The title may look like a query that solutions itself. In spite of everything, if it’s essentially the most iconic character eating expertise at Walt Disney World, doesn’t it stand to purpose that it’s an superior meal? How would an terrible restaurant even get so common?!
Beats me. However I additionally know that Tomorrowland Speedway and Pinocchio Village Haus are fairly common regardless of being fairly unhealthy. Possibly folks simply have poor style? This one is extra of an open query although, as we revisit breakfast at Chef Mickey’s for the primary time shortly to find out whether or not this Walt Disney World establishment and rite-of-passage restaurant is price your time, cash, and abdomen house.
It’s no secret that we’re, traditionally, not the most important followers of this institution. For years, Chef Mickey’s made our listing of the Issues We’ll By no means Do Once more at Walt Disney World. We eliminated it final 12 months after having a daughter and realizing we’d virtually definitely be doing extra meals (plural) at Chef Mickey’s within the years to come back. Even earlier than that, we famous that it was dinner at Chef Mickey’s that was uniquely unhealthy. It’s not that we beloved breakfast, however we positively most popular it to dinner…
Let’s begin with the fundamentals for these studying this evaluation chilly (…similar to one of many ‘sizzling’ dishes on the dinner unfold on the buffet). Chef Mickey’s is a personality meal at Disney’s Modern Resort, which is situated close to Magic Kingdom. The restaurant is within the open-air Grand Canyon Concourse, with visitor rooms and the monorail overhead. It’s a cool setting.
Chef Mickey’s participates within the Disney Eating Plan as a 1-credit desk service meal. Dinner is without doubt one of the best possible choices in the event you’re making an attempt to maximise your worth on the Disney Eating Plan, however breakfast continues to be an excellent worth–particularly in the event you order a specialty drink. We have been paying out of pocket for our breakfast at Chef Mickey’s, so we’ll be judging it on a money foundation.
Chef Mickey’s is essentially the most iconic character eating expertise partly as a result of it’s been round so lengthy. I’ve photos from this meal after I was a child, again when it was hosted at what’s now Rainforest Cafe in what’s now Disney Springs. It’s been a staple of Disney’s Modern Resort because the mid-Nineteen Nineties, and there are actually different Chef Mickey’s outposts on the worldwide parks. Goofy even will get in on the motion at Disneyland, the place Goofy’s Kitchen is an analogous idea.
It’s additionally iconic as a result of it options Mickey Mouse and buddies in culinary costumes. There are numerous memorable and inventive character outfits, nevertheless it’s robust to prime the tried and true enchantment of Chef Mickey’s. It simply works. About the one different character meal that comes near having the ‘legacy’ of Chef Mickey’s is Cinderella’s Royal Desk, however being a princess meal, I don’t assume that has the identical enchantment.
With this lengthy legacy, it’s price noting that Chef Mickey’s could be very a lot an “old-fashioned” character eating expertise from a distinct period. There are newer and extra trendy character eating experiences, most of which we favor. If you wish to lower to the chase and examine our prime picks for breakfast and dinner, learn the next:
These are our three favourite character meals at Walt Disney World proper now and, spoiler alert, breakfast at Chef Mickey’s doesn’t surpass any of them. This isn’t to say we don’t advocate it–or that Chef Mickey’s gained’t be higher suited to your loved ones. We’ll cowl professionals & cons on this evaluation.
Amongst longtime Walt Disney World followers and even informal visitors, Chef Mickey’s has developed ‘ceremony of passage’ standing. Many visitors kind nice recollections eating at Chef Mickey’s and need to return with future generations consequently. All of us need to return to the locations the place we made nice recollections.
This considerably describes us! As talked about, I dined right here as a child (albeit at Disney Village) and now I need to carry my daughter right here. Truthfully, I don’t keep in mind consuming at Chef Mickey’s after I was a child, however my dad and mom have photographic proof they usually don’t know the best way to use these new-fangled AI picture mills, so I’m going to imagine it truly occurred.
And there’s a purpose why Chef Mickey’s has grow to be a ceremony of passage character eating expertise. There’s one thing to be stated for consuming within the Grand Canyon Concourse of the Modern with monorails passing overhead. All of the whereas, you have got Chef Mickey Mouse and different Fab 5 in cool costumes. It checks a number of containers for being a quintessential Walt Disney World expertise, earlier than even speaking in regards to the meals.
Let’s take a fast have a look at the decor of Chef Mickey’s. Many of the environment is courtesy of the monorail overhead, and the open-air nature of the atrium. The restaurant’s inside simply consists of colourful designs, character pop-art, and a Mickey head motif.
