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Garden Grill Dinner Epcot Character Meal Review

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Back in February, I booked the Garden Grill dinner at Epcot for me and my mom. This is a review of that experience.

Garden Grill Dinner

Garden Grill Dinner

There are a plethora of dining places to chose from at Epcot. In fact, it can be difficult to choose which restaurant to eat at. However, I know my mom prefers more classic or simple dishes. With that in mind, I booked the Garden Grill dinner on our Epcot day.

Technically, Disney calls this the Chip ‘n’ Dale Harvest Feast. It’s $55/adult and $36/child. The unique thing about this meal is that the restaurant rotates to give you views inside the Living with the Land ride! So, your view is constantly changing and giving you something new to look at.

The Characters

While dining here, you can expect to meet Mickey, Pluto, Chip and Dale! Mickey is adorable in his farmer outfit! The rest of the characters are in their normal attire. Each one comes to your table separately to take pictures and visit briefly. You are also given a card with their signatures on it (seen in my Instagram post below). They are all friendly, but move pretty quickly.

The Food

Most character meals, like in my Cape May Cafe Character Breakfast review, at Walt Disney World are a buffet. However, this one is a sit-down meal served family style. Due to that, I think the food is better. It’s not necessarily fancy food, but it’s consistently good. We also enjoy this variation because it’s less stressful than trying to grab a plate from the buffet while keeping an eye out for characters.

You begin the meal with a salad and rolls. The salad was ok, but I’m not a fan of dressing, so I wasn’t super into it. The rolls were good though.

Then, you are served a big pan of mains and sides. We received BBQ chicken, grilled beef with chimichurri, mashed potatoes, green beans, spoon bread, and a corn mixture. We also got a bowl of macaroni and cheese. We really enjoyed the chicken, mashed potatoes, and macaroni and cheese.

You finish the meal with a serving of berry short cake with whipped cream for dessert. My mom is super picky about fruits, but she likes most berries. So, this was the perfect ending to this meal. It was sweet without being too sweet.

Everything here tasted fresh. The quality of food was certainly better than what you would find on a buffet. It’s not groundbreaking, but it is tasty.

Is Garden Grill dinner worth it?

As always it’s difficult to determine somethings value. If you are looking for a character meal with better food, this is a great choice! If you have a picky eater, then again this is perfect! On the other hand, there are loads of more unique and interesting places to eat at in Epcot. So, if you want to try some new foods, I’d recommend looking elsewhere. Also, if you are on a tight budget, you should probably consider a quick service at Epcot or perhaps eat at a festival booth. Overall, it’s a fun character meal with good yet simple food.

Cape May Café Breakfast Character Meal Review

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Fall may be beginning, but if you are looking for a character meal with summertime vibes at Disney World, then I’ve got the meal for you! The Cape May Café breakfast is a character buffet meal at Disney’s Beach Club Resort. I ate here last December with my mom and I am happy to finally share my review.

Cape May Café Breakfast

Cape May Café Breakfast

Dinner at this location is a character-free seafood buffet. However, the Cape May Café breakfast is a beach-themed character dining buffet experience. In fact, Disney calls it Minnie’s Beach Bash Breakfast! So, you know it’s going to be a good beachy time! Admittedly, that good time does come at a cost with it being $45/adult and $29/child, plus tax and gratuity.

Before I get into the review of this restaurant, I want to disclose that this character meal holds a special place in my heart. This was technically my first character meal! I booked it for my solo stay at Disney’s Beach Club Resort during the Disney Social Media Moms 2016 Celebration. It was during this meal that I learned what all of the hype was about for these character meals!

The Characters

I was happy to discover that the characters’ outfits had been updated since the last time I dined here. The last time I was here, the characters were wearing more general nautical themed or ocean setting outfits. You can see in the Instagram post above from 2016 that Donald was wearing a fun spin on his classic outfit back then. In the post below, also from 2016, Minnie is wearing a swimsuit and seahorses on her cover up.

