Understanding Disney Resort Categories

Recently, I've been chatting with my cousin about an upcoming trip that he is planning with his family to Walt Disney World.  In our conversations, I was reminded how overwhelming the seemingly simple task of choosing a hotel for your Disney vacation can be for those who aren't familiar with all of the options and categories.

(Note: I've updated this post as of April 2019 to reflect my most recent stays! Enjoy!!)

The pool at Disney's All-Star Movies Resort

Value Resorts - All-Star Music, All-Star Movies, All-Star Sports, Pop Century, and Art of Animation - These provide the most basic accommodations on Disney property.  Rooms will vary a bit from resort to resort as the All Stars provide relatively small rooms while the Art of Animation resort offers family suites with multiple sleeping areas and 2 bathrooms.  Dining options are limited here as well with typically only a quick service restaurant.  Theming and pool areas are generally well done and kids will be impressed with the larger than life Disney characters at each of these resorts.  Out of this category, I've stayed at the All-Star Music Resort (back in 2003) as well as All-Star Movies Resort.  I'm excited to check out Art of Animation and hope to stay there on our next vacation with the kids.  I think the over-the-top theming and the inclusion of some recent Disney/Pixar films make this a perfect place for families with young kids.

Moderate Resort - Port Orleans Riverside
Stately mansions and a fun pool (where I enjoyed being a big kid!) 

Moderate Resorts - Caribbean Beach, Coronado Springs, Port Orleans Riverside, and Port Orleans French Quarter - These resorts feature more "subtle" Disney theming while transporting you to another place.  The grounds of each of these are beautiful and spread out over the greatest distance - something that may sound wonderfully relaxing to some of you or incredible inconvenient to others.  Recently, Disney has updated some rooms in these resorts to make a more magical and themed experience including Pirate themed rooms at Caribbean Beach Resort.  I've stayed at the Caribbean Beach Resort back in 1994 and Port Orleans Riverside in 2008. More recently, I visit Disney's Coronado Springs Resort in 2017 for Princess Half Marathon Weekend. Dan and I really enjoyed our time at Port Orleans Riverside and I would say it's my recommendation out of this category.  It seems to be universally well liked on all of the Disney Social Media groups that I follow and the laid back theming of an old Mississippi River plantation allows you to truly feel relaxed on your vacation.

Beautiful, modern, and close to the Magic Kingdom!
Deluxe Resort - The Contemporary

Deluxe Resorts - Contemporary, Grand Floridian, Polynesian, Wilderness Lodge, Boardwalk, Yacht Club, Beach Club, and Animal Kingdom Lodge - The deluxe resort category offers convenient access  to the parks, spacious rooms, luxurious accommodations, exceptional theming, and fantastic dining. . .all for a pretty high price.  There isn't a deluxe resort that you'd be disappointed in - they are fabulous.  If you will be staying at a deluxe resort, the biggest thing to consider is which park you would like easiest access to or if there is a particular theme that you love.  My personal favorite in this category is the Contemporary because with two young kids, you can walk to Magic Kingdom and are just a monorail ride away from Epcot.  You are also int the same resort as Chef Mickey's and again just a monorail ride away from great dining at the Polynesian and Grand Floridan too.

Deluxe Villa Resort - Animal Kingdom Lodge Kidani Village
Studio properties offer a larger room size and kitchenette matched with the luxury of a Deluxe Resort

Deluxe Villa Resorts (aka Disney Vacation Club properties) - Bay Lake Towers @ The Contemporary, Villas at Grand Floridian, Villas at Wilderness Lodge, Boardwalk Villas, Polynesian Villas and Bungalows, Saratoga Springs Resort and Spa, Old Key West Resort, Animal Kingdom Lodge Villas, and Beach Club Villas - Most of these resorts are paired up with a deluxe resort so the perks of staying at a deluxe resort are the same, but the room quality is enhanced in this category.  Depending on the property you can find studios, one bedroom villas, two bedroom villas, or grand villas.  These rooms are great for traveling with larger parties or if you want more of a "condo" experience as opposed to a "hotel" experience on your trip.  This is the most expensive category to reserve directly through Disney.  Since these are also DVC properties, you can find third party websites and brokers that you can rent points from online.  We've used David's Vacation Rentals before for a stay at Animal Kingdom Lodge Villas - Kidani Village.

