Donald Duck’s Seaside Breakfast Gave Us the Most Amazing Experience!
Disclosure: While character dining experiences at the Disneyland Resort Hotels were part of a paid collaboration with Disney, all thoughts and opinions provided below are my own. Reservations are highly recommended and can be booked up to 60 days prior to your visit. Reservations can also be made in person on a limited basis, subject to availability. For dining experiences, character appearances and menu items are subject to change without notice.
Disneyland Resort offers many character dining options, including Plaza Inn at Disneyland, Disney Princess Breakfast Adventures and Storyteller’s Cafe at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa, and Goofy’s Kitchen at Disneyland Hotel. There was one more character dining experience at Disneyland Resort, and was the only one I had never done: Donald Duck’s Seaside Breakfast at Disney’s PCH Grill, located inside Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel. This experience really showcased how Disney will go above and beyond in creating foods to accommodate any dietary needs. But before I dive into the vegan items they were able to create, I want to tell you a little more about the Donald Duck’s Seaside Breakfast experience.
When you first walk in, you are greeted by Donald Duck dressed in beachwear! There is a PhotoPass photographer there to take your photos, which will later be available for you to purchase (they bring it to your table for you to look at the photos first). They are also happy to take some photos with your phone as well! We were then seated at our table, where we ordered beverages (included in the flat rate of this buffet experience), and then we were able to enjoy the buffet.
Dining at Disney With Dietary Restrictions
At the buffet, they had a wide array of offerings, including made-to-order omelettes, fresh fruit, oatmeal, french toast, and Mickey-shaped waffles AND Mickey-shaped pancakes. If you have dietary restrictions, such as being gluten-free and/or vegan, or have particular allergies, you can let your waiter know (if booked ahead of time, it’s highly recommended to let Disney Dining know ASAP your dietary needs, or make a note in your reservation). The chef knew ahead of time that I wanted to dine vegan. Like all Disney restaurants, they had exceptional service and went above and beyond to accommodate my request. The options can of course vary depending on how much notice the kitchen has, and what ingredients are available, but I was absolutely blown away by the delicious and indulgent vegan options Disney’s PCH Grill was able to create for me!
This first item was a spinach, strawberry and chia seed smoothie topped with non-dairy coconut whipped cream. It was very rich and creamy in texture, with a wonderful fresh strawberry taste! It was packed with fruits and veggies but tasted like a milkshake, it was absolutely wonderful!
My favorite dish that the chefs made was this vegan banana bread French toast topped with berries, coconut non-dairy whipped cream and maple syrup. If you’ve ever dined at the ‘Ohana character breakfast at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort at Walt Disney World, you may know that the bread they serve at the beginning of the meal is famous, this tasted very similar to that! It was vegan comfort food, but the banana bread texture and taste added a tropical element that went well with the theme of Donald Duck’s Seaside Breakfast.
The next item the kitchen brought out as a vegan option were Mickey-shaped latkes. I have never seen Mickey-shaped latkes anywhere! The fact that the chefs at Disney’s PCH Grill took the time to create a unique Mickey-shaped dish that fit my dietary requests really impressed me, and was a great example of the Disney Difference and their efforts to create magic for all guests!
They were also able to make vegan tacos, as they had plant-based meat on hand. These tacos were so delicious and savory, by far the best vegan tacos I’ve ever had!
Other items included a vegan version of the Mickey-shaped pancakes and Mickey-shaped waffles, and a vegan chile relleno. As mentioned before, if you dine at Disney’s Disney’s PCH Grill they may not have all of these same items available at once, but it is guaranteed that Disney’s restaurants will give exceptional service and provide you with some delicious food with Disney flair to meet your dietary restrictions! This also gave me a taste into some of the amazing plant-based foods Disney can create, and we will soon see more of, as Disney Parks Blog recently announced every restaurant at Walt Disney World and Disneyland will be getting plant based options!
The Donald Duck’s Seaside Breakfast Experience
Throughout our amazing breakfast, characters visited our tables to say hello, sign autographs and take pictures. They included Minnie Mouse, Daisy Duck, and Stitch. Periodically throughout the meal, they will announce a dance party where everyone can go to the front of the restaurant and dance with the characters!
I was incredibly impressed with the overall experience of Donald Duck’s Seaside Breakfast at Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel. With being able to see the characters in special beach attire, dance parties, the amazing customer service from the cast members at Disney’s Disney’s PCH Grill, and of course the Disney Difference that Disney Parks are known for, in going above and beyond for their guests to create a magical (and in this case, delicious) experience! You can reserve Donald Duck’s Seaside Breakfast here.
*Please Note: Character appearances and menu items are subject to change without notice. Vegan menu items are not a regular dining option and can be accommodated by request only.
Reservations are highly recommended and can be booked up to 60 days prior to your visit. Reservations can also be made in person on a limited basis, subject to availability.
