Advice PLEASE!! Chef Mickey's dinner?

[newtowdw1]

Hi! This is our second trip to WDW and we're planning to see all three after dark shows. We booked H&V dinner package for Fantasmic, and I'm wondering about Wishes. The question is:

Should we book at Chef Mickey's earlier in the evening (5:30/6:00 ish) and then leave the car at the Contemporary's parking lot, monorail to MK, see Wishes, and escape back to Contemporary? Will the crowds be bad enough to warrant this?

You need to know that we've already booked Garden Grill and Behind the seeds in Epcot (different day), so will CM be boring? Well, I know not boring, but maybe not as special?

We'll be there at the end of July, first part of August, so I expect crowds to be huge.

PLEASE weigh in with all advice!

 

[newtowdw1]

I can't believed it! No one on the dis has an opinion??

 

[bobcat]

All the resorts on the monorail have a strict parking policy since they don't have a ton of space. When you arrive at the Contemporary don't be suprised if they ask for your id and ADR confirmation #. They will issue you a limited time parking pass, I think it is 2 hours. They can tow your car if you are there longer. If you are staying on site I suggest you take the bus to the MK and ride the monorail to the Contemporary, it's the first stop. Besides you can see Chef Mickey's from the monorail and my kids think that is cool. My kids love Chef Mickey's especially since Donald is in the lobby for dinner and my DS is a Donald fanatic. They also like the make your own cupcakes.

 

[geffric]

BTW it is a really short walk from the Contempary to MK.. As Bobcat said take the bus to MK and ride or walk to Contempary ..

 

[scraptoons]

Go to the restaurant and dining forum and search Chef Mickey's. You may have better luck there.

We've never been, but heard it is good (reviews from the DISboard AND from co workers).


We're going to Chef Mickey's on our first family trip together. Can't wait!

 

[lady9]

We eat at Chef Mickey's every trip. I personally don't care for most of the food except the salad bar and mashed potatoes. We go mostly for the atmosphere and entertainment. The kids love the characters and it is a fun place to eat. If you do drive, park at the MK parking lot and take the monorail to the CR. Then you can walk or take the monorail to the MK after your dinner. Have fun!

 

[Nanu57v]

We ate at Chef Mickeys and it was a lot of fun... Even DD 9months liked it.

 

[daisyduck123]

We've eaten dinner at Chef Mickey's 4 times this year. Each time we drove over from our resort. Not once did the gate guard ask for our ADR comfirmation # or issue us a temporary parking pass. One time, we even asked if we could just leave our car after dinner & go over to the MK & he said it was "fine". We usually have ADRs for about 6 or 6:30 p.m.

I know people on here will tell you otherwise, but that was our experience.

BTW, we love Chef Mickey's!!

 

[newtowdw1]

Thanks for the info. The big decision is whether to do CM's at all. I'll check out the restaurant board, too. But if daisyduck likes it that much, it's probably a good bet!

 

[honey11dog]

We just got back and Chef Mickeys was one of our favorites. The kids really enjoyed all the character interaction. Donald even got on the floor and let the kids sit on him. My husband and I enjoyed the buffet too. I say go for it!

 

[hsmamato2]

The one post here where they didn't have a timed paper was unusual...I say this from experience- 99.9% of the time, you will get a 3 hour timed paper,and have to tell your name and adr time at the gate, they have that days list- don't take a chance on it at a crowded time of year- so if you get the paper, then you can repark after if you want at TTC, all Mk hotels are pretty strict-
I suggest Cm's(yay Chef Mickeys! it's our favorite place!)- park at TtC, take monrail to dinner,allow at least a 1/2 hour to get there from ttc- then take monorail to park after, then wait out the crowds after show- relax toward the back of the park, shop, have a snack, take monorail back to ttc and get car. That's if you're staying offsite-
or you could have dh move car to ttc while you take kids on monorail to park after dinner, meet in an hour near front of park,and go from there- personally,it's a lot to get in one night,but do-able- and well worth it!

 

[mmaddog56]

In January we went to Chef Mickey's for my DD's birthday breakfast....with plans to head to MK for the full day. When I got there I explained to the Guard at the Gate what our plans were for the day, and advised that we had a Special Needs child and would it be possible to get an all-day parking pass. Since we were staying on-property already at the CSR, he was more than gracious in obliging our request.

This kind of act is the reason I never tire of going to WDW for vacation...I always know that Disney staff try to accomodate the vacationers as much as is reasonably possible.

mmaddog56
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