Disney has revealed dates & details about the Christmas 2025 character dining experiences coming to Disneyland Resort, featuring fun food and cool culinary character costumes. Here’s what we know about the holiday-themed breakfasts, brunches & dinners coming to Goofy’s Kitchen and Storytellers Cafe, including (especially) the brand-new Mickey’s Christmas Carol Feast.
In terms of basics, Holiday Time at Disneyland Resort runs from November 14, 2025 through January 7, 2026, and features a wide variety of festive, family-friendly entertainment, decorations, parades, ride overlays, and more. In addition to returning classics, this year’s lineup presents new options. There are also some significant changes due to the ongoing Disneyland 70th Anniversary celebration.
This post focuses on the new and updated Christmas character meals. You can find a rundown of the new offerings, 70th changes, and returning entertainment across both theme parks here. If you’re looking for an all-encompassing overview and tips to make the most of the holiday season, see our Ultimate Guide to Christmas 2025 at Disneyland Resort.
During the holiday season, guests will have several festive character dining options to choose from this holiday season, including a brand-new character dinner experience called Mickey’s Christmas Carol Feast at Storytellers Cafe at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa and Daisy’s Holiday Pajama Party at Storytellers Cafe for breakfast and brunch, where Daisy Duck and Donald Duck join the character lineup.
You can also make memories at Goofy’s Kitchen Celebrates the Holidays! at the Disneyland Hotel or partake in Holiday Tea with Santa and Mrs. Claus at Hearthstone Lounge at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa. Advance Dining Reservations will be available soon for all of these meals.
Most of these are returning favorites, and although specifics for Christmas 2025 have not yet been announced, we have details & pricing for last year deeper in the post. One thing to note is that prices are likely to increase by $5 to $10 across the board, as that’s what has happened with the Halloween character dining experiences (Disneyland just recently raised menu prices pretty much across the board, so hopefully there is not another increase at the start of the fiscal year).
The new addition is Mickey’s Christmas Carol Feast, which sounds awesome. Although it’s new, it’s actually not the first time these Mickey’s Christmas Carol costumes have been used. They were a huge highlight of the one-off Disneyland Christmas Party, Merriest Nites back in 2021.
Disney Merriest Nites featured physically distanced photo ops with Minnie and Mickey Mouse as Emily and Bob Cratchit, and they rotated with Ebenezer Scrooge and Goofy Marley–one of my all-time favorite character costumes, ever. As you can see in comparing and contrasting our photos with the concept art, the differences are that Clarabelle has been added and Scrooge is no longer in his nightgown.
These Mickey’s Christmas Carol photo ops were one of the biggest selling points of Disney Merriest Nites Christmas Parties as word got out about these costumes. We still have fans ask about a return of Merriest Nites from time to time, and it’s usually for the sake of seeing these characters again or the Muppets Christmas Caroling Coach. Disneyland fans love rare characters.
As excited as I am that the Mickey’s Christmas Carol costumes are seeing the light of day again, I’m honestly a bit disappointed that this is the venue for them. I was really hoping that these would be shipped out to Walt Disney World and be featured as an addition at Jollywood Nights or Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party–I even remarked on that in a recent ‘wish list’ for the latter as a way to remedy its feeling of staleness.
Speaking of Walt Disney World, it’s disappointing that Disneyland gets multiple seasonal overlays for its character meals that change every single year and Walt Disney World only has one such offering, Minnie’s Seasonal Dine, and it’s been mostly the same for 5+ years. This is the majority of Disneyland’s character meals that change with each event! I know the excuse is that Disneyland draws mostly locals so things need to stay fresh, whereas tourists want the iconic version of everything. But it’s just that–an excuse.
Even if Walt Disney World didn’t want to touch its regular character meals, there’s still ample opportunity for introducing new ones in unused venues. Doing these types of meals in Jiko or California Grill would be awesome, and Walt Disney World could even take the ‘hand me down’ costumes from Disneyland. Maybe that’s what will happen with Mickey’s Christmas Carol Feast next year, as this is really cool and clever, and Walt Disney World guests would likewise love it.
Alternatively, I still think there’s an opportunity for Disney to do a hard ticket ‘Disneyland After Dark: Christmas Caroling Nites’ or something like that. Despite Disneyland seriously considering Christmas parties in the past, the only time they ever followed through on the idea was during the phased reopening at a time when attendance was low.
Higher holiday season crowds are the reason why Disneyland does not do a hard ticket Christmas party. They’ve toyed with the idea many times over the years, with a holiday party being credibly rumored multiple times since 2012. Operational issues with displacing crowds from Disneyland during its busiest two months of the year.
