Character Meal Breakfast Inquiry

[surfsupdon]

The facts!

We have to decide on a breakfast location for our family of four (kids 20,21), two grandmothers, and an aunt, 7 total.

My family of four has only had a character experience at Chef Mickeys, delicious and great, character meals will be new to the remaining three.


The Options!

Norway Princess Breakfast
1900 Park Fare
Chef Mickey's, again
YOUR favorite place (no Pooh characters allowed)

We would really like some face characters to interact with the grandmothers and all, yet those first two options seem to have such a limited menu when compared to Chef Mickey's.

SO maybe we will do Chef Mickey's again b/c it was so great and has well-known characters.
But the Norway breakfast is very tempting due to its character line-up, as well.

Any suggestions??!!!

Thanks WDWMagic-ers, you really are the best. Almost 90 days away to start making our PS's for New Years week. :xmas:

Have a really great rest of day
-donnie

I edited to add this below!
I just read that Donald's Breakfastosaurus has its characters dressed in Christmas garb. Is this true? If that is the case, this may def. be the best option b/c it has the big named characters AND they are dressed up, which is always nice. Also, if I remember correctly, isn't this sort of an interactive dining place, with the waitstaff playing along, being boisterous and fun?? If so, we'd be all over that.
If you could let me know, please, I'd highly appreciate it, thanks! I just want to make it so nice for our family! :xmas: :slurp:

 

[rosebud's mom]

There's Donald's Breakfastosaurus in Animal Kingdom also. We haven't yet been to the Princess Storybook in Norway, but do have Priority Seatings for December. I called on the 90th day and was told there were only 2 other openings after ours. This is for the second week of December which is supposed to be the slowest time of the year. The CM told me that this is fast becoming as popular as Cinderella's Royal Table for breakfast, also another character breakfast. She told me that so many poeple are afraid they won't get the Cinderella that they book the Norway instead. My advice to you is that if you decide on Norway for breakfast, be ready to make that 7 a.m. call on your 90th day out to guarantee a seating, especially when you're looking for the holiday week.

Good luck !!

 

[KSdisneydad]

We have tried Donald's; O'Hanas; 1900 Park Fair and Chef Mickeys. We have taken Grandparents before and everyone's favorite is Chef Mickeys. Donald's seemed rushed and the wait staff did not get into it at least when we were there (and we went on Donald's Birthday proper). O'Hanas was okay, but something just seemed to be missing. 1900 Park Fair had the best food but the characters were not "major" -- Mary Poppins, Bert, Alice & Pooh. If I were to recommend one for someone who has never been, I'd do Chef Mickeys.

 

[Nicole]

We've gone to Donald's - lots of food on the buffet, and the Princesses, where they bring you a small selection (eggs, potatoes, sausage, biscuits, fruit and sweet rolls) to your table on a serving plate. I loved seeing the Princesses but have to say that the overall meal was better at Donald's.

 

[Lauriebar]

I would have to agree that 1900 Park Fare has the best food quality and selection. I like the characters there because they are different than most character breakfasts. O'Hanas is also a great breakfast, not as much selection but the atmosphere is so fun!! I tend to like the resorts character breakfasts better. They are not as hectic as the ones in the resorts.

 

[kennyj29]

Character Breakfast

I've been to all plus Crystal Palace in Magic Kingdom! Also Cape May in Yacht and Beach Club. All were very good except The Norway Princess one is very stingy on the food. We had seven adults and they came with 1 serving of breakfast for the table but the same was given to a table of four! We had to keep asking for more we felt stupid asking all the time! It was cute for the little ones but if you like to feel comfortable, I would go to the others. Also, Donalds, they were dressed up for the holidays but nobody really was interacting too much but it was a great breakfast!!! The characters kept coming over and were more than willing to accomodate any requests for autographs, pictures, etc. We usually go to more than one character breakfast because it's hard to decide!!!!!

 

[ClemsonTigger]

Surfsupdon,
I have to check in with a fellow Jersian.
While I don't have a lot of experience with character meals, your mention of:

Also, if I remember correctly, isn't this sort of an interactive dining place, with the waitstaff playing along, being boisterous and fun?? If so, we'd be all over that.
If you could let me know, please, I'd highly appreciate it, thanks! I just want to make it so nice for our family!

That sounds a lot like 50's Prime Time cafe. While there aren't characters there, the CM - guest interactions are great. I suggest you check that out.

