Garden Grill Breakfast vs Lunch

[LISmama810]

We're going for a week in October, and our first day will be at Epcot. I want to go to Garden Grill, but I'm not sure whether to schedule breakfast or lunch. This will be our first sit-down meal of the trip, and probably our only character meal. (If we do breakfast, it will be our only sit-down breakfast of the trip, too.)

Other possibly pertinent details: kids will be 11, 7, and 5. My 7-year-old LOVES Chip and Dale, so if the character interaction is better at one vs the other, that might be important. We will be having dinner at Biergarten that evening.

I've heard the juice and French toast are good at breakfast, but I'm the only one in the family who will eat the French toast. But I also really want to try a Mickey-shaped cucumber!

So, which should we do?

 

[Mousetopia]

Really a personal preference. For me with an 8 AM ressie you get added bonus of early park access. Soarin is in the same building so you can be there ahead of the crowd with no FP needed, then zip on out of there and ride test track with a lesser wait or FP..

 

[Coconuts]

I agree with the pp, and if you do a sit down breakfast then you will have more time to let that settle if you also have dinner at Biergarten. I have never eaten breakfast there before though, only dinner, but that was a good character meal.

 

[tinkerbella16]

I wasn't aware that they served french toast at breakfast there. They have mickey waffles though.

Lunch is similar to dinner at GG, and we always do dinner on our arrival day. The food is delicious and the character interactions at GG are the best we've experienced in WDW - the characters always come around to the table 2-3 times. It is the only character meal for dinner that we truly love and enjoy.

If I were choosing between breakfast and lunch, I'd go with breakfast. We are huge breakfast eaters. And we would do a prepark opening ADR. I think the character interactions would be the same at either meal.

 

[MissKIA]

I don't think Garden Grill has French toast unless that's something new, just Mickey waffles.

However I would choose a pre park opening breakfast as well. The early access into the park is a great perk.

 

[megster1123]

Just curious, the OP said they're going in October - do you have any ADRs booked yet? You may have to compromise on days/times/restaurants if you don't have anything already booked. Just wanted to throw that out there so you don't get your heart set on something specific and can't get it. Many times if you're patient something will open up, but not always. Good luck to you!

 

[22Tink]

We loved our pre park opening breakfast at GG. No French toast when we were there. Mickey waffles, tater tots, scrambled eggs, biscuits and gravy, I think fruit possibly. Oh and the most delicious cinnamon bun bake!! So warm and yummy! The characters were awesome, too and afterwards we practically walked onto Soarin'. Happy planning!

 

[eastendlights]

They do not have French toast. The sticky bun in the pan is AMAZING! Everything else is great too. We had breakfast and lunch there on our trip in Feb/March and enjoyed both meals very much. The characters were hysterical. Dale (or was it Chip-lol) grabbed our check from the waiter and pretended to throw it into the replica of Walt's house. Then he acted as if he were going to climb over the railing and escape and the waiter had to haul him back. We were laughing so hard we were crying. They had a whole routine going with the waiter-it was really funny. The waiter kept egging the two of them on. It was just me and my 20 year old daughter, I can imagine they would be even funnier with young kids. I absolutely recommend at least one meal there.

 

[Nancyg56]

If GG is your only TS meal, I think I would book breakfast if you can get a PPO ADR. You may not need to make a decision, it will be made for you once you try to book your ADR. The breakfast ADR's may be scooped up already. I think that no matter which meal you choose here, you will be happy. Epcot can be a long day so scheduling a break for a meal is never a bad idea.

 

[LISmama810]

Shoot, the other day someone said they had Nutella French toast at GG. Oh well.

I already have an ADR for lunch. I checked breakfast yesterday and there was availability, though I checked around 8:45.

 

[MissKIA]

Shoot, the other day someone said they had Nutella French toast at GG. Oh well.

I already have an ADR for lunch. I checked breakfast yesterday and there was availability, though I checked around 8:45.

They have nutella syrup for the waffles which is probably where the mix up happened.

 

[LISmama810]

Darn...I don't like waffles, but I'll pour the Nutella on everything else I think I'm leaning toward breakfast--I'll see what I can snatch.

 

[plutosgirl]

We've only ever done the Dinner. My girls are now 18 & 20 and this is still our must do place every trip! So I can't offer any info on the breakfast/lunch food but the Characters there are AMAZING!! We've gotten our best pictures there and they are always so much fun and for a character meal it has been way quieter than other characters meal restaurants. I'd go for a breakfast if you can get it before the park opens and then Soarin' right there is a bonus! Love this place!

 

[minnie mum]

If you are planning on Biergarten for dinner, I'd do GG for breakfast. Otherwise there's no way anyone would be hungry at dinner time. Maybe figure on just a snack or very light lunch.

Character interaction shouldn't be any different from meal to meal.

 

[cgh]

FWIW we went at 11:30 (I think the first lunch reservation) in January and it was fantastic. The restaurant was pretty empty and the characters came back 6 times. They were kind of babysitting our kids. (7 and 2). The kids would get up to talk to the characters and look at the surroundings and hug them, etc. It was the most relaxing character meal ever! We have not done breakfast, so can't speak to that at all. We are heading back in August and we are doing it again, same time.

 

[Woodmnky]

In our experience, character interaction is pretty consistent throughout the day. I really love GG dinner (pretty much the same menu as lunch), but breakfast was also really good and is a bit less expensive. I agree with others who have mentioned that with Biergarten for dinner, I would choose the breakfast option so that you have time to digest and can enjoy your dinner a bit more.

 

[MichelleWDWfan]

I had GG dinner once in the past. It was good. I have this awesome picture of Mickey photobombing me and Chip.
But I love the breakfast! The characters come around so fast, especially if you are eating between 8 & 9am.
Soarin opens early for GG diners... at least it did the morning we ate there our waiter told us it was open.

We are eating breakfast there this next trip in July.

 

[pooch]

The voice of dissent here. DD and I had lunch there in November because our beloved LTT was closed for refurb and the food looked similar. Not even close! Food was edible but not much more. Waitress was a mess, very inconsistent. Yes the characters were nice but we left feeling that was a hour+ of our lives we'd never get back.

 

[Mainemama]

Another vote for breakfast! Best breakfast of our last trip and the only one we are repeating on our next trip. In fact, my 11 year old requested no rides, but did want to eat breakfast at GG!