Worth noting, though, is that those same concerns exist in September and October, which is precisely how Mickey’s Halloween Party ended up moving over to DCA and being reinvented as Oogie Boogie Bash. The same could happen with Merriest Nites, especially since not all weeks in November and December are equally crowded. Surely there’s enough room for a half-dozen holiday parties at DCA!
In the meantime, we’ll have to settle for Mickey’s Christmas Carol Feast.
My only “slight” hesitation with this is the cost. This will presumably be now less than $79 per adult and $42 per child, which is the price of the Halloween dinner at Storytellers. That’s obscenely expensive for character dining, even with fancier foods. (The menu looks to be about on par with 1900 Park Fare at Walt Disney World, which is $69.)
That still has us a bit on the fence about Mickey’s Christmas Carol Feast, and that’s despite being huge fans of these costumes and wanting photos of our daughter with these characters. On the plus side, if we do it this year before she turns three, our total cost is $160. Whereas even a cheaper character meal next Christmas would cost $180. So we come out ahead by doing it now, and that’s the mental gymnastics we’ll use to justify this.
Honestly, I’m not quite sure how character dining is sustainable or viable for average families at these prices. And we’ve actually noticed decreased demand for both Storytellers and Goofy’s Kitchen since the last round of price increases. It’s as if Disney is seeing reduced demand, so they’re trying to make up the loss by charging the remaining guest pool higher prices. That, in turn is further depressing demand. It’s a vicious cycle.
If you can stomach the prices, our experiences with Storytellers and Goofy’s Kitchen over the last few years have been fantastic. We did Mickey’s Autumn Adventures Brunch at Storytellers, the Halloween-adjacent meal that runs through mid-November. We also did Goofy’s Kitchen Celebrates Halloween, which is the one we preferred.
It probably helped that we celebrated Baby Bricker’s 1st birthday at Goofy’s Kitchen, and hurt that we had an only-okay experience with characters at Storytellers. Regardless, if you’re looking at the prices and are wondering whether the Christmas meals at Goofy’s Kitchen or Storytellers are “worth it,” read those reviews for answers. Swap out the costumes, which don’t really impact the value proposition, and you should get the idea.
We’ve since been back to Storytellers for the latest wave of 70th Anniversary meals and our experiences then were much better. The buffet has been redone to facilitate better guest flow, but fewer tables were filled in the first place. The end result was that we had a less crowded restaurant and got a lot more time with the characters. Here’s hoping the same is true with Mickey’s Christmas Carol Feast, but I could see this one being quite popular!
I would also add that Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel is a lovely place to spend time during the holidays. Having a nice meal at Storytellers and then lingering in the lobby to hear the live music, getting family Christmas photos in front of the tree, and sitting down in front of the fireplace to “recover” from the meal sounds like a great way to spend the evening.
As noted above, we still don’t have full details about Mickey’s Christmas Carol Feast–or any of these meals–but we do have past precedent and what’s currently being offered for Halloween. Based on that, we know that Mickey’s Christmas Carol Feast will probably run from November 14 or November 17, 2025 through January 1, 2026.
Here are the full details about last year’s Christmas character dining experiences at Disneyland for reference…
Daisy’s Holiday Pajama Party Breakfast & Brunch
From November 19 through January 1 (last year’s dates), join Disney pals at the pajama party of the season! Dressed in festive colors and plaid fabrics, the characters invite you to celebrate in your merriest, coziest fashion. Experience the magic of the holidays by indulging in seasonally themed food offerings while surrounded by fun, festive decor and, of course, holiday cheer! Enhancing your culinary adventure is the comfy Craftsman-style dining room, which lends a warm, friendly backdrop fit for a homey gathering.
Note that the ‘marquee characters’ at this meal last year were Mickey & Minnie Mouse, with it being Mickey’s Holiday PJ Party. This year, the core couple has been replaced by Donald and Daisy, and it’s now her party. I guess that makes sense so there’s more character coverage across breakfast/brunch and dinner, for those guests who want to do both.
Breakfast (7:00 AM to 10:45 AM) – Begin your day with flavorful favorites, including:
- An assortment of baked goods
- Fresh berries and seasonal sliced fruits
- Mickey waffles and Belgian waffles
- Bananas Foster French toast
- Made-to-order omelets
- Pork carnitas chilaquiles
- A carving station with top sirloin and herb-roasted turkey
- …And so much more!
