No Character meal with Mickey?

[pmama]

Well from what I have read it seems there is NO character meal with Mickey. Is this true? I'm trying to figure out where to celebrate DD's 5th birthday. I'm looking for something similar to Chef Mickey's at WDW. I wasn't as impressed w/ CM but the girls always talk about that dining experience. They loved the quality of characters and the fun interaction.

Am I correct in presuming that Goofy's Kitchen would be the closest counterpart in DLR?

I noticed "My Disneyland Birthday Party" where Mickey and Minnie show up. I realize that you do not receive a full meal but I'm wondering if she would enjoy the character interaction and celebration more here. The Mickey ears party hats look cute. Has anyone done this. Which would be more fun for a 5 year old?

 

[bumbershoot]

If there are no food issues (there are with us) and you don't mind the cost for a little cake for each of you (little), I would do the birthday party thing. People of all ages do it, and yes, as far as I have ever heard, Mickey is ONLY scheduled to show up at the birthday party.

 

[firefly87]

We did the birthday party when my son turned 4. It was cute & fun. Each person (I think it's about $16/person) got their own individual mini-cake with frosting & sprinkles to decorate. Mickey & Minnie came to the party and each child (or family) got to go up for a Meet & Greet. My son loved feeling special by having a b-day party in DL and we got some really cute pictures with Mickey & Minnie.

 

[Stacerita]

PP is correct. If you have to see Mickey and don't want to go to "the barn" then I would do the birthday party. He is not at no other meals.

 

[DizNee Luver]

This question makes me miss the Captain Mickey at Ariel's Grotto!!! We did that in 2005 & it really made an impact on my son (who was 3 at the time)

 

[Sherry E]

Well from what I have read it seems there is NO character meal with Mickey. Is this true? I'm trying to figure out where to celebrate DD's 5th birthday. I'm looking for something similar to Chef Mickey's at WDW. I wasn't as impressed w/ CM but the girls always talk about that dining experience. They loved the quality of characters and the fun interaction.

Am I correct in presuming that Goofy's Kitchen would be the closest counterpart in DLR?

I noticed "My Disneyland Birthday Party" where Mickey and Minnie show up. I realize that you do not receive a full meal but I'm wondering if she would enjoy the character interaction and celebration more here. The Mickey ears party hats look cute. Has anyone done this. Which would be more fun for a 5 year old?

1. I love Goofy's Kitchen (see Trip Report pictures), and although I have never been to WDW, from everything I have heard, yes, Goofy's is the one that is most comparable to Chef Mickey's in set-up (and Chef Mickey's is all you can eat, correct?), so you may want to skip it if you don't like CM too much. Sometimes Minnie will show up at Goofy's. Minnie and Friends - which is inside of DL - is not all you can eat (from what I have heard) and is more buffeteria style. Plus, I keep hearing mixed reviews on the food quality at Minnie's but the character selection seems great there. You may like that one. Most people agree that Goofy's food is great but some folks have had only so-so character interaction there, so Minnie's may be a better bet.

2. One time I was eating at Goofy's (years ago) and I specifically asked one of the servers (they bring the drinks only) why Mickey did not appear there "since we are in his house, basically." The server hemmed and hawed and finally said, "Well, I think there are some legal reasons why Mickey is not allowed to appear in certain places outside of the actual park, but I don't know all the details." Of course, as the years progressed, other character meals were added besides Goofy's Kitchen - outside of the parks and inside the parks - and Mickey appears at none of them! The most obvious place would be for him to show up at Minnie and Friends, but he isn't there either. Those darned legalities. And yes, you are probably wondering the same thing I am - why is it that Mickey can appear at character meals around the WDW resort but not at his home park of Disneyland??? I have NO idea, but there must be some stipulation in tiny print on a contract somewhere that prohibits him from character meal appearances!!

 

[Sherry E]

This question makes me miss the Captain Mickey at Ariel's Grotto!!! We did that in 2005 & it really made an impact on my son (who was 3 at the time)

Oooooh....was Mickey previously at Ariel's?? See #2 of the post I just did above, before this one^^. So he WAS at at least one DLR character meal that we know of, but not anymore! Hmmmm......

 

[Mike_M]

We did the birthday party when my son turned 4. It was cute & fun. Each person (I think it's about $16/person) got their own individual mini-cake with frosting & sprinkles to decorate. Mickey & Minnie came to the party and each child (or family) got to go up for a Meet & Greet. My son loved feeling special by having a b-day party in DL and we got some really cute pictures with Mickey & Minnie.

We did this too when my DS turned 5. I was really impressed that the Pat-E-Cake character made sure to visit every single table when we were decorating the cakes to visit with the kids and comment on the artwork of their cake. I don't remember how much it was for us but I thought it was a little pricey. Good enough that we'll do it again for our DD when she turns 5 but probably won't do it again after that.

