martinolichfamily
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Jul 22, 2009
- Messages
- 874
I'm in! Gotta get all caught up!
First Visit,Lots of dining reviews, pics, 2/24-3/3. Updated 3/29 Rose&Crown/Illumin
- Thread starter Ricklg3
- Start date
Love your reviews so far!! We also just love the Poly with our kids - 2 trips so far and planning for next year!! How cool to open CM's. Probably doing that for our first night dinner next trip, we also like to arrive around lunchtime and not do any parks that first day. After a long drive, it's so nice to just hang at the resort, take a monorail ride, etc.
emmysmommy
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Jan 30, 2010
- Messages
- 5,070
Awwwww how adorable that the kids got to "open" Chef's Mickey! Great start....keep it coming please! 
natesmommy
Earning My Ears
- Joined
- Jul 3, 2007
- Messages
- 59
It sounds like you had a great trip! I can't wait to read more
goldielocksraj
Anxiously awaiting deluxe birthday trip!
- Joined
- Mar 29, 2006
- Messages
- 141
Wow, you weren't kidding when you said Pixie Dust!!!! How cool, first day of first trip!
That picture of Chef Mickey hugging your kids is too precious, it made me want to cry! That's what I love about Disney, the make so much magic for kids-and of course adults too, but I always feel it's even more special for kids b/c being as young as kids are, they have less opportunities to create magic for themselves.
That picture of Chef Mickey hugging your kids is too precious, it made me want to cry! That's what I love about Disney, the make so much magic for kids-and of course adults too, but I always feel it's even more special for kids b/c being as young as kids are, they have less opportunities to create magic for themselves.
Dani&TJsMom
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Apr 27, 2006
- Messages
- 138
Great reviews so far! Looking forward to reading about more pixie dust!
ireland_nicole
<font color=green>No brainer- the fairy wins it<br
- Joined
- Feb 1, 2008
- Messages
- 4,152
I'm definitely in on this review- you're going lots of places we have planned- some repeat some new to us; and I love your fresh perspective.
GoofySon'sMom
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Oct 11, 2007
- Messages
- 4,687
I'm in! 
Great reviews so far! 
Great reviews so far! So excited to write more, it's like reliving except i makes me so hungryCan't wait to read more
Got lots of thoughts on DXDDP share more after last review stay tunedWow, that desert at Kona looks di-vine! White chocolate cheesecake with chocolate fondue-I want one now!!!! (Hmm, I could get ready quickly, jump in the car, and be there for a late but expensive lunch!I guess not . . .)
It was even better than it looked the DW and I shared it was great.
Love the first review and looking forward to more! Since hubby and I have DxDDP in December, I especially love the reviews where others have the same plan and what they think of it.
thanks for reading
It was great
Thanks for reading
Seriously it was great
It worked out so great we left Chef Mickeys and went to Magic Kingdom to see it for the first time it was all a glow in purple DD loved it
will doAwwwww how adorable that the kids got to "open" Chef's Mickey! Great start....keep it coming please!
seriously!!
ThanksIt sounds like you had a great trip! I can't wait to read more
I'm strong big guy but that brought a tear to the eye for sure
thanksGreat reviews so far! Looking forward to reading about more pixie dust!
Thanks for the compliment
i snagged a frame from a video I was taking with my pocket camcorder its a kodak zi8 got it from target for $149 bucks I love itI'm impressed that you timed your pic at the perfect moment. If it were me, I probably would have been fumbling with the camera! a little secret it was not a pic Looking forward to the rest of your reviews!
thanks for readingI'm in!
Now time for more reviews
So all the Pixie Dust aside man does that stuff get everywhere 
The pixie dust from the kids opening with Mickey was coloring our view, but we will try and back that out.
Chef Mickey's is a huge place. I thought our seats were some of the best there. We were up against a wall across from the buffet near where the characters come out.
We were seated on a back wall like these folks who were 90 degrees to us
There was even enough space for my son to do this, he is always tuckered out after swimming
There are some really bad seats were people are stacked in, sitting on this wall was great close to food, close to where the characters come out and plenty of space. Now we got seated there by Mickey and I am guessing that is where they sit the family that opens Chef Mickey's, but the next 10 or so families that got in got seated around us. So if possible make ressies close to 5pm when they open for dinner for the best seats
Now the food, and this is where things start to take a turn for the worse, and after all the magic we didn't want things to take a turn for the worst. Here are some pics of the set-up.
I dislike the way the put out there serving dishes just a personal thing but I think it effects quality versus how some of the buffets do it. Just setting the dish on a "Hot Plate" with some heat lamps just seemed odd to me.
