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Newly1
I love my baby boy!
Member since 6/08 2804 total posts
Name:
H
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Disney Character breakfast with almost 2 y.o. a few questions
Tell me about Character breakfast. We have been to disney many times but never did a Character meal. I am typically a plan as you go type of person so I am not used to booking meals in advance while at Disney. We are not staying on Disney property so will need to drive to wherever we do a character meal.
Any suggestions for which restaurant is best to take an almost 2 y.o. boy? It seems like there are no times available for Chef Mickey's while we are there unless we do lunch or dinner. Is breakfast usually the best bet?
Any other suggestions regarding dining with a 2 y.o.? Should we make reservations at other restaurants too? Do the restaurants at downtown disney take reservations?
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Posted 2/19/12 9:53 AM  |
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Lillykat
going along for the ride...
Member since 5/05 16253 total posts
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Re: Disney Character breakfast with almost 2 y.o. a few questions
It depends on what you want - Chef Mickey's is not the only character meal - but it is one of the most popular. I'm not sure about lunch because they don't do lunch only breakfast and dinner (unless you are going during the busiest times of the year I have seen them open for lunch one or two times).
As far as if you need breakfast of dinner. I'm not a huge fan of breakfast with little kids because if you are going during a busy time of the year it is important in my personal experience to be at the parks at rope drop (opening) to get on as many rides as popular before it gets crowded. You can do breakfast and get out just after rope drop but it means being up very early and missing out on some important park time. I prefer dinner or lunch because it is nice to take that break and sit and relax a bit rather than trying to rush your meal and hope the characters get to you so you can get out and go. But that is my personal opinion -others enjoy breakfast -and they don't take breaks during the day and don't mind longer lines - so it is a personal preference.
As far as other meals - if you want to do sit down meals at wdw you need to make ADRs to guarantee you will have a sit down place to eat. My suggestion is to make the ADRs you can always try to switch them when you are down there - but from personal experience we have tried to switch times or restaurants once down there and couldn't get into anywhere we wanted to eat and this was during a slower time so we were glad we had made ADRs. I know people find it annoying but if you go to someplace like NYC for a trip you can't just easily walk into the top NYC restaurants without reservations made 30 days out.
The way they work their ADRs is that they put all their tables into the system - so that many times restaurants will have signs that say no walk ups. Now - you can always try when you are down there but you could end up with a restaurant you don't want, times you don't want or nothing at all. It is a gamble. Except for the character meals which are now taking a credit card guarantee - the others do not and you can cancel them anytime if you decide to change your plans.
Yes most if not all of the downtown disney restaurants take ADRs. But if you are staying off site and have a car I would suggest you consider eating off site - probably cheaper and you can be flexible.
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| Posted 2/19/12 10:46 AM |
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Newly1
I love my baby boy!
Member since 6/08 2804 total posts
Name:
H
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Re: Disney Character breakfast with almost 2 y.o. a few questions
Posted by Lillykat
It depends on what you want - Chef Mickey's is not the only character meal - but it is one of the most popular. I'm not sure about lunch because they don't do lunch only breakfast and dinner (unless you are going during the busiest times of the year I have seen them open for lunch one or two times).
As far as if you need breakfast of dinner. I'm not a huge fan of breakfast with little kids because if you are going during a busy time of the year it is important in my personal experience to be at the parks at rope drop (opening) to get on as many rides as popular before it gets crowded. You can do breakfast and get out just after rope drop but it means being up very early and missing out on some important park time. I prefer dinner or lunch because it is nice to take that break and sit and relax a bit rather than trying to rush your meal and hope the characters get to you so you can get out and go. But that is my personal opinion -others enjoy breakfast -and they don't take breaks during the day and don't mind longer lines - so it is a personal preference.
As far as other meals - if you want to do sit down meals at wdw you need to make ADRs to guarantee you will have a sit down place to eat. My suggestion is to make the ADRs you can always try to switch them when you are down there - but from personal experience we have tried to switch times or restaurants once down there and couldn't get into anywhere we wanted to eat and this was during a slower time so we were glad we had made ADRs. I know people find it annoying but if you go to someplace like NYC for a trip you can't just easily walk into the top NYC restaurants without reservations made 30 days out.
The way they work their ADRs is that they put all their tables into the system - so that many times restaurants will have signs that say no walk ups. Now - you can always try when you are down there but you could end up with a restaurant you don't want, times you don't want or nothing at all. It is a gamble. Except for the character meals which are now taking a credit card guarantee - the others do not and you can cancel them anytime if you decide to change your plans.
