I’ve always had a soft spot for Donald Duck. When I heard he was hosting a dinner buffet at Storytellers Cafe inside Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa as part of Disneyland’s 70th anniversary celebration, I couldn’t resist including it in my trip to Disneyland Resort.
During our visit, the meal cost $62 for adults and $36 for children ages 3 to 9. Dinner is served from 4 to 9 p.m. Disneyland passholders, Disney Vacation Club members and Disney Visa Cardholders are eligible for discounts. You can upgrade to the World of Color Dining Package for an extra charge, which we chose not to do.
The characters who appear at this dinner are Donald Duck, Daisy Duck, Goofy, Clarabelle Cow and Pluto. Each is wearing a new explorer-themed outfit for the meal. This adventuresome garb has them looking ready for a hike through the woods, or at least making s’mores by a campfire. As someone who gets a kick out of seeing the characters in clothes far removed from their typical getups, this was one of the most appealing things about the meal for me. Donald, in particular, has come a long way since the days when he was just a duck in a blue sailor outfit.
One thing to note is that neither Mickey and Minnie Mouse nor Chip and Dale are part of this meal. If meeting those four are important to you, this is not your best character dining option. You might instead want to attend Mickey’s Tales of Adventure Breakfast Buffet or Mickey’s Tales of Adventure Brunch Buffet, where Mickey, Minnie, Chip and Dale all appear in similarly styled outfits. These meals typically run through August, but there are autumn and holiday versions later in the year.
I booked a 4:30 p.m. reservation for Donald’s Tales of Adventure in hopes of catching Donald and his friends before the evening dinner rush. It also seemed like a nice respite from the theme parks during the warmest part of a July day.
My plan worked, as my friend and I arrived to find a restaurant that had few diners and was well air-conditioned. I had used the Disneyland app’s online check-in before arriving, and the Storytellers Cafe hostess seated us quickly. There didn’t seem to be much of a waiting area, so the online check-in definitely seems like the ideal option.
Goofy appeared to visit us before we’d even got our drink orders in. He was followed by Donald Duck and Pluto. I loved getting photos and chatting with the characters before I’d had a chance to get properly distracted by the food.
Soon, my friend and I ceased photo-taking and faced the surprisingly plentiful and varied buffet. Disneyland describes the meal as a “bountiful campfire-style barbecue buffet,” and they are not exaggerating about the bountiful part. This spread truly does have something for everyone, although many of the dishes are not anything like what I would expect to see at an actual campfire.
Prime rib, spare ribs, brisket, fried chicken and grilled salmon were among the meats available on this particular evening. The prime rib was incredibly tender and flavorful, as was the brisket. I’m very picky about ribs, but these were tasty even if they weren’t as tender as I like.
It took me a few minutes to realize each food item had a label above the buffet. Before I figured it out, I snagged what I thought were scalloped potatoes. They turned out to be lobster ravioli, and they were one of my favorite dishes from the meal. The flavor was incredible, and the texture far surpassed my expectations for a buffet item. I was glad I hadn’t known they were, or I might not have had the nerve to try such an adventurous dish.
My other favorites were the cornbread, which was perfectly moist and sweet, and the Southwest couscous salad, a bean and veggie-loaded side that I plan to try to recreate at home.
Aside from a few fried dishes, this was one of the healthiest-looking Disney buffets I’ve been presented with. There were many vegetable-based sides, including roasted beet salad, pickled asparagus, caprese salad, kale and quinoa salad along with a more traditional salad bar area. They also had yummy fruit touches like grilled pineapple and marinated olives. Everything looked and tasted very fresh. The presentation was lovely.
The buffet included many kid-friendly options, including four types of pizza, chicken tenders, french fries, mashed potatoes and macaroni and cheese. I thoroughly enjoyed the fries but found the mac and cheese a little bland. I wish I’d had room to sample the pizza as it looked appealing.
For those looking to enjoy an adult beverage, there are a variety of alcoholic drinks available for an extra charge. A non-alcoholic beverage is included with the price of the meal.
On my second trip to the buffet, I discovered an area with fresh fruit and charcuterie that I hadn’t even noticed the first time. There was also a little section of chips and salsa. The charcuterie spread included fabulous cheeses, meats, jams and mustards along with crostini, breadsticks and pretzels; it would have been easy to fill up on those if I hadn’t caught a glimpse of the dessert spread already. I couldn’t resist grabbing a few cheeses and some fresh strawberries but restrained myself well so that I could try a few desserts.
For me, the unquestioned highlight of the desserts was the s’mores bread pudding, a sweet, gooey treat that is served warm. It wasn’t very photogenic, but it was absolutely delicious. I realized later that I’d missed the sauce that was available to pour over it, but I thought it was perfect as-is.