Food didn't look the best and they just opened
Kids could eat anything, but they had a kid section that was at their level which is a nice touch so the kids can serve themselves
I can make the pics big if you guys need but trust me their was nothing that looked that appetizing. I eat with my eyes and I think all kids do and nothing was jumping out screaming EAT ME!! EAT ME!
The taste was bland and just nothing really impressive or good. We were the first folks there and the food already tasted old which was really shocking I wouldn't think it would right at open but it clear had been made a while ago or perhaps they way they put it on the hot plate under the lights instead of in catering water steam baths trays on buffets are often done is having a major effect. I'm sure this system is easier for the staff, but if it effects quality then maybe they shouldn't do it that way.
Now the staff, they were great our waiter Billy was awesome and all the staff came around and took plates.
Character attendant helping my son sign his name to Mickey's autograph book
The Character Interactions huge bright spot, first you got the Big four Mickey, Minnie, Donald, and Goofy, plus Pluto. They spent sometime at the table playing around with kids. See Goofy autographing on my son's head
And Pluto played with my sleeping DS
Interaction was great
Summary we had a great time with some bad food, poor selection, poor quality. My wife and I struggled with this but overall we give Chef Mickey's a B+ we came for the characters and they didn't disappoint. If it had been the other way around great food but poor interaction that would have been terrible. So if you want a great time with Mickey and the gang come here get there at opening maybe you will get some Pixie Dust too. If your coming from the food you may want to try else where.
Total cost plus tax no tip for family of four was:$ 95.58 or 4 credits in our case.
The wife and I are worried did we pay big bucks for sub-par food? Are the Character interactions going to make up for bad food? Will we get tired of the Characters and then be stuck with really expensive bad food. Our next stop was the big deal Cinderalla's Royal Table stay tuned
The pixie dust from the kids opening with Mickey was coloring our view, but we will try and back that out.
Chef Mickey's is a huge place. I thought our seats were some of the best there. We were up against a wall across from the buffet near where the characters come out.
We were seated on a back wall like these folks who were 90 degrees to us
There was even enough space for my son to do this, he is always tuckered out after swimming
There are some really bad seats were people are stacked in, sitting on this wall was great close to food, close to where the characters come out and plenty of space. Now we got seated there by Mickey and I am guessing that is where they sit the family that opens Chef Mickey's, but the next 10 or so families that got in got seated around us. So if possible make ressies close to 5pm when they open for dinner for the best seats
Now the food, and this is where things start to take a turn for the worse, and after all the magic we didn't want things to take a turn for the worst. Here are some pics of the set-up.
I dislike the way the put out there serving dishes just a personal thing but I think it effects quality versus how some of the buffets do it. Just setting the dish on a "Hot Plate" with some heat lamps just seemed odd to me.
Food didn't look the best and they just opened
Kids could eat anything, but they had a kid section that was at their level which is a nice touch so the kids can serve themselves
I can make the pics big if you guys need but trust me their was nothing that looked that appetizing. I eat with my eyes and I think all kids do and nothing was jumping out screaming EAT ME!! EAT ME!
The taste was bland and just nothing really impressive or good. We were the first folks there and the food already tasted old which was really shocking I wouldn't think it would right at open but it clear had been made a while ago or perhaps they way they put it on the hot plate under the lights instead of in catering water steam baths trays on buffets are often done is having a major effect. I'm sure this system is easier for the staff, but if it effects quality then maybe they shouldn't do it that way.
Now the staff, they were great our waiter Billy was awesome and all the staff came around and took plates.
Character attendant helping my son sign his name to Mickey's autograph book
The Character Interactions huge bright spot, first you got the Big four Mickey, Minnie, Donald, and Goofy, plus Pluto. They spent sometime at the table playing around with kids. See Goofy autographing on my son's head
And Pluto played with my sleeping DS
Interaction was great
Summary we had a great time with some bad food, poor selection, poor quality. My wife and I struggled with this but overall we give Chef Mickey's a B+ we came for the characters and they didn't disappoint. If it had been the other way around great food but poor interaction that would have been terrible. So if you want a great time with Mickey and the gang come here get there at opening maybe you will get some Pixie Dust too. If your coming from the food you may want to try else where.
Total cost plus tax no tip for family of four was:$ 95.58 or 4 credits in our case.
