Need a strategy for getting into Chef Mickey's Character Breakfast on 9/28

[GuyCai]

Hello all-
Longtime lurker, finally took the dive and became a member here. Everyone
seems really great on these boards.

Anyhoo, my family and I are headed to WDW on 9/26 for a week and I was a little late to the reservations game and could only get a character breakfast reservation for the Beach Club, when we prefer Chef Mickeys.

I was wondering if anyone had a good strategy for getting a reservation once the day comes. Can you just walk in? I've been to several over the years but always had a reservation. I have been calling reservations every few days just in case something opens up, but no dice.

If we are stuck with the Beach Club CB, it will be ok. Has anyone done the CB there? Any good?

This is the first trip to WDW with our 4 year old twin girls. My 7 year old has already been and my wife and I are on our 12th trip. (Not including my biz trips that take me to Orlando and I always sneak in a park day).

Any advice you can offer is greatly appreciated!

 

[jamaunt]

First of all, welcome!

I never tried walk up with Chef Mickey's. You'll be there after free dining so you might get lucky.

I can tell you to try again once you arrive. I've had good luck getting ADRs through concierge in the hotels. We even got CRT one time by checking at Town Hall on Main Street in MK.

We did the character breakfast a few years ago at Beach Club. We really enjoyed it. IMHO, it's a little more quiet than other buffets. The characters were dressed in beach clothes. We were going to eat there last month but ran out of table service credits on the DDP. I think you'd enjoy it.

 

[daisyduck123]

We've been to the character breakfast at Cap May Cafe several times...the most recent being July 28th. DD & DS always have a great time there & the food is very good. Your girls will enjoy it.

They even give the kids crayons to color on the paper tablecloth.

 

[newtodis]

Good luck!! We're leaving in just under two weeks and I had a reservation at CM's that magically (or not so much) got deleted for me after being disconntected by an unhelpful CM. I've been trying since then, daily (sometimes several times a day) to get ANY character meal for several different dates/times. The only character meal we have is Tusker House. I was hoping for CM's as we ate their on our last trip (1st trip) and wanted to continue with it.

I plan on continuing to call as many times as I can get in between now and then as well as calling while we're there and stalking the conceriege desk. Hoepfully we'll be able to get in there or another character meal.

Good luck!!!

 

[LisaInNc]

I would not think that you will be able to walk up and get into Chef Mickey's it's during Free Dining and that restaurant is usually difficult to get into but during free dining it's going to be a madhouse.

 

[maggieb9975]

Any ADR's that are cancelled are not updated in the system until overnight...the absolutely best time to call WDW dining is at EXACTLY 7:00 am ...that is when you may have a chance ..call everyday.....push the button that says you are a local or arriving in 7 days so you don't have to do the stupid survey about how many times you visited Disney. When you get a CM quickly but politely say what you need....

Worth a try....good luck

 

[MDMagicMom]

Any ADR's that are cancelled are not updated in the system until overnight...the absolutely best time to call WDW dining is at EXACTLY 7:00 am ...that is when you may have a chance ..call everyday.....push the button that says you are a local or arriving in 7 days so you don't have to do the stupid survey about how many times you visited Disney. When you get a CM quickly but politely say what you need....

Worth a try....good luck

Really!?! I didn't know that! I've been trying to change my ADR for my arrival date to an earlier time but didn't know that the best time to call is first thing in the am. Good advice!

 

[BostonMom]

While you are there CM is doing lunches to provide extra ADRs for the free dining period. Have you considered or asked for a lunch reservation?

 

[Sandy321]

last year during free dining Crystal Palace in the MK took walk - ups - great food, fun characters..

just a thought

 

[MickeyNicki]

We love love love the character breakfast Cape May at the Beach Club. It is awesome! I have a ton of pics of the buffet in my March/April link. Minnie, Goofy, Chip and Dale are in their bathing suits, the food is fantastic, the character interaction is the best, the atmosphere is much quieter and calmer than at Chef MIckeys

If you feel that Chef M is a must I suggest going when they open at 7am...that seems to be the only time to sneak into a place is when it first opens

 

[GuyCai]

Thanks for all the great responses!
I guess I'll have to be a little more militant about calling the next few weeks.
One more question. Are there a lot of characters at the Cape May CB? From some of the sites and books I've read it almost makes it seem like there is no Mickey at Cape May. That can't be true, can it?

 

[Lisa Anne Colling]

Even during free dining walk ups to popular spots like Chef Mickeys aren't out of the question. Like a previous poster said reservations are canceled last minute and there is always no shows. We had friends decide to join us last minute on a trip during free dining. We had made a reservation for dinner at Chef Mickey's and they came over with us about 1/2 hour before it opened to see about getting a table. They were about the 5th in line and not only did they get a table, but they were even seated before us and we had a reservation. They thought that was funny. And by Disney Magic or what ever we ended up seating side by each with out saying a word to the Cm's that we were together. So if you have your heart set on it, get over very early, be very friendly and understanding, be flexiable and have a back up plan!
Good Luck!

 

[Lisa Anne Colling]

I missed saying, as well, that at the Cape May Breakfast the characters are usually Goofy, Chip and Dale and Minnie all dressed up ready for the beach. I don't recall Mickey now that you mention it, but could be wrong. The food has always been very good witha large selection to choose from.