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Chef Mickey’s Character Dinner Review

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Back in February, my mom and I enjoyed Chef Mickey’s character dinner at the Contemporary Resort at Walt Disney World. We used a table service credit to dine here, so I thought I would share if we thought it was worth it.

Chef Mickey's Character Dinner

Chef Mickey’s Character Dinner

My mom and I first ate here years ago. Since then, my mom has brought it up several times. My mom loves character dining and enjoys the options of a buffet. It just so happens that most character meals are a great use of a dining plan table service credit. So, since we had the plan this trip and we attended the Magic Kingdom After Hours Event, it seemed like a good time to dine here again for dinner.

For those who don’t know, this is a character buffet meal located at the Contemporary Resort. That makes it walking distance to Magic Kingdom and a great dinner option for an After Hours Event. It costs $66/adult for dinner, which makes it excellent use of a dining credit! We also got some adult beverages, which further increased the value. Although, I always wish I had just gotten a fancy milkshake or smoothie as the drinks at Disney are too strong for me.

The Characters

Given that it’s called Chef Mickey’s, it’s no surprise that the characters here are all dressed like chefs! We had an early dinner reservation and subsequently saw the characters in a rapid fire fashion as they came out. First up, was Goofy, followed by Pluto. Then, we saw Donald Duck and Mickey Mouse himself! Lastly, we saw Minnie Mouse. The staff here are great at making sure everyone meets every character as we had two cast members ask us if we had seen everyone. That doesn’t happen at every meal, so I appreciated that touch.

Most character meals tend to be loud and boisterous. This is no different. I think the location of the restaurant in the middle of the resort makes it a touch louder though. Nonetheless, it’s a fun time if you enjoy meeting characters.

The Food

As this is a buffet meal, the food is plentiful with lots of options. I enjoyed the Asian noodles, macaroni and cheese, mashed potatoes, salad, pasta, and salmon. The breadstick was dry and a little hard. I will admit none of these are particularly exciting dishes or groundbreaking. So, if you are looking for something a little different or perhaps a better quality, then I recommend looking elsewhere.

I will say that I enjoyed trying the various desserts. I probably should have looked prior to starting as I quickly filled up my plate. I really enjoyed the cannoli tart with Chef Mickey’s chocolate on top. I also enjoyed a strawberry lemonade mini cake. There was also a cookies and cream dessert that I liked. The mini Minnie and Donald cupcakes looked adorable, but were pretty basic. The warm apple crisp was also basic but nice.

Overall, the food was ok. I wouldn’t visit for the food alone.

Is Chef Mickey’s Character Dinner Worth It?

As with any character meal, it’s expensive. I think it’s definitely worth a table service credit though. Honestly, I would be very hesitant to pay $66 for it out of pocket. The food was fine but not amazing. The characters were cute but a little rushed. If you have kids or a character lover in your party, then it’s probably a hit. If you have adults with a refined palate and no need for characters, you can probably save your money to eat elsewhere.

Have you ever eaten here?

Crystal Palace Character Breakfast Review

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Back in October, my husband and I enjoyed the Crystal Palace character breakfast in Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World! Today, I am sharing our review of that experience.

Crystal Palace Character Breakfast

Crystal Palace Character Breakfast

My husband and I grew up watching Winnie the Pooh cartoons and movies. I’ve been lucky enough to meet Pooh and friends a couple of times. However, my husband hasn’t been with me on those prior trips to Disney. We initially had this meal booked for a March 2020 trip. However, that trip was cancelled due to Covid when the resort shut down. We’ve been slowly making up reservations from that trip with each return visit, including trying Topolino’s Terrace Character Breakfast on this trip as well. So, I was tickled to finally check off Crystal Palace with my husband so he could meet these characters!

For those who don’t know, Crystal Palace is a greenhouse-inspired with Victorian touches restaurant right off Main Street in the Magic Kingdom. It features a buffet and Winnie the Pooh characters!

Breakfast Food

I booked a late breakfast reservation for 10:15 AM. Breakfast is cheaper than lunch and dinner, at $48/adult vs $61/adult. However, as with my Tusker House Breakfast Review, they start switching out the food from breakfast to lunch around 10:45 AM. So, we got to enjoy a little bit of both meals for the price of breakfast!

The one item they are known for here during breakfast is the churro Mickey waffles! I made sure to grab one as soon as I hit up the buffet to make sure I didn’t miss it. It’s a sweet, cinnamon waffle that’s unique as most other locations only serve regular Mickey waffles. So, if you are looking for a character meal with a little bit different menu, this may be a good spot. You can view more of my food in the Instagram post below.

