Chef Mickey's - Worth the Hype?

[kkc1021]

We were at Chef Mickey's for breakfast on Oct 1 and were not impressed. I went fully expecting the food to be just ok - and it was just that. My main issue is that Minnie and Dale were the only characters to visit our table in the space of an hour. We were seated in the main dining room too!

We also had breakfast at the Crystal Palace on this trip. It was terrific! Food was much better and the characters were wonderful. We saw everyone at least twice.

Kristen

 

[kirkharrod]

I will be eating there on Sunday morning! I will post a review ASAP.

 

[tae1218]

We are planning on eating at Chef Mickey's on our next trip. It is interesting to see everyone's opinions. Some love it. Some don't. I think I will try it once for myself and see what happens. I think my DD6 will enjoy it.

 

[Terk-1]

Totally not worth the hype for dinner. I tried it for the first time on my last trip and it was the worst meal I had ever had on WDW property. The food was awful and totally not worth the money spent. I was seated in the side dining area and only 2 characters came within a one hour timeframe.

If a birthday dinner is what you seek, then I would recommend the following:

1. Whispering Canyon Cafe
2. Crystal Palace at the MK
3. Cindy's at the MK
4. 50's Primetime Cafe @ MGM

These are all great and the food is wonderful!!

 

[kyirish25]

We love Chef Mickey's. We celebrated our DS 1st bday here and had a wonderful meal and atmosphere. They gave him a placemat signed by all the characters, a bday button & also brought out a cupcake with a candle. When they brought out the cupcake was just before one of the celebration songs and Mickey came and danced right next him during the entire song. Couldn't have been more magical.

 

[ElizabethB]

Definitely not worth the hype -- for either breakfast or dinner. The food is only fair, the character interaction is very rushed and the "ambience" is total chaos.

 

[tippytoe]

My family ate at Chef Mickey's for dinner last week. My children LOVED it! There was a lot of character interaction. They came to our table multiple times. There was Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Goofy, and someone I was not familiar with-maybe Goofy's cousin? My children loved the sundae bar. My DH and I thought the food was decent. The CR also has a huge gameroom that my kids also liked after we ate a Chef Mickey's. My DS who is five keeps asking me when we are going back to Chef Mickeys.

 

[turnlisa]

I guess the reports are really varied on this one. We went here for our DS's 7th birthday and it was fantastic! Our waitress was top-notch. She took pictures of us, video taped us singing to my DS, and made sure that he felt really special. The food was pretty good considering it was a buffet. My younger DS just loved the characters and we all got lots of attention. My DS loved it so much that we will be returning there this year but trying breakfast instead of dinner.

For an alternative, I would suggest Crystal Palace. Dinner is pretty good and the character interaction is good. However, we mentioned it on our PS and again when we got to the restaurant that it was my DS's birthday. We got confetti on the table and nothing else. No cupcake, no placemat, no card! It was a real bummer. Chef Mickey's more than made up for it. I think that everyone's experience is different. I would go where you think your DD will like the characters the best. You will make it special anyway and that is what matters. The food is about the same since it is a buffet at Disney. Have a great time!

 

[TracyA]

Did you celebrate your son's 7th birthday the whole time you were there or just on his actual b-day. I was planning on celebrating the whole time we are there and have it noted on all our PS's but I have heard mixed feelings on this. What is your opinion?

Tracy

 

[goofy4tink]

Wow, these varying reports really make you wonder if we're eating at the same spot!!! We have had both breakfast and dinner at Chef Mickeys. We prefer dinner. Yes, it is chaotic and loud. That napkin twirling is lunacy. But, that's part of the whole schtick. The food is okay, not terrific but we aren't going for the quality of the food. We have always found the character intervention to be quite good. Yes, there are some parents/kids who feel they are entitled to a lot more time with the characters. But you run into that everywhere. So, I think it's a terrific spot for a birthday dinner. But, if you want other suggestions, here are mine....breakfast at Goofy's Beach Blast at Cape May in fantastic. Great food and characters. Much more laid back and quiet. Easier to get also. Dinner at Crystal Palace is wonderful. WE had a great meal there in August. It is now my dh's favorite place to eat, in the parks themselves. ONe place that hasn't been mentioned is Cinderella Castle. We couldn't get PSs for the breakfast when it was my dd's 6th bday. So we opted for lunch and it was terrific. She loved eating in the Castle and being called princess by the servers. We did eat at CP that night and she got a cupcake/candle and a card from the characters also.

Wherever you choose to eat....remember, you're in WDW...have fun, take your time and don't rush through the experience. Sometimes I think that people are in such a rush to get to the parks that they miss out on a lot of fun at the restuarants!!!

 

[Disney1fan2002]

I am surprised so many people are not impressed with CM! Too each his own, but I love it so much, it is hard for me to imagine how any one can't like it!

