Chef Mickey's Review: Is it Worth it?

“Give My Regards to the Chef….Mickey”

Cost: Breakfast $51 per adult, $33 per child (ages 3-9) / Dinner $62 per adult and $39 per child (prices do not include tax and gratuity)

My youngest sister and I achieved a 4.0 grade point average over the course of this past school year. Mine was as a senior in college and hers was in the eighth grade. I’ll let you decide which is more impressive, but regardless, it earned us a table for two at Chef Mickey’s.

Chef Mickey's: Is it Worth It?

Chef Mickey’s is a buffet style eatery located on the fourth floor at Disney’s Contemporary Resort. If you are not staying at the Contemporary or Bay Lake Towers, you could walk or use Disney transportation from the Magic Kingdom. Prices align with other similar character meals across Walt Disney World. If you do have the funds to spend, you’re in for a great experience.

You have a fifteen minute window to arrive for your reservation. Checking in is simple; either use your MyDisneyExperience app, or by give them your name and reservation time. As you are escorted to your table, you see the buffet line with the wide variety of foods (we went during breakfast), the characters walking around and good vibes all around. Nothing pops out as far as visuals or aesthetics, Chef Mickey's is woven into a resort with a pretty funky layout. The experience is tucked into a section of the fourth floor, right alongside the quick service location and the souvenir shops.

The art on the walls is pretty basic, there are no “views” outside the windows and decor at the Contemporary is fairly dated. I will say this, the sound design is fantastic, as it is with all aspects of Walt Disney World. You can hardly hear the monorail service coming and going (the monorail cuts through the center of the resort), or any exterior noise for that matter. The music in Chef Mickey’s can only be heard in Chef Mickey’s. As soon as you step out, it’s back to blended conversations and monorail transportation. I'm fascinated by the sound design throughout all areas of Disney, and this is another example of Disney magic.

Chef Mickey's

Once you have been warmly greeted and escorted to your table, you are encouraged to join the buffet line. The buffet starts with appetizer-esque foods and eases into the entrees. Dessert can be found on the other side of the buffet line. Immediately when you return with your first plate, a server will take your drink order. Servers are also very quick to take any finished plates so you have room on your table for more if you desire. The silverware is a use and reuse process, so watch those forks. All in all, the service is tremendous.

Most importantly, let's discuss the food selection. It’s every holiday breakfast you’ve ever had mashed into one. You start with your fruits, cheeses, and other appetizer foods. You then move on to your ole reliables: pancakes, Mickey waffles, french toast, scrambled eggs, sausage, bacon, etc. Sprinkled in are foods such as cheesy potatoes (had two servings of those, delicious), beef brisket, carved ham, corned beef hash. It truly is a “something for everyone” situation with the food. I taste tested approximately 80% of the entire spread. I didn’t have my Mickey ears blown off, but I happily went back for seconds and enjoyed it thoroughly.

From sitting down to getting our bill, we were there for forty-five to fifty minutes. We ate pretty quick, however there was no rush on their end to turn our table. Everything was easy going and fun. I genuinely enjoyed our time with Mickey and friends.

Speaking of Mickey and friends, you have a grand total of five characters to interact with at your meal. Four of them walk around and greet you as you eat: Mickey Mouse, Donald, Goofy and Pluto. Our order was Pluto, Donald, Goofy then Mickey. Hand up, I missed Donald and Goofy. I was grabbing a second plate which left my sister alone and taking selfies with them. Each character gave us about two-three minutes of their time. Granted, we’re older, so we aren’t the top of the priority list when it comes to “meeting” the characters. We sat next to a party of ten with four little kids, and each character gave them closer to five minutes to sign autograph books and take pictures. Once you’ve finished and paid your bill, you meet Minnie Mouse on your way out (with a Photopass photographer if you prefer a professional picture). I thought it was a nice way to send you off, and I happily took my turn alongside the younger folks.

Chef Mickey's

Verdict: Chef Mickey’s will likely not be one of the highlights of your Disney vacation, especially if you weigh the price versus the experience. But if you’re looking for a relaxed, easy to navigate, joyous meal for you and your family, reserve yourself a less expensive brunch time. 

Another perk? Reserving a meal at Chef Mickey's will also save you time waiting in lines to meet these very popular characters in the parks.

Have you eaten at Chef Mickey's? Comment and share your experience with the Disney Six!