Chef Mickey’s is a personality eating expertise with Mickey Mouse and mates in Walt Disney World’s Contemporary Resort. This restaurant evaluation consists of meals images, our ideas on dinner, family-style meal particulars, whether or not it’s well worth the cash, modifications for 2023, and extra. (Updated December 20, 2022.)
Chef Mickey’s dinner service has returned to Disney’s Contemporary Resort, however not in its regular kind. As with the restaurant’s breakfast, company can as soon as once more see Mickey and mates throughout their meal, however bodily distanced–which means posed images however no touching, hugging, or autographs.
Also gone is the conventional Chef Mickey’s dinner buffet, changed by a prix fixe all-you-care-to-enjoy family-style dinner. It’s $59 for adults and $38 for kids, not together with tax and gratuity. The Chef Mickey’s Family Feast is arguably extra formidable than the buffet reviewed under, so it’s price contemplating if you happen to want family-style meals to buffets.
December 20, 2022 Update: That menu data above needs to be appended with a “for now” asterisk. That’s as a result of Walt Disney World simply introduced the next that the present family-style meal will finish on February 28, 2023.
The buffet expertise will return to Chef Mickey’s on March 1, 2023. Check again quickly to view the buffet menu. This is definitely one of many final character eating experiences to revive the buffet, which could have been on account of improved visitor satisfaction from the family-style meal. (Not to “spoil” something, however our evaluation of the buffet was not precisely optimistic.)
We’ll remember to re-review the buffet as soon as it returns. By the time it comes again, it should have been gone for practically 3 years, and quite a bit can change in that point. That’s very true as Walt Disney World has overhauled different character eating experiences, and raised the bar considerably with newer eating places. Our hope is thus that Chef Mickey’s might be considerably higher in March 2023 than it was in March 2020.
Speaking of newer character eating experiences, if you wish to minimize to the chase and examine our #1 picks for breakfast and dinner, learn our Breakfast à la Art at Topolino’s Terrace — Flavors of the Riviera Review and Story Book Dining at Artist Point with Snow White Review. Those are our two favourite character meals at Walt Disney World proper now.
Normally, Chef Mickey’s presents a buffet for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. While it varies in value relying upon season and meal, it’s at all times expensive–usually in extra of $50 per grownup. The menu at Chef Mickey’s is principally simply a wide range of American consolation meals, nearly all of which is normal fare that may attraction to choosy eaters.
Now again to your recurrently scheduled Chef Mickey’s dinner evaluation for these planning journeys to Walt Disney World on or after March 1, 2023, at which era the conventional Chef Mickey’s expertise can have returned…
Mickey Mouse is the unique rodent restaurateur. The story of Remy in Ratatouille is good, but it surely’s fairly clear he noticed the success Mickey was having and determined to tear off the concept. The solely distinction is that Remy can really prepare dinner.
Mickey spends all of his day trip assembly company, and on account of his slacking, what the kitchen produces suffers. The Mouse simply doesn’t appear to care. His restaurant stays standard and troublesome to ebook regardless of the delicacies, so why trouble? Well, as a result of he’s a cheerful rodent devoted to happiness, and never a ruthless businessperson, however I digress.
Chef Mickey’s is insanely standard and troublesome to ebook. It’s a restaurant with a ton of followers, and I think this evaluation gained’t sit nicely with these followers. So, earlier than we proceed any additional, I ask the followers on the market to present critical although to why they like Chef Mickey’s. I’m guessing there are a couple of causes: 1) nostalgia, 2) the setting, 3) the characters, and 4) the meals.
I believe the primary three causes are all very legitimate. I’m betting many company who go to Chef Mickey’s recurrently achieve this as a result of they’ve fond recollections of it being their youngsters’ first character meal, possibly even the primary time assembly Mickey Mouse.
Among critical Disney followers, Chef Mickey’s has nearly develop into a ceremony of passage character meal. Many company kind nice recollections throughout this ceremony of passage expertise and wish to return consequently. Nothing improper with that. We all wish to return to the locations the place we made nice recollections.
