Is Chef Mickey's Mandatory?

While I think "a Mickey meal" is a must for a trip involving younger kids, I don't think it has to be Chef Mickey's. Garden Grill is probably our fave Mickey meal.
 
You couldn't pay me to go back there. You are going to great character meals! Stop stressing and enjoy!
I was more stressed planning this trip than when I planned 28 days in Turkey! I've been to Disney several times as a child , went to Epcot food and wine fest 7 times as an adult.. But this is my first Disney as a mother experience. I don't plan on it being an annual thing..looking at a Disney cruise for next year, so I just want everything to be perfect for my son. And I booked a little over 2 months in advance, not 6, so felt like I was coming in late in the game. I think I'm all set now though. Polynesian here we come!
 
I was more stressed planning this trip than when I planned 28 days in Turkey! I've been to Disney several times as a child , went to Epcot food and wine fest 7 times as an adult.. But this is my first Disney as a mother experience. I don't plan on it being an annual thing..looking at a Disney cruise for next year, so I just want everything to be perfect for my son. And I booked a little over 2 months in advance, not 6, so felt like I was coming in late in the game. I think I'm all set now though. Polynesian here we come!

But remember you DS will be happy with everything and won't know he is missing anything. But I do know what you mean. When folks complain they spent thousands of dollars to go to Disney and nothing worked out ..... I always say that an expensive trip to Disney is equal to traveling internationally and you have to plan plan plan the same.
 


I'm :rotfl: at the responses. I think the appeal of Chef Mickey's is the ability to see the Fab 5 in one spot, but I agree the dining room is CHAOTIC, and the food is underwhelming. I much prefer Garden Grill (relaxed atmosphere where the food is brought to you!) and Tusker House (fun unique offerings). You're definitely covered as far as character meals go.
 
I agree that you are all set in terms of classic character dining. Garden GRill and Tusker House, along with ''Ohana (our fav breakfast character meal) have you covered
 


You can use that app called Dining Buddy to get those hard to seek reservations. Haven't used it yet, but looks interesting.
 
Hi! I am taking my 5 year old on his first Disney trip this Sunday! I booked our trip 65 days ago, as far as restaurants I have been able to get reservations at Crystal Palace, Ohana, Be Our Guest, Tusker House, The Garden Grill, Hollywood and Vine, T-Rex.
The only one on my list that I haven't had luck is Chef Mickey's, I've been checking daily, several times per day, and have been stressing myself out over it. Since we are doing Ohana is Chef Mickey's mandatory? Or can I stop searching.lol

It's consistently the lowest rated character buffet, but it's a 'classic' and you get the traditional 'fab 5' characters there.
I would never go for dinner, it's tolerable for breakfast.
 
Nope not mandatory - you're kids won't know if they've missed anything or not if you don't tell them. We've been going to WDW for over 20 years and have never eaten at Chef Mickey's. Even when my kids were little - just didn't appeal to us.
 
Hi! I am taking my 5 year old on his first Disney trip this Sunday! I booked our trip 65 days ago, as far as restaurants I have been able to get reservations at Crystal Palace, Ohana, Be Our Guest, Tusker House, The Garden Grill, Hollywood and Vine, T-Rex.
The only one on my list that I haven't had luck is Chef Mickey's, I've been checking daily, several times per day, and have been stressing myself out over it. Since we are doing Ohana is Chef Mickey's mandatory? Or can I stop searching.lol

They say sometimes the wishes we don't get answered are the best wishes indeed. I wouldn't worry. You are doing some fantastic character experiences and some of them even have decent food for a buffet. Chef Mickey is one of the most gosh awful dining experiences I have ever had. The food stations were empty and filthy, the server was terrible and the food was not even on par with a Golden Corral, which is not that great either. While the character experience was fun at Chef Mickey, it could not salvage the rest of our meal there. I would stop stressing, relax and be comfortable with the excellent choices you have. I think it's a true blessing you can't book an ADR for Chef Mickey. :goodvibes
 
We ate there once for dinner when DD was 3. She is a character nut, and even she has never asked to go back (she's 9 now). We were there early into the dinner service and the restaurant was filthy (to the point where my non-picky and far from neat DH said "Are we actually going to EAT here?!?" as we walked in) and the food was awful. MIL got food poisoning there. The ice cream was soup the day we were there. I watched a kid drop the tongs from the chicken onto the floor and pick them up and put them back in the chicken- his horrified mother told the CM and pulled out the tongs and handed them to her. Not only did they not change the chicken, but the minute the Mom and son walked away, I watched the CM put the tongs back into the chicken and leave them there. You aren't missing anything!!!! All the characters there are available elsewhere!
 
We ate there once for dinner when DD was 3. She is a character nut, and even she has never asked to go back (she's 9 now). We were there early into the dinner service and the restaurant was filthy (to the point where my non-picky and far from neat DH said "Are we actually going to EAT here?!?" as we walked in) and the food was awful. MIL got food poisoning there. The ice cream was soup the day we were there. I watched a kid drop the tongs from the chicken onto the floor and pick them up and put them back in the chicken- his horrified mother told the CM and pulled out the tongs and handed them to her. Not only did they not change the chicken, but the minute the Mom and son walked away, I watched the CM put the tongs back into the chicken and leave them there. You aren't missing anything!!!! All the characters there are available elsewhere!
Wow that sounds horrible! Sorry you had such a bad experience.
 
Food was absolutely terrible..like a lower quality Golden Corral. My sister got brushed off by Minnie when she wanted a picture. My father spoke with the manager and got a "sorry, we can bring Minnie back out for a picture". Will likely never go back. I saw dinner was ~$50/adult now.
 
Isn't Minnie at Tusker House?

Chef Mickey's was our traditional first night dinner for years-mostly because it was a great way to kick off a trip by seeing the characters. The food-aside from the mashed potatoes-really isn't all that special. I think you are gonna be all set!


Tusker House has Mickey, Donald, Goofy and Daisy....Some people have posted that Minnie was there, but she was not there when we went, nor is it advertised that she will be there.
 
Isn't Minnie at Tusker House?

Chef Mickey's was our traditional first night dinner for years-mostly because it was a great way to kick off a trip by seeing the characters. The food-aside from the mashed potatoes-really isn't all that special. I think you are gonna be all set!

All the times we have been to TH, Minnie has never been there. She is at Cape May breakfast, as well as Chef Mickey's.
 

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