Character Dining?

[WDW Princess 71]

I would like to know which characters are at the Goofy's Kitchen character breakfast at DLH...last time I went there it was in 2006 and it was Aladdin, Gepetto, and Goofy's son Max...anyone been there more recently who can tell me who is there now? Also what is the price of the buffet vs. a la carte for adults?

Also, who has done the character princess lunch at Ariel's Grotto in DCA? Last time I went was a few years ago when it had regular characters in sailor outfits like Minnie, pluto, etc. Is this lunch worth it? It sounds almost too good to be true with the amount of princesses there now!

Thanks in advance!

 

[Sherry E]

I would like to know which characters are at the Goofy's Kitchen character breakfast at DLH...last time I went there it was in 2006 and it was Aladdin, Gepetto, and Goofy's son Max...anyone been there more recently who can tell me who is there now? Also what is the price of the buffet vs. a la carte for adults?

Also, who has done the character princess lunch at Ariel's Grotto in DCA? Last time I went was a few years ago when it had regular characters in sailor outfits like Minnie, pluto, etc. Is this lunch worth it? It sounds almost too good to be true with the amount of princesses there now!

Thanks in advance!

Okay, first of all, there is no a la carte at Goofy's, unfortunately. It is all buffet, and breakfast/brunch is cheaper than dinner. Off peak season is cheaper than peak season (which is like summer and the holiday season). Last so I think the peak season breakfast for adults is somewhere around $37, and off-peak is $32 and some change.

The characters at Goofy's seem to be 5 regulars (at least every time I am there), which are Goofy, Pluto, Baloo, Chip and Dale. Then there are rotating guest stars who show up at different times, which can include anyone from Alice and Mad Hatter, Jasmine and Aladdin, Aurora and the Prince, Snow White, Belle, Minnie, Max and more recently I have heard that Fairy Godmother has been there. I suppose it is not unheard of for Gepetto to show up as well.

I have not yet done Ariel's Grotto, but it sounds like you were there for the Captain Mickey days. Now it is an all Princesses meal. People say the old menu was not good, but the new menu is great. Breakfast is served family style, and lunch and dinner are off the menu. It seems to get rave reviews for its food.

 

[WDW Princess 71]

Okay, first of all, there is no a la carte at Goofy's, unfortunately. It is all buffet, and breakfast/brunch is cheaper than dinner. Off peak season is cheaper than peak season (which is like summer and the holiday season). Last so I think the peak season breakfast for adults is somewhere around $37, and off-peak is $32 and some change.

The characters at Goofy's seem to be 5 regulars (at least every time I am there), which are Goofy, Pluto, Baloo, Chip and Dale. Then there are rotating guest stars who show up at different times, which can include anyone from Alice and Mad Hatter, Jasmine and Aladdin, Aurora and the Prince, Snow White, Belle, Minnie, Max and more recently I have heard that Fairy Godmother has been there. I suppose it is not unheard of for Gepetto to show up as well.

I have not yet done Ariel's Grotto, but it sounds like you were there for the Captain Mickey days. Now it is an all Princesses meal. People say the old menu was not good, but the new menu is great. Breakfast is served family style, and lunch and dinner are off the menu. It seems to get rave reviews for its food.

Thanks Sherry! Have you done the Chip and Dale character breakfast at GCH? Do you know if Chip and Dale are the only 2 characters there? I am leaning toward that one because my mom really loves Chip and Dale and we used to see them every year at the character breakfast at our hotel in WDW but this year they changed the characters there : ( so I want to make sure she gets to see them in DL this time. In your above answer you mentioned that Chip and Dale are "regulars" at Goofy's Kitchen for breakfast, so I'm just wondering if I should do that breakfast since we'll meet other characters AND chip and dale, or if i should just go with the safe bet that Chip and Dale will definitely be at the breakfast at the GCH?

 

[Sherry E]

Thanks Sherry! Have you done the Chip and Dale character breakfast at GCH? Do you know if Chip and Dale are the only 2 characters there? I am leaning toward that one because my mom really loves Chip and Dale and we used to see them every year at the character breakfast at our hotel in WDW but this year they changed the characters there : ( so I want to make sure she gets to see them in DL this time. In your above answer you mentioned that Chip and Dale are "regulars" at Goofy's Kitchen for breakfast, so I'm just wondering if I should do that breakfast since we'll meet other characters AND chip and dale, or if i should just go with the safe bet that Chip and Dale will definitely be at the breakfast at the GCH?

Yes, Chip and Dale are regulars at Goofy's - they never fail to be there - at least from what I have seen. They have been there every single time I have eaten there since 1992!!! And Goofy's has a mix of furry characters and face characters.

BUT, since you have already done Goofy's in the past, you may want to try the Storytellers Critter Breakfast in the GCH (yes, I have done that twice) because you get the option of ordering buffet OR from the menu, which can save some money. When I have been to the Critter Breakfast, I have seen Chip and Dale, of course, Koda and Kenai from Brother Bear, and the last time I think I also saw Meeko and Terk from Tarzan. The very first time I was there, I saw Chip, Dale, Pluto, Meeko, Rafiki and I think Baloo was on his way in as I was on my way out. I have heard rumors of occasional visits from 'Brer characters', but I don't know if that has occured lately. At that restaurant, there is always the chance of the 'woodsy' or 'jungly' Disney characters popping in, but it is all furry characters - no Princesses or anything like that. A lot of people like the Critter meal because the restaurant is more laid back, mellow and quieter, not as upbeat and high octane as Goofy's or the other ones.

