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River Belle Terrace at Disneyland to end breakfast menu, switch to table-service

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Another chapter in one of the original Disneyland dining locations is about to begin. The River Belle Terrace will stop serving breakfast and instead switch to a table-service location serving lunch and dinner in February. The new menu will include southern staples like barbecue and seafood. Reservations will be accepted for the location.

Somewhere the spirit of Don DeFore is chuckling.

The space that is now River Belle Terrace had a long history in the park. It started out as Casa de Fritos and Aunt Jemima Pancake House. Casa de Fritos moved to make way for Don DeFore’s Silver Banjo Barbecue in 1957 and the two locations were merged in 1961 to allow Disneyland to expand the pancake house. Over time the name changed from Aunt Jemima’s Kitchen, to Magnolia Tree Terrace, and finally River Belle Terrace.

Disneyland guests are demanding more sit down restaurants. At least that’s the message sent by this most recent change. To be fair, I did notice relatively long waits for the sit-down locations when I was at the park. I think it’s also the case that America’s tastes in breakfasts has changed. Rancho del Zocolo will now handle the need for breakfast in the park. It will keep some River Belle favorites, but add some Mexican-inspired favorites.

Over the years it has been a popular tradition among many Disney fans to start their day with a Mickey Mouse pancake and coffee out on the terrace while watching boats float by on the Rivers of American while the park filled up with guests. It will be sad to see that long tradition come to an end. Also coming to an end will be the ‘tradition’ of timing your meal correctly so you can sit outside and see Fantasmic. Maybe they’ll bring back the Egg House in Town Square, which is a good location for the night parade, to compensate?

What do you think of the change? Will you be sad to see breakfast go from the location?

4 thoughts on “River Belle Terrace at Disneyland to end breakfast menu, switch to table-service”

  1. George del Castillo

    Wrong! Wrong! Wrong thing to do. Oh for so many reasons. First River Belle is sit down to eat. You only go through a cafeteria style line to get your food. What is wrong with that? What is right? You get to see the choices and pick what you feel like. It is also wrong because there are not enough breakfasts places to eat right now. Just check the lines. It is about the higher rates that Disney will charge for lunches and dinners at a “sit down” place. Somebody in the management of Disneyland is really trying to put the screws on the Guests and get all that they can from us. Just watch there will be more changes about getting more of our money. So sad. What happened to Walt’s dream of Disneyland being a place where parents can take their children for a nice affordable time with family?

  2. We’re not losing breakfast. It’s just moving to Rancho Del Zocalo. This makes sense since the river will be closed for 18-months. RBT has been pretty slow during the breakfast hours for quite some time. Maybe after the construction finishes, they’ll make RBT a table service breakfast place. Now that would be cool.

  3. I understand that Disney feels the need to renew itself but it is losing lots of what is Disneyland. A lot of the charm and tradition are being moved out and soon it will be a regular theme park. We are pass holders and we enjoy the park but more and more people can’t afford to come to this family place. It is strange that pancakes can be such a big deal to people but they are just one of the little things that are a big deal to a lot of people. My wife and I are older and visit often, I have pictures of my wife posing with her Mickey Mouse pancakes and hoped to get some for our granddaughter next year. It’s a shame.

  4. I ate there as table service dinner his summer as they were the alternative for Fantasmic fast pass dining packages. Thought it was good food and great service

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