Thank you to Disneyland for providing media passes during this visit.
I’ve never had less than amazing food when I’ve visited Disneyland, and my last visit was no exception. We experiences both extremes of the Disneyland table service experience: character dining and fine dining. (With a Dole Whip at the very end to cap off the night.)
We started our morning at the “Minnie & Friends Breakfast in the Park” at the historic Plaza Inn. The 19th-century interior was designed by Lillian Disney. (Yes, Walt’s wife!) Highlights of the buffet include the made to order omelettes and Mickey waffles. The latter with some pretty delicious caramel banana syrup were a personal favorite.
Of course the highlight of any character meal are your interactions with the characters. And just because you’re visiting in a group of three adults, don’t worry that you’ll be ignored.
You never know who might visit during a breakfast at The Plaza Inn, which is part of the magic. Unlike other character dining experiences, these characters don’t stick to a particular theme.
In addition to Eeyore, Hook, Rafiki and Tigger, we were joined by Pooh, Fairy Godmother, Max, Dale, and-of course- Minnie.
When riding on Pirates of the Caribbean during my visit last year, I made a mental note that dining at Blue Bayou was at the top of my Disneyland bucket list. (Well, technically the very top would be dining at Club 33, but that’s a little less in my control.) Until that moment I had almost forgotten eating at the Blue Bayou in Tokyo 12 years earlier. I don’t remember a ton from that trip, but I do remember the crème brûlée trio I had for dessert that day!

Blue Bayou Restaurant from balcony
Eating at Blue Bayou is absolutely magical. The atmosphere alone would be worth the experience, but the food is out of this world. We opted for the “Paint The Night” package, which included drinks, appetizers, entrees and desserts as well as vouchers we could redeem for priority seating during the “Paint The Night” parade. They have an amazing virgin mint julep that can be included as part of the package, as long as you’re willing to skip the glowing ice cube. And maybe because I’m a sucker for tradition-or maybe it’s just one of my favorite desserts-I tried the crème brûlée offering yet again. This time it was in Meyer lemon tart form.
“Paint The Night” cannot be missed, and skipping the long wait for front row parade viewing is a definite perk. In the middle of Town Square there’s a sign where you’ll queue up for seating. As long as you’re in line a few minutes before the queue opens, you’ll have an excellent chance of getting front row. That means you can sit on the curb during the parade. That’s huge after a long day of walking!
Not to mention you’ll be front and center for all of the photos and videos you could possibly want!
You’ll watch the parade facing the Main Street Railroad stairs. It’s a great location, especially if you score the curb seating. You’ll need to turn around after the parade to watch the fireworks. If seeing the projections done during the show is a priority, you’ll want to make your way a little closer to the castle as soon as the parade is over.
Reservations for both dining experiences are highly recommended and can be made up to 60 days in advance on the Disneyland website.