The Characters

Being two grown adults, my husband and I try not to take too much of the characters’ time. This was a pretty fast character meal though. First up was Piglet. He’s so pink and cute! Next up, it was Tigger who is a brighter orange than you would think. Then, it was Eeyore! He was extra cute as he came up behind my seated husband and played a bit of peek-a-boo with him. Haha! That was probably the stand out memory from this meal. I loved the pictures I managed to get of my husband and Eeyore.

Currently, Winnie the Pooh does not come around to the tables to meet you. You get in line to meet him at the end of your meal, before you leave the restaurant. Thankfully, we didn’t have to wait too long to meet him. There’s a cast member there to take photos, which made it the only character photo we got together. I thought it was a nice touch.

Is Crystal Palace character breakfast worth it?

As with any character meal, it’s an expensive meal. Aside from the much hyped churro waffles, I wouldn’t say any of the food stood out. However, you don’t really go here for the food. Besides, the food options in Magic Kingdom can be lackluster anyways. If you are a fan of Pooh and friends, then this is a great option. If you are looking for a sit down breakfast at MK, then it’s also not a bad idea. I wouldn’t recommend this place for someone on a tight budget though.

So, have you enjoyed the Crystal Palace character breakfast?

Topolino’s Terrace Character Breakfast Review

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I’ve now had the opportunity to try Topolino’s Terrace character breakfast twice! I first went in October 2023 with my husband and then again a few weeks ago with my mom. So, I thought it was time to finally write my review!

Topolino's Terrace Character Breakfast

Topolino’s Terrace Character Breakfast

Topolino’s Terrace is the signature dining restaurant at the top of the Riviera Resort. For dinner, it is a fancy signature dining experience. However, for breakfast it is a top tier character dining experience! To correspond with the French Riviera theme of the resort, it’s the Breakfast a la Art with Mickey and Friends meal! The views out over the resort and surrounding Orlando area makes for a unique dining experience.

The Characters

As I stated above, this is an art themed meal. So, Mickey is dressed as a painter with an apron and paintbrushes. Minnie is a poet dressed in papers as a dress. Daisy is a dancer. Donald is a sculptor. It’s so cute to see the different outfits on the characters. Plus, there’s a song that plays from time to time and then the characters dance around the room.

The four characters come around to each table to take pictures. The characters have had us stay in our seats both times I’ve eaten here. I think that maximizes the space of the restaurant and probably keeps things moving quickly. However, it doesn’t feel rushed. I think the seated meal makes it feel more peaceful and relaxing than a buffet. I enjoy not having to worry about missing a character while getting food.

The Food

Given that this is a plated meal and not a buffet, I think the meal is a much better quality. I think it also helps that it’s a signature dinner location. You begin the meal with a paint bucket full of pastries that includes croissants, mini muffins, and cinnamon apple muffins. They also include butter, Nutella, and strawberry jam to top your pastries with. I enjoy mixing and matching them.

Both times I have selected the sour cream waffles for my entree. I have been pleased both times. The second time I opted for the plant based sausage, but it’s a little dry and crumbly. The orange maple syrup adds more depth and flavor to the meal. The cream is a nice touch as well. I tried my husband’s quiche in October and it was really good too. I doubt there’s a bad entree here to be honest. Although, I have heard the bread pudding is a touch dry.

Is Topolino’s Terrace Character Breakfast worth it?

As with any other character dining experience, this is an expensive meal. It’s currently $49/adult and $30/child. My husband and I paid for the meal out of pocket in October and found it to be worth it. The food was really good and plentiful. Plus, the location and views were amazing. My mom wasn’t as convinced. We used the dining plan in February 2024 and she said she wouldn’t pay out of pocket for it. I guess it depends on what you want from a meal. My husband values food quality, taste, and ambiance more than characters. My mom likes to sample things from a buffet and see characters. I think she prefers the Cape May Cafe for character breakfast.

So, have you ever eaten here?

Akershus Princess Breakfast Review at Epcot

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Back in December, my mom and I enjoyed the Akershus princess breakfast at Epcot for our Candlelight Processional Dining Package. In my earlier post, I promised a full review of the meal. So, here’s my post detailing that experience.

Akershus Princess Breakfast

Akershus Princess Breakfast

Akershus Royal Banquet Hall is a character dining experience located in Norway in the World Showcase at Epcot. They serve breakfast as well as lunch and dinner here. Breakfast is cheaper, as is usually the case with character meals. Regardless of the meal booked, you will be meeting five princesses. They tend to rotate the princesses, so you never know which ones you will be meeting.

The Food

Given that this restaurant is located in Norway, the food features a few Norwegian inspired dishes as well as some classic American foods. I think they strike a nice balance between giving you something new to try and pleasing the picky eaters that visit character meals.

