Chef Mickey's or Rainforest Cafe???

[Freyja]

I´m wondering wether we should eat at Chef Mickey´s or at the Rainforest cafe on our first night (Saturday)....

Am I right that the Chef Mickey´s dinner is a character greeting meal?

Is the character interaction good?

Will Chef Mickey´s be a lot more expensive than the Rainforest Cafe?

I should mention that we are 2 adults and 3 kids (8, 6 and 18 months).

I´d really appreciate your help on this one


Freyja

 

[MikeWazowski]

That is a tough call. I would say try to get to both of them on your trip. But, for your first night I would go over to DTD hang out there, do some shopping, and go to Rainforest Cafe. The kids will love the fountains and animals. Chef Mickey's will probably be a little more if not almost the same, it depends on what you order at Rainforest. But, you will eat more at Chef Mickey's. You can't go wrong with either for your first night.

 

[erinch]

we ate at Rainforest Cafe in DTD 2 weeks ago. It was impossibly crowded, highly disorganized, very loud, and a miserable experience. The worst. The food had definitely been under a heat lamp for a long time before it came out. We had to wait almost 10 minutes after the food came out before they finally brought us silverware. Our server knew we had none, but all he did was snap his fingers at the bus guy for him to do it. My observation was they desperately needed a manager circulating to get this lackluster sullen waitstaff to snap to it. It won't be on our list next time around.

 

[Taximom]

I have to agree with the last post....we ate there on our first night, and we were disappointed in the service and the food. It also won't be on our list next time.

 

[miko]

Chef Mickey's! Food is ok at both places but Chef Mickey's will certainly get you into the Disney mode. Mickey and friends stop by at each table and you can take pictures. I have been rather disapointed with Rainforest a few times and don't plan on returning to Downtown one soon. The one at AKL seems to be a little better but still just average.
You did not say where you were staying and that might have a little relevance on choice.

 

[Floundering Crab]

Chef Mickey's, hands down. We watched a small baby nearly suffocate on the smoke pouring out of the volcano behind the family. . . too crowded and foods a bit adventurous for my taste.

 

[ceecee]

Depending on the ages of your kids, they may be a little fightened at RFC, my DD was 4 the first time and did not like the thunderstorms or apes hanging over her head. Very loud and crowded and slow!!! Chef Mickey's was wonderful, it is more expensive but the food was really good and the Characters were great, DD was up dancing with them and had a terrific time....a great way to get in the Disney spirit!

 

[Strings]

I vote Chef Mickey's.
1.) You see characters. The kids get Mickey right away. You don't have to wait in line to see them in the park 1st day in the parks.
2.) It will get you in the Disney spirit.
3.) RFC in DD is very crowded with long waits. MY DD at 18 monthes didn't like to wait.
4.) Outside of AK, RFC just doesn't feel like Disney to me. (Probably because we have one in town.)
5.) You're daughter might be frightened by the animals/noises. Not the way to start off a vacation. My neice went to the one in Vegas at 1.5yrs of age. They were seated right next to the elephants. 5 yrs later she is still terrified of elephants. She won't event go to that section of the zoo.
Whatevet you decide, have a great time.

 

[Kae]

do not forget you can hop on the monorail before or after Chef Mickey's. Great way to get in the Disney mood.

Kae

 

[Freyja]

I´m sorry, this might sound a like a really stupid question.

But why does the monorail get you into a Disney mood? As I haven´t been on it before, it just seems to be a "upper level train" to me, and I don´t see anything really Disney about it.

I´m gonna try it though and maybe I´ll be recomending it to everybody else in 6 weeks time.

Freyja

 

[cindala]

Well both are favorites of ours!! Unlike some previous posters, we have never had a bad experience at the RFC. We usually eat there on our first night at Disney, and do some shopping in DTD. Our food has always been good, and the service excellent. I might add though, that it could depend on the time you go for dinner. We know that it can get crowded, so we make a PS for about 4:30pm, and this has worked like a charm. You can make PS at the RFC up to a year in advance by calling them directly.

That being said, we also always include Chef Mickey as one of our dinners. (So if you can fit both in, do try!) Great food and great character interaction too!