Chef Mickey substitute

[Mom2J&J]

We have a dinner ADR for Chef Mickey in a few weeks and I am leaning toward cancelling.

The prices are outrageous and the reviews aren't stellar. I realize we'd be paying for more than just food, but for $175 all in for my family, I can't seem to justify it.

Is there a good substitute for meeting the Fab 5? Just Mickey and Minnie? Our FP+ are all booked with rides, so that option is out for meet and greets in the park.

Would love your thoughts.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

Minnie's Dine at Hollywood & Vine is the major other option for all 5. Food is somewhat better and it is less chaotic.

If you are willing to meet a subset, the Cape May breakfast and Tusker House meals are good bets with food that is better than either CM or H&V.

 

[Momtwofour]

I JUST posted about switching from Chef Mickeys to the Minnies Dine at H&V lol We just switched and I am hoping I made the right decision.

 

[AngiTN]

I JUST posted about switching from Chef Mickeys to the Minnies Dine at H&V lol We just switched and I am hoping I made the right decision.

Having eaten at both if I went to them with a blindfold on I wouldn't be able to tell them apart. I found food at both very sub par and won't be returning. CP is in the same category.

 

[Momtwofour]

Having eaten at both if I went to them with a blindfold on I wouldn't be able to tell them apart. I found food at both very sub par and won't be returning. CP is in the same category.

What is your opinion based on the experience? I am traveling with a first timer. She wants to see characters but I know we dont want to spend alot of time doing meet and greets. (this is an adult trip)

 

[Mom2J&J]

What is your opinion based on the experience? I am traveling with a first timer. She wants to see characters but I know we dont want to spend alot of time doing meet and greets. (this is an adult trip)

Ditto this.

 

[AngiTN]

The characters are fine. While I do agree that meals are a time saver when it comes to meeting characters the interactions pale in comparison to what we've had at a M&G. The activity around you at a meal detract from interacting with the characters. It's usually noisy and you always have people coming and going around you

 

[mkla2015]

Tusker House is MUCH better than Chef Mickeys or H&V. The buffet is kept full and clean. The food is way better. And, character interactions are great.

 

[Momtwofour]

I didnt really feel this way at CM, although I felt the service lacked a bit the last time we were there. We have only done lunch at H&V and my granddaughter loved seeing the Disney Jr characters. I hate these decisions!! lol I way over think these things.

 

[Momtwofour]

Tusker House is MUCH better than Chef Mickeys or H&V. The buffet is kept full and clean. The food is way better. And, character interactions are great.

We have reservations at Tusker House also. Maybe we should just stick with that although I dont think it includes Minnie???

 

[AngiTN]

Tusker House is MUCH better than Chef Mickeys or H&V. The buffet is kept full and clean. The food is way better. And, character interactions are great.

Yes, TH's food is totally different than the typical Disney buffet

 

[Momtwofour]

Yes, TH's food is totally different than the typical Disney buffet

We have never eaten there and I am hoping they are going to announce a package deal with the ROL, if it ever opens! Our trip isnt til October so there is still hope!!!!

 

[cassie58]

We have a dinner ADR for Chef Mickey in a few weeks and I am leaning toward cancelling.

The prices are outrageous and the reviews aren't stellar. I realize we'd be paying for more than just food, but for $175 all in for my family, I can't seem to justify it.

Is there a good substitute for meeting the Fab 5? Just Mickey and Minnie? Our FP+ are all booked with rides, so that option is out for meet and greets in the park.

Would love your thoughts.

We have reservations at Tusker House also. Maybe we should just stick with that although I dont think it includes Minnie???

Tusker House is great, but will not have Minnie as you mentioned, just Mickey, Goofy, Donald and Daisy in Safari gear. Cape May brft is also good as PP noted, with Minnie, Goofy, and Donald in beachy clothing. So it depends on which characters are most impt. to you, or which atmosphere you'd like(or do both for a combination of all!) H&V for Minnie's Holiday Dine will have Goofy for photo and the other four inside for greets. We have only done the Christmas one in Dec., and costumes and character interaction was great (although they did not sign autographs) but food was just okay.

 

[TXAKDisneyFan]

Minnie, Goofy, Donald, and Daisy also meet in Storybook Circus at Pete's Silly Sideshow. Idk what crowds are normally like (maybe we just timed it perfectly), but I took DS over there a year ago in May while everyone else in our party was on a ride, and there were maybe three other people in the whole meet & greet area. No wait, and we got to spend as much time as we wanted with the characters. If you have a Disney Visa, we've also had good luck w the "private" M&G at Epcot. I think there's also FP+ for the character spot? (We went last year and were able to skip the characters we didn't want to see.)

I wholeheartedly agree with AngiTN, the M&G interactions are much better than at character meals. M&Gs have cute backgrounds, many have photographers, and there are no other guests in your pictures (when we met talking Mickey, the only other people even in the room were a couple CMs). We did a few character meals last year, and the lighting for pictures was always awkward (lots of backlighting, sun streaming in from windows, etc), there are food/utensils/strangers in the pics, obv our meal was interrupted several times, and the interactions always felt rushed. I personally wouldn't do any character meals if it weren't for the kids.

 

[DisneyWishes14]

If you want the Fab 5, it's CM or H&V and a hefty price tag. The food is pretty bad at both. We much prefer Tusker House and even Garden Grill. I guess your decision lies in whether you are going for the characters or if you are willing to sacrifice a few characters, save some money and have better food.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

If you want good food, you can't worry about the characters.
That said- if you're Intent on a buffet I find park fare and tusker house to be of the best overall food quality.