Ariel's Grotto breakfast, good?

[Amy_Renee]

What has been your experience with breakfast at Ariel's Grotto?

I booked our DL trip through Costco and they offered a free character breakfast with our package! We'll be going 12/7-12/13 with our daughters (age 5 and 4). Since the girls are all into the princesses I thought doing the Ariel's Grotto breakfast would be perfect. But if others have had bad experiences I'm thinking I should book Minnie's instead.

Thanks for the input!

 

[BlueBayou]

We liked the breakfast experience.

We had a table of eight. It was family style and we had a lot of leftover food. They put a three tiered graduated table display with fruits, cheeses, breads and toppings. Then there is a hot plate of eggs, potatoes and meats.

One thing that is cool is that you can take your left-overs (since it is table not buffet). We had fruit and cheese to snack on for the rest of the day.

While the breakfast is pricey - if you consider the leftovers, we saved probably about $8-$12 in snack costs - plus we did not have to stop to buy snacks.

"Mommy I want a churro" was answered with "Have some fruit or cheese."

 

[Amy_Renee]

Thank you! Sounds like it will be perfect for us

 

[silence]

I agree with BlueBayou. We had a great experience here two weeks ago. I LOVE that it saves me from having to stand in the lines at PFF. The food was alright....plus, not only do they bring you boxes for the leftovers, but it is all you can eat.....they will bring you more of items if you want. The table next to us got a whole extra plate of the cheese/meat plate and they brought me another roll (2 actually, though I told her just 1).

We even got to see Princess Minnie at our meal which was a great treat.

 

[pixiewings71]

We went right when they just started it. We loved it, thought the food was good, the Princesses were (of course) great and we would do it again in a heartbeat.

 

[Amy_Renee]

Thanks! Can't wait

 

[Jperiod]

We did it a year ago after they had just started it. It was not all you could eat though. The food was enough, but for my small family of 3, we LOVE breakfast, so we really could have eaten more eggs, bacon, and such. We pretty much cleaned all three tiers, including all the fruit and breads. Foodwise-storytellers was better for breakfast.

BUT, getting one on one time with 5 princesses and not having to stand an hour in the Fantasy Faire line (where you don't know who you'll get!) was absolutely PRICELESS! We compared the lunch/dinner menus and they didn't appeal to us. So since we were really there for princesses, not food, breakfast it was!

We're trying Goofy's and Minnie's on our next trip, just because we haven't done those yet.

 

[deesquared]

We will be doing the Breakfast at Ariel's next week on our trip. I will let you know how it goes!

I have another question about it though...
Our Priority Seating is for 10:00am, which is right when DCA opens. I see from the maps that Ariel's Grotto is a bit of a walk from the gates. Do they let guests in early for the Princess Breakfast? Will it matter if we arrive at 10:10 instead of 10:00?

Thanks!
Dianna

 

[Amy_Renee]

When I called to make my PS, the CM said to arrive at the restaurant 10 minutes early. I've seen others recommend entering DCA 10 minutes before that to allow walking time. From what I understand the CMs at the DCA gates will allow you in early so you can make your reservation on time.

So if you have 10am PS, arrive at the DCA gates at 9:40am.

 

[deesquared]

Thanks Amy!

Dianna

 

[Jperiod]

Ditto to that, arrive 20 mines early at the gate. We were escorted by CMs all the way through the park to Ariel's before park opening.

 

[pixiewings71]

We did it a year ago after they had just started it. It was not all you could eat though. The food was enough, but for my small family of 3, we LOVE breakfast, so we really could have eaten more eggs, bacon, and such. We pretty much cleaned all three tiers, including all the fruit and breads. Foodwise-storytellers was better for breakfast.

BUT, getting one on one time with 5 princesses and not having to stand an hour in the Fantasy Faire line (where you don't know who you'll get!) was absolutely PRICELESS! We compared the lunch/dinner menus and they didn't appeal to us. So since we were really there for princesses, not food, breakfast it was!

We're trying Goofy's and Minnie's on our next trip, just because we haven't done those yet.

Ours was all you can eat.....we just asked for more of what we wanted and they brought it out no problems. My girls LOVED the pastries and cheeses so we got more of those, in fact our server asked if we wanted more.

We will be doing the Breakfast at Ariel's next week on our trip. I will let you know how it goes!

I have another question about it though...
Our Priority Seating is for 10:00am, which is right when DCA opens. I see from the maps that Ariel's Grotto is a bit of a walk from the gates. Do they let guests in early for the Princess Breakfast? Will it matter if we arrive at 10:10 instead of 10:00?

Thanks!
Dianna

Our PS was for 9:40 and the park opened at 10, we got to the gates at 9:30 and told them our name, they checked their list and let us in. You do have to walk the "long way" around Grizzly River Run but we were also able to stop at Soarin' and grab our first FP so it was all good.

 

[Amy_Renee]

Our PS was for 9:40 and the park opened at 10, we got to the gates at 9:30 and told them our name, they checked their list and let us in. You do have to walk the "long way" around Grizzly River Run but we were also able to stop at Soarin' and grab our first FP so it was all good.

Good to know, thanks Kerri!