 

[WDW Princess 71]

Yes, Chip and Dale are regulars at Goofy's - they never fail to be there - at least from what I have seen. They have been there every single time I have eaten there since 1992!!! And Goofy's has a mix of furry characters and face characters.

BUT, since you have already done Goofy's in the past, you may want to try the Storytellers Critter Breakfast in the GCH (yes, I have done that twice) because you get the option of ordering buffet OR from the menu, which can save some money. When I have been to the Critter Breakfast, I have seen Chip and Dale, of course, Koda and Kenai from Brother Bear, and the last time I think I also saw Terk form Tarzan. The very first time I was there, I saw Chip, Dale, Pluto, Meeko, Rafiki and I think Baloo was on his way in as I was on my way out. I have heard rumors of occasional visits from 'Brer characters' showing up, but I don't know if that has occured lately. At that restaurant, there is always the chance of a 'woodsy' or 'jungly' Disney characters popping in, but it is all furry characters - no Princesses or anything like that. A lot of people like the Critter meal because the restaurant is more laid back, mellow and quieter, not as upbeat and high octane as Goofy's or the other ones.

Great, thanks for the advice on both places, definitely something to think about! I'm so excited to go back to DL in general so i can't wait to spend the next several months planning and overanalzying ever single detail including debating over these 2 breakfasts!!

 

[Sherry E]

Great, thanks for the advice on both places, definitely something to think about! I'm so excited to go back to DL in general so i can't wait to spend the next several months planning and overanalzying ever single detail including debating over these 2 breakfasts!!

That is the fun of these boards - planning and overanalyzing!! And the subject of which character meal is the best is a very hot topic! People have strong opinions on which one is best, and I find that it comes down to personal taste, what one expects from a character meal, etc. Goofy's is definitely my favorite, but I realize that some of the other meals are better for other people! By the way, from what I hear, Chip and Dale are always on duty at Minnie and Friends in DL too - and there are tons of characters at Minnie and Friends! More than at any of the other character meals!

 

[Sherry E]

These pictures were taken at our last Storytellers Critter Breakfast meal - in December 2007:

And these were just some of the picures taken at the last few Goofy's meals we had (in December 2007, October 2008 and December 2008 - we didn't get all the characters on camera, but there were others roaming around the restaurant, like Alice and Snow White and Prince Phillip):

 

[WDW Princess 71]

Wow, I would love to meet Jasmine in that beautiful dress she had on instead of her "usual" clothing! I've always wanted to meet Aladdin in his Prince Ali clothes too instead of his street rat clothes but he is hard to find in that outfit, i'll have to keep searching! And Meeko looks so cute too! Ohh maybe I'll have to splurge and do 2 character breakfasts LOL!!

 

[Sherry E]

Wow, I would love to meet Jasmine in that beautiful dress she had on instead of her "usual" clothing! I've always wanted to meet Aladdin in his Prince Ali clothes too instead of his street rat clothes but he is hard to find in that outfit, i'll have to keep searching! And Meeko looks so cute too! Ohh maybe I'll have to splurge and do 2 character breakfasts LOL!!

You mean this outfit?

I think I have only seen Aladdin at Goofy's in the Prince outfit one time - and this was back on December 31, 2000. Maybe he brought it out especially for the Millennium celebration!! Most times he has been in the street rat gear - but someone else on DIS may have seen him in the Prince garb more recently?

 

[WDW Princess 71]

I asked that question on the main WDW theme parks board a few weeks ago, where to find Aladdin in that outfit, and most said he is only in it in special events like parades and I think the MVMCP. Although on my last Disney cruise I saw photos in the store of people who had gotten their pictures with him in that outfit! I must have missed him that day. Hopefully on my January cruise he'll be dressed up again!!

 

[Abbeys_mom]

We did Ariel's Grotto yesterday. Six adults and one 4 year old girl, it was AMAZING. Even the vegetarians in the group liked the meals.

Ariel greeted us (photo op). Then after we were sat, a groomsman announced Cinderella. She went to each table for a few minutes. Then came Snow White, Auora and finally Belle.

First course was great. For the main, I had cioppino with lobster, scallops, shrimp and redfish. There was a pasta option, a chicken dish and a tri tip dish as well. Desserts were over the top. DD had pasta shells with goldfish crackers sprinkled on top - she was thrilled. Beverages were included. Service was outstanding.

We are professional foodies, and we loved it. We will be back!

 

[Anna1227]

If Chip and Dale are your "must-sees" then I would do the Critter Breakfast. When we went there we saw Chip, Dale, Koda, Meeko and Terk. I thought the food was really good, and the restaurant is very cool looking.

We also saw Chip and Dale at Minnie's breakfast, as well as Max, Fairy Godmother, Captain Hook, Minnie and Tigger.

When we went to Goofy's Kitchen for dinner we saw Goofy, Minnie, Donald, Genie and Mulan. I have seen a pretty wide variety of characters there from people's different trip reports.

We went to Ariel's Grotto on our trip in February, and I thought the food was really good (better than what we had at the Blue Bayou). I had the chicken entree. We met Ariel, Cinderella, Belle, Aurora and Snow White. I thought the decorating was really fun in the restaurant, although it did tend to get a little loud in there.

We have had a great experience at all the character meals we've been to. They are one of my favorite parts of our trips. Good luck planning!