 

[togasports]

With out a doubt the best is Cape May at the Yacht and Beach Club. The food is amazing, and I feel that they interact with you more there than anywhere else. The Characters are Minnie, Goofy, Chip and Dale. Also If you book Priority Seating for 10:30-10:50 it is usally the last seating for Breakfast. Which means people are leaving and the character have to stay out for the same amount of time so they usually spend more time with you.

 

[stitchlvr]

We were going to do Chef Mickey's but couldn't get in, so we did Ohanas instead. We thought it was great, and we had a later breakfast, so there was plenty of character interaction (parade for the kids etc). It was a family style meal, served at the table but AYCE. We had several skillets brought out for our family of 5 and we never felt weird asking. I don't know if I would do it again, just because it is expensive, but that's the case regardless of where you go.

 

[ScrapIron]

We plan to go to 1900 our next trip because of the face characters, and bro has been to CM's. I don't think our son's would care much for the princesses, anyway. Looking at the menus on Deb's site, it seems that CM and 1900 are very similar. One thing to consider is the guest to character ratio. According to the 2003 Unofficial Guide:
CM: 1 character to 56 guests
1900: 1 to 54
Donald's: 1 to 112!
Cheers

 

[djhammon]

1900 Park Fare

This is the best i have been to by far.

This was a really nice breakfast - quite when i went there back in December last year. Food was good wide range of hot and cold.

Staff really nice and also characters seam to spend more time with you as apposed to the DB- characters are just walking around, and it was very busy!

Good luch in which ever one you choose.

Regards

 

[surfsupdon]

Surfsupdon,
I have to check in with a fellow Jersian.
While I don't have a lot of experience with character meals, you mention of:



That sounds a lot like 50's Prime Time cafe. While there aren't characters there, the CM - guest interactions are great. I suggest you check that out.

Thanks for the comments. 50s Prime Time is a cant miss on every trip--have no fear!!

Also, you're from Trenton, and my school is right there, newly ranked as "Most Competitve" from Barrons and really a tremendous place to go. :sohappy:

 

[kennyj29]

Breakfast

Stitch, We felt wierd asking because they really were bothered by the fact that you made them get more. In O'hana's, they came to the table and asked what else we wanted we didn't have to go tracking them down to get more. O'hana's is much better than the princess one. Norway is very stingy with food from what I've heard even on the lunch and dinner. They used to have a smorgesbord but now I hear you can order items from it that you want. The breakfast is the same way. They seem to be a little perturbed when you ask for more. They NEVER come to you to ask if you would like more and by the time you find them, you've been waiting like 10 minutes before they even come. That's the difference. If it's only the characters your concerned with, then it's good because all the little girls get to see all the princesses (well most of them).

 

[CAPTAIN HOOK]

What's wrong with Pooh and friends - Crystal Palace has got to be one of the greatest places for brekky.

 

[CeeC234]

What's the trick?

Someone please tell me, what's the trick to getting a reservation for Cinderella's Royal Table for the character breakfast? Before my last Disney trip I was on the phone just before 7:00 am on the exact dates I was to call to get a reservation for the Cinderella breakfast. Each morning by 7:10 am I was told they were all booked up. One of the reservationists told me that some vacation packages include the Cinderella breakfast as part of the package. Which package is this, or what's the trick?

2002 - Crystal Palace Winnie the Pooh character breakfast
2004 - Animal Kingdom Park Donald's character breakfast

 

[surfsupdon]

What's wrong with Pooh and friends - Crystal Palace has got to be one of the greatest places for brekky.

Those characters are not as well known to the rest of the adults we will be traveling with. They wouuld not appreciate Pooh and Friends as much as Mickey, Donald. Pluto, or Princesses.

And, my parents prefer Toad to Pooh, and make that obvious, lol.
Crystal Palace was great tho, back in the day, when it was a la carte and character-less. It was our first stop at MK for foods, coffee, and a TON of pictures.

 

[NeverEnufDisney]

We love Donald's Restaurantasaurus and we've always had a good time. :sohappy: The characters make their rounds and are very interactive with the children and parents. They sign autographs and take pictures with the children. Donald is always there, but usually so is Goofy and Pluto, other characters rotate from day to day. When we were there last Xmas it was the "Big Five", Donald, Goofy, Pluto, Mickey, and Minnie. The buffet breakfast is all you can eat and includes pancakes, sausage, bacon, scambled eggs, lots of Donald's OJ, the usual bakery items, and fruit. :slurp: Some have written that they felt rushed, but I have never felt that way and we have been there a half dozen times. They allow priority seating prior to Animal Kingdom's opening and lead you to the restaurant. You can finish your meal and be ahead of the rest in getting to the best attractions of AK. Hope this helps.