The setting can also be fairly cool. There’s one thing to be stated for eating within the Grand Canyon Concourse of the Contemporary with monorails passing overhead. Same goes for the characters. You have the entire Fab Five at Chef Mickey’s (in cool outfits, no much less), making it top-of-the-line experiences for character eating.
These three issues could make it straightforward to miss the faults in an expertise. Namely, the meals. It’s simply not good, and isn’t a sound purpose for liking Chef Mickey’s. Usually, when I’ve a foul meal at Walt Disney World, I attempt to give the restaurant the advantage of the doubt, pondering of the methods my expertise might need been an outlier or simply unfortunate, and discover a purpose to present it one other likelihood regardless of the meal. I simply can’t give Chef Mickey’s the advantage of the doubt after our dinner.
Our meal wasn’t dangerous due to any problem that might be described as “variable,” just like the meals being chilly or overcooked. It was simply plain dangerous. Ingredients appeared low cost, most buffet gadgets lacked taste, and the whole lot was simply usually low-quality. The meals felt like a complete afterthought, as if individuals had been there primarily for the ambiance and character interactions, and meals didn’t matter.
I commented to Sarah throughout our meal that I might have gladly traded our meals at Chef Mickey’s for one thing on the close by Contempo Cafe counter service restaurant, and he or she wholeheartedly agreed. That’s type of unhappy contemplating we might have had a meal at Contempo Cafe for ~$15/particular person, and Chef Mickey’s was about triple that value. Granted, Contempo Cafe is our #1 counter service restaurant at Walt Disney World, however nonetheless…
Now, I perceive that Chef Mickey’s is principally aiming for family-friendly consolation meals (that is definitely no Boma or Tusker House), but it surely looks like there was no effort put into any of the gadgets on the buffet. Maybe the rationale is that it’s all for teenagers with easy tastes (however what about their dad and mom?), I’m not likely certain. Almost just like the angle of Rizzo the Rat when he proclaims, “they’re tourists, what do they know?” in MuppetVision, aside from meals.
Before we delve into explicit meals gadgets, let’s take a fast have a look at the decor of the restaurant. Aside from the monorail overhead, the restaurant simply consists of colourful designs, Mickey Mouse pop-art, and a Mickey head motif. It has a little bit of a Nineteen Nineties vibe to it, however not in a means that feels dated.
I just like the design, particularly the colour and pop artwork. For probably the most half, it simply feels enjoyable–precisely how a personality meal like this could really feel. Plus, you completely can’t beat that monorail overhead. Just have a look at it!
This ambiance alone nearly makes the restaurant worthwhile. Too dangerous you possibly can have the identical ambiance by simply sitting within the Grand Canyon Concourse without cost, or by consuming at Contempo Cafe for a fraction of the value. Plus, in these locations you gained’t be subjected to the whole chaos that’s Chef Mickey’s.
Here’s one of many buffet strains. Notice that the names of the meals are scribbled onto the glass. Classy.
As for the meals, the silver lining is that it’s not all atrocious. There are some glimmers of mediocrity within the combine that give Chef Mickey’s some redeeming worth. Let’s check out the assorted gadgets.
Here’s a plate of varied meats and mashed potatoes. Anyone accustomed to our weblog will immediately acknowledge this vegetable-free plate of meals as mine.
The carved beef sirloin was low high quality however above common relative to different stuff right here. I appreciated the mashed potatoes, however they appeared like an affordable sort of on the spot potatoes.
The ribs aren’t at all times out there at Chef Mickey’s (the nightly menu does change some), however don’t get too upset in the event that they’re not there.
I’ve by no means met ribs I didn’t love…till Chef Mickey’s. Okay, I nonetheless ate lots of them, but it surely was as a result of it was a ‘lesser of evils’ scenario.
Some carved turkey on this plate. Quality-wise, it appeared like one of many higher issues out there, but it surely was ready dry.
