Is Chef Mickey's really so bad??

[smallblackstars]

Thanks for the replies everyone!! I am going to keep my plans as they are and go. I just feel that everytime Chef Mickey's is mentioned a barrage of comments on how terrible it is follows. I don't really see how a buffet could be so bad, it is what it is. It was just a bit off putting reading how 'terrible' it was according to some. So glad I have all you lovely Disers to help with such things!!!

 

[Kristibo42]

We have been 4 times. Once with a group of 48 another with a group of 25 . Had a great time at all 4 times.

 

[pilferk]

We go every year.

The food isn't stellar...a half step above your local chain buffet place, maybe. But it's certainly edible and there are a ton of choices.

But the character experience and interaction is very good, and our kids have a blast. And for us, that's more than enough to make it worthwhile every trip.

If I want a GREAT buffet dinner at WDW, I go to Boma's. For characters...we go to Chef Mickeys and Crystal Palace.

 

[MrsDuck]

Chef Mickey's is our favorite restaurant and has been for YEARS. We love the atmosphere, the character interaction, and the variety of food. We go every trip we can.

 

[Freezing Cold B]

I know you already said you made your choice to go, but I wanted to add I have been probably around 15-20 times to Chef Mickeys. We started going back when it was at DTD. It is a must do for us every time we go. I'm a very picky eater, and I can always find something to eat. It's not the most spectacular thing I've ever eaten (that would be Nine Dragons at Epcot ), but it's not bad. It's what you would expect from a buffet targeting families.

 

[RachaelA]

We love Chef Mickey's for dinner. The characters are always awesome and the food is fine. We're not super fancy eaters so we know we'll always find something we like and they have pizza and grapes for DD since that's basically all she would eat on our trip last week

 

[Blessedwith3boys]

We love chef mickey!!! It was my 3 boys only restaurant request!! Eating there on our last night in september!

 

[Ilivetogo]

We had a great time at Chef Mickey's!! Go and enjoy it!


CM Sign by Ilivetogo toFL, on Flickr


CM Mickey by Ilivetogo toFL, on Flickr


CM RRsign by Ilivetogo toFL, on Flickr

Love the little food nameplates.


CM Butter sign by Ilivetogo toFL, on Flickr


CM Pluto close by Ilivetogo toFL, on Flickr


CM Donald Massage by Ilivetogo toFL, on Flickr



.

 

[rrkman]

It all comes down to personal preference, expectations, and your individual experiences there. My DW and I have grown to dislike it. It seems like mass chaos to us, the buffet is usually a mess and the dessert area looks like it was in a tornado. There is food all over everything and the characters are rushed to make it to all 4,000 (exaggeration) tables within the amount of time it should take someone to eat. And for some reason, we always seemed to be in the back, up behind the buffet.....so going to the bathroom means fighting through kids, food, characters, and down the steps....never a fun trip. And ADR or not, you're still waiting in a fairly long line just to check in.

But - our kids love it. Even my allergy DS likes it and it has never been overly great with his allergy options. Characters, various food choices, monorail, etc. appeal to kids.

I think seeing and experiencing it is a great idea. But with all the other great restaurants in WDW, it is far from a 'must do' restaurant for us.

And after reading my response, if people respected the place and watched their kids, it would probably be a decent choice.

 

[smallblackstars]

It's not the most spectacular thing I've ever eaten (that would be Nine Dragons at Epcot )

Oooh! We are doing Nine Dragons this time round. I have been many times before and never managed to get round to going but this time it's on our ADR List. I was already excited about going and you saying this is making me happy we decided to try it this time!

 

[smallblackstars]

I think seeing and experiencing it is a great idea. But with all the other great restaurants in WDW, it is far from a 'must do' restaurant for us.

For the experience I think it will be worth it. With our dining plan we have 20 TS and 20 QS meals each to eat our way through so we have plenty of other restaurant choices made. A lot of these are places I have never been so we have been looking into them and poor Chef Mickey's was the one that was getting all the bad comments so I was a little unsure. Still going to go now though!

Thanks again everyone for the input, it is very much appreciated!

 

[princessmocha]

We have always had good experiences at Chef Mickeys and our kids love it there and have requested it for our upcoming trip. Is it the best food Disney has to offer . . .No. But we have enjoyed it each and every time. I say give it a try.

 

[Freezing Cold B]

Oooh! We are doing Nine Dragons this time round. I have been many times before and never managed to get round to going but this time it's on our ADR List. I was already excited about going and you saying this is making me happy we decided to try it this time!

Be careful. No local Chinese restaurant can ever live up to Nine Dragons. It is spectacular. We always go, and have taken many people who agree it is the best. My mom, my boyfriend, my moms fiance, two of my cousins, and two of my close friends all agree it is the best Chinese food. I would personally rate it as one of the best restaurants I have ever been to, and I don't even really like Chinese food that much.

 

[Magic3forme]

We normally go once a year... it is our sons favorite place to go.

The food is decent, and we like having the characters come up to us.


the big smiles from our son is one of the reasons we go back!!

 

[mommy2paisley]

We have gone three different times and every time we say we will not return due to (in order of reasons) service, characters being WAY too quick, food just not that good.

If the character interaction was good, I'd overlook bad service and food that's less than so-so, but the characters have always rushed through our table (we've done two dinners and one breakfast). On top of that, the dinners, we were seated one time almost two hours past our reservation time, while I watched a couple people who were staying at Contemporary get a walk-up before us. And the service every time was HORRIBLE! We never got a drink refill at any of the times we ate there and never got a chance to ask our server. They took our drink orders then came back to give us our bill and that was it!

Chef Mickey's is one of the few places we just won't eat at!

 

[myzel]

Be careful. No local Chinese restaurant can ever live up to Nine Dragons.

Ahhh, you just have to be in the right area. A Chinese friend of mine took me to a place in Mississauga, it was a good thing he could speak the language. That being said , you're right it's easy to get spoiled and wonder what happen to the local cuisine when you get home.

 

[jcieutat]

Don't you see the characters enough in the park that you can actually get a good sit down meal!!!!!!!!!!!!! We have done all the dinner character buffets and this one is about the same. We never have/will do a breakfast buffet because I refuse to waste a TS credit or pay OOP for a $30 - $40 breakfast! If I am paying that kinda dough, I am eating steak!

 

[alice99]

I thought the food was horrible, and we were VERY rushed with the characters. We will never go back to Chef Mickeys.

DITTO!

Dinner food is GROSS!!

This location serves the worst slop on Disney property. That's no exaggeration.

 

[pmaurer74]

we love CM for both breakfast and dinner it is a must do for us.

 

[Micca]

We've been 3 times for dinner and it's been fine each time. Not outstanding. Just your average buffet with normally very good character interaction. It's cute and the food is edible.
We've always done it with free dining. I think my review would be completely different if I paid over $150 or more for the same experience.

I believe Pigletto has nailed it. It's "edible" and for the money you'd prefer something a notch or two above that.