help me decide on character breakfast

[northshoremama]

we booked through costco travel for the first time and a character breakfast is included.

originally i planned to do goofy's. we had a great time back in 2008 and saw many characters, but since learned that there are only 5 characters at goofy's...is this true?

we did ariel's last december 2015 (all 3 DDs loved it) and plaza inn back in december 2014 (my youngest DD was afraid of rafiki, but i'm sure she'd be okay now). the only 2 we haven't tried yet are Storyteller's in GCH and Surf's Up in PPH.

i'm trying to make the most of my time in the parks and looking at my itinerary, i wanted to do breakfast on a wednesday, but also make the most of EMH at DCA. unfortunately, the hours for the park for 9/21 are not up yet, so i'm not sure if i should do breakfast before or after EMH.

of course....i could always do plaza inn again on a thursday after MM in DL.

anywhoo.....i don't want to walk over to DLH for goofy's if i'm only going to see 5 characters. i'm thinking we should do either storyteller's or surf's up.

any feedback? any input?

 

[mom2rtk]

Yes, Goofy's will be very different from last time you were there. We used to meet 8 or 9 characters there, now it's just 5, and the same 5 regardless of when you visit (Goofy out front, Minnie, Chip, Dale and Pluto inside).

Storyteller's is nice, but I think only 3 or 4 characters.

That all leaves Plaza Inn my hands down favorite.

 

[OneThree]

We booked through Costco also and chose Goofy's one, because we are staying at the DLH and two, because they had the earliest available time which will allow us to have breakfast and still get to the park right around the start of EMH.

I have not heard anything about there being only five characters though. Pretty much every review on any character breakfast I've read seemed to suggest the number of characters, and who was there, is all over the map.

 

[mom2rtk]

I have not heard anything about there being only five characters though. Pretty much every review on any character breakfast I've read seemed to suggest the number of characters, and who was there, is all over the map.

What you read was unfortunately outdated. It was still random (both number and selection) on our 12/2014 trip but changed to the set 5 sometime before our 10/2015 trip.

 

[OneThree]

What you read was unfortunately outdated. It was still random (both number and selection) on our 12/2014 trip but changed to the set 5 sometime before our 10/2015 trip.

Good to know. Is the number of characters limited and set for all the breakfasts to include Plaza?

 

[BriannaRuth]

If making the most of your time is the most important thing to you, I would do one of the hotel breakfasts before the park opens. What hotel are you staying at?

If seeing characters is more important, I'd do the latest breakfast reservation possible at Plaza Inn on Thursday after EMH. Or maybe 20 minutes or so before the latest.

 

[Baklava]

Surf's Up was a lot of fun for breakfast, but we booked it on our departure day so as not to eat into park time.

Plaza PPO was great, but if you can't do PPO, I'd do a dinner somewhere instead.

 

[tlovesdis]

I think Surf's Up, Goofy's and Storyteller's are set characters (about 5 at each). Ariel's varies on which princesses you see, but usually you see about 5.

Plaza Inn is our favorite. We usually see anywhere from 9-12 characters and each time there are 2 or 3 we haven't seen before. There are the standards every time...Minnie, Pooh, eyeore, Captain Hook, fairy Godmother, Rafiki, Tigger, and Chip & Dale. This time we also saw Max and Perla.

 

[Imagineer5]

Surf's Up was a lot of fun for breakfast, but we booked it on our departure day so as not to eat into park time.

Plaza PPO was great, but if you can't do PPO, I'd do a dinner somewhere instead.

How are you getting a PPO bf? I have been checking for times but it seems to always open up after the park opens. Thanks!

 

[tlovesdis]

How are you getting a PPO bf? I have been checking for times but it seems to always open up after the park opens. Thanks!

PPO times are only available during MM. So it's not really pre-opening since MMers are int he park, but it's PPO for regular time opening. So if MM is at 7am, the first available time is 710 (we always do this as we have AP's and don't get MM). By the time we are finished, it's 8 and the park is open to all!

 

[northshoremama]

hmmmmm....i'm thinking maybe we should do storyteller's the morning of our departure. we are staying at the GCH...so if we do the first reservation for storyteller's, rest a bit, then do a pool day at GCH. maybe we can ask for late check out and even if they say no, i believe the restrooms in the pool area at GCH has shower facilities so we could just get ready there (leave our luggage with bell service). then be out of GCH by 12:30pm to head into DTD for lunch and back at GCH for our shuttle to SNA around 3:30pm for our 5:30pm flight.

does that sound do-able?

 

[madasax12]

we have done Goofy's and Surfs Up - We like goofy's because we stay at DLH and as for the characters it is not only those 5....Hook and Snow white were there as well when we did breakfast.

 

[Ratherbeatdisneyland]

We did Goofy's Kitchen for dinner years ago, and it was by far my favorite. But if it's changed, then that is sad. We did Plaza Inn for breakfast last year and it was really really disappointing. We sat down I guess in a spot where the characters couldn't really get to. Not knowing that before hand. We saw 3 characters. And they didn't even hang around that long. If we did it again we would for sure pick a different area to sit in. But I am not sure why they don't have all the tables accessible to all the characters. We are booked for Surf's Up next month. Really hopeful that it's decent! My son is REALLY in to getting a picture and autograph right now.

 

[GatorChris]

DON'T do Storytellers. The food is alright but the character interaction certainly wasn't what I had hoped for. With Meeko, Kenai and the chipmunks, it should've been a hoot, but it wasn't even close.

Surf's Up at PCH Grill has Mickey Mouse in it. That alone is worth it! Plus it's different characters like Stich and Daisy. I think Pluto was there and someone else, though I can't remember now. I remember the food being a good solid breakfast.

 

[Ratherbeatdisneyland]

Ahhh man I just realized we are doing storyteller's not surf's up. Where/when is surf's up? Might have to change our reservation!

 

[jammyjam25]

Ahhh man I just realized we are doing storyteller's not surf's up. Where/when is surf's up? Might have to change our reservation!

Surf's Up is at the Paradise Pier Hotel!

 

[PatMcDuck]

We saw 12 characters at the Plaza breakfast, this past February, and I loved it. We did Surfs Up dinner and was not impressed, not sure about breakfast (it was characters for dinner because Goofy's was still closed for renovation).

 

[courtneybeth]

Storytellers is amazing and we loved the food and the character interaction. We had plenty of time with the characters since it was empty when we went at 8am and almost had to shoo the characters away because they were bothering us from eating

 

[Ratherbeatdisneyland]

It all just seems so hit or miss...

 

[northshoremama]

We at staying at GCH. How far is the walk to PPH if we did Surf's Up?