We’re in Disneyland on this lovely Friday, and we’re heading to White Water Snacks for a quick tour and bite before venturing into the parks!

The counter-service and grab-and-go restaurant is located at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel and Spa, and serves as a stop for a hearty, hot breakfast on the run.

But with lots of grab and go options, you’ll find all kinds of choices to fuel up for a fun day. Let’s head in for a look around.

Atmosphere

Enter White Water from the California sunshine, off of the hotel’s courtyard. The entrance is right off of the pool area, so watch for drippy kids and wet floors! 😉

A menu at the entrance gives you some general information about what’s available here, and the hours during which you can order different meals. Handy!

Once inside, you see the same wood and stone touches that are a familiar part of the rest of this hotel. The feeling here is slightly more rustic than Storyteller’s Cafe, however. It’s more like a posh camping outpost than a restaurant in a swanky lodge.

There is seating available both inside and outside. Both options are basic, but comfortable for a quick meal.

Be sure to keep an eye out for the famous Disneyland cats! Fun little furballs roam Disneyland’s grounds freely, and they often stop by Whitewater as it’s one of five official Disneyland feeding stations for the kitties (others can be found at Hungry Bear Restaurant in Disneyland and Taste Pilot’s Grill at DCA).

Back inside, you start to get a feel for your options, which range from hot, prepared entrees, to grab and go selections.

During our morning visit, we spied a small variety of pastries and bakery items. They’re not made here, so everything is individually wrapped for grab and go.

There’s also a full, self-serve beverage station (confusing), which includes both hot and cold options.

Soda pop is, of course, available.

But we also found help-yourself slushie machines! Flavors on tap included Cherry and Apple.

Cold coffee fans might be interested in the Frozen Mochas.

And of course, you can also choose from Coffee and Hot Chocolate as well.

Nearby condiment stations hold tea bags and other beverage necessities neatly.

And here’s something we haven’t seen before — a mini-fridge holding cold condiments, like Cream Cheese, as well as Milk, Half and Half — and Whipped Cream! I’m assuming this is for the slushie coffee drink, but don’t think I wasn’t tempted.

A nearby microwave and toaster aid with warming up foods or toasting bread and bagels. Feel free to bring your own stuff from your room to heat and eat.

If you don’t want to wait in line or aren’t in the mood for something hot, there are lots of fresh-looking options available in the prepared Grab and Go food cooler as well. Don’t those Yogurt Parfaits look awesome?

Thirsty? Choose from a wide range of bottled drinks, including Soft Drinks, Juices, and Bottled Water. There are a few Beer options here as well.

You can also buy larger, family-sized drinks, like half-gallons of milk, or even grocery items for preparing in your room since this is a DVC resort and many guests have full kitchens.

A freezer contains a few frozen entree options in case you’d like to skip a night in the restaurants. And for dessert, why not grab a Mickey Bar or frozen lemonade?

A selection of Chips stands nearby as well.

But I love this option — Mickey Pretzels, outside the park! You can even get a cup of plastic cheese to dip it in!

Fresh Fruit is also available for a healthy snack or to top your cereal.

A dry goods area is well-stocked with Cereal as well as Candy, Bread, and other Pantry Items. And you can pick up your Souvenir Mug at White Water, too. Note that these are NOT of the refillable mug variety you get in Disney World.

Now that we’ve looked around at the charming counter service spot, let’s take a closer look at some of the hot food items available.

Eats

The overhead board within the restaurant gives you more specific information, including descriptions of items and pricing.

There were also some additional sandwiches listed on this Specials plaque for lunch time (mmmm…pork carnitas burger!).

But we were here for some breakfast. And this is where White Water shines.

We didn’t want a “fast food” approach to our morning meal that day; neither did we want the leisurely pace of a sit-down meal. So having the option of quick-but-real food was the perfect offering to kick off the morning.

My husband wanted a hearty beginning, and chose the American Breakfast. The platter comes with Eggs, Bacon, Red-Bliss Breakfast Potatoes, Toast, and a bit of Fruit for garnish.

This was a huge breakfast! And everything was served hot and well-prepared. It was served in a handy take-out container for easy transport back to your room if you’re getting breakfast for the whole crew.

But, predictably, I could not resist the call of the Mickey Waffles. 🙂 Four mini waffles are dusted with a little Confectioner’s Sugar, and are served with a side of Maple Syrup and Fresh Fruit.

These were whole grain waffles, so when you break into them, you can see flecks of healthy within the fluffy inside. These are, as always, waffle perfection.

Because we were staying in the hotel, we exited White Water, and were steps away from Disney California Adventure, via their convenient park entrance located nearby. Time to go have some fun!

Overall

Whenever we are visiting Disneyland and staying at the Californian, a visit to White Water usually figures into our plans. It’s the perfect stop for serious nourishment, especially if you’re wanting to save time, money, or both.

It’s also a great stop if you’re looking for something even lighter, or that you can take back to your room and enjoy. In addition, the pantry items come in handy if you are looking to supplement meals or spend the night in.

White Water is a solid choice — and you’ll be on your way to enjoy your day in a snap!

Have you dined at White Water while at Disneyland? Speak up and tell us all about it in comments below!