Yes most if not all of the downtown disney restaurants take ADRs. But if you are staying off site and have a car I would suggest you consider eating off site - probably cheaper and you can be flexible.
Thanks so much this is very helpful! I agree i would rather get to the park early so if we do a breakfast we will probably plan it on our last day (where most likely we wont do the parks). Dinner also sounds like a possibility. Is the dinner usually a buffet?
Another question. I remember reading somewhere yoing kids are free for buffets at disney. So if i am reserving a character breakfast do i just put in 2 people or 3.? DS will be 22 months.
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| Posted 2/19/12 10:59 AM |
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Lillykat
going along for the ride...
Member since 5/05 16253 total posts
Name:
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Re: Disney Character breakfast with almost 2 y.o. a few questions
Posted by Newly1
Thanks so much this is very helpful! I agree i would rather get to the park early so if we do a breakfast we will probably plan it on our last day (where most likely we wont do the parks). Dinner also sounds like a possibility. Is the dinner usually a buffet?
Another question. I remember reading somewhere yoing kids are free for buffets at disney. So if i am reserving a character breakfast do i just put in 2 people or 3.? DS will be 22 months.
Chef Mickey's is always a buffet - most character meals are buffets or family style type meals. Actually doing a character breakfast the last day sounds like a great idea - this way you aren't rushed and can relax and enjoy it. Also by that time your DC would be more used to the characters and have time to warm up to them.
You need to put down that you have 3 people YES they are free for buffets but they go by how many they need to sit at the table so even if the child is 2 months old they would still be counted in the party number.
Kids under 3 eat free if they 1) eat off your plate at an a la carte type place, 2) buffets or 3) family style places. If you go to a sit down a la carte menu place and order a child's meal you will be charged as well as with counter service if you order a meal for them - but they can eat free from your plate. We did end up ordering our girls meals (they were both under 3 on our last trip). But places like Chef Mickey's, Ohana's, Akershus, biergarten, etc they were free.
When you sit down you just tell them that your DC is 2 - (when you make the ADR I mentioned that my DC was 2 - they might ask esp if you request a high chair or booster seat anyway).
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| Posted 2/19/12 11:23 AM |
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JenniferEver
The Disney Lady
Member since 5/05 18163 total posts
Name:
Jennifer
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Re: Disney Character breakfast with almost 2 y.o. a few questions
Agreed with the above. Under 3 is free which is great.
Character meals are time consuming and breakfasts take up valuable empty morning park hours.
ways around this 3
1) Get a pre-rope drop ADR for Crystal Palace (at MK, Pooh characters). You can get up to an hour before the park opens. You get to walk up an empty main street and it doesn't eat much touring time.
2) Have a lunch or dinner. Breakfasts are so popular I think because for a long time that was all they had.
3) Do it, as you suggested on departure day.
With a 2 y/o DS I'd try to get a pre RD ressie at Crystal Palace or get lunch at Tusker House at AK. Many people feel you can get in a full day at Animal KIngdom by lunch, so schedule a late lunch at Tusker House and cap off your day there.
You can also do Garden Grill for dinner at EPCOT.
If you're doing it on departure day out of the parks, I recommend 'Ohana for breakfast, but if Chef Mickey's in booked up for your stay, there's a good chance 'Ohana is too.
Cape May Cafe is another option, but it's off the beaten path
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| Posted 2/19/12 11:49 AM |
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jlk51496
Mom of 3 - YIKES! =)
Member since 10/09 6758 total posts
Name:
Katie
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Re: Disney Character breakfast with almost 2 y.o. a few questions
our fav character meal was
Donald's safari in Animal kingdom...
the same characters as chef mickey (swap daisy for minnie) and I heard better food (which we thought it was fantastic) we went first thing in the morning before the park opened up and by the time we were done the park was just opening up and we had the park to ourselves practically!!!
def recommend!!!
Message edited 2/19/2012 1:27:30 PM.
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| Posted 2/19/12 1:26 PM |
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teaforthree
My Handsome Boy!
Member since 12/10 2549 total posts
Name:
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Re: Disney Character breakfast with almost 2 y.o. a few questions
Posted by jlk51496
our fav character meal was
Donald's safari in Animal kingdom...
the same characters as chef mickey (swap daisy for minnie) and I heard better food (which we thought it was fantastic) we went first thing in the morning before the park opened up and by the time we were done the park was just opening up and we had the park to ourselves practically!!!
def recommend!!!
Thanks for the suggestion! I'm DEFINITELY going to look into this for our Disney trip! 
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| Posted 2/19/12 1:42 PM |
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