Just so you know, there are a ton of things that get done for kids on their birthdays (A good chunk are free). Make sure to get a b-day pin as soon as you get in the park as that really is the key. At the Minnie and Friends breakfast, they got the whole place to sing happy birthday to our DS. He got picked to participate in a couple shows where he again got the happy b-day song. Free desert at Blue Bayou with candle to blow out. Pretty much, the whole day in the parks is a birthday celebration and is as close to perfect as can be. (At least it was for us )

 

[DizNee Luver]

Yes Ariel's Grotto used to host Capt Mickey & friends....here's a couple pics!!

My son had a blast at this meal & was sad to see it go!!!!

 

[carj]

I had the exact same question about Mickey!

Now that I know that he is at the birthday party, can we do that, even if it is not someone's birthday? I would assume that you could since you pay for the experience but I don't want to "cheat"!

 

[pmama]

Oh wow, what a bummer he is no longer at Ariel's Grotto. That would have been perfect. DD would love to be in anything named "Ariel" and getting to see Mickey too would be great.

I'd love to hear more about the birthday party with Mickey for those who have gone.

 

[pixiewings71]

Yes Ariel's Grotto used to host Capt Mickey & friends....here's a couple pics!!

My son had a blast at this meal & was sad to see it go!!!!

Oh bummer, I'm so sad they got rid of this one!!

 

[Sherry E]

Yes Ariel's Grotto used to host Capt Mickey & friends....here's a couple pics!!

My son had a blast at this meal & was sad to see it go!!!!

I would have been sad too (this must have been happening at DCA during the years that I couldn't go to DLR, between 2002 and 2006)!!! I cannot believe Mickey FINALLY appeared at a character meal after being legally forbidden to appear at the ones in the hotels for years, and then they took him away!!! I mean, I know the Princess meal that replaced it is hugely popular and people love that, but I would venture a guess that most people who love character meals (as we all do) want to see Mickey show up here and there!

And this one looks like it was a blast - Mickey is doing the limbo! How fun! I can see I would have loved that one!

 

[DizNee Luver]

We really loved this meal.....the limbo & dancing & screaming at the people being launched on Screamin'......very fun!!! We were seated on the patio, right next to where all the action was. They did a big congo line all over the patio & into the restaurant.

We did the princess breakfast when it was held at the Plaza Inn that year (2005). I actually liked it better there. We saw princesses, Tweedle Dee & Tweedle Dum, Mary Poppins, Fairy Godmother, Aladdin & the Beast. I think in all we saw 12 characters......it was GREAT!!

 

[kaleighmariesmom]

I was wondering how you go about doing the birthday thing with Minnie and Mickey?? I cant find the link anywhere!!!

 

[firefly87]

You call Disney Dining to put in your reservation. And I'm sorry, but I don't have their number handy.......

 

[DizNee Luver]

Disney Dining: 714-781-3463

 

[MonkeyDishwasher]

I'm pretty sure there's no "legal" reasons that Mickey isn't at the characters meals. Perhaps he's just a stand up kinda guy who likes to let his friends have the spotlight once in a while. Especially when hte meals are named after them, I'm sure he'd hate to steal their thunder on "their turf" (i.e. Goofy's Kitchen, Ohana Luau with Lilo and Stitch, Chip and Dale's Critter Breakfast, Minnie and Friends Breakfast at the Plaza Inn, Ariel's Grotto).

I think it's nice of him

 

[Sherry E]

I'm pretty sure there's no "legal" reasons that Mickey isn't at the characters meals. Perhaps he's just a stand up kinda guy who likes to let his friends have the spotlight once in a while. Especially when hte meals are named after them, I'm sure he'd hate to steal their thunder on "their turf" (i.e. Goofy's Kitchen, Ohana Luau with Lilo and Stitch, Chip and Dale's Critter Breakfast, Minnie and Friends Breakfast at the Plaza Inn, Ariel's Grotto).

I think it's nice of him

I only repeated what they told me at Goofy's Kitchen years ago, as to why Mickey couldn't appear outside of the parks at a character meal. They said "legal reasons." Who am I to question?!

 

[bumbershoot]

I was wondering how you go about doing the birthday thing with Minnie and Mickey?? I cant find the link anywhere!!!

It's the Pat E Cake birthday party. You can get to the page about it on disneyland.com by choosing the birthday celebration info.

I had the exact same question about Mickey!

Now that I know that he is at the birthday party, can we do that, even if it is not someone's birthday? I would assume that you could since you pay for the experience but I don't want to "cheat"!

Of course you can. If you want to celebrate a birthday and have the cash, go on, celebrate a birthday, even if it's not ON the birthday! The only thing you have to do ON the actual birthday, with proof of the birthday, is the special birthday admission/Fun Card/special fast pass thing they are doing in '09.

Who am I to question?!

An intelligent woman who is a Disney fan, who knows that CMs sometimes get a wee bit confuzzled.