Now, the characters are wearing the appropriate attire for a day at the beach! As you can see in the more recent photos below, Donald is sporting a striped undershirt and a beachy button up shirt over it. He also seems pretty happy with his hat! Daisy and Minnie are both wearing summery dresses. Goofy is wearing a shirt and swim trunks! Everyone looks perfect for a beach bash!

I have to commend all of the characters for being perfect each time I’ve eaten here. The interactions are fun and priceless! This was my first character meal ever as well as my first real character meal after the pandemic. There’s just something about the vibes here that make it special.

The Food

I have to admit, even the food is better here now! The meal started with some tasty salted caramel “beach buns” with a vanilla cream. My mom and I may have asked for seconds of these! I was tickled to discover that you can get pog juice here now too!

The buffet features a good variety of foods to choose from. It’s one of the few places you can get Mickey and Minnie waffles! My mom appreciated the omelet station, while I enjoyed an eggs benedict. I felt like this meal was a more elevated dining experience than some other basic breakfasts on property.

Is The Cape May Café Breakfast Worth It?

I always struggle to determine if something is worth the money or not. However, I will say that this was a good meal with characters. I will add one caveat to eating here: the location. The Skyliner has made it much easier to get here now, but it still might not be worth the hassle of coming/going for some folks. Due to the location, it seems to have availability when some other character meals may not. I think it’s worth it if you want a fun breakfast with characters. If you are on a tight budget, short on time, or not going to be staying or visiting the Skyliner/Epcot area, then it’s probably not worth it for you.

Amatista Cookhouse Review – Breakfast and Dinner

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I figured I would do an Amatista Cookhouse review since it’s one of the few restaurants at Universal Orlando that I’ve had the pleasure of enjoying both breakfast and dinner from. This review will provide a look at both meals as well as a look at some of the options for the Magical Dining promotion happening right now.

Amatista Cookhouse Review

Amatista Cookhouse Review

The Amatista Cookhouse is the main dining option (sit down meal) at the Loews Sapphire Falls Resort at Universal Orlando. I previously mentioned the good food here in my Loews Sapphire Falls Resort Review. However, I was also able to partake in their dinner during the Magical Dining promotion last fall while staying at Aventura Resort. This review will focus on both of those experiences for dinner and the one morning I had breakfast here.

Breakfast

My mom and I had breakfast here one morning in February 2023. It’s a breakfast buffet with lots of fresh donuts/pastries, some meats and cheeses, fruits, pancakes, as well as an omelet station. We were particularly impressed with the freshness of the donuts. I also liked the quality of the meats and cheeses. The omelet was tasty too! Unfortunately, I was disappointed with the “biscuits” as they were more akin to dry little rolls than biscuits.

At almost $30/each, it is a bit pricey. However, most things were tasty and you can’t leave hungry. I think this meal is ideal for a leisurely non-park morning.

You can view some of our breakfast food if you swipe through my pictures in this Instagram post.

Dinner

I feel like dinner is where this restaurant really shines. I’ve eaten dinner here twice and had a good meal each time. The most recent occasion (seen above) started with a delicious basket of assorted rolls. I love the cheese rolls, but my mom isn’t a big fan of cheese. So, there’s more for me!

For an entrée, I chose the half mojo marinated rotisserie chicken. It was a juicy chicken with a good flavor from the spices and two sauces. For my sides, I went with the pink beans for something different. Honestly, they tasted like regular beans to me. I also got the platanos maduros, which are fried bananas. They were fun and a sweet addition to my meal.

Lastly, my mom and I split a dessert. We got the caramel apple breading pudding. The accompanying pumpkin spice ice cream made this a creamy treat that would be perfect for fall.

Overall, this was a good and filling meal. I will admit the service was a little slow though. So, maybe don’t eat here if you are in a hurry.

Magical Dining

Another reason I’m posting this review now is because between now and October 1st, you can eat here and enjoy the Magical Dining promo! Magical Dining is Orlando’s culinary special that allows people to eat a three course meal for either $40 or $60 at select restaurants! Plus, up to $2 goes to charity! So, it’s a good way to save some money on food while giving back! Last fall, we happened to eat here during the promo and enjoyed our meal! This restaurant’s menu is $40 for the promo, which saves you at least a few dollars depending on which items you select.

