The best character breakfast...?

[DumbosMagicFeather]

My friend's mom is set on having a character breakfast one of the days, and I'm in charge of finding out which breakfast is the best to go to. What's everyone's opinion on which is best (with food quality, character interaction, price, etc.), between Minnie and Friends, Lilo and Stitch, Ariel's Grotto Princess Breakfast, Goofy's Kitchen, and Chip 'n Dale's Critter Breakfast?

 

[Raindown]

I think it really depends on who you want to meet. A place can have amazing food, interaction, or atmosphere, but if you aren't 'into' the characters you will be visiting with it just won't be fun IMO. I'd chat with your group and perhaps find out which characters people would enjoy meeting.

 

[Sherry E]

First, you may want to begin by checking out our character meal photo & info thread, filled with lots of great pictures that will show you which characters to expect at the different character meals:

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


This subject of the best character meal will elicit many different opinions, and none of them are wrong or right. There is really no absolute answer one way or the other. Much of it is based on personal preferences in food, atmosphere and characters, and much of it is based on what was happening at the restaurants on the given days people ate there (maybe it was an 'off day'). Some folks want the most characters, and food quality or variety is secondary. Some folks (like myself) want a nice balance of a handful of characters and great food. Some folks just want whichever meal is the least expensive.

I can tell you that Ariel's Grotto (all Princesses) and Goofy's Kitchen (mixture of furry characters and Princesses) are both considered "Premium Dining" by DLR. They both serve character dinners. Ariel's actually serves breakfast, lunch and dinner, and has several interesting menu items that are a bit more upscale. Goofy's serves breakfast/brunch and dinner, and has a very wide variety of things to choose from in the buffet.

Goofy's Kitchen is my longtime favorite - I love the characters, the character interaction and the food.

Many people love Minnie & Friends because it has the most characters out of all the meals. There are consistently mixed reviews of the food, however. But the characters are bountiful.

Surf's Up with Mickey and Friends is the only meal where you will find Mickey and Daisy Duck, as well as Stitch and a couple of others. The buffet is not as large as Goofy's, but they have a few Asian and Latin-inspired dishes, so it gives it a unique and interesting flair.

Storytellers Critter breakfast features many of the woodsy/jungly Disney characters, and offers a nice, relaxed, laid back atmosphere in contrast to the high octane fun of Goofy's, Minnie's or Surf's Up. You also have the option of getting the small buffet or order off the menu - but, in my opinion, the buffet is the better deal money-wise, as the menu items are costly in comparison.

 

[CaptDadSparrow]

I've only been to two. One at the Crystal Palace and one at Princess Storybook Dining at Akershus Royal Banquet Hall . I LOVED the breakfast buffet at the Crystal Palace. The Character's were Poo and friends. They did a great job. Dd loved it.

Princess Storybook Dining at Akershus Royal Banquet Hall had most of the main princesses. I wasn't a fan of the food, but to see Dd's reaction to seeing Belle and the others brought a tear to this Disdad tough-guy. I get chocked up just thinking about it.

CM are WELL trained where ever you go. So I'd like to think there is no way to pick a bad location.

Kind regards,

 

[Sherry E]

I don't know if anyone has posted extensive photos of the food at the other character breakfasts in DLR anywhere on the DIS, but Disneynerd420 did a fine job of capturing the Goofy's Kitchen breakfast/brunch offerings on camera. Here is Page 23 of his TR - check out Post #338 and Post #339:

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

 

[jenniferrose]

I've only been to two. One at the Crystal Palace and one at Princess Storybook Dining at Akershus Royal Banquet Hall . I LOVED the breakfast buffet at the Crystal Palace. The Character's were Poo and friends. They did a great job. Dd loved it.

Princess Storybook Dining at Akershus Royal Banquet Hall had most of the main princesses. I wasn't a fan of the food, but to see Dd's reaction to seeing Belle and the others brought a tear to this Disdad tough-guy. I get chocked up just thinking about it.

CM are WELL trained where ever you go. So I'd like to think there is no way to pick a bad location.

Kind regards,

I assume you are talking about WDW, not DL? If not, where are these places you speak of??

 

[DumbosMagicFeather]

Thank you for the advice everyone! I'm almost thinking of suggesting two places so everyone can get their preference in...maybe Goofy's for breakfast, and Ariel's for lunch...

Also, I thought the Crystal Palace was in WDW too. Am I mistaken?

 

[jernysgirl]

I assume you are talking about WDW, not DL? If not, where are these places you speak of??

Thank you for the advice everyone! I'm almost thinking of suggesting two places so everyone can get their preference in...maybe Goofy's for breakfast, and Ariel's for lunch...

Also, I thought the Crystal Palace was in WDW too. Am I mistaken?

Both Crystal Palace and Akershus are in WDW.

 

[DaisyLuvr]

This is just my opinion, but I have done all the character meals in the last 9 months on various trips.
The number one on my list is Minnie and Friends and it's for a number of reasons.
1. It's in the park so I can do a Magic Morning or anything else and not have to leave for a meal.
2. More characters than any meal by far, we had more then 12 the last time we were there and have never had less than 10.
3. Price is the best
4. The only restaurant I didn't have to ask to get my button.

If I were to rank them I would have done Lilo and Stitch next, it was AMAZING, but it's now been replaced with Mickey and Friends to draw people over there and it's very busy now so the character interaction isn't as long as it was with Lilo and Stitch. When it was Lilo and Stich I literally got to eat with Daisy Duck (my favorite charcater) and spend tons of time with them all. We also got great large group shots with all the characters too!
The new Mickey Breakfast though is the only meal that Mickey is at so if that is a priority then I would say go here, the servers and food is great.