I rate my character meal experience on how well my children enjoyed it. Chef Mickey's is #1 on their list, given all the other choices of character meals. We have to eat at Chef Mickey's at least once every time we go to WDW.

My kids still talk about two years ago...my DD age 4 had a shirt on with a hood...my DS age 6, was very tired (we were seated at 9PM) his head was down on the table. Chip would come over, and flip my dd's hood up over her head, and take a napkin and cover my son's head with it...then he would peek under and act shocked when he saw their giggling faces!

IMO, it is one of the most fun character meal. But, if the varying opinions in this thread have you wanting to consider other places, Cinderella's Gala Feast at the Grand Floridian might be something your 3 yo DD would like. My DD was thrilled to see Prince Charming ( and I was too, wink, wink! LOL)

 

[sha_lyn]

Originally posted by Disney1fan2002
I am surprised so many people are not impressed with CM! Too each his own, but I love it so much, it is hard for me to imagine how any one can't like it!

The food was horrible...all 4 of us left hungry

the service was non exisitant...saw server 2 times. When he took our drink order and when he came with the check. He never cleared a single plate from our table. He left 4 small carafs (maybe held 16 oz) as our refills. We ran out the first time we refilled our glasses.

The character interaction was the worst we have ever had on property. We waited over an hr to see any of the characters. The sever for the table next to us had to go get them. They seemed to not even know the room we were in existed.

I can't see how anyone could like the place.

 

[Winnie Pooh Fan]

Originally posted by ducklite
I find the atmostphere NOISY and frantic, and not at all to my liking. The food, well, it's pretty bad. In fact about the worst buffet at WDW. Blech.

So to answer your question, no.

Anne

I think it depends on what you are looking for. If you are looking for an upscale adult restaurant for a quite intimate dinner, this is definitely not for you. Try CG for that, but on the other hand CG is really not the place for a child's birthday.

However, if you are looking for an entertaining extremely child friendly buffet, this is the one. While the food is not the greatest (breakfast is better than the dinner) it is okay.

CM is great for character interaction and theming. We were there this past summer and my DS loved it. The characters were marvelous and really played up to my family, sat down at our table, took pictures and signed autographs.

The best part was that we didn't have to stand in line to see the characters, they came right to us.

It really depends what you are looking for.

 

[cjsmom5]

We have had good and bad experiences at many of the character meals at WDW. That happens. I think some of it depends on when you hit it. This industry is dependent on the "people" or cast members at Disney to do what they are suppose to do. When you get people who are tired, overworked and in some cases, have way too many tables to handle, you get poor service. Then there are times you get people who don't really want to be there at all (servers/characters). All that comes through and can make a difference in a customer's final outlook on the experience. On the other hand, if you have a server who is outstanding and gives it their all -- that makes all the difference.

I think the same can be said for the characters. Some are better than others...and depending on when you are there... and who is working .... that will make a difference in the interaction.

While we don't care for this restaurant, there are many that do and I think you need to make the judgement based on your own preferences in regards to atmoshpere, type of food, and characters appearing at the meal. I know we typically go for the characters so we don't have to stand in line at the parks. One thing I have found is that no matter what happens, if you have a good outlook, you can take any experience and make it a positive one for your child. So, I think you will be fine wherever you choose to eat at. All character meals, in my opinion, are a little crazy, and none have gourmet food. That being said, we always have fun ... good food/bad food ... good character interaction/bad character interaction

Let us know what you decide and how it turns out. It will be interesting to see for all of us on this thread, I'm sure.

 

[goofy4tink]

Originally posted by sha_lyn
The food was horrible...all 4 of us left hungry

the service was non exisitant...saw server 2 times. When he took our drink order and when he came with the check. He never cleared a single plate from our table. He left 4 small carafs (maybe held 16 oz) as our refills. We ran out the first time we refilled our glasses.

The character interaction was the worst we have ever had on property. We waited over an hr to see any of the characters. The sever for the table next to us had to go get them. They seemed to not even know the room we were in existed.

I can't see how anyone could like the place.

Easy to see why you don't like it!! Can't say as I blame you. I've often wondered about those folks in that upper room. We've eaten in that big main room twice, in the area just at the steps up to the 'dreaded' upper room twice, and once way over to the side, almost at Concourse Steak House! I have to say that all our meals were fine. But, if I had had the service (or lack of service) you had, I would still be complaining to Disney. Did you ever let anyone know how badly things went for you? I let them know when things are really good but I'm right there, in their faces if something is really unacceptable. ANd your experience sure sounds unacceptable to me!!!

Hopefully our Thanksgiving dinner there will be okay. I still can't believe that's where my dd and dh chose to eat. Whacky, I say, whacky!!!!