Disney Dining: Chef Mickey's {Walt Disney World with a 2 Year Old, Part 5}

A mom’s review of the Character Breakfast at Chef Mickey’s– meeting the characters, yummy breakfast and a great family activity– perfect for a visit to Walt Disney World with a 2 year old!

Chef Mickey’s is the classic, go-to spot for character dining. My parents even took me there when I was a kid! So for our daughter’s 1st visit to Walt Disney World, it was only right that we carried on the tradition with a Character Breakfast at Chef Mickey’s.

Location

One of the most unique things about Chef Mickey’s is its location and atmosphere! Located in Disney’s Contemporary Resort, the restaurant has an open-air dining room and allows you to see the monorail as it picks up hotel guests to bring them to the Magic Kingdom. Our daughter loved waving to everyone looking down from the monorail!

This prime location makes it a great place to grab breakfast before heading to the parks or the perfect place to get dinner when you’re ready to wind down after park hopping all day.

Characters

Your little one will think they’ve struck gold with all of the characters they’ll get to meet at Chef Mickey’s! They’ll get to interact and take photos with Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Goofy, Donald Duck AND Pluto.

As you enjoy your meal, the characters will come to each table to visit with your family. They were all wonderful with my daughter, who was a little nervous, and did everything they could to put her at ease. And we never felt rushed! We even forgot to get Mickey’s autograph and after he made his way around our section, he stopped by us again to sign my daughter’s book- so sweet!!

Yes, you read that last one correctly. I made my daughter her own waffle, but I definitely think I enjoyed the bar more than she did. The Mickey-shaped waffles were adorable but the fact that I could add sprinkles, chocolate chips, whipped cream, syrup, etc. to them made me feel like I was a kid again.

Dinner

I can’t fully speak to the dinner menu because we only had breakfast at the restaurant, but I have several friends who have gone for dinner and really enjoyed it! A few of the highlights from the menu (subject to change) are:

Seasonal Salads
Baked Chicken or Salmon, BBQ Pork Ribs
Carving Stations
Chef’s Pasta Selection, Mickey’s Cheese Ravioli
Variety of Vegetable Dishes
Mickey’s Macaroni & Cheese, Chicken Nuggets
Sundae Bar

There is also a large specialty cocktail menu for the adults while kids can also enjoy specialty drinks like Wild Strawberry Lemonade or Sparkling No-Jito’s.

Cost

Breakfast/brunch at Chef Mickey’s runs about $41 for adults (age 10+) and $25 for kids (age 3-9). Dinner at Chef Mickey’s will cost about $50 for adults (age 10+) and $30 for kids (age 3-9).

While this can feel a bit steep, keep in mind that it is an unlimited buffet and you are also paying for the experience of meeting all of the characters. Some Disney Dining Plans are also accepted at Chef Mickey’s so if you choose to go that route, make sure you know if your plan qualifies!

Why is there a Minnie head over my daughter’s face? Read more about my decision not to share her photo.

Another great thing about taking your 2-year-old or toddler to Walt Disney World, kids 3 and under eat FREE at Chef Mickey’s! This was such a nice surprise when my husband and I got our check at the end of the meal 🙂

Reservations

With the number of restaurants located within Walt Disney World, it’s no surprise that they have a very in depth Dining Reservation system.

Reservations can be made up to 180 days (about 6 months) in advance for any table-service restaurant (i.e. Chef Mickey’s, ‘Ohana). You will not need reservations for quick-service restaurants (Cosmic Ray’s, Flame Tree BBQ).

If you are staying at a Disney Resort hotel, starting 180 days from your date of arrival, you can book dining for your entire resort stay (up to 10 days). If you are not staying at on Disney property, you’ll have to make reservations 180 days out from each day that you want a reservation.

For more details about setting up your dining reservation, check out my post on Disney Details: MagicBands, Dining & FastPass+

Final Thoughts

If you’re visiting Walt Disney World with your 2 year old or toddler, you have to visit Chef Mickey’s! There’s just nothing else like it– the atmosphere, the characters and the Mickey waffles– you can’t ask for more.