Dining Review: Chef Mickey’s at Disney’s Contemporary

Availability

Chef Mickey’s is both a Character Dining location at Disney’s Contemporary Resort. I did not have any trouble securing a reservation 60 days out. When I looked to see if I could have booked today, there was only one reservation available at 9:15pm which will work for some parties, but not for those with young children. I definitely recommend reserving this location in advance.

Atmosphere

With Mickey Mouse, Goofy, Pluto, and Donald walking around, you can imagine it is a delightful atmosphere set to delight children of all ages! It is a buffet, which you can of course return to as many times as you wish. Be advised the easiest way to see and have photo ops with all of the characters is to be at your seat when they are in your dining area. However, if you miss one simply notify your server and they will bring them to you when they are available to circle back around. It is not a fancy or quiet restaurant, but it is a great family atmosphere.

Offerings

As I mentioned it is a buffet. They have lots of different types of food: Asian, Mexican, Italian, bread service, salads, sides, and a carving station. They also had a desert bar with bite size servings so that you could try several or all of them if you wish.While it is nice that it is a wide variety that also includes a kid friendly bar with childhood favorites like chicken nuggets and Mac and Cheese, it was not my idea of a great place to dine. It was edible, but I didn’t find anything special about it. I did eat enough to be full, but there was not a dish that I would recommend as my favorite.

Overall Impression

We had a great time taking pictures with the characters! I am happy to say that Minnie Mouse was waiting for a photo op with us when we were finished too! I definitely would take children to eat there, particularly if I were using a Disney Dining Plan, but I strongly feel it is only worth one Table Service Dining Credit. If you would like to make a reservation for this dining location, simply use your My Disney Experience app.

Comments

What is Pixie Dust?

First Time Magic When I was Young…and so was Disney World My first visit to Disney World was in 1971. I was not excited to be going to Disney. Why? I did not know that Disney existed, much less that I was going there. 1971 was the year that Walt Disney World opened in Florida and I was 5 years old! Whether my Dad kept it a secret so that it would be the ultimate surprise is unclear to me. What I am sure of is that he took us to the most magical place on earth. Operations were very different than they are now, but the one thing that remains the same is that it is still the most magical place on earth. What is Pixie Dust and how can I Make it Happen on my Trip? Pixie Dust is a magical, unexpected thing that can happen while you are at Disney, but you cannot make it happen. I have heard people recently complain that the magic is gone since the pandemic started. It’s not true. I am sad for these people because they are missing the point. There are two types of...

Disney Value Resorts: Which one is Best?

Why are they called Value Resorts? Pop Century The Disney Value Resorts are called that because they are the least expensive resorts that Disney has to offer. In other words, staying at one of these will stretch that Disney Budget farther. Currently, there are 5 Values: Pop Century , The Art of Animation , All Star Music , All Star Movie s, and All Star Sports . What amenities and entertainment can I expect at a Value Resort? All of these resorts will have a counter service restaurant, a pool bar, a gift shop, a themed pool near the main building, guest laundry, Movies Under the Stars, and special resort activities at the main pool. In the rooms, you can expect beds for 4 people (2 to a bed) or if you book a suite it will sleep up to 6 people. In the standard rooms and suites you will have a coffee pot with coffee service provided and a cooler/fridge perfect for keeping drinks cold, but not much else. The suites also have a microwave as well as a small supply of p...

Signature Dining at The Walt Disney World Resort

One of my favorite things I have a confession. While it is true that I love all things Disney , the attractions, the parades, the fireworks, the characters, the thing I love most at Disney is the dining! Whether I am on a Disney Cruise or visiting the Theme Parks, the dining is my favorite thing! You may not be aware of this, but Disney offers several different types of dining experiences: Table Service, Quick Service, Character Dining , and the coveted Signature Dining! Why is it called Signature Dining? Disney's Signature Dining locations are named as such because they are each a one of a kind, dining experience. Walt Disney talked about taking an experience and "plus-ing" it. In other words, taking something great and then taking it up another notch. That is exactly what the Signature Dining experience is! What do I need to know? Each of these unique locations is available by reservation and they tend to fill up very quickly! Reservations can be made 60 days bef...

Dining Review: The Whispering Canyon at The Wilderness Lodge

Availability The availability of this dining location is dependent upon the travel seasons at Disney . On this particular occasion I was able to secure a dining reservation just a few days before, but I have been unable to find an open reservation in the past at times. Lucky for me, this was not peak season! Atmosphere The Whispering Canyon is a definite play on words! This Table Service restaurant is full of good natured ribbing, tongue in cheek comments, and general mayhem! On this particular occasion, there was a server in what may very well have been a 50 gallon hat roaming around and chatting with his guests as well as everyone he came into contact! We were there for lunch this time, which typically isn’t quite as high energy, but the atmosphere was still delightfully energized. Offerings Dinner is known for its all you can eat barbecue skillets. Breakfast has skillets as well made of biscuits, waffles, eggs, bacon, sausage, etc. At lunch time you get a combinat...

Why Should I Stay at a Disney Resort?

Discounts! There are many reasons to choose a Disney Resort for your upcoming Disney vacation! It is true that there are tons of resorts in the Orlando area. It is true that you might find one that is cheaper, though I would double check that that is true because you can sometimes get some super good deals at Disney. Probably one of the biggest reasons to pick a WDW Resort is the discounts. If you book last minute, you might not be able to find a discount, but if you plan ahead when the deals are first coming out, the savings can be anywhere from a little to a lot! To find out how to make sure you are getting the discount you think you are getting, click here . What kind of discounts can you get? Most often they have room discounts from 15-35% depending on when and where you book your stay. Some of the bigger discounts are attached to having an Annual Pass or a Chase Disney Visa or sometimes even having Disney+. What else? Occasionally, you might find a ticket discount, espe...

Planning for Pixie Dust

Search This Blog