The wife and I are worried did we pay big bucks for sub-par food? Are the Character interactions going to make up for bad food? Will we get tired of the Characters and then be stuck with really expensive bad food. Our next stop was the big deal Cinderalla's Royal Table stay tuned
MickeyNicki
It is pretty darn sad when a valet picks you out a
- Joined
- Sep 22, 2005
- Messages
- 21,518
Oh poor Chef Mickeys...we went with our nieces at the very opening and it was great character wise but the food was gross! It seemed old and stale and dry and hard and some of it wasnt hot!
Now we did try breakfast there and it was excellent, we will def go back for that
Now we did try breakfast there and it was excellent, we will def go back for that
iloveeeyore
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Aug 12, 2003
- Messages
- 3,787
My teens insist on hitting Chef Mickey's on our first night in July...tradition. I hope at least the mac and cheese and pizza are edible? We have no shame eating off the kids' buffet! Years ago the food was great, but on our last visit, we definitely noticed the quality was slipping!
So the day was here the day we had been waiting months for. Our travel agent made the ressies the day we booked, at the time I had no idea how difficult it was to get these. We have a 10am breakfast at the CRT.
The plan was to do BBB before with my DD-5 she has her new dress she is ready.
I am taking my son to the Pirate League to get ready for breakfast with Cindy
So we get to double door entrance ten minutes early. We walk in and there she was. My DD went speechless and my DS was excited. To be honest I was kinda of taken a back by the fact that I was nervous and excited, this was super cool. We are in Cinderella's castle and we are meeting her. There were only like 3 families in the room it was great, we didnt wait at all we were next and when we were done they took us to our seats. She was super nice to kids I got a couple of minutes of her talking to my kids on video. Sorry for the dark picture DW was slacking on the camera we have great photopass shots just haven't got our CD yet I will post a better once we get CD.
Time to eat. The DW, DD, and DS love breakfast and I don't and here is why I don't eat bacon, or any pork products, and I don't like eggs. So breakfast gets real repetitive to me and boring. I am also worried about the recent changes they have made to the CRT with getting rid of the Fairy Godmothers and adding princess. To be honest sounds great to us, but so many people on the boards seemed upset with the change, but I will get to that onto the food.
I ordered the French Toast with Creme Cheese, and swaped the meat for fruit.
I eat with my eyes and don't like breakfast so when it came I was concerned and almost didn't even try it, but my DW made me after she tried it.
Seriously OMG, this was great, I couldn't believe how good it was I have never been a french toast fan and this was great, had Disney figured out french toast (I had Tonga Toast later get to that later hint I had it 2x).
The combination with the cream cheese was great. I got to find out how to make it, oh this is making my mouth water now it was that good.
The DW had veggie Omelet and she ate it all which she never does and ate some of my super french toast. She said the eggs were perfect and it was great.
The kids had the eggs, french toast sticks w/ syrup (that's all you had to do was add syrup) and their favorite bacon. They loved ate it all and got more. Only one pic same meal.
What was also great was that we could share and they would bring out more of whatever we wanted regardless of who ate it!!!
Overall the food was outstanding, best breakfast I ever had.
The atomsphere is super cool its the Castle and and their are not that many people in the place it was surprisingly calm. Great setting your not sitting on top of each super comfortable
My kids played with a bald headed girl at the table next to us. It caught me odd until I saw papers that said Make-a-Wish on them sitting on the table. I never asked and the kids played and talked about Cinderella and the Princess and played with their wands and swords. I noticed the girl's mother smiled but look tired and a little sad, afterwards we just hugged our kids a little harder.
The character interaction:
It was awesome their were so many and they all took 30 seconds to a minute to hang out and Snow White even double back, we bump into this same Snow White later in our visit and she gives my DS something so stay tuned.
I'm sure the FGmothers were great, but my kids loved all the princess.
Great story my DW is like thats sleeping beauty and I am like yea Aurora, she is like sleeping beauty, I said her name is Aurora, she is like NO!. So sleeping beauty comes up and goes to us do you know what story I'm from. The DW is like Sleeping Beauty, and she is says do you know my name I say Aurora and the DW laughs and the Aurora like your good!
Besides looking at my food like she was super hungry Jaz was great asking my kids where they were from and talking about snow and asking them what is was like and she only knows about sand.
So CRT is a homerun, its 2 credits on the DxDP but it is so worth it.
Setting as good as you can get, whoever came up with this thank you so much.
Food was awesome!! Service was flawless!!!
Character interaction was great! Some people have complained that Cinderella doesn't not come to the table, but I thought that was really cool it made her special and not like the others the kids thought she was Royal is the word my DD used its a great well thought out place.
When we are in Disney we are so making it a point to get ADR's here.
Total cost with tax for 2 adults and 2 kids was $166.35 without tip, or 8 dining credits.
