Which to keep? Sanaa vs. Chef Mickey's

[GoldenOwner]

Which would you keep Sanaa dinner (right at/before sunset) or Chef Mickey's dinner? It will be myself, my DH, and our two girls (4yo and 2yo). This is for our last night (we will still have CRT breakfast the next AM). For the record, we have 8 other TS meals planned (Akershus, H&V, Teppan Edo, Garden Grill, Tusker House, Crystal Palace, 'Ohana, and CRT). I am really wanting to try Sanaa but second guessing with the kids!

 

[StClair]

The kids would enjoy the Chef Mickey, haven't been to the other restaurant. Our 7 and 5 grandsons were with us.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

Go to Sanaa. You already have a lot of character overlap and character meals -- you'll have Mickey at Garden Grill and Tusker House, and maybe Ohana if you're eating breakfast not dinner. Akershus and CRT are both princesses. H&V is either the fab 5 (dinner) or Dinsey Junior. CP is Pooh and friends.

You have overlap with everyone save Minnie without Chef Icky, unless your H&V is dinner. In which case you already have Minnie too.

 

[Average Joes]

I have not been to Chef Mickey's. However, the food at Sanaa is among the best we have had in Disney. My 4 and 7 year old girls liked it. We are going back to AKL on a more modest budget and Sanaa is only one of two TS meals we are doing over 5 days. Even at 4 and 2 my kids did not seem too enthusiastic for more characters at the end of the trip. Like Aurora said you are already seeing a lot of characters not including the various meet and greets you might do. If you are not staying at AKL it would be a good time to walk around to look for animals pre/post dinner.

 

[hedberg1661]

I would keep Sanaa. Great food. You have other character meals so I don't think the kids will be "missing out".

 

[vettegirl]

Sanaa all the way!!

 

[OKW Lover]

Another vote for Sanaa. I'd suggest a bit before sunset since the windows become more like mirrors once it gets dark out. Also, get there early so you can spend sometime outside watching the animals before your ADR.

 

[hallen4]

We LOVED Sanaa when we went last October. Food was wonderful. Even my picky 2 year old ate.

 

[Barbydoll8]

Sanaa hands down. The food is incredible. CM is all about the characters. While some love the food, it's really meh and you already have several character meals planned.CM's is also loud & hectic (some people like that). Sanaa is none of those things and food is one of the best on property IMO.

 

[mello]

For the kids, probably Chef Mickey's. Though I would go for Sanaa, personally, since the food is MUCH better and the atmosphere is very nice and peaceful compared to CM's. You do have lots of character meals, though, and kids do enjoy looking at the animals out Sanaa's windows. But, if you've never done CM's with your kids, I'd say do it once. And once is enough!

 

[leebee]

Sanaa. The food at Chef Mickey's is just not good, and the place is always a mess. Last time we were there, the buffet area smelled like old garbage from all the mess on the floor. You have plenty of other character meals! Eat somewhere decent- you'll thank yourself that you did!

(On the DIS podcast about top 5 best restaurants in WDW, Sanaa made onto one of the broadcaster's top 5 list!)

 

[Minniemoo15]

We did both last year with our 2.5yo and hands down my vote would be for Sanaa. She loved watching the animals and the food was excellent.

Chef Mickey's was not as good as I had remembered it (I used to go yearly as a child myself). The giant sundae bar that I adored was gone and the food was blah. DD was also very scared of the characters which I didn't anticipate. So all in all, CM was a bust for us, as much as I wanted to love it. It just didn't live up to the fond 90's memories I have of it !

 

[GoldenOwner]

Another vote for Sanaa. I'd suggest a bit before sunset since the windows become more like mirrors once it gets dark out. Also, get there early so you can spend sometime outside watching the animals before your ADR.

Great! Sanaa it is. We've got a 5:00 ADR and sunset iso 5:30 so hopefully I've timed it right!