Other Disney Options - Campsites and Cabins at Fort Wilderness - If you are looking for a "rustic" experience while visiting Disney, these are two options you may want to consider.  The campsites are available to rent if you are visiting with your camper while the cabins offer a woodland setting and accommodations for 6.  These are both over by Wilderness Lodge and offer boat transportation to Magic Kingdom (busses everywhere else), campfires in the evening, and easy access to the Hoop-Dee-Do Revue.  I can't give an honest review or recommendation here because I haven't experienced either of these.  Those who know me, know I'm not a big "camper."

Yeah.  This is me.

So that's it - a quick summary of Disney resort categories.  The magic of Disney is alive and well in each of them and the Disney service that is well known can be found everywhere.  The choice really comes down to your budget and family preferences.  You can visit the Walt Disney World website for a more detailed look at each of these categories and the resorts in each.

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Saving money on food in Disney!

When traveling to Walt Disney World, one very large (and oftentimes underestimated) cost of the trip is buying food.  Even if you choose to purchase the Disney Dining Plan, you will probably still need some snacks and staples throughout the day.  So how can you save money on food?  Easy, buy groceries!

Now, you may be thinking I'm nuts.  Nobody wants to grocery shop on vacation and a lot of resort guests don't rent a car to easily get out.  Orlando though is home to numerous online grocery shopping services that are worth considering on your next trip.  On our most recent trip, we used Garden Grocer and couldn't have been happier with their service.

Here's how it works.  We visited their site about a month before our trip.  I knew that in our Studio at Animal Kingdom Lodge - Kidani Village we would have a fridge, sink, and some cabinet space.  I ordered easy breakfast items (milk, bananas, grapes, yogurt, bakery fresh muffins, cereal) and drinks (Capri Sun, soda, juice, case of water) as well as a few healthy snacks to pack for the park (granola bars, apples, pretzels, etc).    We don't know exactly how much money we saved by taking advantage of this service, but I know it was substantial.  Think about just water alone.  Water is one snack credit on the Disney Dining Plan or $2.50 a bottle when you buy it out in the parks.  From Garden Grocer, we received a case of water for $6.99 (or just $0.29 a bottle). The case was more than enough for what our family of 3 needed to last for the 5 days we were in Disney.  Between the online grocery order and some snacks we packed from home, we had a lot of options that saved us a great deal of money in the parks.  Once you place your order on their website, you select the delivery date, time frame, and resort destination.  They will deliver the groceries to bell services at your hotel where Disney staff will keep cold stuff refrigerated for you until you are back in your room to receive them.  When you arrive at your hotel, simply call bell services and they'll deliver your groceries to your room.  Voila!    

Having some breakfast food in the room allowed us to enjoy some leisurely mornings watching the animals from our balcony.

So how do you know if online groceries are right for your next trip?  The biggest suggestion I have is to check out what kind of refrigerator your room has.  All Walt Disney World Resort hotels now feature a refrigerator, but they do vary in size from mini-fridges in the value resorts to full size refrigerators and kitchens in most Disney Vacation Club property villas.  You'll want an idea of how much space you have for cold things before you place your order.  Many park visitors aren't aware that you can bring food into the park (including soft-sided coolers), but this little trick can add up to big savings!

What other tips or tricks do you have to save money on food when visiting Walt Disney World Resort?

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Renting DVC Points

Ever since I heard of the Disney Vacation Club (DVC), I've patiently dropped hints to my husband at how fabulous this sounds.  Unfortunately, as a young couple having kids, daycare bills, and purchasing a house, putting out the upfront cost to join DVC has not been in the cards.  I had previously read about renting DVC points, but had never taken the plunge before this year.  Dan and I enjoy staying at the Deluxe resorts but don't like paying the Deluxe price tag.  So, we decided back in May to try out David's DVC Request website.  Everything I read about them was positive and we were very pleased with our experience.