For my appetizer, I selected the ancho chile chicken empanadas. I really liked these. They were too spicy for my mom though. My mom chose the queso for her appetizer, which we both enjoyed. I got the salmon for an entrée and my mom got the steak. Both dishes were perfectly cooked and tasty. My mom got the dark chocolate mousse with raspberry, which unfortunately isn’t an option for Magical Dining this year. However, it was good if you like dark chocolate. I got the Caribbean rum cake, which was really good and I highly recommend it. You can see pictures of our food from this meal in the Instagram post above.

Is Amatista Cookhouse Worth It?

Personally, I feel the food is much better at dinner than breakfast here. However, I think you need to make sure you have enough time to eat here as it’s not exactly a quick meal. Also, it tends to be a pricier meal. So, if you are on a tight budget, it might be best to stick to a grab and go option elsewhere. It is a good option for a tasty, leisurely meal for adults.

Mt. Airy Food Guide for Mayberry North Carolina

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I have to admit, one of my favorite things about traveling is the eating! Having returned from my trip in which I stayed in Andy Griffith’s Homeplace, I thought I would create a little Mt. Airy Food Guide!

Mt. Airy Food Guide

Mt. Airy Food Guide

Before I get into this guide, I think it’s important to point out a few facts. For starters, this will lean into the Mayberry experience in Mt. Airy, North Carolina. As in, I will recommend the restaurants on Main Street whenever possible. However, the area tends to keep limited hours. For instance, I do not recommend visiting on a Sunday as most places are closed on Sundays. Due to the limited hours of operation, I will be breaking this guide down based on meals.

Mt. Airy Breakfast

Breakfast can be a bit of a hassle to find in Mt. Airy, particularly on Sundays. My first recommendation is for a restaurant a little removed from Main Street. Rusty Rooster is open for breakfast and lunch everyday of the week! In fact, we had breakfast here on Sunday before heading home. My mom and I split an order of biscuits and gravy as well as a croissant French toast! The biscuits and gravy were tasty! It was definitely better than the theme park food we’ve been eating. The croissant French toast was a fun spin on a classic as well. Overall, it was a good meal at a neat restaurant.

Snappy Lunch and Barney’s Cafe are on Main Street and technically offer breakfast as well. However, they do not serve breakfast on Sundays. Fun fact: Snappy Lunch is the only real Mt. Airy business mentioned on “The Andy Griffith Show”! Unfortunately, I didn’t get a chance to sample either of their breakfast offerings this trip. However, they seem like great places to grab some!

Mayberry Lunch

If you really want the Mayberry experience, then you have to eat lunch at Snappy Lunch! Andy Griffith used to eat lunch here as a kid! In fact, the restaurant is celebrating 100 years in 2023! We were lucky enough to eat lunch here on a Saturday with no wait. We had to sample their famous pork chop sandwiches! I wasn’t really looking forward to it, but man was I surprised! It actually made me like pork chop! The addition of chili and coleslaw added moisture and depth of flavor to a typically boring meat! Plus, it was only about $5! My mom and I were both very impressed with Snappy Lunch. I feel like I must point out the limited hours of Snappy Lunch. They close at 1:45 PM on weekdays and 1:15 PM on Saturday. I recommend eating here early.

I’m sad that I didn’t have time to also try Barney’s Cafe on this trip. It seems like a quaint little spot with tasty dishes. However, it closes at 4 PM and we didn’t have stomach space by that time yet. If I ever go back and eat here, I will update this post to include pictures.

Dinner

Dinner can be another difficult meal to find in Mt. Airy. We ended up eating over by the mall for both of our dinners due to the timing. Our first night in Mt. Airy, we ate at Aunt Bea’s BBQ. I know it’s not the same Aunt Bee as from the show, but it was a nice start to the trip anyways. Once again, we were pleased with the affordable prices and tasty meal. The BBQ really hit the spot. Plus, who doesn’t enjoy macaroni and cheese or a biscuit! They are also open for breakfast and lunch, if you are looking for something to eat during those meals.

