If you had to do a character meal...

[grahamsgirl]

Where would it be Cafe Mickey or Disneyland Paris hotel??
Only been to DLP once many moons ago, and although I am a total Disney Anorak when it comes to planning for our Florida trips, when it comes to DLP I haven't got a scooby-doo (clue !)

Hope there are some DLP experts who could advise me,

Thank you muchly

PS do you have to book adrs in advance like in WDW?

 

[cap'njack.]

Hmmm...it kinda depends on what you want from the meal.

Cafe Mickey is a counter service meal and Innventions at the DLH is a buffet meal.

I've heard a few dodgy reviews on Cafe Mickey but Innventions seems to get nothing but praise and if I had the money to spend on Innventions that's where I'd go.

My only experience of a character meal at DLRP was the lunchtime buffet at the Lucky Nugget Saloon and that was very nice.

In DLRP ADR's are not as hard to get as at WDW but I'd suggest that if there was somewhere you had to eat you booked either a week or so in advance or when you checked into your hotel...if you are going during school holidays then I'd advise calling and booking in advance.

 

[mommy2ash]

personally i would go for cafe mickey. i think innventions is very expensive even for what it is. i have always had excellent lunches at cafe mickey and you can make it as cheap or expensive as you like. they have a set three course menu for 30 euros. i usually get a pizza for 15 euros as its huge and my 2 year old loves the pizza. it could well be the only thing she sits down and eats all week.

 

[britchic4]

I'm in the Inventions camp, since I've had two fairly dreadful meals at Cafe Mickey and two lovely ones at Inventions.

 

[hildasmuriel]

....Cafe Mickey is a counter service meal ....

I know I'm a pedant, but it's actually table service.

I would choose Inventions everytime if money were no object. I have eaten there on 5 occasions and loved it every time. We have always seen a good number of characters and the food is DELICIOUS.
I've also eaten in Cafe Mickey 5 times and have enjoyed the atmosphere each time but the meals have not always been very good. There have been fewer characters too.

 

[markpsych]

I would also recommend the lunchtime buffet at the Lucky Nugget Saloon

 

[Disneyfanswicklow]

I would go for inventions - we have never had a bad experience there - the character interaction is always fab too - on our last trip we had Mickey sit at our table which really thrilled my daughters, he came back again to our table towards the end of our meal and invited our girls to dance with him. There are always a good range of characters and of course the food is just yummy too. We have had good experiences at cafe Mickey but also two bad ones one in particular where the characters actually missed out on our table which left us very dissapointed to say the least and also our food was bland and tasteless on another visit . Enjoy whichever choice you make!

 

[phgannon]

We too would strongly recommend Inventions. We've had nothing but the best service, food and character experiences there. Like Disneyfanswicklow we've had multiple visits to the table from the characters in any one sitting. We regularily see Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Pluto, Eeyore, Tigger, Chip & Dale and Capt Hook in Inventions.

Whereas we don't rate Cafe Mickey at all. The food was poor, the service was average and the character interactions were minimal. Most tables only got the briefest of visits from the characters and some tables didn't get a visit at all. Cafe Mickey also seems to have fewer characters.

Patrick

 

[milomummy]

We've had 3 meals at Cafe Mickey -one lunch (12pm), 2 evening meals (6pm) , all of which have given us amazing character interaction, and decent food. It's by far not the best food ever, and deffo not the cheapest, but I'd happily pay double for the joy on my son's face.

Buffet meals dont do it for me, for various reasons.

 

[milomummy]

As an afterthought, over the 3 visits we saw the following characters:

Mickey
Donald
Minnie
Goofy
Pluto
Gepetto
Genie
Sheriff of Nottingham
Tigger
Eeyore
Hook
Prince John
Friar Tuck
Pinocchio
Chip
Dale

I'm sure there's more but that's all I can think of right now. Every single time we've been there has been lots of fun and frolicks, plenty of laughter from all around and lots of smiling happy faces. And on every occasion we had a constant stream of 'visitors' to our table, resulting in a very happy little boy and a mummy and daddy who were more than satisfied.

 

[Ware Bears]

I love them both ~ I've been lucky and had brilliant character interaction at each one every time I've been. I know there are some not so good reviews but I've been lucky and had lovely food and great service at Cafe Mickey each time.

Why not do both??

 

[BONITATIME]

I prefer Innoventions but there is a lot of shellfish in their buffet which puts some people off. The characters may or may not come in some of the rooms.

 

[Ware Bears]

Cafe Mickey is not a counter service meal. Surprised someone didn't pick that up.

You missed it, post #5

I know I'm a pedant, but it's actually table service.

 

[nightrider68]

We ate in Inventions last sunday and was very impressed with the food but extremely disappointed with the character interaction

For €170 (after AP discount) for 2 adults and 3 children, we thought it was expensive.

Cafe Mickey the food is not great but the character interaction and atmosphere are much better (especially when the dancing happens (waiters, waitresses and characters).

 

[DLPdaft]

I think it depends what you are looking for.

I've never been to Inventions, as I'm not a foodie at all.
I have however been to Cafe Mickey numerous times, we now order one pizza (they are ginormous) and starters to share. DD and I both really enjoy the pizza there, and its way more than enough to stuff us full for dinner. On our last visit, we celebrated DDs birthday with a cake there too, and in the 2hours we were in there (its a leisurely experience ) we saw 12 different characters, and each one spent plenty time with us at our table. Each time we have been to Cafe Mickey for dinner, we've seen at least 6 characters there, and they have all visited our table.

I was disappointed with the one time I had breakfast at Cafe Mickey however, but I think that was all to do with the sitting we had (we were there for ages before the characters started coming out, and we wanted to fit in some EMH too).

 

[Cyrano]

Another vote for Cafe Mickey
We went twice on one trip and that was because the troops rated it for both food and character interaction.
It is a lively restaurant with some wonderful CMs

My thoughts on Inventions are included in the restaurant review so I will not put a dampner on those who like it