The turtle cake, tart and chocolate mousse cake were also delicious and infinitely more Instagrammable — especially the adorable Mickey-shaped tart topped with colorful fruit. I particularly liked the smooth, creamy turtle cake. Among the other dessert options were strawberry jello panna cotta, cake pops and an array of cookies. There was also an ice cream machine and candy toppings. I loved that the desserts were small so that you could try multiple options without feeling wasteful.
While we enjoyed our meal, we were visited by Daisy Duck and Clarabelle Cow. These two might have landed the best explorer outfits of them all. Between Daisy’s jaunty green hat and Clarabelle’s cozy cardigan, they definitely are the best accessorized of the gang. The restaurant got steadily busier while we ate, but the characters still took plenty of time on their visits to our table.
I thoroughly enjoyed all the character interactions at this meal. I loved how colorful and detailed their outfits were, although I wish Pluto would’ve gotten something more elaborate than a bandanna and fancy nametag. I always worry about feeling awkward as an adult at a character meal without kids, but that definitely wasn’t the case here. I was comfortable talking to each character. When I didn’t know what to say, I used my old standby of complimenting them on their outfits, which was easy to do in this case.
I recommend that adults go before 5 p.m. like we did so that you’ll be able to enjoy the quieter, less harried atmosphere. I think that eating at prime dinner time would’ve been a more overwhelming experience.
I think it also helped was that Storytellers Cafe’s tables are fairly spaced out in the front area we were seated in. It’s easier to relax and have fun when you don’t feel like you’re overhearing everyone else’s conversations and they’re hearing yours.
I thought the mix of characters for this meal was excellent. While we all love Mickey and Minnie, it was great to see Donald and the others have more time to shine. I’ve enjoyed how Clarabelle Cow has received more time in the spotlight during the 70th anniversary festivities, and I loved getting photos with her in a character meal setting.
Even though we only spent about 45 minutes in the restaurant, all five characters had time to make their way to our table, with several appearing twice. We had nice moments with each of them as we complimented their outfits and snapped a few photos. For those who came by a second time, I started taking selfies with them. I find this to be a fun way to catch the characters from a different angle, and it seems to inspire them to goof off a little more.
I do wish that Disney had a PhotoPass photographer available at character meals. I think it would allow for better interactions and be less awkward for diners. When a character appears while a party of two is dining, both have to stop eating and take turns taking photos of each other. And if you want both of you in the photo, you have to either take selfies or interrupt another diner who’s trying to eat to ask them to take a photo. For families, it’s tougher to get photos with everyone and to get group shots.
The characters did take time to march back and forth through the restaurant a few times while music played. Every character participated except Daisy, who I assume was taking a break at that moment. It was a fun way for guests to see them together in their explorer outfits and take photos of them all at once.
Storytellers Cafe’s welcoming atmosphere makes it a terrific location for this meal. The restaurant, like all of the Grand Californian, is beautiful and feels upscale without being stuffy. I think the restaurant’s setup, with the open buffet splitting up the dining area, helps keep it from feeling cramped.
The staff were so accommodating; I found them to be the friendliest of all the Disneyland workers I encountered during my visit to the resort. They were careful to ask about allergies and provide explanations on any dish we had concerns about.
Before my trip, I’d read online where several diners mentioned receiving a cute Donald’s Tales of Adventure button at their meal. Unfortunately, they had run out of them by the day of my meal, which was understandable as I’m sure they’ve been busy. One of the waitresses tried to track some down for us, but couldn’t locate any.
If you’ve never been in the Grand Californian, I recommend taking a few minutes to explore it before or after your dinner. The spacious, richly appointed lobby is a wonderful spot to get away from the bustle of the theme parks, and the gift shop area has a terrific selection of merchandise.
It’s very easy to get to the Grand Californian from California Adventure, so I made sure to make my reservation on a day when I was going to California Adventure. While you do have to exit the theme park to go into the Grand Californian, there’s a gate and security checkpoint right there. It only takes a few minutes to get back into the park. There’s also an entrance to the Grand Californian in Downtown Disney.
I didn’t drive to the resort, but I did want to note that dining at Storytellers Cafe will get you three hours of complimentary valet parking at the Grand Californian, which is a nice touch if you do have a vehicle. You just have to remember to get your ticket validated at the restaurant.
While I’ve only done a few Disney character meals, I was truly impressed with the experience of Donald’s Tales of Adventure Dinner Buffet. It was a ton of fun and a nice addition to my Disneyland trip. Characters aside, it was my favorite buffet that I’ve had at a Disney property. The quality and consistency of the food really shone, which made it easier to accept the considerable price that comes with doing a character meal at a Disney resort.
I don’t make it to Disneyland Resort often, but I hope to make time for another meal at Storytellers Cafe on my next visit.
Editor’s Note: DIS Contributors review meals, resort stays, and entertainment that they have paid for during their own vacations. They only utilize discounts and offers that are available to the general public, such as annual passholder discounts or DVC membership discounts. They receive no additional compensation for dining experiences or events so that they may give their honest opinions about price and value.