After that I would say Goofy's Kitchen. I know most people would disagree, but I really prefered their dinner to breakfast. But this is a preferance thing! Great meal and service no matter what!

We really loved the characters at Storytellers, but the food was subpar and the wait staff was not friendly. This could have been a one time thing, but my niece said she would rather go to Minnie and Friends or to Mickey and Friends for breakfast next time and save money. (She is 10)

Finally, I think Ariel's grotto is overrated. I have eaten here 3 times for dinner/lunch and 2 times for breakfast and I MUCH prefered their old menu and so did the kids I was traveling with. The only reason you would get me back here is for a little girl who was very into princesses.

All in all you have to weigh out what you think is the best for your family. We have found that Minnie and Friends serves us nicely, but it's up to you! Let us know what you end up doing though! And... post pictures!!!

And above all... HAVE FUN!!!

 

[mommy2allyandaveri]

Minnie's, hands down. We have done Goofy's several times and really haven't had great experiences and likely will not be returning. On our last trip we went to Goofy's for breakfast, we had finished our mean (probably about 45 min) and had yet to see 1 character. It was very disappointing. We ended up sitting there and just waiting and saw 2-3 characters I think. We paid a lot of money for that experience and it just wasn't worth it at all.

At Minnie's we have always had TONS off character interaction. I would say upwards of 10 characters per trip. We have never once had a negative experience there.

 

[daneenm]

It is always interesting to me the different experiences we all have. In my opinion, Storyteller's is FAR superior to Minnie's. We tried Minnie's for the first time last trip and I found the food to be just short of inedible. The characters were good, but that was the only thing it had going for it. Our experiences at Storyteller's (several over the years) was that the food was very good, the character interaction was good but they were more of the woodland type characters. It has been several years since we ate at Goofy's but I remember it being OK. I would rank them: Storytellers, Goofys then Minnies.

We have heard good things about Minnie's at dinner so I might give it one more chance to see if we have better luck, but I will not be back for breakfast.

 

[Vala]

Just to let you know, Minnie's isn't a character meal for dinner.

I agree with you by the way, when you consider food only Minnie definitely ranks last for me as well. Haven't tried Surf's Up yet (I heard there were menu changes), but Minnie was last by far.

Our first trip there went very bad with both food and character interaction. We gave it a second chance because my friend liked the omelets, and this time at least the character interaction was way better.

 

[Sherry E]

It is always interesting to me the different experiences we all have. In my opinion, Storyteller's is FAR superior to Minnie's. We tried Minnie's for the first time last trip and I found the food to be just short of inedible. The characters were good, but that was the only thing it had going for it. Our experiences at Storyteller's (several over the years) was that the food was very good, the character interaction was good but they were more of the woodland type characters. It has been several years since we ate at Goofy's but I remember it being OK. I would rank them: Storytellers, Goofys then Minnies.

We have heard good things about Minnie's at dinner so I might give it one more chance to see if we have better luck, but I will not be back for breakfast.

Only Goofy's and Ariel's have the character dinners.

What you are saying about the food at Minnie & Friends is pretty much what seems to be a common opinion (though some folks do like it). I think they can get by with maybe serving food that is not as great because they have so many characters there, whereas Goofy's has (from most accounts) better food, quality-wise and certainly as far as variety goes, than Minnie's. So because of the variety and quality of food items at Goofy's, I guess they cut back on the characters by a few. Although, the last time I was at Goofy's, there were about 8 characters on the premises - a couple over on one side of the restaurant and the rest on our side - so that was a pretty good day.

I have had mixed experiences at Storytellers Critter Breakfast. I love Chip and Dale but I can see them at Goofy's. I don't care about Koda and Kenai, really. Last time I ate at the Critter Breakfast, the food was not good. But I have been there other times when the food was much better, so I knew it was just an 'off day.'

It is very interesting to hear all the different opinions, however, and that we can all go to the same places and end up having different experiences on different days.

 

[tholczer]

It is always interesting to me the different experiences we all have. In my opinion, Storyteller's is FAR superior to Minnie's. We tried Minnie's for the first time last trip and I found the food to be just short of inedible. The characters were good, but that was the only thing it had going for it. Our experiences at Storyteller's (several over the years) was that the food was very good, the character interaction was good but they were more of the woodland type characters. It has been several years since we ate at Goofy's but I remember it being OK. I would rank them: Storytellers, Goofys then Minnies..

I have to agree that Minnie's food is nearly inedible. None of us ate much because it was so bad. But the character interaction was the best. They came around constantly and we got loads of pictures.

I've been to Storyteller's for dinner and the food wasn't good there either. But we did have the buffet and I've been told the menu items are better. Haven't tried Goofy's, but the reviews seem more consistent there.

Have fun wherever you go!

Tracy

 

[jescal75]

We did Minnie & Friends this past Fri and have done Storytellers twice. I like Minnie & Friends better the variety of food is not as big as Storytellers but the food was fine at Minnies they have everything you need for breakfast and honestly it's pretty hard to mess up breakfast foods.
The kids LOVED it they saw lots of character's some they hadn't seen in the parks before so they were excited. I liked the set up of the food (different stations). Plus you can't beat the location
At story tellers the buffet ends up turning in to a long line so if it's a busy you end you end up waiting in line a lot.