Chef Mickey's for the atmosphere or food?

[TBGOES2DISNEY]

I thought we might try CM for dinner on our next trip. The menu really doesn't look that impressive to me. I was wondering, if you aren't staying at the Contemp, if it is worth the trip? Is it worth it for the atmosphere? What's on the buffet that is really good (reg food and dessert)?

Thanks!

 

[sah95]

We havn't been for 3 yrs., so I can't really comment on the food anymore. We are giving it another try this Dec. b/c of the atmosphere

 

[applechips]

atmosphere mainly then the food. I'd try the breakfast. we've eaten there at least 6 times and always breakfast.

 

[simonkodousek]

Atmosphere. The food isn't so good that you would make a special trip.

 

[KatMark]

The atmosphere--definitely. And we prefer the breakast choices to the dinner choices.

 

[sha_lyn]

Well I'll be the naysayer... neither. The food is lousy. cold (well unless it was suppose to be cold then it was room temp), bland, over cooked mush. The desserts looked like kids had been making sand castles in them. I am seriously shocked we didn't get food poisoning.

Service is worse that the food. Our server took our drink order, drop our drinks off while we were fixing our plates, and never came back until he dropped the bill on the table. We were in desperate need of drink refills that we never got, and the table was pilled high wiht dirty dishes because he didn't come by to clear them off.

The atsmophere. If you are lucky to get in the main diningroom the atsmophere appears to be fun. At least it did to many crying kids in our section that watch the character visit the omain section 3 times and not come near us outcast in the area behind the buffet.

This was in 2000 so I would hope things are better, but it was so bad I don't think you could pay us to go back. We've even stayed in the contemporary since then and wouldn't eat there.

 

[diane254@zoomtown.co]

We were there last December and intend to dine there again this Christmas ! We loved the food and the atmosphere and had great service ! It was a favorite wirh my 2 grandchildren ages 10 and 7.So...I say go for it !
Remember,"A dream is a wish your heart makes !"

 

[amery]

Have only eaten there for breakfast but found the food and selections very good as buffets go.

It is definately atmosphere-driven but I wouldn't snub the food either.

 

[pammypooh]

We tried it for dinner last Sunday evening. The atmosphere is fun for the kids. I was surprised at the buffet...I was expecting more choices. The main vegetable offering was cooked baby carrots...did they run out of something else? The food was OK, just nothing special. I am glad we did it for the kids, but don't feel a need to go back. If we would return it would be for breakfast.

Pam

 

[TinaLala22]

I have found that all of the buffet restaurants have standardized their menus and what use to be a neat place for different foods is now just plain. The kids love it for the characters and it's fun to see the monorail drive through.

 

[CamColt]

I'm in the minority on this one, but I really enjoy the food at both breakfast and dinner.

Breakfast has a great variety and everything has been very good. We have done that meal many times over the past 10 years. We also recently tried dinner, twice in the last year and was pleasantly surprised by the food. Prime rib, raviolis, potatoes, specials of the day, awesome sald bar...I thought it was great.

 

[Cindy's Mom]

The food stinks and the atmosphere is running a close second.

We've been there 4 times already - we just keep going back because I really want to like it. This upcoming trip. WE ARE NOT GOING! (at least as of now we aren't)

I compare CM's to the Cubs - horrible team, but the fans just love it. Same way about Mickey. WDW isn't going to change anything in that restaurant because its jam packed booked every single day.

 

[N2THRILLRIDES]

Atmosphere is the only thing that Chef Mickey's has that is positive. We only book here because of children love seeing and interacting with the characters there. We have only been during breakfast so I cannot comment on the other meals offered here.

 

[vicki845]

I can only comment on breakfast since we never had dinner there. The food was terrible. The characters just whiz on by. It was very rushed. My 3 and 6 yr old said they never want to go back. Now that says a lot.

 

[hellokittiemama]

We just were at mickey's on Monday night for Dinner.

2 kids, ages 2 and 6 (with special needs). I took a later dinner time to allow us breathing room... 8:30 and it worked out great.

We were in one of the side rooms but it was considered "minnie's territory" since she was there the most. All of the characters came through no less than 3 times!!!!!

Kids Buffet is a bit boring - standard chicken nuggets and also mickey shaped macaroni and cheese. My 2 year old opted to eat from the adult buffet (hey its free for her anyways) and had prime rib and mickey shaped cheese ravioli.

Both my husband and I had a couple of trips to the buffet and had lots of the peel and eat shrimp!!!

Every 40 minutes the characters do some kind of dance around thing with napkins waving in the air which was silly but the kids enjoyed.

 

[DCDisney]

It's really not worth the trip. It's loud, crowded, unclean, fewer food choices than any other WDW buffet, characters zip by. We've have gone numerous times and it has just gotten less good every year until the last visit we said enough. For some reason we always run into the most poorly behaved children there as well who run around, throw food, scream, adn pull on the characters. We went to Crystal Palace last visit instead and really liked it. We also liked the 1900 Park Fare buffet.

Yvonne

 

[HopperFan]

NEITHER.
Probably my biggest disappointment in a Disney restaurant. Went last year for lunch:

Food - ugh. Not very good. We were first seating and the food had just been put out. It was only minutes before guests had made a pig sty of it and the staff couldn't keep it clean. The dessert & ice cream thing was a joke.

Service - our server could have cared less and we never got checked on or refills unless we flagged her down.

Fun - not for us folks who were not in the main room. When all that napkin swinging and all was going on, all characters were in the main room and we were all sitting there looking silly because no one was sure what to do.

Characters - they breezed through. They were constantly being chased by children from other tables. Very unorganized and we felt short changed.

Other Guests - let their children run all over, play in the dessert food and the restaurant just seemed to lend itself to a free for all. One giant playground. I can see where the staff and characters were being "whatever" based on guests behavior. I would hate to work there.

 

[designermv]

Food was mediocre at best, I can't even remember what I had because our almost 3-year old was in full nap-deprived (her doing, not ours) drama-mama mode and I was trying to deal with that. Her food was, quite frankly, disgusting. The Mickey mac 'n cheese was inedible.

The atmosphere was okay. Character interaction was okay too.

"Meh" is all I can really say about it. We won't go back next year.

 

[fumipappa]

I've eaten at Chef Mickey 4times and never had bad experience.
I casually read through the negative comment on this thread.
And I saw a lot of bad experience happened when people visited CM in busy season, like SUmmer or Free dining period
Contrary We've always eaten at CM in value season.

Of course, I am not taking survey, or statistics but I can see the reason why the food/atomosphere was bad at CM if people visited there in busy season.
CM is one of the most popular restaurant in WDW... so it is easy to assume busy season worn down waiter/waitress/chef...

 

[ElizabethB]

Is it worth it?

Food = no
Atmosphere = no