Previously, this was a buffet meal. However, these days it’s a family-style meal wherein the food and princesses are brought to your table in quick succession. In fact, we had all of our food and had seen all 5 princesses within 30 minutes of arriving at our table!

You begin the meal with a plate of pastries and charcuterie. The pastries were pretty basic. Not bad, but nothing wowed us. I enjoyed trying some Norwegian cheese, along with a fish dip that I can’t recall what it was, and a lingonberry jam. We also received a bowl of fresh fruit at this point. This was quickly followed by a giant plate of the mains! We had Norwegian waffles, which actually tasted a little bit different than the regular Disney waffles! There was also scrambled eggs, sausage, and bacon! Plus, there was a tasty potato and cheese casserole!

Since you are allowed to request extras, we ended up getting additional waffles. They were really good. The potato casserole was also a standout for me. It reminded me a bit of the potato casserole my family makes for the holidays. However, instead of using hashbrowns, they use chunks of potatoes and a fancier cheese. Overall, it was a pretty good meal that left my mom and I full.

The Characters

As I stated above, this is a fast moving meal! Within 30 minutes of being seated, we had seen all 5 princesses! Granted we are two adults who try not to take too much time with characters. However, they move at a quick pace! While I never felt rushed with the princesses, it wasn’t exactly a relaxing meal either. We enjoyed the banter with the princesses since they are face characters. In fact, we talked to Snow White above having seen the Seven Dwarfs at Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party a few nights prior. So, that was a neat interaction! The princesses are lovely, but it’s not a leisurely meal.

Akershus Breakfast Overall

This is one of only two princess meals at Walt Disney World. The other is Cinderella’s Royal Table at Magic Kingdom and is even more expensive. So, if you have a big princess fan but want to save a few bucks, then this a good option. Additionally, it’s great to meet several princesses without having to wait in any lines. The food is also better than at some other character meals on property. Although, it does mean you will start your day at Epcot full of food. So, that is a trade off here. My mom and I enjoyed our experience here, even though it was a quick one.

Boatwright’s Dining Hall Review

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When my mom and I stayed in the princess rooms at Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – Riverside in December 2023, we had dinner at the table service restaurant, Boatwright’s Dining Hall, located at the resort. Here’s a review of that experience.

Boatwright's Dining Hall Review

Boatwright’s Dining Hall

Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – Riverside is a moderate resort. It has a quick service food court as well as this table service, i.e. sit-down restaurant. It’s a southern cookery with a Louisiana bayou theme. In fact, there’s a hull of a boat suspended from the ceiling in the front of the restaurant! The dark lighting makes for a relaxing vibe. The fireplace adds to the calming atmosphere. Eating here after wandering around the large resort really makes it feel like you are in the southern US.

No Reservation

I recommend making an advanced dining reservation for 99% of the table service restaurants at Walt Disney World. However, I wasn’t sure if we would eat here or not. So, I didn’t make a reservation for this meal. Thankfully, they were able to accommodate us within 10 minutes of our arrival without any trouble. In fact, the restaurant didn’t look full. So, this may be one of the few restaurants that you can get into without a reservation pretty safely.

Dinner

My mom and I enjoyed the cornbread and Mickey-shaped butter we received upon sitting down. The cornbread is really sweet though. In fact, I saved some for the end of the meal as a makeshift dessert! It was good.

I wanted to embrace the whole vibe of this resort and restaurant. So, I selected the Taste of the Bayou entree. It’s technically an all you care to enjoy meal, but I was too full to ask for seconds of anything. First up, I tried the ribs. The BBQ was sweet and tasty. However, the meat was a little too fatty for my liking. Next, I tried the Cajun chicken. It had a nice breading (not overly crunchy, but a little crispy). It had a bit of a kick, but not too much. I enjoyed it. I also liked the smoked sausage. It was also a little spicy, but not overly so. Unfortunately, the barbecued beef brisket wasn’t for me. Again, the meat was fatty.

The sides were also plentiful here. The macaroni and cheese was good. Somewhat basic, but still good. The mashed potatoes were fine. I liked the green beans. They were a little salty without being too salty. The corn was fine but a little dry.

My mom got the prime rib. I was shocked with how big it was. It was easily a couple of serving sizes worth of meat! She enjoyed it thoroughly. The broccoli was basic and fine. She also liked the mashed potatoes.

Boatwright’s Dining Hall Overall

Basically, it was nice to have a relaxing dinner at our resort. The food was good, but not great. I wouldn’t recommend traveling over to the resort just to eat here. It’s good for someone already staying at the resort though if you don’t want the quick service or don’t have time to go over to Disney Springs.