I don’t have pictures of it, but on Saturday night we ate at Libby Hill for dinner. Granted, this is a small local chain restaurant not related to Mayberry. However, it is a restaurant that my mom used to eat at with my grandma and dad. It features very affordable fish meals. I got baked shrimp skewers here and was pleased.

October 2023 Update: My husband and I visited the highly recommended restaurant 13 Bones for dinner and were pleased. They serve ribs, steak, and seafood.

Snacks and Desserts

Anyone who knows me knows that I can’t visit a location without knowing about their baked goods! This trip was no different. In fact, I had to restrain myself from trying or purchasing additional baked goods in Mt. Airy. My favorite place for sweet treats here had to be Prudence McCabe Confections! The owner is a lovely human being and we had a nice chat on my visit.

I should point out that technically, this is two businesses at one location. The Prudence McCabe Confections is mainly the chocolate goodies. The baked goods come from Twilight Farm Shoppe. Her cupcakes and bars were really good! My husband and I loved her lime bar, strawberry lemonade bar, and blueberry lemonade bar. I highly recommend stopping here if you visit Mt. Airy. In fact, maybe take something home or for the road from here.

If candy is more your thing, you can stop by Opie’s Candy Store. It’s a cute little old time candy shop with a nod to the show with the name.

Tasty and Affordable

While you will need to check store hours to enjoy a trip here, you can find lots of good and affordable food here. So, what do you think of my Mt. Airy food guide? Did I leave out your favorite place?

Storytellers Cafe Brunch Disneyland Character Meal Review

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During my trip to Disneyland Resort in May, I jumped at the chance to enjoy Storytellers Cafe brunch with characters! Here is my review of that experience to help you decide if it’s worth the money and time for your family.

Storytellers Cafe Brunch

Storytellers Cafe Brunch

There are four different character dining experiences at the Disneyland Resort. A few weeks ago, I reviewed Goofy’s Kitchen breakfast (which I also liked). For this meal, I opted to get brunch instead of breakfast as it’s only available on the weekends and who doesn’t love brunch? Plus, it was only $2 more expensive than breakfast ($51 vs $49). However, I will admit it was a little late for this Eastern Time girl to wait to eat. Brunch starts at 11:00 AM, Pacific Time. So, to me it was 2:00 PM. Nonetheless, it was an enjoyable experience.

The Restaurant

Storytellers Cafe is located at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa. This made it the perfect location for my DCA morning. With its direct park entrance, I was able to rope drop DCA and ride several rides there. Then, I wandered over to the resort and had brunch. So, I highly recommend this restaurant for a DCA day. Also, I really enjoyed the Craftsman-style theme of the restaurant. It fit perfectly with the resort’s theme and was a nice break from the hustle and bustle of the park. In fact, I almost didn’t mind waiting for my table while enjoying the hotel’s lobby and scenery.

Brunch Food

The food here is really good. It has a nice assortment of foods to try on the buffet, plus they allow you to order select things from the kitchen. I tried some raspberry beignets, which were more like donuts. They were tasty though. I also got a cheeseburger slider and fries from the kitchen. It was ok.

I really liked the buffet food. There was a really good pasta dish that I got a second serving of. I also enjoyed the bread pudding and selection of pastries from the buffet. Everything was fresh and a step above the food you typically find on a buffet at Walt Disney World.

The Characters

I enjoyed seeing the characters in their adorable outfits! They were dressed for an adventure! I loved that Mickey actually sat down at my table at one point since I was by myself. All of them were happy to let me take photos of them as well as selfies with me. Additionally, they did a little dance around the restaurant at one point. I missed seeing Pluto, but I got to meet Mickey, Minnie, Chip and Dale during my meal!

Is Storytellers Cafe brunch worth it?

While $51 is an expensive meal, it was a fun and unique experience. I will admit that I had to wait a good while to be seated as well. However, the food was good and the character interactions were great. I think if I dine here again, I will probably try breakfast as the brunch was a little late for this East Coaster. Have you ever eaten here? What was your experience like?