As with the remainder of the Grand Canyon Concourse, Chef Mickey’s is loud and chaotic. If something, the remainder of the atrium has this vibe due to Chef Mickey’s, not the opposite approach round. It’s a colossal character venue that pulls households with younger kids. You do the maths on that.
Truthfully, I travel on the inside design on Chef Mickey’s. It’s unabashedly Nineteen Nineties, however I feel there’s additionally a sure enchantment to it. That is particularly the case at evening, when there are colourful lights and also you don’t discover the outdated carpet, tile, or ceilings fairly as a lot.
Throughout breakfast, all of these items stands proud much more–making for a far much less favorable impression. Chef Mickey’s felt extra drained than it ever has, and this wasn’t merely a matter of the passage of time.
Listed here are a number of extra photographs to provide you a really feel for the a number of seating areas at Chef Mickey’s:
As a common matter, the Grand Canyon Concourse is an absolute visible hodgepodge and Chef Mickey’s isn’t any totally different. There are almost a half-dozen totally different types of carpet and 4 various kinds of tiles. This isn’t purposeful, and these usually are not a part of a coherent aesthetic.
They’re the results of Disney’s Modern Resort having visible litter added over the course of a number of years, with an increasing number of stuff (PG time period) added over time with none cohesive imaginative and prescient. It has been literal a long time because the Modern has had a prime to backside overhaul. As an alternative, junk has been added in a piecemeal method over time.
All of it seems to be garish, dated, and most definitely not Modern. That is all critique of the Grand Canyon Concourse as a complete and though Chef Mickey’s takes up a large chunk of this house, it’s in all probability the venue the place that is least noticeable. The Nineteen Nineties vibe roughly works. (“Extra” at dinner; “much less” at breakfast.)
Another excuse so many Walt Disney World followers love Chef Mickey’s is as a result of the characters are constantly glorious.
One of the best ways to explain Chef Mickey’s is organized chaos. It’s like one of many paint-splatter items of pop artwork on the wall–in the event you watched the artist create that, you’d in all probability by no means anticipate it to prove so nice. And but, it does. Similar concept with Chef Mickey’s. Every little thing in regards to the restaurant–from check-in to seating to the character procession–appears disorganized and dysfunctional.
Regardless of all outward appearances, it comes collectively in excellent concord. There have to be a way to the insanity, as a result of I can’t consider any character eating expertise that’s as a lot of a well-oiled machine as Chef Mickey’s. It truly, unexpectedly features virtually flawlessly.
This didn’t utterly sink in till our most up-to-date meal at Chef Mickey’s, after we have been the primary visitors in one of many seating areas. Inside minutes, the entire different tables have been stuffed. Shortly thereafter, the characters arrived one-by-one with an applicable hole in between. We had simply sufficient time to make a move of the buffet earlier than they arrived, and loads of time to eat with out interruption afterwards. Our seating space then emptied out, with each celebration ending at roughly the identical time.
Extra importantly, the characters have been attentive to every desk and provided satisfying and distinctive interactions with each visitor. It wasn’t only a matter of posing for photographs and shifting alongside. They have been implausible with Child Bricker, however that’s par for the course with fur characters. It helps that our daughter is enamored with them (till she falls asleep), desirous to seize their noses, play peek-a-boo, and so forth.
In fact we love that they offer her a lot consideration and supply rewarding interactions, together with nice recollections and photographs for us. That’s what makes us need to preserve shelling out the large bucks and doing extra character meals. However for the needs of this evaluation, I used to be extra thinking about watching how Mickey & Mates engaged with different visitors in our seating space. They have been implausible, all-around.
Extra Chef Mickey’s character photographs:
Not one of the characters phoned it in, all of them have been playful and good at “studying” visitors to know what sort of interplay would work. Households with small youngsters are the apparent low-hanging fruit; extra telling are how the characters work together with {couples}, “Grumpy” dads, and grandparents.
The characters at Chef Mickey’s get excessive marks all-around for this. Actually, it was downright enjoyable to look at them make their approach across the room, as no two characters did the identical factor, and no two tables obtained the identical interplay. It provides a little bit of a ‘present’ part past the little cavalcade.
We additionally appreciated the presence of character attendants. There was all the time a Forged Member within the common neighborhood who we might ask to take household photographs of us all collectively. This isn’t all the time the case at character meals, so we actually appreciated it. About the one draw back is that it’s troublesome to get photographs with “clear” backgrounds, however that’s an issue in any respect character meals. It’s simply exacerbated on the common ones, particularly when tables aren’t spaced out (as is the case at Chef Mickey’s).
