Crowds at Chef Mickey's dinner

[stefani_]

I've heard about how characters may skip your table if the restaurant is too crowded and it becomes chaotic. Besides the fact that I'd like to be able to take pictures with the characters, I'd rather dine at a relatively less crowded time (though I know that this place can get really loud)

Would a dinner around 6:30 or 8:30 be busier, in your experience?

Thanks!

 

[CathieArms]

Do they REALLY skip tables when it's busy? I've never heard of them doing that. It sorta of defeats the purpose of a character meal, and it would cause people not to move along and leave the restaurant if they were waiting for their character interraction.

Everything I've read indicates that your best bets for the best interactions are early (first seatings), and "off" times (like 8:30 or 9 at night). I think Chef Mickey's opens for dinner at 4:30 or 5. I'd take their first seating.

 

[RMCGINN66]

Nah...we had no problem 2 years ago...they have a limited number of seats with set seating times. If they happen to skip your table, just go over and ask them to stop by...

 

[LilyWDW]

Do they REALLY skip tables when it's busy? I've never heard of them doing that. It sorta of defeats the purpose of a character meal, and it would cause people not to move along and leave the restaurant if they were waiting for their character interraction.

Everything I've read indicates that your best bets for the best interactions are early (first seatings), and "off" times (like 8:30 or 9 at night). I think Chef Mickey's opens for dinner at 4:30 or 5. I'd take their first seating.

I think what it means is that if it is very chaotic, then the character may miss your table in the rush around the restaurant. They simply "miss" you, not "skip" you on purpose.

If you were to be missed, then just tell your server. They will let the character handler know.

 

[bradyloganmom]

Never heard of or seen them skip tables. They do take little breaks but usually go right back and start where they stopped. We eat breakfast AND dinner there every trip. If you do feel "skipped" just find a character handler and tell them. Part of their job is to make sure no one gets left out.

 

[Music City Mama]

We had a 5:00 reservation -- characters came out around 5:30? And I was not under the impression at all that they were rushed or missed anyone's table.

 

[princssdisnygina]

We go every time we visit WDW which is 2-3 times a year. We have never been skipped nor had problems getting all the characters. Chef Mickeys is one of the most popular meals to get no matter breakfast, lunch (when offered) or dinner. It is always busy and yet the characters always make it around. Disney has that down to a science. I wouldn't worry about not seeing them... you will.

 

[ROEDISNEY]

I have been there for breakfast and dinner to many times to count and we were never ever skipped over. This place is the best

 

[McElhinney1]

We had a reservation at 5:15, it was great, we saw all of the characters, Donald actually came to our table twice which was a nice little treat. And afterward we had plenty of time for a nice evening at the MK.

 

[stefani_]

Thanks a lot everyone! We are leaving in a few hours......

 

[trudy88]

Is Donald always at Chef Mickey's? Usually?

 

[disneybliss2]

We've always seen Donald at CM. Goofy accidently skipped our table during our breakfast meal and the one next to us last week, but we just told our server and he came back by. It wasn't intentional. I think several of the characters started rotating through our section at one time and he just got turned around. He came back w/in less than 10 min. so it wasn't a problem. We also went for dinner last week at 5:10 and it was a lot less chaotic than a later time. Much quiter and calmer if that's what you're looking for.