Chef Mickey's party of 12 over $430!!!

[mom22boys]

Is that just the cost of food or did you already factor in the 18% tip they are going to add on to your bill for being a party of more than 6?

I factored in the tip, at least I tried to. My math was quick.

We have always had a good experience at Boma. Food has always been good.

We went to CP in 2008 for breakfast. The food was just okay. The character interaction was just okay. I was a little underwhelmed there.

We have reservations for Tusker House for this upcoming trip. We also have reservations for Biergarten. My DH and his family went to Biergarten all the way back in 1989, so it will be a little trip down memory lane for them.

Thanks again everyone!

 

[The 4 "Quay"balleros]

CM is our least favorite character breakfast. The food is so so, the characters are rushed and we just didn't feel comfortable there. We will not do it again.

 

[pixarmom]

Now that two of our three boys are "Disney adults," we are very picky about character meals! We assessed our eating styles and preferences and found that signatures were a much better value for our family. But we still do a few character meals - we just choose carefully.

Over time, we've done character meals at Garden Grill, Tusker House, Ohana, Cape May, Chef Mickey's, Crystal Palace, Liberty Tree (when it was a character meal), Akershus and CRT. Chef Mickey's is no longer in our rotation because it's not a good value for us. On the other hand, at Garden Grill, we think the atmosphere is far more relaxed, the characters are more interactive and focused, and the food is much, much better. We also prefer the family style service at Garden Grill over a buffet at CM. So for a character dinner, we choose Garden Grill. For breakfasts, Tusker House or Ohana.

As others mentioned, a party of 12 will be expensive anywhere. It just depends on what is important to you and how you define a good value. It's easy for us to say that CM is no longer in our rotation, because we've already been there multiple times. And we enjoyed it each time we were there - we just found other character meals that we prefer and discovered lots of great signature restaurants that fit our preferences right now. We know many who love it and return repeatedly. And of course, it's absolutely a Disney classic. Sometimes, those factors make it a good value, especially when you consider that dinner will be expensive for 12 guests!

Good luck with your decision!

 

[goofyintoronto]

OK, I have always wanted to go to Chef Mickey's so I went ahead and made reservations for our party of 12. We have seven adults (one is an 11 year old) and four children. My rough estimate is it will cost us $438! That is a lot of money. Is Chef Mickey's worth it? Is the experience that great, the atmosphere that wonderful, the food that good? Help!

NOPE!! Its not that wonderful at all. The food isnt great IMHO, and the ambiance stinks. I think everything is worth a shot once, but i think your better off going somewhere else to get and just seeing mickey and gang in the parks.

The food is awful. AWFUL. Chef Mickey's was so bad it OFFENDED me.

Consider if it's worth it to you to have bad food with Minnie and Mickey for over $400. If it's not, save your money, eat elsewhere, and meet the characters in the parks.>>> I agree!

 

[VLee]

Chef Mickey's is continually getting lower in ratings for us. We have done it numerous times, but now that one child is considered an adult for pricing and another soon to be, the buffet prices do not justify the experience.
The characters are VERY rushed at this breakfast/dinner! And at the last visit, they did not even let the kids follow the characters around in the little parade--just had them wave their napkins at the tables.

If I had to go to one, I would choose the breakfast though. But as one poster mentioned, the kids can now see Mickey and the gang at Epcot character greeting or by Tony's at the MK.

As far as Crystal Palace, it is a little better food, but we are not into the characters there, Winnie, Tigger, and Pooh.

The Park Fare dinner at GF is fun however; the kids loved the interaction with the Stepsisters and Stepmother and would prefer to return there.

 

[wdw4rfam]

If you are on the dining plan- its worth it. If paying out of pocket, NO. It is one of our favorites for characters, but we are always on the dining plan. The food for dinner is not good- breakfast is better, and cheaper.

 

[TDC Nala]

Chef Mickey's is not about the food. It's about the characters. You need to decide how much the characters are worth to you, because the food there is, at most, typical buffet fare - nothing special.

