Mickey Backyard BBQ

[margot31]

Can someone please tell me what it is all about? Would a 2.5 year old enjoy it? We always did HDDMR and thought with mickey this might be better for our son.

 

[shellyj]

We went to the BBQ in 2014 and we're going back again next year. We had kids from 2-6 and they all loved it. The seating is picnic tables so the kids can get up and move a little bit. The characters come out to designated areas and dance with the kids. The food is kid friendly. The choices are limited, but there are a good number of buffet lines so you're not in line too long. The rope guy was very cool.
We went on our arrival night and it was a great opener to the trip.

 

[Mrspeaks]

We have gone two times and going again in the fall. My dds are 4 &2. They love it. Dancing with the characters is so fun!

 

[ComixGirl]

Our family went to Mickey's Backyard BBQ two years ago (my kids were 2.5 and 4 at the time) and we all thought it was such a fun experience, and a really nice way to wind down after a busy day at the parks. The food is fairly standard- but you don't go for the food, it's about the overall experience and I think Disney did a great job putting together a fun entertaining evening. If you like typical BBQ/picnic food you won't be disappointed by any means- it's a buffet with BBQ chicken and ribs, hot dogs, cornbread, mac and cheese, corn on the cob, watermelon, and I think a garden salad (not that I eat a lot of salad on vacation lol). They also had a really yummy build-your-own strawberry shortcake, and my kids loved the Mickey ice cream pops. They also offer lemonade, punch, ice tea, and domestic beer and a few wine offerings for the adults.

The atmosphere is lively and fun, the musical performers are great, and you get to see your favorite Disney characters decked out in some really cute Western-inspired outfits. There are picnic tables for your family to sit at, and it's a big enough place that you don't feel like you're on top of other people- we sat in one of the last picnic tables in the back and could still see the stage and hear the music with no issues, and there was always a character stationed nearby. The characters come out and dance with the kids (my rascals loved this!), and between Mickey, Minnie, Chip, Dale and Goofy, your little ones will get the opportunity for a lot of character interaction- it's just such a great place for kids to cut loose, dance around, have fun, and burn off energy- my kids slept well that night for sure. lol It's outside, but it's a covered pavilion so if there's a stray sprinkle or two you're protected.

My one complaint is the time it takes to get out to the BBQ and back- we had a rental car for this particular vacation, so we parked at the resort and took the bus, but the bus ride there and back just seemed to take a really, really long time- and there's literally no other way to get there and back other than their buses (this is not an event where you can just park your car and walk up to). If you don't have a rental car, you're going to have to take a bus to a bus, or the boat to a bus, and this cuts in to your vacation time a bit. I think this event is popular enough that it can justify Disney adding a few more buses with a little more frequency (either that or maybe we just had a night where the transportation was off a little).

Overall I think whether you're paying out of pocket or using dining credits, it's a good value- you get Disney characters and the opportunity for some cute photo ops and interaction, live entertainment, and a decent enough buffet with unlimited drinks. Even with the transportation issue, we'd be open to going back again because the kids just loved it!

 

[Rockislander]

How long is the evening? I read somewhere it goes from 6:30-9pm (a 5:30 start for category 1 ppl) -- this seems long, can anyone confirm? TIA!

 

[DWillowBay]

How long is the evening? I read somewhere it goes from 6:30-9pm (a 5:30 start for category 1 ppl) -- this seems long, can anyone confirm? TIA!

You can leave when you need to leave. The food is served buffet style throughout the event and the characters stay and dance with the kids...until they leave. But there's no reason you couldn't leave earlier, if you need to. We loved this experience, but at some point I was like..."ok... Tell Mickey 'sweet dreams' and we'll see him tomorrow!"

 

[Rockislander]

You can leave when you need to leave. The food is served buffet style throughout the event and the characters stay and dance with the kids...until they leave. But there's no reason you couldn't leave earlier, if you need to. We loved this experience, but at some point I was like..."ok... Tell Mickey 'sweet dreams' and we'll see him tomorrow!"

Ok good, glad to know we won't be missing a show or something if we leave early.

 

[Barbydoll8]

Please keep in mind that the characters DO NOT come to you. You must initiate contact with them through the event. They dance in the center of the pavilion and on the ends of it. I found the interaction fantastic but it is something that you and your child must get up to do. If you have a very shy child, this could be a consideration.
I found it geared towards younger children (8 & under). Food is the same as Trails End.