Chef Mickey's vs Good Morning Gathering

[Cheryl65]

We are visiting WDW Mar 26-Apr 1 and are part of a Grand Gathering of 10 people. We have tickets for the Good Morning Gathering on hold right now but not sure if we should change to Chef Mickey's. Everywhere I look Chef Mickey's is the one people recommend.

We, of course, are interested in the most character interaction for the kids and a tasty breakfast. I also understand it will be VERY busy during Easter.

We have 4 kids, 9, 8, 5, and 2 in our group.

Help! Which one do you recommend?

 

[swilphil]

I would recommend the Good Morning Gathering. The reviews I've read lately of Chef Mickey's have not been that great. I'm considering cancelling our reservation.

 

[Disfreek]

What is a good morning gathering?

 

[hentob]

Yes--What is a Good Morning Gathering?

 

[LAWalz23]

I cannot speak for the Good Morning Gathering but my mother and I were at Chef Mickey's last Saturday morning and we were not impressed. I understand that the characters usually give the kids much more attention than just adults and fully expect and generally don't have a problem with it. But the only characters to even stop at our table were Mickey and Minnie. Now this may have more to do with where we were seated which was at the far end of the restaurant towards the windows and up a step. As for the food. It was breakfast food and a lot of it but not fantastic by any means. Actually both my mom and I thought that breakfast at Cape May (Goofy's Beach Party) in terms of food and characters were much better. Have a great time.

 

[Cheryl65]

A Good Morning Gathering is limited to Grand Gathering groups of 8 or more. I believe you have to set this up through the main WDW number.


Good Morning Gathering
Begin your day with a Magic Kingdom® morning filled with special songs and fun for kids of all ages. Here, classic Disney Characters join you for breakfast and fun at Tony's Town Square Restaurant. You'll even get some one-on-one time for your group with Mickey himself. Theme park admission is required.

Price:
Adults and Juniors - $24.99, Children (ages 3-9) - $11.99 (available 90 days prior)



From the sound of it we may just do the Good Morning Gathering rather than Chef Mickey's.

 

[daisylove]

Oh do the Gathering. It sounds so good.

 

[ladyarcher]

Do you have to make your reservatioins through the same travel agent to do Grand gatherings? We'll have a party of 9 with 5 of those kids. Thanks.

 

[quadaunt]

ladyarcher: I don't think thatyou have to book through the same travel agent, but all members of your party of eight (or more) attending the Grand Gathering event must be staying at an onsite Disney resort. Only 80% of your group has to be staying at an onsite resort; however, everyone attending a GG event must be staying at an onsite resort. A little confusing. And I'm not sure that they actually check to see if everyone has a resort room key when you check in for your event. Perhaps someone who has already done one of the events can tell us. There is a special Grand Gathering number to call of 407-WDW-PLAN. Your group will be given one Grand Gathering reservation number and all of your Grand Gathering events will be booked under that number. The Walt Disney World official site also has a special planner you can download, led by Tink herself, that allows you to confer online with other members of your party about which events to do, etc. Here's the link:

http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/wd...s/ggLandingPage?id=GrandGatheringsLandingPage

There are four events offered exclusively to Grand Gatherers:

Magical Fireworks Voyage to view Wishes with Capt. Hook and friends
Good Morning Gathering at Tony's Town Square Restaurant (MK)
IllumiNations Dinner and Dessert Reception (Epcot)
Safari Celebration Dinner (AK)

I have a Grand Gathering scheduled for 2/20 - 2/25.

 

[InstImpres]

Now this may have more to do with where we were seated which was at the far end of the restaurant towards the windows and up a step. As for the food. It was breakfast food and a lot of it but not fantastic by any means.

I believe this section is a problem, we had a bad experience there (have done CM about 10 times and that was the only rough one). I think the walls create an illusion of less charcter time. I even wrote to Exec offices as my dd was very upset when we left there. Minnie was assigned to our section and I spoke to a manager and was told that "Minnie is not in the mood to dance or napkin twirl today " I was not under the impression that was optional nor was the person at the exec offices who sent my dd an autographed Minnie Pic.

 

[hentob]

I spoke to a manager and was told that "Minnie is not in the mood to dance or napkin twirl today " I was not under the impression that was optional nor was the person at the exec offices who sent my dd an autographed Minnie Pic.

Not in the mood For the price of Chef Mickeys, she better get in the mood. FAST!

 

[fun & fancy free]

I would do the Good Morning Gatherings. We have given Chef mickey's a try two years in a row. Both times very dissapointed. I keep reading how everyone loves Chef Mickey's we just don't see it. We have had ressies both times. The seating was awful(once by the kitchen doors and the other up
the stairs on the elevated area nera the waiter stand). The characters seem to have avoided us both times. My kids would see them coming and they would walk right past. Very upsetting to the dd's(4&5). I know alot of people love this restaurant but we have given up on it for awhile. There are so many other character meals we enjoy more. Maybe with talk of CR getting renovated they will give some attention to Chef Mickey's. Then maybe we will give it another shot.

 

[jdmccol]

I cannot speak for the Good Morning Gathering but my mother and I were at Chef Mickey's last Saturday morning and we were not impressed. I understand that the characters usually give the kids much more attention than just adults and fully expect and generally don't have a problem with it. But the only characters to even stop at our table were Mickey and Minnie. Now this may have more to do with where we were seated which was at the far end of the restaurant towards the windows and up a step. As for the food. It was breakfast food and a lot of it but not fantastic by any means. Actually both my mom and I thought that breakfast at Cape May (Goofy's Beach Party) in terms of food and characters were much better. Have a great time.

We were there twice in July 2003 in the same section and we had characters coming by all the time! Maybe things have changed since then, or maybe because we had three kids with us. The characters seemed to go to every table.