Some hen, scalloped potatoes (I believe), and “salmon.” I’m not fully satisfied the salmon was product of fish.
Lots of random stuff on this plate. We tried the whole lot at Chef Mickey’s (simply interested by that provides me gentle PTSD) and many of the meals was fully forgettable. Actually, that needs to be “food with an asterisk,” as a result of I’m unsure if some issues meet the FDA definition of meals. I like processed responsible pleasures simply as a lot as the following man, but it surely appeared like the whole lot at Chef Mickey’s was processed and low high quality.
When I stated the whole lot lacked taste above, maybe I used to be being too harsh. About 50% of the menu tastes like butter and/or cheese. So there’s that…I assume.
At this level, you could be pondering (like I used to be): “Well, at least dessert should be good. Kids love dessert!”
Well…you’d be improper. Above is a brownie-like factor. It was not good.
Unfortunately, “taste” isn’t one thing that they had a lot of.
On the plus facet (probably), I believe preparation might need been the difficulty right here. So you might need higher luck with these.
The bread pudding was really midway first rate.
The different desserts most likely made it appear higher than it was, however both means, it wasn’t dangerous.
The character interactions had been usually good. In all of our experiences at Chef Mickey’s, the place has been a zoo, however that’s completely to be anticipated of a restaurant like this. Kids get excited, dad and mom allow them to run round…it occurs. Don’t eat right here if you happen to’re not eager on the concept of another person’s rugrat leaping round your desk. We liked the outfits that every of the characters had. For how busy Chef Mickey’s is, the character interactions are all surprisingly good. This was an actual aid given the meals high quality.
Characters are good about spending time and having enjoyable with every desk; it’s not only a matter of posing for images and shifting alongside. One draw back was that it was troublesome to get images with out different company or Cast Members within the background, however that’s an issue in any respect character meals. It’s simply exacerbated on the standard ones, particularly when tables aren’t spaced out (as is the case at Chef Mickey’s).
Another problem for us is that not many character attendants had been round. For most company this most likely isn’t a problem as a result of it’s dad and mom wanting images of their youngsters. Sarah and I don’t have a lot use for images of 1 or the opposite of us–however not each of us–within the shot. I want character attendants trailed every character at each character meal.
Before begin pondering I’m only a curmudgeon who hates enjoyable, basic Walt Disney World experiences, wait till you learn our upcoming Cinderella’s Royal Table evaluation. To offer you a short synopsis, our expectations had been far exceeded and we completely liked it. See? Not all detrimental!
Overall, Chef Mickey’s is among the worst eating places at Walt Disney World on the subject of meals. The factor is…this may increasingly not even matter. So many individuals simply need the Chef Mickey’s expertise. The ambiance is enjoyable and the character interactions are good at Chef Mickey’s. So, possibly the Mouse is true on the subject of the meals being an afterthought for a lot of company. The solely different mouse-operated restaurant I’ve visited was Chuck-E-Cheese, and it was just about the identical means. Yet, I nonetheless liked that place as a child, and I think many households will love Chef Mickey’s regardless of the meals.
Personally, Chef Mickey’s can be low on my checklist of character meals to revisit sooner or later due to its excessive value and poor meals. If I’m being sincere, although, and we had youngsters, I’d nonetheless be certain that they skilled Chef Mickey’s as soon as. (We’d most likely do breakfast, although, as our final breakfast at Chef Mickey’s was good. Granted, that was about 5 years in the past.) This actually speaks to the draw of Chef Mickey’s as a spot the place households make recollections, even when it shouldn’t even technically be allowed to name itself a restaurant.
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Your Thoughts…
Have you carried out Chef Mickey’s at Walt Disney World? What did you assume? Worthwhile for the characters, for the meals, or for each? Is this meal one thing you’d prefer to strive? Any particular suggestions from the buffet? If you have got any questions or ideas to share, please publish them within the feedback. We love listening to from readers!