Brunch Like Royalty With Disney Princess Breakfast Adventures

Served in the elegant, award-winning Napa Rose restaurant in Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa in Anaheim, Calif., the new Disney Princess Breakfast Adventures experience is a memorable way for clients to celebrate a special occasion, or the perfect add-on to an already magical vacation Disneyland Resort package.

“For travel advisors looking to recommend new Disney character experiences for their clients, Disney Princess Breakfast Adventures is a truly unique offering,” said Eric Quezada, restaurant manager and sommelier for Napa Rose. “It is magical and elegant, immersing our guests in the storytelling and an opportunity to meet several Disney princesses. The interactions, the story time and the fine dining all create a lovely and personalized experience.”

When I attended the brunch in March, I was not only pleasantly surprised by the number of princesses present, but I was also pleased to see that they represented both modern and classic Disney characters. It was fun to see kids — both boys and girls — dressed in royal costumes, and even a few adults were wearing princess-inspired outfits. As Rapunzel, Ariel, Tiana, Pocahontas, Mulan, Belle, Jasmine and Aurora made their way from table to table for photo ops, they also engaged in character-driven conversations. For example, when Jasmine asked one young guest where she lived and the answer was Los Angeles, Jasmine exclaimed, “Oh, so you came by camel!” (I’m fairly certain if the answer had been farther away, Jasmine’s response would have had something to do with a magic carpet.)

Quezada notes that the culinary aspect is what makes the experiences so unique. Vincent Cachot, Napa Rose’s executive chef, has developed a brand-new, three-course princess-themed menu complemented by signature cocktails created by Napa Rose mixologists specially for the experience. These include the Still Royal After Midnight Mimosa, The Lost Wand & Forgotten Magic Words and The Cure for the Curse (which is made with apple brandy, of course). For young clients — or those who prefer nonalcoholic drinks — there are also themed mocktails on the menu, including one particularly striking magenta concoction made with fresh dragonfruit.

The first course of themed bites is served family-style on a charming three-tiered tray: chia and granola parfaits with mango, kiwi and coconut; open-face ham sandwiches with cranberry cream cheese; banana wraps with berry compote; lobster salad crostini with dinglehoppers (Ariel’s name for a fork); and Tiana’s famous beignets.

Guests can then help themselves to a delicious buffet served on the counter of the open kitchen. Selections include freshly prepared morning favorites such as scrambled eggs and breakfast sides, as well as savory lunch dishes like braised short ribs, roasted pork belly, and roasted tomato and asparagus with lemon olive oil. Young clients will love the house-made macaroni and cheese, mini-chicken and waffles, and pulled-beef sliders. 

The amazing individual desserts created by executive pastry chef Jorge Sotelo pay tribute to each princess, including petite raspberry tarts for Belle, turquoise seashell macarons with mango passion fruit ganache for Ariel and, my personal favorite, chocolate peanut butter mousse with chocolate feathers for Pocahontas.

After the meal, clients have the opportunity to spend quality time on the Napa Rose patio with the princesses, where they can listen to a story read by Belle, learn about nature with Pocahontas or practice their moves with warrior princess Mulan. The royal experience ends with a special portrait session and keepsake treasures to take home.

“Disney Princess Breakfast Adventures is an extraordinary morning — and not just for the kids,” said Valerie Lee, public relations manager for Disneyland Resort. “Grown-ups will cherish every moment, too.”

The Disney Princess Breakfast Adventures experience is offered Thursday through Sunday from 8 a.m. to noon. Five hours of valet parking at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa is included.

The Details
Disney Princess Breakfast Adventures
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