You don’t have to venture too far from the Disneyland theme parks to find a fun-filled brunch!

The Disneyland Hotel, Goofy’s Kitchen, is home to a character dining experience unlike anything else you can get at Disneyland for breakfast and dinner. This restaurant has been a hotspot for guests and locals over the years, so I recently stopped by to try the breakfast/brunch buffet to see if it still holds up and is worth the visit!

Atmosphere

Once you enter the Disneyland Hotel, you can move past the lobby or pool (depending on which direction you entered) and find plenty of signage directing you to Goofy’s Kitchen. The outside waiting area is bright with ample seating while you wait.

At the check-in area, keep an eye out for special opportunities to take pictures with characters!

Once you reach your table, you’ll find silverware, salt, pepper, sugar packets, and a drinks menu. The only seating for the restaurant is indoors and is made up of booths and tables.

The dining areas are very colorful with lighting fixtures all around (some areas are brighter than others). However, the main draw of dining here is all the characters you can meet! While the characters can vary, I was able to meet Goofy, Pluto, Minnie, Chip, and Dale!

The characters are ABUNDANT and make the rounds from table to table, making sure no one feels neglected.

They’re very playful, providing a ton of energy and getting you hyped for a park day!

A word of warning: If you’re a bit introverted, these character interactions can kind of be in your face — literally — so dine here with the understanding that it’s difficult to keep to yourself. In fact, the whole experience feels a tad communal, as it’s loud, lively, and vibrant all over the restaurant.

Onto the food!

Menu

Specialty drinks like cocktails, mocktails, and other beverages not included in the buffet area cost extra and are viewable via a special drink menu.

Even for breakfast, you’ll find beer, cider, seltzers, wine, and drink flights.

You also have access to a bunch of different cocktails and non-alcoholic drinks.

As far as the actual menu goes, the options are PACKED with all sorts of breakfast and lunch items. If you can think of it, it’s probably there. Speaking of which, let’s talk about what I tried!

Eats

Since it’s a buffet, you pay one set price per person and then dig in as you so choose. For breakfast, it costs $55 per adult, plus tax and gratuity (which is already included in the bill). Kids cost $33 per child (3-9), plus tax and gratuity. First up, I tried the Create-Your-Own Omelet Station! There’s a whole bunch of toppings you can get thrown in, and I got the works except for jalapeños and chorizo.

These are made right in front of you and to your personal preferences, making it the most popular station at the buffet.

The egg was done perfectly, and how it tastes is pretty much up to you. I felt like I probably overdid it, as it had too much going on. I would do less next time. I also noticed that veggies, like the olives, stand out in flavor. If you like omelets, you can customize these to your liking, and I definitely recommend trying it for yourself!

I also tried the French Toast, French Toast Stick, and Mickey Waffle! The French Toast was fluffy, light, packed with flavor, and had some light powdered sugar. I probably could’ve used a little bit more sugar, but it was already pretty sweet and — overall — very tasty! As for the French Toast Stick, it had a lot of similar qualities, but was way more crunchy and crispy. If you’re trying to get a quick bite in, this is the way to go.

The Mickey Waffle was, of course, a standout. I drizzled a little syrup on it and really took in that yummy vanilla aftertaste the waffle offers. It’s a classic and still worth getting.

Next, I tried the Eggs Benedict. I LOVE a good Benedict, and this one did not disappoint!

The yolk was cooked PERFECTLY and was deliciously runny. The hollandaise was packed with flavor, which mixed well with the ample amount of seasoning on the egg and muffin. I found the ham to be a bit plain but overall, I was really impressed with the quality of this buffet Eggs Benedict. It’s hard to deliver a really good Benedict in the buffet style, but Goofy’s Kitchen did just that.

On the same plate, I packed on Potatoes, Pork Sausage, Egg White Frittata, Scrambled Eggs, Biscuits and Chicken Gravy, Bacon, and Chilaquiles. I was not too impressed with the Scrambled Eggs, finding them kind of runny and bland. The Bacon was crispy, a bit fatty, and very tasty. The Potatoes were seasoned well and had a peppery taste that complemented the veggies tossed in.

The Biscuit was kind of a letdown, as it was more muted in flavor than I expected and a tad too dry. The Egg White Frittata was really overpowered by the marinara, so much so that I couldn’t really taste the abundance of spinach. The Pork Sausage was smoky with a hint of maple, and I really dug it, while the Chilaquiles offered a subtle kick that lingered, as well as a prominent salsa flavor. If you like Mexican food for breakfast, you definitely need to try these!

