We recently visited Goofy’s Kitchen at the Disneyland Hotel! This is a character dining experience, that is a buffet brunch and dinner with Goofy and all his pals! We are all about trying to be practical and budget friendly, and character dining is a really fun outing but in my opinion a splurge! But I loved it and the experience felt more familiar and normal than I thought it would! I think it’s a great opportunity to see characters.
You do need reservations for Goofy’s Kitchen so be prepared, they go quick. You can book 60 days out to your date, on the Disneyland app. You can cancel with no charge up to 24 hours prior. You can check in using the Mobile Dine Check in on the Disneyland app. Masks are currently (10/21/21) required in the restaurant but when you are eating & seated at your table. So they do want you to wear them while getting food at the buffet. I was surprised they are even offering buffet style honestly, so I was thrilled. A change due to Covid, characters only dance and perform around the room and do not stop at your tables or do autographs. Goofy, along with Chip, Dale, Pluto and Minnie come out to dance every 20 mins. They love to work the room clapping or waving their napkins and my kids loved it! We do miss that one on one interaction and autographs but we still got lots of face time. I think they do a pretty good job entertaining with the circumstances and we’ve missed seeing our pals, so we will take what we can get right now.
“My favorite were the ice cream sundaes!”
Caleb, age 6
Let’s break down the price: Adults are $49.00 and kids are $29.00. Photo pass photos are included with your meal. You have a photo opportunity before you enter with a Disney Photographer, see below. And yes you have to wear a mask in the photo. Let’s be real, it’s expensive. There is a standard 18% gratuity added in too. I will say for that price, you do get unlimited food and drinks. They provide lots of options and most of it, is pretty good. You can get sodas, milks, OJ, and you do have a server helping clear plates and serve drinks quickly. The entertainment is a lot of fun and its almost like a show while you eat. My kids are big character fans, and in the past they dance around the room with the kids and once even played Duck Duck Goose with Stitch. They still talk about it!! Definitely hope to see that back soon. I still think its a bit overpriced, but something so fun to add to your trip. Also when you see the characters here, you may not need to spend as much time looking for characters or formerly wait in lines for autographs at the parks. As well, you do not need a park ticket to book at any of the hotel Character dining, so even if you just want a little magic, its a quick fix!
Food varies from breakfast and lunch but definitely have something for everyone! Brunch does offer lunch items too. My kids loved to go back and pick something new and I was grateful for a good ‘ol buffet back again! They had lots of pastries, sweets and a soft serve sundae bar. My kids favorite! You can take your time and go back for more. My husband liked the pork and mashed potatoes. I loved the Mickey Waffles, Eggs benedict and Caprese Salad. I did see multiple birthday celebrations with a dessert and song. So a great place to celebrate! Each person who dines, gets a Free Goofy’s Kitchen button too. You can get three hours of free Disney parking validated with your dining experience.
Overall, we had a really magical time. I loved the music playing and seeing my kids laughing and excited really just made it! It’s definitely a fun experience if you can fit it in the budget. There are many character dining experiences at the Disneyland Resort. See which one best fits your interests!