Meeting Disney favourites at Chef Mickey’s at Disney’s Contemporary Resort
On our first day in Walt Disney World we got straight into the Disney spirit by eating Mickey-shaped waffles with colourful Mickey-shaped sprinkles. It was brunch time at Chef Mickey’s in Disney’s Contemporary Resort, and it seemed like the ideal way to start the holiday.
We had driven up from Naples and due to heavy traffic we came half an hour late for our reservation. I was worried we would be turned away by the hostess at Chef Mickey’s, but luckily they could still find a table for us after a short wait with a beeper.
Pluto was the first characters guests were invited to meet. He was greeting guests by the waiting area, and a photographer was on hand to take photos of the experience.
When we were shown to our table Big Girl and Big Boy soon spotted the big Mickey cooler bag on our table, and they couldn’t quite believe their luck since their table seemed to be the only one with a hamper. The bag, which became our park bag for the rest of the stay, was filled with autograph books and soft toys, and it was something I had ordered for them from Disney Florals and Gifts for delivery at the restaurant to create an extra special start to our holiday.
It would have been easy to buy autograph books in the shop opposite the restaurant, but I knew we would be on a tight schedule and I didn’t want to risk not having autograph books ready for the start of our trip, which is why it made complete sense to splash out on a hamper for the little ones.
For us, this meal was all about meeting the five best known characters before even entering the park, and autograph books–and the Sharpie pens I’d brought from home–were essential for getting us off to a good start.
Soon after we’d dug into smoked salmon, melon, egg dishes, sausages and Caesar salad from the Chef Mickey’s buffet Goofy arrived at our table. He was as goofy as expected and Big Girl was having a giggle while he danced around with her new Pluto soft toy.
At one point during the meal, all the characters danced in different areas of the restaurant while we waved our napkins above our heads. Big Girl said it reminded her of La Guerite in the South of France, which I think is a sign she enjoyed the atmosphere in the loud and busy Chef Mickey’s which has the monorail passing by.
I think there are other character meals in more uniquely themed and charming settings, however, but Chef Mickey’s is a good option if the goal is to see some of the favourite Disney characters. We could instantly tick off meeting Pluto, Mickey, Minnie, Donald and Goofy even before making the short 10-minute walk from the Contemporary to Magic Kingdom.
Since we stayed in Bay Lake Tower at Contemporary, a meal at Chef Mickey’s worked well logistically too, and for me, distances and logistics play a key factor in choosing where to dine in such a huge place as Walt Disney World.
A practical and magical start to a Walt Disney World holiday!
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