For my next plate, I tried the Pancake and Fresh Fruit. The pancake was pretty standard, and you can customize it as you’d like. The Fresh Fruit definitely tasted fresh, and I got the cantaloupe, pineapple, strawberries, blueberries, and blackberries. Of note, you can use the fruit in your own yogurt or parfait concoction.

For the lunch portion of my brunch, I opted to try the BBQ Chicken Pizza and Hazelnut S’mores Pizza.

There were all kinds of interesting pizzas that changed by the minute during my visit. As for the two I tried, the BBQ Chicken Pizza had a great earthiness thanks to the herbs, and the chicken was cooked nicely. The cheese was baked in quite well, and I really enjoyed my slice overall. My only complaint was that it could’ve used more barbecue.

The S’mores Pizza was a good dessert pizza that tasted EXACTLY like a s’more. There was chocolate lathered near the crust, making it especially ooey and gooey. Can’t forget the marshmallows, of which there were plenty. This pizza was lots of fun, but you have to save room for it or it’ll make you sick.

For my small lunch, I also grabbed some Mac & Cheese as well as a Chicken Strip. Both were pretty standard and inoffensive, but I did prefer the Chicken Strip, as it was seasoned well with a good crunch. Comparatively, I felt the Mac & Cheese was bland and not something I would get again. I could see kids and picky eaters enjoying it, though!

For dessert, I got a Strudel, a Lemon Cake, a Chocolate Chip Cookie, a Cupcake, a Beignet, and Worms in Dirt.

The Strudel had a powerful raspberry flavor and nutty aftertaste. It was deceptively rich, but I liked it. The Lemon Cake was light, and the crispy frosting added a welcome sweetness. It was very simple but tasty, making it really nice after a hefty meal. The Chocolate Chip Cookie had an extra-sweet chocolate with a good ratio of chocolate chips. I thought the cookie was a bit tough, but still yummy.

The Cupcake is available in a variety of options, and mine had a buttercream topping and red velvet base. It was very sweet and delicious, but I could see it easily being too sweet for many. The Beignet was surprisingly my LEAST favorite dessert, offering an artificial strawberry flavor. It was liberally powdered, and the texture and consistency were closer to a donut or donut hole. I really wanted to like this, but couldn’t get behind how synthetic it tasted.

I did, however, LOVE the Worms in Dirt! The pudding was creamy and delicious, and there were plenty of Oreo bits thrown in that still had the cream attached. Mix in gummy worms and you have a dessert that’ll make kids and adults alike very happy!

Drinks

To drink, I got the Non-Alcoholic Frozen Pineapple-Coconut Slushy for $10.50. This is made with rozen coconut purée and pineapple juice.

This drink is good, featuring strong hints of coconut. The pineapple tasted fresh, and it was more of a creamy drink than a slush, which I actually preferred since it was a morning drink. The consistency was something akin to a piña colada, and, overall, I found it to be very tasty and that it works, regardless of the time of day. With that said, it’s a bit overpriced.

Nosh or Not

Stop on by Goofy’s Kitchen if…

• YOU’RE STAYING AT THE DISNEYLAND HOTEL. Going here feels like a rite of passage, and one that could really enhance the Disney experience.
• YOU SEEK CHARACTER DINING. Unlike Disney World, character dining is super limited at Disneyland, so this is one of the few spots you can do so.
• YOU HAVE A HEARTY APPETITE. The food here is good and plentiful. If you’re ready to eat, and eat, and eat…this is a great spot.

You should skip Goofy’s Kitchen if…

• YOU WANT A MORE PERSONALIZED MEAL. At the end of the day, this is still a buffet, and so it’s likely food you’ll grab may have been sitting out for a bit. Trader Sam’s and Tangaroa Terrace are both a few steps away if you want something more traditional in terms of service and menus.
• YOU DON’T LIKE CHARACTER INTERACTIONS. Disney characters are really great around adults and kids who have natural aversions to interactions, but it can still be daunting. If you want to avoid the fanfare altogether, seek out a more intimate location like the Broken Spell Lounge.
• YOU CRAVE A MORE SOPHISTICATED MENU. It’s hard to top breakfast at Goofy’s Kitchen thanks to its massive menu, but you’re still getting the basics here. If you want something a bit more adventurous, head into the parks and check out something like Lamplight Lounge‘s brunch!

Overall

While the quality can be hit or miss on some items, I was generally very satisfied with my meal. You can easily get your money’s worth and customize your dining experience to match your needs. Service was also fantastic and super attentive. Throw in the adorable characters, and you have a meal you’ll never forget!

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Have you dined here before? Share your review in the comments below!