Now let’s check out the meals on the breakfast buffet:
Chef Mickey’s has one of many largest breakfast spreads in all of Walt Disney World, and the one purpose I’m hedging with “one of many” is as a result of it’s been a bit since we’ve carried out Crystal Palace or Cape Might Cafe (we’ll be rectifying that quickly) and I’m not 100% certain Chef Mickey’s has extra choices. I feel it does, however can’t say that with full confidence.
In any case, I’m not going to go dish by dish and evaluation each single merchandise at Chef Mickey’s. For one factor, as a result of I didn’t eat all of them. I’d nonetheless be in a meals coma if I had. For an additional factor, I doubt anybody is actually sitting on pins and needles ready for me to evaluation grapes, pineapple, tomatoes, hash browns, and different stuff. A few of these dishes converse for themselves.
I do need to begin with some common guidelines of thumb that we’ve discovered from many meals at Chef Mickey’s and different character buffets over time. The primary is that Chef Mickey’s favourite ingredient is butter. Equally, his second favourite ingredient is salt. If a dish is nice as an alternative of savory, you’ll be able to anticipate it to be very candy.
Principally, Mickey’s three favourite elements are butter, salt, and sugar–and that cocktail of elements (coupled with the requisite overindulgence) means you’ll doubtless depart restaurant feeling bloated and icky. Suffice to say, Mickey isn’t a lot of a chef. Good factor it’s solely his aspect hustle.
One other factor to be conscious of is that, like all buffet, how good or unhealthy a selected dish is can largely rely on how recent it’s. Did you catch a model new batch, or has what you’re about to scoop up been slow-cooking below a warmth lamp for hours.
This isn’t often an issue at Chef Mickey’s because the restaurant is large and turnover is fast. But it surely does occur. One robust piece of recommendation is prioritizing no matter is recent and avoiding the ‘stale’ wanting trays till they’re changed. If you happen to see one thing that appears good, don’t move it up. Chef Mickey’s is so busy that what’s there on one move may very well be gone the subsequent, which generally is a good or unhealthy factor. And it’s largely pre-prepared, so there’s nothing to say a brand new batch will truly be recent.
A major instance of this from our most up-to-date meal was the Carved Pit Ham. This is without doubt one of the purported highlights of the breakfast unfold, nevertheless it appeared extra like slow-aged ham jerky than carved ham. (The photograph above doesn’t do full justice to how unhealthy one batch was–scroll as much as the buffet unfold photographs and take a second have a look at that.) This was an unforced error on my half, as I handed over an earlier batch of ham that did look higher.
Lastly, high quality is a matter at Chef Mickey’s. The Large Rodent foyer would love you to consider that anybody can cook dinner, however Mickey has been at this for many years and nonetheless hasn’t gotten any higher. These dishes are largely consolation delicacies, and even those that aren’t usually are not on par with what you’d discover at a desk service restaurant.
A number of years again, Walt Disney World’s CFO mentioned reducing prices by altering suppliers and substituting elements. Chef Mickey’s is mainly the poster little one for that. Some dishes are good; most are akin to what you might get at counter service eating places. One prime instance of cost-cutting is the removing of the carving station–you’ll be able to now not get beef brisket, and the ham is a shadow of its former self even when it hasn’t been slow-cooked below the warmth lamp.
Our “answer” to that is going for the tried and true ‘high-value’ gadgets. You’ll discover nearly each photograph of our plates has smoked salmon on it. We eat numerous smoked salmon at Walt Disney World buffets. It’s dear (relative to different gadgets), and never sugary or buttery like numerous different dishes on the buffet. For me particularly, it presents good stability to all of the candy stuff I ate at Chef Mickey’s. And although it’s boring, fruit is one other robust possibility from buffets.
Talking of sweets, my favourite gadgets from the Chef Mickey’s breakfast buffet have been the Croissant Beignets and Home-made French Toast with Bananas Foster.
The Croissant Beignets defied the logic of Chef Mickey’s. They have been tender and crispy on the outside, giving solution to a doughy and flaky inside. It felt like these have been ready with care, being a higher-effort dessert executed higher than the rest at Chef Mickey’s. These Croissant Beignets are additionally buttery and cinnamony–simply flat out scrumptious. There’s sauces to accompany them, however I’d ignore these, save for the bananas foster.
