Disney Dining Review for Chef Mickey’s Breakfast at Disney’s Contemporary Resort

Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Goofy, and Pluto plus lots of food… does it get any better than that? Head over to the Contemporary Resort and on the 4^th floor you will find your character and food overload awaits!

Our breakfast reservation was at 9:40am. We arrived via car at the Contemporary at roughly 9:15am and checked in early. The hostess was very pleasant and handed us a pager that had a cute Disney trivia question on it which was fun to quiz the family on while we waited. We went through the gift shops conveniently on the 4^th floor while we waited. There is also a section just inside Chef Mickey’s for a family photo opportunity if you are interested. Our pager went off just before our reservation time. The hostess guided us to our table and explained that Chef Mickey and his pals would be making their way to our table shortly. We waited for a short minute when our server, Gretchen, arrived to take our drink order.

We were seated towards the front of the restaurant. There are three separate seating areas within Chef Mickey, all with their own Mickey and Pals décor that stay true to the Chef Mickey theme. We have eaten at Chef Mickey’s before and the atmosphere was very similar to our previous experience. It was exciting, crowded, bright, and fun! Don’t go to Chef Mickey’s expecting a quiet breakfast, but what else would you expect at a place that is meant for entertaining several children and families. The dining chairs were comfortable and the table was spacious. While it was crowded, the space surrounding each table allowed for easy access to go to the buffet as many times as you would like without any problems.

Almost as soon as we were seated, we headed to the buffet before any of the characters came. You can start the buffet from either side and when you reach the pancake station the food options repeat themselves. When browsing the breakfast buffet, you can expect all of the typical American style breakfast items to be available. Fruit, eggs, bacon, pancakes, potatoes, yogurt, cereal, oatmeal… so many options to select from! We suggest you just plan on going back for round two, as there is just no way to put it all on one plate. Our favorites included the pancakes, potatoes, and the pastry stand. That’s right, a pastry stand! It looks like a tower of heavenly yummies. Our 7-year-old daughter’s eyes started glowing and of course that’s where she wanted to spend most of the time filling her plate.

As we munched away, Gretchen did an amazing job of staying on top of our drinks. We had all the typical breakfast drinks to choose from including milk, chocolate milk, orange juice, coffee, and tea. One of our family members likes to put ice in with her chocolate milk (I know weird, but we still love her!). She was using her water glass and taking the ice out to put in her chocolate milk. We were making fun of her and the server must have heard because she reappeared with a new chocolate milk and a full cup of ice – without being asked! She was super observant despite being busy and that was truly special to us.

While overall Chef Mickey’s food was enjoyable, bountiful, and filling, it did remind us of a breakfast buffet place back home…but with more Disney treats to offer. Of all the Disney breakfast dining options, the food at Chef Mickey is probably our least favorite, but only because it doesn’t stand out like some of the other dining options. They had tater tots that were good but we’re fairly sure they are the same ones we buy at the grocery store – same goes for the bacon and several other items.

We don’t say all of that about the food to deter you from going to Chef Mickey’s because Chef Mickey’s is so much more than just about the food. We go to see the most popular, and our favorite, characters all in one place coming to us at our table. It’s a great place to get those autograph books out and catch the perfect pictures.

Speaking of characters, they were fantastic of course! When Mickey comes to the area you are dining, special music comes on and everyone (including the characters currently making their rounds) gets excited by waving their cloth napkins around. We also love how they interacted with the kids. Mickey especially made a big deal out of getting a picture with our 8-month-old son in his highchair. After Mickey was sure our little man wasn’t scared of him, he pulled the highchair out away from the table and wrapped his arms around him. It was neat that Mickey took his time with him. One thing we did notice about Chef Mickey’s verses the other Disney breakfast dining we’ve experienced is that the characters seem to key in solely on the kids. Instead of making it around the table, they go to the kids immediately and move on from there. We really can’t blame them though as there are several tables and a lot of kids to get through.

Overall, Chef Mickey’s is one we keep on our list to do again. The food might not be top notch, but the Disney standard in the service and atmosphere is present. Chef Mickey and Pals… we’ll see ya real soon!

F.A.S.T. Review:

Food: You won’t leave hungry, but the taste and food selections are similar to any breakfast place back home. However, the pastry stand is terrific and a kiddo’s fantasy of desserts come true!

Atmosphere: Fun and bright. Yes, it is crowded and noisy, but that’s just we’d expect from a breakfast focused on entertaining children. Watch for the monorail to go by!

Service: Wonderful experience with service! Disney’s standard of excellent service is noticeable at Chef Mickey’s.

Tips: We’d suggest you visit Chef Mickey’s on a day you are not attending a park, as to dine later to avoid crowds. Also, keep an eye out for characters and their visiting patterns. You don’t want to miss your opportunity with a character if you are away from the table browsing the buffet.