 

[Mommy2Jameson]

A party of 12 is just going to cost you a lot of money, no matter where you go.

I Agree!

We went for the first time last year, and we will be going back again this year! Is the food AMAZING....no! But I think some people are being a a little harsh about it... I'd say it's average! But for us, it was worth it for my son to have the experience of meeting Mickey and the gang! He loved it!

And I'd much rather pay for a character meal and get to sit down, eat, and relax for an hour while my son meets all the characters, then have to wait in long lines in the parks to meet them! You have to eat sometime... might as well eat and meet the characters at once to save time!!!!

 

[bdoyledimou]

My mothers 60th birthday party is on Saturday. It is costing me $420.
This is for 4 adults, no alcohol, not a buffet, and NOT at Disney World. (Not even in the same country as Disney World) --- It's all relative.

 

[Bob NC]

I always thought it would be hard to mess up a breakfast buffet. Not so at Chef Mickeys. When we went there I ended up drinking one coffee and eating 1/2 of a slice of soggy bacon. The place skeeved me out so bad I just couldn't stomach eating anything.

 

[nanalisa]

Besides the mediocre food, did anyone mention the noise? Lord have mercy. Someone mentioned Tuskar House - it's noisy too but the food is really good.

 

[bangzoom6877]

I was worried about going to CM for dinner on our July 2010 trip...and it was the first time I took my parents to a character meal at Disney, so I was very nervous they wouldn't like it since I had read so many terrible reviews. But all of us loved it! It is typical buffet food, so if you go there expecting gourmet food because of the price you pay to get in, it will likely disappoint you. BUT...if you go there expecting typical buffet food, and that you are paying to spend some time with the characters, then you may not be disappointed.

We enjoyed the food there...have I been to buffets with better food? Yes...but the food was not what I would call bad food.

We went for breakfast back in 2008 (DH, the boys and I), and we loved that. Now, I had gotten nervous again since there have been negative reviews once again, but we're not sure yet if we will do breakfast or dinner there on our next trip this coming July. But, we're definitely going back there for the characters!

 

[juliebug1997]

I will concede that the food is better at Tusker House but I've had other issues at TH. The first time they didn't take me back to a table until I reminded them I was there. This past time, Daisy didn't want to come back to our table; we were told we had plenty of time but we didn't. She was rushing through all her tables and she wasn't very friendly.

 

[missycj96]

I actually like CM but it is not worth 438. To me thats really alot of money.

 

[MusicMouse]

If you really want to do Chef Mickey's - do breakfast. It's cheaper, you get the same characters and experience, and the food has to be better than the dinner buffet! We took our boys there for dinner and my DH's review was "Kind of makes you long for the gourmet food at Old Country Buffet, doesn't it?" It was, hands down, the worst food of the trip!

 

[3mickeys&me]

Chef Mickey Charactor breakfast is a must for our family, we have done it several times and have never had a bad meal there. Everyone has their own opinion. This time we are going with a party of 13 and on the free dining. To see my nieces and nephews smile over Mickey and Minnie coming up to greet them and take a picture is worth every penny!!!!

 

[Jedi]

it's worth it if you get free dining...other then that...

 

[iluvwdw4ever]

Nope..not worth it!!

 

[Figmificent]

I suppose to each their own. We go to CM almost every trip, have done breakfast and dinner and have no complaints about the food. It's not stellar, but it's on par with what I'd expect from a buffet. We have had nothing but amazing service there. That said, OP, it is truly up to you how you want to spend your money. Dining for 12 in WDW is going to be expensive. I guess like everything else, food and service can be hit or miss

 

[Mamu]

OK, I have always wanted to go to Chef Mickey's so I went ahead and made reservations for our party of 12. We have seven adults (one is an 11 year old) and four children. My rough estimate is it will cost us $438! That is a lot of money. Is Chef Mickey's worth it? Is the experience that great, the atmosphere that wonderful, the food that good? Help!

My honest opinion: NO I find the food lackluster (being kind) service poor and very messy (also being kind)