Chef Mickey's or Crystal Palace?

[basketlacey]

This will be our one and only character meal of this trip I think. I want an early breakfast for our MK day. Which should I choose? We have done CM before and liked it as far as character interaction. The food was fine - nothing to write home about. I haven't been to CP. Thoughts?

FWIW, my kids are 6, 9, 11.

 

[mickey2minnie1]

CP has delicious food. It is a great character meal. However, I would go with the characters you most want to see. Both places are fun, who do your kids want to have pics with this go around?

 

[nifferearly]

We loved the food and character experience at both restaurants! I think CP may have the edge on food quality, if I had to choose, but might just be because we've only been once so it was more "new" than CM.

 

[squirrel]

I like both.

CP is great if you can get into the park before it opens. Great time to get photos of the castle.

 

[BlakeNJ]

We love both but if you have never tried CP, I'd do that this trip. It's very pretty inside, food is good and you get into the parks before opening.

We try to not repeat character meals every year. Makes for better pictures.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

our last trip to crystal palace was pretty good....the last two to chef mickeys were pretty awful....

take it for what it's worth

 

[basketlacey]

Thanks guys! I booked CP. I want to see all of the characters which makes it hard to choose but hopefully we will run into the Fab 5 in other locations!

 

[shawnh199]

The only thing we liked about CM's - The characters. The food was average at best. We did 6 different character breakfasts and this was our least favorite.

Crystal Palace was really good. We love Pooh and friends. The omelet station was great. Pre rope drop ADR's are awesome. It's wonderful to walk down main street without tons of people around. Great photo opportunity with little to no people in front of the castle.

If really depends on if you are going for food or characters. If you want Mickey and friends and can tolerate the food, CM is the place to go. If you don't mind meeting Pooh, Tigger, Eeyore and Piglet (so cute), then I'd say definitely give CP a try.

Just an FYI - our favorite of the 6 - Tusker House!

Have a great trip!

 

[harpinjean]

We like Crystal Palace.

 

[MickeyNicki]

You cannot not go wrong with either choice for breakfast but I would not go to either for dinner...ick

 

[Space Mountain Kid]

what do your kids like better mickey or pooh bear? And if you never been to cp then you should try it.good luck

 

[G66]

our last trip to crystal palace was pretty good....the last two to chef mickeys were pretty awful....

take it for what it's worth

I have never had a bad experience at CP.

Our 1st and only trip to CM was not good. In fact, I ended up getting sick after the meal. Not a great way to start a WDW vacation. The wife and kids have no interest in going back to CM. That should tell you something. It was very crowded, crazy noisy and the buffet was not kept up as it should have been.

CP is a staple of our trips. In fact we are going twice, one lunch and one dinner, this coming trip.

 

[Kimi313]

We like CM and we usually go there once a trip but CP is great! Getting ressies before the park open and not having to wait in line to get in park, taking some photos on the way to CP without the crowded streets, the decor is sooo pretty, the character interactions is great no matter how old the kids are, and the food is very good and alot of choices. I vote if you have never done CP go for that one!

 

[mjp12831]

I saw a post the other day comparing H&V buffet to Golden Coral. CM is basically the same - comparable to what you'd get at a Golden Coral.

Sure the Characters are great, but definately not worth that food.