Chef Mickey’s: Why We Love it! Plus a Few Tips to Make it More Affordable

If you’re looking for one of the most popular character breakfasts in all of Walt Disney World, Chef Mickey’s might just be it! With a fun, colorful, and family-friendly vibe, this restaurant has created a large fan following over the years. With it’s growing popularity and proximity to the Magic Kingdom, this location is one of the most sought after dining reservations.

Where can I find Chef Mickey’s?

Location, location, location! You’ll find Chef Mickey’s nestled inside the renowned Contemporary resort. The Contemporary resort is the closest resort to any of the parks and in this case, it’s just a quick stroll away from the Magic Kingdom. This makes it a perfect location if you’re wanting to stay close to the magic, but don’t want to travel too far for character dining.

Planning to visit for breakfast is a great way to start your day, especially if you’re still trying to make it for rope drop. If you’re in need of an afternoon refresher and some cool AC, planning lunch at Chef Mickey’s is a nice way to break away, but not have to travel too far.

Dinner can also be a great option, especially if you’ve got plans to explore the resort and watch the Magic Kingdom fireworks from the top of the Contemporary.

What Characters Can We Meet There?

When dining at Chef Mickey’s you’ll be able to meet the entire Fab Five! That’s right; Pluto, Goofy, Donald, Minnie, and Mickey all circulate around the restaurant at least once during your mealtime. (This is arguably the reason why this dining experience is so popular!) All of the characters are dressed up in their super cute restaurant serving attire, while Mikey dons his chef jacket and hat. It’s adorable!

In our experience here, the characters do a wonderful job of making sure to stop at each and every table. All of the characters took their time meeting with both the kids and adults who wanted a second to chat and get their picture taken with them. Character “conversations” are animated, as none of the five actually talk. They do notice any Disney gear you might be wearing, and are very generous with their high-fives and great big hugs.

Some differences to meeting characters at dining experiences rather than in the parks are that, of course, you don’t have to wait in line; all of the characters will stop and greet you at your table. There aren’t any photographers who follow the characters around, so you’ll have to have your cell phone and camera ready to go.

This wasn’t a problem for us, as we really just wanted pictures of the kids. But if you want a photo with the whole family, you’d have to ask one of the character attendants or waitstaff. Just ask kindly! Keep in mind that it’s also pretty much impossible to not catch others in the background of your photos, as the tables can be pretty close together.

If you’d rather not have others in the background of your dining photos, our recommendation is to try Garden Grill in Epcot instead.

If you are wanting a professional photo of your experience at Chef Mickey’s, there was a PhotoPass photographer posted out at the entrance of Chef Mickey’s. We were able to get a few pics taken at the little photo op (Look for the Chef Mickey Plate!) Remember that any photo taken by a Disney photography will be loaded up to your Disney Experience account.

What Type of Dining Experience Can We Expect?

Chef Mickey’s is a buffet-style restaurant with an All-American cuisine. (Think: kid-friendly and comfort food.)

For breakfast, you can expect to find an array of biscuits and pastries, breakfast meats such as sausage, carved ham, and bacon as well as a selection of cereals and yogurts. Scrambled eggs along with a couple of different potato choices, such as a potato casserole and tater bites are also available. Our favorite is of course the MICKEY WAFFLES! Beverages include milk, several types of juice, and coke products. (FYI, you won’t find any Pepsi products at Disney.)

The brunch offerings are very similar to the breakfast menu, but with the addition of egg scrambles, biscuits and gravy, roasted turkey and seasoned veggies, and a few other chef selections.

Also available during brunch is the Create-Your-Own-Mickey-Waffle. Here you have the option of dressing up your Mickey Waffle in syrup, chocolate sauce, caramel sauce, sprinkles, chocolate chips, or whipped cream. Our kids loved this!!

During brunch, the staff also begins to bring out the children’s lunch and dinner options…so you can look out for chicken nuggets and mac and cheese. If your child is big on getting those items, definitely go during the brunch times as the breakfast and brunch times are cheaper than the lunch and dinner times.

Lunch and dinner menus are very similar. They offer salads, deli meats and cheeses, fresh fruit, and a variety of meats such as buttered chicken, glazed salmon, seafood, pasta, meatloaf, plus a carving station. The sides include mashed potatoes and seasonal veggies.

You can finish off your meal with a variety of desserts at any of the meal times. Dessert selections include cookies, cakes, Mickey Mouse Domes, bread pudding, and a build-your-own-sundae bar.

How Good is the Food and is It Worth It?

Welllllllllll…..I gotta be honest here. Most folks don’t come here for the quality of the food and I have to agree that that’s not what you’re paying for. Very similar to the quality you’d find at a Golden Corral, (well maybe a step up) what you’re really paying for is the Chef Mickey experience. Now with that being said, it is an all you can eat style buffet, and it is rated as one of the best character meals in regards to value.

If you’re a die-hard Mickey Fan or have little ones who just adore Minnie Mouse, then eating at Chef Mickey’s is sort of like a right of passage for some. While the food doesn’t necessarily hit it out of the park for us, it’s definitely of those experiences that you have to do at least once!

Do You Have Any Money-Saving Tips to Make it More Affordable?

You betcha! If you’ve purchased any of the Disney dining packages, Chef Mickey’s is a participant on the plan. If you’re happening to plan a visit during the off-seasons, look out for Disney’s free dining plan. If you’ve happened to score that deal, then the cost of trying out Chef Mickey’s might not even be a concern. (If you’re considering Disney’s free dining option, we always recommend crunching the numbers as it’s not always the deal you think you’re getting. So do your homework!)

• Remember that children under three years old eat free! If you’ve got any little ones under that age…now is the time to go!
• Passholders receive a 10% discount.
• Chef Mickey’s accepts Tables in Wonderland and that will score you a 20% discount.
• Make your reservations during breakfast or brunch as the prices are significantly cheaper…$50 per adult vs. $60 during the lunch and dinner hour. Children are $33 for breakfast compared to the $39 lunch and dinner price tag.
• If you’re paying cash, try out the Disney Gift Card hack. You can purchase discounted Disney Gift cards at Costco or Target to save you at least 5% off the price. You can use Disney gift cards anywhere throughout the parks. You can pay for your meal with a Disney Gift card in conjunction with Passholder or Tables in Wonderland Discounts.
• Even though it’s not a character meal, consider eating right next door at the Contempo Cafe. Here you’ll only pay around $15 bucks a person, the food is so much better (actually it’s pretty amazing!) but you’ll still get the ambiance of eating in the Contemporary’s concourse with front-row views of the monorail!

Any other Tips?

Of course!

• If at all possible, take the monorail to Chef Mickey’s! I promise your kids will love it! After you have your meal, hop back on the monorail and explore the other two monorail resorts, the Grand Floridian and the Polynesian.
• Don’t forget to tour the resort while you’re there. Look out for the large and beautiful mosaic in the center of the concourse. Designed by Mary Blair, the Imagineer whose works you see in the Small World designs. It’s a real treat and a great photo op!
• Take a stroll and shop around in the merchandise locations.
• Find the Contemporary’s conference room. It’s famous for Nixon’s, “I’m not a crook” speech as that’s where the Associated Press Managing Editors annual conference was being held.
• Just want a drink and an appetizer? Then try out The Wave for some awesome selections of wine, cocktails, and appetizers.

Share Your Experience

Do you plan on dining at Chef Mickey’s during your next visit to Disney? For those of you who have tried it before, what was your experience? Drop your tips and tricks below or find me on any of my social media channels. I’d love to hear how you like hanging with Chef Mickey at his restaurant!

Happy dining, friends!