chef Mickeys or rainforest...HELP!!!!!

[ZoeysMommy0308]

We have a rainforest and chef Monkey's dinner booked for arrival. I've read horrible reviews about CM's but it is really that bad? Need help deciding!

 

[LuckyBelle81]

Its been years since I've been to RFC but the thing I've always remembered is how mediocre to bad the food has been. We went to CM this past Nov and the food wasn't amazing but it was good and since its a character meal I think the kids enjoyed it more than they would have RFC. Do you have young kids?? There's a thunder storm they simulate in the restaurant every like 30 minutes or something that involves a lot thunder and we thought it would prob scare our 2yo and our weather-sensitive 6yo. We *have* considered trying it again (we haven't been since our oldest was 2 and she is 9 now) bc all of our kids really like animals so I think they would enjoy that aspect of the restaurant. Is it the RFC at AK or DS? For arrival day it might be better to do that if its the one at DS just bc it gives you more options of things to do before and after.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

I would say the food at both is mediocre, but at least CM is a real Disney experience. RFC is a national chain, and the Disney locations are no different than locations in other parts of the country.

 

[ZoeysMommy0308]

Its been years since I've been to RFC but the thing I've always remembered is how mediocre to bad the food has been. We went to CM this past Nov and the food wasn't amazing but it was good and since its a character meal I think the kids enjoyed it more than they would have RFC. Do you have young kids?? There's a thunder storm they simulate in the restaurant every like 30 minutes or something that involves a lot thunder and we thought it would prob scare our 2yo and our weather-sensitive 6yo. We *have* considered trying it again (we haven't been since our oldest was 2 and she is 9 now) bc all of our kids really like animals so I think they would enjoy that aspect of the restaurant. Is it the RFC at AK or DS? For arrival day it might be better to do that if its the one at DS just bc it gives you more options of things to do before and after.

Yes, we have our 5 year old daughter. We planned to do disney springs regardless so she can see if she wants to buy a dress for BBB the next day or wear one she has. It's the one at Disney springs. I just wanted her first time meeting Mickey to be "magical". Is it awesome in the restaurant?

 

[cgh]

I think chef mickey's is fine. I think meeting mickey is magical wherever you do it-or at least my kids are always so excited, pointing etc. Are you seeing Mickey elsewhere? The atmosphere is a bit chaotic. It's really bright in there, and there are lots of tables all there. It's not an intimate experience. She could see Mickey but it could take a while for him to arrive at your table, depending on where it is.

I'd choose Mickey over rainforest for the reason above. Rainforest cafe is everywhere.

 

[ZoeysMommy0308]

I'd planned on talking Mickey in the park...but I guess we could still do that too.

 

[Jadyreen1282]

If it's a choice between a "chain" restaurant like Rainforest and a Disney joint I'd always pick Disney.

 

[pens4821]

We make a point of going to cm for dinner once while there. I know most hate it, but we think the food is good and it's a good spot to see the characters (less waiting in the park). The food surely isn't gourmet, but we enjoy it. It, to us, is also great fun.

We also like the food at rf. Got a steak, rib, and shrimp trio last month and thought it was delicious. Guess we are just easy to please.

If I had to choose, I'd go with cm so you can meet the characters with the little one. Once my nephew is a little older we would probably choose rf instead.

 

[ADisneyQueen]

The good thing about CM is that there is a selection of food. I went to RF in Niagara falls and didn't like my meal. At least at a buffet you can get something else. When my kids were younger they thought CM was really exciting and they still ask to go there as teenagers. You get to watch the characters walking around even if they are not at your table.

 

[goofy4prez]

Your asking for opinions so here is mine. I think the choice comes down to whether you want mediocre food in a chain restaurant like RFC or horrendously terrible food with Disney characters like CM. For me I don't care how great the characters are I would choose Taco Bell, McDonald's or Wendy's everyday of the week over the junk they put on the buffet table at Chef Mickeys... I will admit, I am not a buffet fan at all other than perhaps a breakfast buffet or Boma, but Chef Mickey was and continues to be the worst meal I have ever experienced at WDW. I'd say get yourself a FP+ at Epcot's Character Spot and get your pictures there with the characters instead and dine at RFC. Or perhaps better yet, find another ADR other than RFC and go to Epcot's Character spot and forget both of these locations altogether.