Price: Expect 2025 prices to be $69 plus tax per adult (ages 10 and up) and $39 plus tax per child (ages 3 to 9), as those are the Halloween prices.
Brunch – 11:00 AM to 1:15 PM – Mickey’s pajama party continues with a delicious buffet brunch that includes all the mouthwatering menu items available for breakfast—plus macaroni and cheese, tabbouleh-crusted salmon, bread pudding and much more.
Price: Expect 2025 prices to be $74 plus tax per adult (ages 10 and up) and $39 plus tax per child (ages 3 to 9).
Goofy’s Kitchen Celebrates the Winter Holidays
From November 19 through January 2 (last year’s dates), join Goofy and his pals as they get gussied up in their merry best for the winter holidays—putting a spin on the classic red and green with the addition of pastel colors and playful prints.
In addition to special Character moments, enjoy scrumptious food items prepared just for the season—with an expanded menu for brunch and dinner—themed decor and music, Disney PhotoPass digital downloads and a holiday-themed button. Goofy and his gang can’t wait to welcome you with fantastic food and holiday spirit!
Breakfast (7:00 AM to 10:30 AM) – Get your day going with a truly delicious breakfast buffet, including:
- An assortment of baked goods
- Mickey waffles and classic pancakes
- Made-to-order omelets
- Duck confit chilaquiles
- Maple-glazed pork belly Benedict with butternut hollandaise
- …And so much more!
Price: Expect 2025 prices to be $69 plus tax per adult (ages 10 and up) and $39 plus tax per child (ages 3 to 9). Prices do not include tax and gratuities.
Brunch (11:00 AM to 1:00 PM) – Enjoy a bountiful brunch buffet that includes all the mouthwatering menu items available for breakfast—plus a carving station with herb-marinated turkey breast and carved beef sirloin chateau roast.
Price: Expect 2025 prices to be $74 plus tax per adult (ages 10 and up) and $39 plus tax per child (ages 3 to 9). Prices do not include tax and gratuities.
Dinner – 4:00 PM to 9:00 PM – Don’t miss the delectable dinner buffet, with an array of options that include:
- Shrimp cocktail and crab claws
- Roasted beet and pear salad
- Salmon with persimmon hollandaise
- Roasted chicken
- Short rib ravioli with wild mushrooms and pecorino
- BBQ pork spareribs
- A carving station with herb-marinated turkey breast, bourbon-glazed holiday ham and prime rib
- Assorted seasonal desserts and pastries
- …And so much more!
Price: Expect prices to be $79 plus tax per adult (ages 10 and up) and $42 plus tax per child (ages 3 to 9). Prices do not include tax and gratuities.
Character interactions are also generally pretty good at both Storytellers and Goofy’s Kitchen–but the latter emphasizes fun over food. This isn’t to say the food is bad at Goofy’s Kitchen–it’s shockingly good for what it is–but it doesn’t aspire to be more than comfort food. Although perhaps it should not be “shocking” that a $69 breakfast is good.
Ultimately, the Goofy’s Kitchen Christmas character breakfast, brunch, and dinner sounds fun–as does the new addition at Storytellers Cafe. As huge fans of this character dining experience and Christmas at Disneyland and new parents, this is right up our alley. The more seasonal offerings at Disneyland, the better. We’ll definitely be doing Mickey’s Christmas Carol Feast “for research” and will report back our results. Here’s hoping that this dinner gets shipped off to Walt Disney World next year and is replaced by the Muppets’ Christmas Carol Feast at Storytellers in 2026!
Planning a Southern California vacation? For park admission deals, read Tips for Saving Money on Disneyland Tickets. Learn about on-site and off-site hotels in our Anaheim Hotel Reviews & Rankings. For where to eat, check out our Disneyland Restaurant Reviews. For unique ideas of things that’ll improve your trip, check out What to Pack for Disney. For comprehensive advice, consult our Disneyland Vacation Planning Guide. Finally, for guides beyond Disney, check out our Southern California Itineraries for day trips to Los Angeles, Laguna Beach, and many other SoCal cities!
Your Thoughts
Excited for Mickey’s Christmas Carol Feast or is it too expensive? Do you wish Walt Disney World would do more seasonal character meals like this? Would you do this meal if offered at Jiko, California Grill, or another venue at Walt Disney World? Do you wish Disneyland did another hard ticket Christmas party? Will you be doing the Christmas character meals at the Grand Californian or Disneyland Hotel? Do you agree or disagree with our assessment of these character dining experiences at Disneyland Resort? Any questions? Hearing your feedback—even when you disagree with us—is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!
