Character Meal Options - breakfast - best food?

[kwdw]

Okay - WDW veteran here - most likely headed to Disneyland in July. I'm trying to pick a character meal to eat at - most likely breakfast. Looking for classic characters - hope to see either Mickey or Minnie - but the other characters are flexible. I've looked at the listings on the website - but I'd love to hear people's opinions of the FOOD - both selection and quality. It will be two adults - and my traveling companion has never been to a Disney park - so good character interaction is a plus, too.

The menu at Disney's PCH Grill sounds most interesting - but wondering about Plaza Inn or the one at the Storyteller's Cafe (but not sure we'd see Mickey or Minnie there).

Opinions?

 

[longtimedisneylurker]

Personally, I don't find character buffet food at DL all that exciting. I would say the Plaza Inn breakfast probably has the least great food of the three you are are considering. If you go for the made-to-order omelet though, you end up with a pretty decent breakfast. You will see Minnie at Plaza Inn, and you will most likely see more characters there than at any other character meal. You also have the advantage of being in the park already when you are done eating.

I liked the food quality at Storyteller's best when I last went there. The selection is small but tasty. You will not meet Mickey or Minnie there. You may meet Chip and/or Dale, Brer Bear, Baloo, and other more obscure woodland creatures from Disney films.

I haven't been to PCH grill for breakfast in many years, so I don't know what the food quality is like there these days. I know that I did really enjoy the dinner buffet, but that may be a whole other level of food prep. The advantage to PCH Grill is that you should meet Mickey.

 

[Malcon10t]

Do you want characters or food. When I am aiming for food, Storytellers is our choice. The characters there are great, but it tends to be lesser known characters, Briar Bear, Meeko, Chip and Dale, etc... My next choice would be PCH Grill. The food is good, and you get Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Pluto, Stitch, and Daisy Duck usually. Goofy's comes up next, with Minnies getting my last vote. Problem I have had at Minnie's is getting characters to our table. We've tried it 4 times, and had a 50/50 experience. Twice we got only 2-3 characters, and twice is was very good. But I don't like the odds.

Only one you will see Mickey at is PCH.

 

[ParkHopper1]

Agree 100% with Malcon10t

Have done them all a few times with mostly adults and/or older teens and here is my take:

Goffy's Kitchen: Best Disney "experience" and food selection but food is rather bland to appeal to the masses. Not bad, just nothing great (except maybe for the PB&J Pizza!) Key characters but only make a few quick rounds since the place is so big. We have always left with just a "meh".

Plaza Inn: Bad cafeteria food...bland as bland could be and limited selections...worst food by far in my opinion. Characters can be hit or miss...mostly miss in my times there.

PCH Grill: Decent selection and decent taste and have a bit more than just they typical breakfast staples. This is one of my favorite go to's for breakfast when taking newbies. By far have had the BEST character interaction as it is a smaller place ans they get around more frequently and will spend more time with ya at the table.

Storytellers: Was pretty bad until recently...they seemed to have stepped up their game. Been twice in the last year and have been impressed with the food taste but not a huge selection and would now put them at the top for food taste, but characters can be dismal. Last two times I was there I thought "Gee, if I really cared about the characters in my character meal I would be ticked I paid for this"

So all depends on what you want outta your meal:

Best food taste: Storytellers
Best Character interaction: PCH Grill
Best overall Disney "experience": Goffy's Kitchen
Best to avoid (in my opinion): Plaza Inn

My recommendation for you would be PCH Grill.

 

[avalon451]

This is good to know. I've been mulling a character breakfast for DH and I. He is a big Goofy fan, but the deal at Goofy's kitchen sounded a little too huge and crazy and noisy. If Goofy shows at PCH grill, along with Mickey AND Minnie, that's pretty sweet. Maybe we'll consider hiking out there. Thanks!

 

[lightsofmine]

We did PCH in Aug, we didnt find the character interaction amazing but we were seated in the corner, Pluto was great though!. The food was decent but my husband wasn't impressed with the price, $200 for Mickey waffles he says. I wanted to do it because of Stitch and I have no regrets.

 

[tanyaegangibson]

We've been to all of them numerous times and found the character interaction at Minnie's breakfast at the Plaza Inn to be the best, as there are so many characters there (and often different ones at different times). We've done it 5-6 times and always met between 7 and 10 characters. I'll add, though, that if the characters don't get to us or pass us by, I don't feel shy about asking CMs to send them our way.

I suppose the food is probably slightly better at some of the other meals, but we usually get made-to-order omelets and that yummy French toast with caramel sauce and bananas. And, um, bacon. Lots of bacon. It's not fancy, but the kids and I always leave happy and full.

 

[Malcon10t]

We've been to all of them numerous times and found the character interaction at Minnie's breakfast at the Plaza Inn to be the best, as there are so many characters there (and often different ones at different times). We've done it 5-6 times and always met between 7 and 10 characters. I'll add, though, that if the characters don't get to us or pass us by, I don't feel shy about asking CMs to send them our way.

I ask also. On one visit we got Eeyore and Captain Hook. We could see others on the other side, but in 90 mins, we only got these 2 and only after I asked.

I suppose the food is probably slightly better at some of the other meals, but we usually get made-to-order omelets and that yummy French toast with caramel sauce and bananas. And, um, bacon. Lots of bacon. It's not fancy, but the kids and I always leave happy and full.

One advantage of Goofy's is it is more of a brunch. They have build your own salads and fruit bar. Kids can also get Mac and cheese, chicken nuggets, etc...

For us, the best interaction has been at PCH at Surf's Up.

 

[Abbey1]

We've only dined at Goofy's Kitchen and Plaza Inn and I much preferred the food at Goofy's. Even though it was nothing special, there were a lot more choices, and everything was fresh and hot. There were a few choices that were unique to the restaurant, which is always fun. I don't know if we just visited on an off day, but we were super unimpressed with the food at Plaza Inn. A lot was cold, and the choices were rather limited. Even though there are a lot more characters, the whole meal just felt rushed and chaotic, whereas Goofy's Kitchen feels a bit more relaxed (albeit equally loud).

 

[kwdw]

Thanks everyone! Think I'll focus on PCH Grill. Seeing Mickey is a good thing and sounds like the food decent. It's also a little closer to our hotel!!! It's also "probably" going to happen on a non-park day - so that rules out Plaza anyway.

Gotta tell you - this whole "ADRs only 60 days" in advance feels weird to me!!! Now I just need some patience.