 

[hthrbells]

For the experience, I would say Chef Mickeys. The food at both is not great but the interaction at CM is great for the kids. I groaned at the thought of going back but my DD is 5 and her big brothers really wanted to surprise her on our upcoming trip with a ress there. RFC is neat but the food is awful and you don't have the fun like you do at CM.

 

[VillainFavs]

Are those really your only two choices?

 

[jimmytammy]

If these were my only 2 choices, CM

 

[unrequited23]

If you are already going to DS that night and are not staying at a monorail resort I'd go to RFC and make a reservation directly with the restaurant versus making an ADR. This way you are only trying to get one place after a day of traveling and have the flexibility to cancel the reservation without penalty if there are travel delays. Also, you can order/only pay for whatever you'd like to eat as compared to a pricier dinner buffet.

 

[hedberg1661]

I would run the table with CM. Rain forest is fair at best. You can get frozen chain food anywhere.

 

[ZoeysMommy0308]

I have adrs set for both..for Thursday...the next morning we are doing our first full day at magic kingdom. 7AM! So we're getting up at 5! I booked CM at 180 days out...then discovered horrible reviews and grabbed what was available at DS since we plan to go there anyway. Maybe I should give up both and do a quick service so we can get back to our rooms earlier?

 

[cedricandsophie]

We were just at CM in November. God awful food, filthy, characters spent about 30 seconds at table. My okder kids grew up loving it but I can't remember why. Never again. On the other hand we were at Park Fare two weeks ago. Food was great and the Cinderella characters are wonderful. They are out the whole time, spend a lot of time at tables, interact with each ither and the crowd and are very funny. I would go again in a second

 

[LuckyBelle81]

I have adrs set for both..for Thursday...the next morning we are doing our first full day at magic kingdom. 7AM! So we're getting up at 5! I booked CM at 180 days out...then discovered horrible reviews and grabbed what was available at DS since we plan to go there anyway. Maybe I should give up both and do a quick service so we can get back to our rooms earlier?

That definitely is an option. We really like Earl of Sandwich and Cookes of Dublin at DS and the Wolfgang Puck Express restaurant is good too. Maybe we just hit CM on a "good" day but we were there last Nov (sometime between the 15th and 20th, can't remember the exact date) and the food, while not "great", was really not bad, and DH and I are pretty tough critics when it comes to dining. It was actually one of our more preferred character meals (I think we did 5 while we were there?) bc they spent so much time with the kids. Maybe it was where our table was located or who was running the characters that day...who knows why some days are better than others? We did breakfast, so maybe that has something to do with it? IDK. But we enjoyed our experience there.

Its so hard to know what to do when you're trying to make these decisions because there are so many tiny details that do in to each diners experience and therefore their review. You could have 2 tables in the same restaurant at the same time but because of the server they have or who prepares their food or a myriad of other reasons get 2 diametrically opposed reviews. Yes, we would all like (and expect) there to be consistency but sometimes it just doesn't happen.

I will say that this past trip in Nov was our 2nd one in a row where we felt that our entire time there was controlled by our ADRs (and FPs, but that's another post). We've decided that the next time we go we are going to drop down to the DDP (we have been doing the Deluxe) and actually plan on more CS to be able to put time towards other things.

Good luck and have fun!

 

[goofy4prez]

I would run the table with CM. Rain forest is fair at best. You can get frozen chain food anywhere.

I agree with you on the Rain Forest, but the same thing can be said for Chef Mickey; you can get frozen buffet food like CM at Golden Corral or just about anywhere as well. Neither one of these restaurants is very praise worthy when it comes to the food.

 

[happymommy]

Are those really your only two choices?

My question also. I wouldn't choose either one.

What resort are you staying at?

Personally, I would do a QS meal and have a relaxing time. WPE is very nice! DD and I ate there last trip. It's kind of a hybrid eatery, as you order at the counter then the food is brought to you by a server. We had very nice service there! Plus, a little one may be a bit tired from travel and not want to sit down for a long meal anyway.