Fyi, when we walked out the door who was there.
Next stop dinner after a day of fun in Magic Kingdom at The Crystal Place.
Thanks for reading.
The plan was to do BBB before with my DD-5 she has her new dress she is ready.
I am taking my son to the Pirate League to get ready for breakfast with Cindy
So we get to double door entrance ten minutes early. We walk in and there she was. My DD went speechless and my DS was excited. To be honest I was kinda of taken a back by the fact that I was nervous and excited, this was super cool. We are in Cinderella's castle and we are meeting her. There were only like 3 families in the room it was great, we didnt wait at all we were next and when we were done they took us to our seats. She was super nice to kids I got a couple of minutes of her talking to my kids on video. Sorry for the dark picture DW was slacking on the camera we have great photopass shots just haven't got our CD yet I will post a better once we get CD.
Time to eat. The DW, DD, and DS love breakfast and I don't and here is why I don't eat bacon, or any pork products, and I don't like eggs. So breakfast gets real repetitive to me and boring. I am also worried about the recent changes they have made to the CRT with getting rid of the Fairy Godmothers and adding princess. To be honest sounds great to us, but so many people on the boards seemed upset with the change, but I will get to that onto the food.
I ordered the French Toast with Creme Cheese, and swaped the meat for fruit.
I eat with my eyes and don't like breakfast so when it came I was concerned and almost didn't even try it, but my DW made me after she tried it.
Seriously OMG, this was great, I couldn't believe how good it was I have never been a french toast fan and this was great, had Disney figured out french toast (I had Tonga Toast later get to that later hint I had it 2x).
The combination with the cream cheese was great. I got to find out how to make it, oh this is making my mouth water now it was that good.
The DW had veggie Omelet and she ate it all which she never does and ate some of my super french toast. She said the eggs were perfect and it was great.
The kids had the eggs, french toast sticks w/ syrup (that's all you had to do was add syrup) and their favorite bacon. They loved ate it all and got more. Only one pic same meal.
What was also great was that we could share and they would bring out more of whatever we wanted regardless of who ate it!!!
Overall the food was outstanding, best breakfast I ever had.
The atomsphere is super cool its the Castle and and their are not that many people in the place it was surprisingly calm. Great setting your not sitting on top of each super comfortable
My kids played with a bald headed girl at the table next to us. It caught me odd until I saw papers that said Make-a-Wish on them sitting on the table. I never asked and the kids played and talked about Cinderella and the Princess and played with their wands and swords. I noticed the girl's mother smiled but look tired and a little sad, afterwards we just hugged our kids a little harder.
The character interaction:
It was awesome their were so many and they all took 30 seconds to a minute to hang out and Snow White even double back, we bump into this same Snow White later in our visit and she gives my DS something so stay tuned.
I'm sure the FGmothers were great, but my kids loved all the princess.
Great story my DW is like thats sleeping beauty and I am like yea Aurora, she is like sleeping beauty, I said her name is Aurora, she is like NO!. So sleeping beauty comes up and goes to us do you know what story I'm from. The DW is like Sleeping Beauty, and she is says do you know my name I say Aurora and the DW laughs and the Aurora like your good!
Besides looking at my food like she was super hungry Jaz was great asking my kids where they were from and talking about snow and asking them what is was like and she only knows about sand.
So CRT is a homerun, its 2 credits on the DxDP but it is so worth it.
Setting as good as you can get, whoever came up with this thank you so much.
Food was awesome!! Service was flawless!!!
Character interaction was great! Some people have complained that Cinderella doesn't not come to the table, but I thought that was really cool it made her special and not like the others the kids thought she was Royal is the word my DD used its a great well thought out place.
When we are in Disney we are so making it a point to get ADR's here.
Total cost with tax for 2 adults and 2 kids was $166.35 without tip, or 8 dining credits.
Fyi, when we walked out the door who was there.
Next stop dinner after a day of fun in Magic Kingdom at The Crystal Place.
Thanks for reading.
Food was disappointing but not going to complain anymore we had such a great time there
I ending up eating off the kid's buffet at another place, thanks for reading and posting stayed tuned
IckyMickey
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Sep 22, 2006
- Messages
- 320
Nice reviews! When we were there in November we had terrible interaction and great food, but my kids are 7 & 13 so I wonder if that makes a difference too. I think the CM's - both characters and food staff make all the difference from one visit to the next.
Vickie1016
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Feb 27, 2010
- Messages
- 441
Great reviews can't wait to keep reading. We are going in May and have some of the same reservations!!
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