We want to do bfast before we begin our park day and I also feel that the service is better first thing and the ressies dont get backed up - at least that has been our experience at WDW. I also find it to be a bit less crowded in the restaurants.
I also forgot to say we will not have MM hours so the idea of going to Minnie's very early on a MM day did cross my mind.
I guess I am wondering if one place is a 'better time' than the other? No doubt DD will like characters at both. Do they play games at Surf's up like hula dancing or anything??
I have not done either of these meals but I read all the threads and posts about them so I can kind of get a sense of what people are saying about them. From what I've gathered:
Minnie & Friends hits it out of the park every time in terms of characters. No one disputes that the character interaction at M&F is great, simply because there are so many characters there! There are more characters (8-14) at this meal than at any other in DLR.
Some folks say that the M&F environment can get rather chaotic, with lots of kids running around after characters and not much structure. Some folks don't like barely being able to eat their food because characters come to the table so frequently, while others don't care if they eat their food and are only interested in characters.
Minnie & Friends' food has gotten mixed reviews over the years, ranging from downright bad to great! You will have to get your own beverages and bring them to the table, whereas at Surf's Up your drinks are brought to your table by a server.
Surf's Up with Mickey - which definitely opens at 7 a.m. - is quickly rising in the ranks and becoming very popular on the character meal circuit for both food and character interaction, and not just because this is the only meal where you can find Mickey. While there are fewer characters at Surf's Up (seems like 4 - 6 characters) than there are at M&F, supposedly the interaction is wonderful. The characters play little games or give surf lessons.
The Surf's Up food has gotten mostly good reviews (with only a few exceptions), and its buffet has a few interesting items that are not found at other restaurants (they used to have flautas, for example - not sure if they still have those, but they have other items specific to that restaurant).
To be honest, when I poked my head into Surf's Up in December (in the morning), the restaurant appeared to be mostly empty. I don't think that's a testament to its quality or character interaction so much as I think it's because the Paradise Pier Hotel is located across the street from the main hub of activity and many people don't want to make the trek over there.
But fewer customers in the restaurant means more interaction with the characters for each table!
When I walked past the PCH Grill on my way to the GCH last year, some of the characters at Surf's Up had plastered themselves against the window and were waving and gesturing at the passersby on the sidewalk. I wondered who was waving at me out of the corner of my eye - and turned to see that it was Pluto!
I thought to myself, "I'm going to have to try this place! It looks like a lot of fun!"
Or you can always schedule your breakfast at M&F a little later and eat after you get in some rides in the early morning, but I've always preferred my meals when I'm there for the first seating because there aren't so many full tables and I feel like I get more character interaction that way.