The French Toast is much less outstanding, however nonetheless implausible. That is additionally excellent by itself, however the bananas foster provides so much and takes it to the subsequent degree. Basically, I used to be extra impressed with the desserts than the entrees at Chef Mickey’s. Even easy pleasures like Mickey Waffles and pancakes have been shockingly good.
With that stated, there have been truly some entrees that I actually loved. The Corned Beef Hash wasn’t as ‘fascinating’ because the now-gone Beef Brisket (even when that was usually too fatty or robust), nevertheless it’s actually good. Actually, for what every dish is (which means judging this towards different corned beef hash and that towards different brisket), that is the objectively higher dish. I’d nonetheless quite than have carving station with subpar beef brisket, however to every their very own.
I additionally actually appreciated the Andouille with Peppers and Onions. This was a pointy distinction to the hybrid rubber and paper bacon or the subpar sausages on the buffet unfold. The Andouille is high quality meat with nice taste, and the peppers present a pleasant little bit of punch. Not wonderful, but additionally above the strange meats at Chef Mickey’s.
And possibly I benefit from the easy pleasures a bit an excessive amount of, however I used to be very pleasantly shocked by the potatoes and beer cheese sauce. Excellent execution of an easy dish, with cheese that was addictively good and noticeably higher than regular ‘plastic cheese’ served at Walt Disney World. The hashed browns have been likewise ok, as have been the premade omelets.
All issues thought-about, the breakfast buffet unfold at Chef Mickey’s was largely mediocre…nevertheless it additionally was giant. Due to that, I used to be capable of finding a few half-dozen or so gadgets that have been good to nice, focusing my abdomen house on these and strolling away glad (however with approach an excessive amount of butter, sugar and salt in my system).
In the end, this isn’t a ringing endorsement for the delicacies caliber or environment at Chef Mickey’s, as must be apparent. With regards to the meals high quality, Chef Mickey’s is okay at finest. And that’s provided that you’re strategic, cautious about what you choose, and time the restocks proper. There’s a robust emphasis on amount over high quality. By every other goal metric, no case will be made for Chef Mickey’s being superior.
On paper, it’s within the backside half of character meals at Walt Disney World. Arguably nearer to terrible than superior. That is particularly when you issue value into it, as Chef Mickey’s simply elevated in value to $58 per grownup and $37 per little one (one other enhance is probably going in October 2025, in the event you’re planning forward). That’s exorbitant for a breakfast regardless of the way you slice it–and that might be true even when the meals have been good. (It makes a compelling case for a late seating, as we favor, as then breakfast comes brunch or lunch–we left this meal at Chef Mickey’s within the early afternoon.)
Nevertheless, it’s additionally honest to say that the typical visitor will not be assessing character eating experiences primarily based on a guidelines of goal standards. These meals are, because the title suggests, experiences. As such, there’s essentially a subjective aspect to issues that’s arguably far more vital. From this attitude, it’s exceedingly straightforward to grasp how Chef Mickey’s grew to become a ceremony of passage meal within the first place and a supply of fond recollections and nostalgia for therefore many households.
Our previous opinions of Chef Mickey’s acknowledged this, so it’s not like we have been oblivious to all of this and had some epiphany the second our daughter was born. Nevertheless, it’s additionally honest to say that we massively underestimated the subjective significance of this when doing character meals as a pair who favored meals high quality over amount and didn’t put as a lot weight into character interactions.
As I sit right here right this moment penning this Chef Mickey’s evaluation, the recollections of the mediocre meals are already fading. As is the sting of that $100+ invoice on the finish of the meal. In one other month or two, they’ll be all however forgotten. Positive, I’ll cringe on the price for only-okay meals the subsequent time I e-book an Advance Eating Reservation for Chef Mickey’s, however I will e-book one.
These moments when Minnie Mouse and Donald Duck took the additional time for significant and enjoyable interactions with our daughter are indelibly etched into my thoughts. In one other decade or two, they’ll nonetheless be as recent as they have been the day they have been made. And that proper there may be exactly why we’ll be reserving Chef Mickey’s once more (and once more) within the years to come back, with out regard for what my goal guidelines dictates I write on this evaluation you simply learn.
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YOUR THOUGHTS
Have you ever carried out the breakfast buffet at Chef Mickey’s? What did you consider the meals? What in regards to the character interactions? Do you agree or disagree with any of our evaluation? Does this character meal look interesting to you? Any questions we might help you reply? Listening to your suggestions–even whenever you disagree with us–is each attention-grabbing to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas under within the feedback!
