We had two reservations made the week prior to our planned vacation at Disneyland. Our go to spot to stay is Disneyland’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa. It’s a top-notch 4 star hotel that pulls out all the stops to make your stay absolutely magical. Plus, you get to enter the parks for early Magic Hours by staying at a Disney hotel. It’s snuggly tucked up against California Adventure, which makes life a breeze if you have a need to get back to your room in a jiffy, and if your headed to or from Disneyland’s entrance it’s maybe a 10 minute walk from your hotel room doorstep.
As if all the amenities of the hotel itself weren’t amazing enough, the magical Storyteller’s Café resides on the lower level of the hotel. If you’ve never been, it’s important to note that reservations are a must, and you can easily do it with the Disneyland app, and you’ve got to be sure to book breakfast because that’s when the characters are there to interact, dance, take pictures and sign autographs! Also, be sure to mark your party’s allergies upon setting the reservation.
Now as a veteran food allergy momma, I know that buffets are a big no-no! Be prepared and know that this breakfast IS a buffet, BUT, and I stress, BUT, there are items you can order from the kitchen that are food allergy friendly! Several years ago they used to also have a menu, and even though it’s become buffet “only”, they will accommodate food allergies with special orders from the kitchen. They even come out plated with a special stick labeled “ALLERGY”. While we were only concerned with 4 of the top 8 allergens, note that you can mention any special accommodations you may have, and they will do their best to fix something for you in the kitchen. If you have multiple food allergens, or any that are not the Top 8, it would be advantageous to call ahead to give the chef time to figure something out for your dietary needs.
My son has an anaphylactic peanut and shellfish allergy, and my husband has a gluten intolerance due to severe fibromyalgia. The server spoke with the chef and got my son special food allergy friendly Mickey Mouse shaped waffles with butter and syrup, and my husband had a delicious veggie omelette. Myself and the rest of my children do not have any food restrictions and ate from the buffet. There were your typical options such as fruits, muffins, eggs, bacon, sausage, and oatmeal, but my favorite from the buffet was the Chilaquiles Con Juevos. Serious heart eyes for the chilaquiles!!! I’m not kidding I came home and tried to find a knock off recipe for them, but to no avail so if you have an amazing one, gimme!!!
The Storyteller’s Café Critter Breakfast is a memory maker. The interior is decorated just as you would imagine a fancy cabin-style restaurant in the mountains, and the characters are ones that you’d find in the woods! We enjoyed Chip and Dale, Kenai (the bear from Brother Bear), and Pluto! They are so much fun and really make an effort to give individual attention to each guest at your table including the adults!
There’s no rush to finish and clear out. We felt like we had plenty of time to enjoy our meal, play with the characters at our table, take pictures and get autographs.
It is pricey to get this experience, but it is definitely a Bucket List item for your next Disneyland adventure!
