Kitchen or Storytellers Cafe.
- Princesses: Disney Princess Breakfast Adventures, a three-course breakfast rather than a buffet.
- No park ticket: Any of the three hotel experiences, handy on an arrival or departure day.
Can Disneyland character dining reservations become available later?
Yes. All four have cancellation policies that can charge a per-person fee for a late cancellation or a no-show, giving guests whose plans change an incentive to let those tables go.
Disney also takes same-day reservations at each of them on a limited basis.
Across the 10,000+ Walt Disney World dining openings we studied, 73% appeared in the final three days.
See When do sold-out Disney World dining reservations open up?
Best strategies for getting Disneyland character dining reservations
A few tactics give you more options.
Be ready at around 6:00 AM Pacific
Decide on the meal and party size the night before, so you can move quickly when reservations open.
Consider dinner at the hotels
Goofy's Kitchen and Storytellers Cafe have characters at dinner as well as breakfast, so an evening table still gets you the meeting.
Use a day away from the parks
Because the hotel experiences don't need a park ticket, a rest day between park days works for them too.
Look on the day itself
A limited number of same-day reservations means it's worth checking the morning you want, even after a date looked full.
At Disney World, 48% of the dining openings we analyzed appeared on the reservation day itself, and most came in the final three days.
How an alert helps
A table someone gives up can reappear at any time of day, and refreshing Disney's site by hand all week isn't realistic.
Park Drop watches the character dining experience you choose around the clock and sends Disney dining alerts by text and email the moment a table matching your date, party size and time opens.
Set it for every day of your trip that could work.
Disneyland character dining with a big group
Disney seats a party only once everyone has arrived, and brings the whole group to the table together.
If you book several smaller reservations, Disney says it can't guarantee the groups will be seated together.
At Goofy's Kitchen, children must be with an adult 18 or older for the whole meal.
Getting Disneyland character dining reservations without the stress
Book on the first morning if you can, keep the hotel dinners in mind, and keep watching as your date gets closer.
Character dining is among the Disneyland dining reservations Park Drop watches around the clock.
Planning Walt Disney World too? Its character meals are different restaurants with their own bookings.
Frequently asked questions
Which Disneyland restaurants have character dining?
Four, by Disney's list: Minnie & Friends at Plaza Inn in Disneyland Park, Goofy's Kitchen at the Disneyland Hotel, and Storytellers Cafe and Disney Princess Breakfast Adventures at the Grand Californian.
Do you need a park ticket for Disneyland character dining?
Only for Plaza Inn, which is inside Disneyland Park. The other three are in resort hotels.
What time do Disneyland character dining reservations open?
Around 6:00 AM Pacific, 60 days before the date, with each date opening on its own morning.
Which Disneyland character meals have characters at dinner?
Goofy's Kitchen and Storytellers Cafe. At Plaza Inn the characters appear at breakfast only, and Disney Princess Breakfast Adventures is a breakfast.
Can you book Plaza Inn for lunch or dinner?
No. Disney takes Plaza Inn reservations for breakfast only, and breakfast is the only meal with characters there.
Is Disney Princess Breakfast Adventures the same as a Napa Rose reservation?
No. It's held at Napa Rose in the mornings but booked on its own, and it doesn't run every day.
Can you get same-day Disneyland character dining reservations?
Sometimes. Disney takes same-day reservations at all four on a limited basis, so it is worth checking on the morning.
Can Park Drop alert me when a Disneyland character dining table opens?
Yes. Pick the meal, date, party size and time you want, and Park Drop texts and emails you the moment a matching table opens.
