Dining with Mickey

[SallyMcQueen]

I need advice/suggestions. We will finally be returning WDW in February. Yeah!!! This will be the second time for my DD 8 and the first time for DS 4. I've promised each a character meal. The boy wants to eat with Mickey, no if, ands or buts about it. So, I'm torn. We really aren't breakfast people so from what I can tell my options are Chef Mickey's, Cape May or Garden Grill for dinner. I've looked at menus for all of them and frankly all look fine to me. Any suggestions, comments or opinions would be greatly appreciated.

[McLiberal8]

If your kid wants Mickey - give him Mickey! :mickey:
I would go with Chef Mickey's. He is the 'chef', after all! Your son will probably love the food even better, knowing that!

[KylesMom]

As an FYI, Mickey is not at Cape May for dinner. It is a seafood buffet without characters. Chef Mickey's or Garden Grill are your choices if you want an evening meal. You could also opt for a very late Chef Mickey breakfast, making it a "brunch".

We hadn't eaten at Chef Mickey's for dinner in a couple of years, although when DS was your son's age, it used to be an annual trek. We aren't breakfast people either, but it's been more of an economical choice so we do Chef Mickey's for breakfast each trip now that DS is older. We were pleasantly surprised at how well the dinner went . DH is a very picky eater and loved it this time around (as did DS)! We used to really enjoy Garden Grill for lunch, but a few rounds of so-so service, coupled with the fact that they removed the lunch rotation, had us return to Chef Mickey's for dinner.

I think your son would love either place to dine with Mickey, but we highly recommend Chef Mickey's!

[DisneyMom12]

I would go with Garden Grill. It's a hidden gem IMO, and the character interaction can't be beat. The food is great as well. You could then ride Living with the Land so they could see where all the good food came from.

[ibelieveindisneymagic]

We are also Garden Grill fans.

We like that when you're seating (especially on the lower level), it is like you're all by yourself ... not too loud or crazy at all.

The character interaction is superb! More than once we've had the characters come by so often we were sick of them. Mickey spends tons of time at the table, even sitting down and "colouring" with DD one time.

The food choices are more limited at Garden Grill, since it is a set menu, served family style. But, there are kids options and we've always enjoyed the food.

[wdwfansince75]

Several times, we have done Chef Mickey's on our first night...got ADR's for an early dinner seating, and those who wanted to (almost all) then went to the MK...Food and characters were great. We have long been fans of CM, and its predecessor (in the same location) the Contemporary Cafe. Our photo albums have pictures of our DK's and DGK's at all ages at the character meals at that location...
We also did Garden Grill, and loved being able to just sit and eat, and have lots of character visits...It is almost like a private setting. Food was great...all the DGK's loved even the catfish. Chip (or was it Dale) use the serving trays to play the part of a Hidden Mickey...and Mickey spent time with each of our DGK's...Either is a great choice.

[MstngDrvnDsnyLvr]

Love the Garden Grill, Kids LOVED the Garden Grill. They also loved the breakfast at Tusker House in AK.

[wickedgin]

We love, love, love Garden Grill. However, Garden Grill makes me think of Chip & Dale, not Mickey (Mickey's there, but C&D are the stars here, IMO). For a Mickey lover, I think Chef Mickey's is the way to go--but I don't think you'll be disappointed by either. :)

[AgentC]

I have done both. If the prime goal is character interaction with Mickey I would probably do the Garden Grill especially if it is your son's first interaction with characters. It was the first meal we did with my son at around 2.

Garden Grill has Mickey in farmer's costume, Pluto, Chip and Dale. The meal paced is leisurely and tables are semi circle booths that give a feeling of privacy. When we have been the characters have generally come around 3-4 times during the meals and interactions are not rushed. Food is family style.

Chef Mickey's has Mickey, Donald, Pluto, Goofy and Minnie. Tables are spread across an open floor plan subdivided into smaller rooms. Chef Mickey's is fun, vibrant and loud. I think there is usually a character parade too.

We have had fun at both. I would go with the one you think fits your son's personality best. Foodwise, I think it is really a toss up. Both are okay. Nothing spectacular. It is really about the characters. :mickey:

If you are willing to consider a late breakfast /brunch, you can expand your options to Tusker House and Ohanas.

Whichever you choose, I am sure your son will love it. My kids have never complained about a character meal. :)

[CzepielCrew]

Definitely Chef Mickey's. The full Mickey experience.

[WDWForever]

In my Aug 2011 trip, we did breakfasts at Ohana, Tusker House and Chef Mickey. Of the three, Ohana is always our favorite. Besides Mickey there is Pluto, Lilo and Stitch in Hawaiian outfits. A difference to the other two is that you are served your food as much as you want family style. So you’re at your table the whole time and don’t have to worry about missing them when the characters come out. Pluto was just finishing at our table when the parade started so he took both my girls by hand and walked with them the whole parade. So cute. Chef Mickeys is a buffet and fun with the napkin-waving celebration they do as a great place to see all the main characters (Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Pluto and Donald). Tusker House is a buffet but this time it seemed the characters (Mickey, Goofy and Daisy in their safari outfits. Donald before you sit down) were rushing through the tables. Tusker House was nice because we got into AK before opening. I don’t think you can wrong with either of them, maybe it will come down to which other characters you want to see also.

Cape May Café breakfast only has Minnie, Goofy and Donald in beach type outfits. You can also try to eat with Mickey at the beginning of the trip and then surprise him maybe on your last day with another character meal.

[mydisneygirls]

Chef Mickey's!

[diz_girl]

I think that there is also Mickey's Backyard BBQ at Fort Wilderness. It's a dinner show rather than a character meal, but you still get to meet Mickey.

EDIT - It's not held in February. Forget I mentioned anything.