Studio 365 and Character breakfasts

[canadian_ehngel]

First, I'll ask about Studio 365.
What are the prices like? Comparable to Bibbidy Bobbidi Boutique? If anyone has a price list or something and what it entails, I would really appreciate it. My 4-year-old is really into princesses, but she's also into Hannah Montana type shows. So any info about it would be really appreciated. Any pictures or links to other threads would also be appreciated. Thanks!
ETA: Is it even geared towards a 4-year-old? Or should I just stick with Bibbidy Bobbidi Boutique?

Character breakfasts. Where would you recommend? I'm having some troubles talking my husband into paying those prices to have breakfast at these places. I do know that some places are cheaper than others. Do children under a certain age eat free at all the places? Or just some? Do you know the prices for the different places? Do they ALL have the same sort of buffet? Serve the same food? I was thinking about possibly doing breakfast with Chip n Dale, because the prices were slightly better (from what I've heard), but I don't know whether they serve the same food. My daughter would really love to eat at Goofy's Kitchen, but I'm not sure whether my husband would go for paying more money. Again, any pics or links to threads would be appreciated. Also any preferred places to eat (character dining) would be appreciated.
We'll be travelling to LA on March 31 (myself, my husband, my 4-yr-old daughter, 1-yr-old daughter, my mom, my grandmother and my 16-yr-old brother) until April 7. Me, my mom, grandma and brother have been to DLR and Goofy's Kitchen, but not since 1998/1999. Thanks again!!

 

[melbarkwith]

First, I'll ask about Studio 365.
What are the prices like? Comparable to Bibbidy Bobbidi Boutique? If anyone has a price list or something and what it entails, I would really appreciate it. My 4-year-old is really into princesses, but she's also into Hannah Montana type shows. So any info about it would be really appreciated. Any pictures or links to other threads would also be appreciated. Thanks!
ETA: Is it even geared towards a 4-year-old? Or should I just stick with Bibbidy Bobbidi Boutique?

If I recall correctly, the prices at Studio 365 were very similar to the BBB (maybe a little less). I gave my DD's the choice between the two, and they went for studio 365 (ages 8 & 6). My 3.5YO did not want a bar of either place!
I think that we paid around $30 for hair, including two coloured pieces of their choice, make-up, a press conference(!!!), photo shoot, photo lanyard and a free photo download from the photopass site. It was definitely better than I expected.

 

[Sherry E]

Check out post #338 and post #339 of page 23 of Disneynerd420's Trip Report for some recent, fantastic Goofy's Kitchen breakfast/brunch food photos:

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2268157&page=23

And here is the link to our Character Meal photo & info thread, so you can see which characters have been popping up at which restaurants lately:

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2234435


Goofy's is and has always been my favorite - for years - and it has the widest variety of food in the buffet out of all the character meals (which is why it is more money). It is considered "premium dining," as is Ariel's Grotto Princess meal. Ariel's is premium, I think, because of the types of unique food available more than the volume of it.

Minnie and Friends has the most characters onsite, but there are always mixed reviews of the food quality. It is cheaper than Goofy's by quite a bit, falling close to the $25 range, I think.

Storyteller's Critter Breakfast has menu orders or buffet, but the buffet is pretty limited and the menu orders are pretty expensive. It is a calm, laid back character meal.

The new Surf's Up with Mickey meal at the PPH is the only one where Mickey can be found, and it is buffet-only (again, not as much of a variety as at Goofy's).

So I would say that if having a lot of different food items to choose from is important to you along with 5 - 8 characters, go to Goofy's. You enjoyed it before, you will enjoy it again. If meeting the most characters (including Pooh and the gang) is important to you, go to Minnie & Friends. If having the option to order buffet or from the menu is important, go to the Critter Breakfast. If you want to meet Mickey, head over to Surf's Up with Mickey. And if you want to dine with Princesses, go to Ariel's Grotto! (Ariel's and Goofy's are the most expensive, with Surf's Up falling in close behind right after that!)

 

[Princess Row]

Honestly we have done all of the character breakfasts.
We feel minnies is the best for the characters, they arnt characters you will find everywhere. We have also never had a problem with food and we have been there 3-4 times a year.

Ariels usually has 5-6 princesses at a time and we eat there every single time also but we hate the food there.

Goofys we used to do all the time maybe twice a trip but we found the food to just not be good anymore. However the characters there are also good.

We havent been to the most recent breakfast (mickey and friends) but we did go to Lilo and Stitch and found the characters spend alot more time with you there and is the best place to find Daisy. Shes not that easy to find int he parks. The food there i would reccomend.

Storytellers would be my last pick. Although the food is good there the characters arnt the best. We only saw three characters both times we were there and just didnt care for the place. However all the reviews i see we find people love it.

All the food is mostly the same except ariels. Like i said minnies is my first pick and has the most characters. If you have any other questions feel free to ask. ~Rochelle

 

[Sherry E]

I should say that the last meal I had at Storytellers Critter Breakfast in October (I got the buffet) was not good. Like Princess Row, that has never been my favorite character meal. I like the restaurant itself more for the non-character meals later in the day. However, the food has been better the other times I have eaten at the Critter Breakfast prior to this last time. But as Princess Row said, a lot of people love the food there and the whole Critter Breakfast in general, so I don't put too much stock in the fact that the last meal I had was lackluster. It kind of all boils down to personal taste and opinion, and also the fact that I believe all of the restaurants in DLR - character meals and otherwise - have 'off days' here and there, and also days when the food is superb.

I have always enjoyed the food - both the wide variety and the quality - at Goofys, so much so that I would be happy eating there even if only a few characters were there. Sure, I have been there a couple of times in 17 years when the food was not as good or as fresh as other times (those were the 'off days'), but the last meal I had there in December was sooooooo yummy, and the food was fresher and better than the last several meals I have had there. Even though my friends love Goofy's, it is hard to convince someone to spend that kind of money on a meal.

But, hands down, it appears that Minnie & Friends has the most characters - and the most inconsistent food quality reviews (I have heard that the eggs taste like powder, I have heard that the food is cold, and then other people say the food is great at Minnie & Friends!). I would like to try it at some point because I love the Pooh characters, but I can't see that I would ever give up Goofy's for Minnie's! I would probably just fold Minnie & Friends into the plans in addition to Goofy's! (I also really want to try the Surf's Up with Mickey meal becase I love Mickey, and as Princess Row said, Daisy is there and she is hard to find!!)