How it Works - DVC members who have points that they can't use or don't want to use connect with David's.  Guests who want to stay at DVC properties fill out a simple questionnaire with information about your family, requested dates, and requested resorts.  David's then goes to work seeing if they can match up your request to points that are available to them.  We were originally trying to book during October which happens to be Food and Wine Festival.  We were unable to find the original reservation we wanted 5 months out, but were able to find a vacation option that would work by tinkering with our dates just a little.  The whole booking process was completed in less than 48 hours from my initial inquiry with the team being extremely responsive and helpful.  Once booked, you receive your confirmation number which you can plug into your My Disney Experience account to begin planning your vacation!  You pay David's a significantly discounted price over what Disney rack rates are for the villa properties.  They in turn pay the original owner and keep some for themselves.  You can easily price out your trip with their price calculator.  Remember that David's availability depends on the points that they have.  If you're looking for a popular week, season, or resort, try to get your reservation in close to 11 months out when DVC rentals open up.

Tickets, Dining, and Magical Express - You have to purchase your tickets separately.  I would recommend either going directly through Disney (don't forget your Disney Gift Cards from Target to save 5% with your Red Card) or Undercover Tourist.  Don't worry - you can still link the tickets to your Magic Bands on the My Disney Experience site.  You can also take advantage of Disney Dining Plan and Magical Express through David's.  They request that you get them these details at least 30 days in advance of your trip.

We loved our experience with David's and can't wait to go back to another DVC property in the future!

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Animal Kingdom Lodge - Kidani Village

We just returned Sunday night from our most recent Disney trip where we enjoyed a wonderful stay in a savannah view room at the Animal Kingdom Lodge-Kidani Village.  AKL is a deluxe resort and DVC property.  We rented a DVC studio using David's Disney Vacation Club Rentals.  I'll review them in a later post, but overall we were very pleased with the resort and our whole experience.

Location - If there is one criticism I read about AKL prior to our trip, this was it.  AKL is made up of Jambo House and Kidani Village.  The lodge is spread out to maximize space along the safari.  Since this resort is located adjacent to Animal Kingdom, it is at the far end of Disney property.  You have to take WDW bus transportation to all theme parks and Downtown Disney.  The bus ride to Magic Kingdom is the farthest at about 20 minutes, plus whatever wait time you have for the bus to get there.  We did find that busses ran pretty regular and we never waited more than 15 minutes for a bus at a park or the resort.  Busses were very crowded, but a plus side to staying in Kidani was that the busses came to that part of the resort first so we were able to get seats without a problem.  The people at Jambo House were not always so lucky.

Dining - AKL has some nice choices for restaurants.  Again, it's important to note what part of the resort you're staying in when considering dining options.  Boma (buffet), Jiko (signature / fine dining), and Mara (quick service) are all located in Jambo House.  Sanaa (table service) is located at Kidani Village.  We did not eat at Jiko on this trip because of having Brody with us and we also passed on Mara, mainly because it didn't seem to be the bus/shuttle ride over to Jambo house just to have a counter service meal.  We did eat at Boma and Sanaa (both will be reviewed in another post in more detail).  While I think Boma is overpriced, the food was good and a nice mix of Amerian and African flair on the buffet.  Sanaa was wonderful!  I would definitely recommend that to anyone traveling to AKL.

Theming - Bonus points here!  Where else can you see a safari out your window??  This resort is perfect for families with kids (young and old) who will love watching animals and learning about them.  It's also a very quiet and peaceful resort which was perfect for mom to enjoy some quiet balcony time while Brody and Dan napped in the afternoon.  You feel a bit removed from the Disney hustle and bustle here which can be a nice retreat in the middle of the day or at night when you return.  The lobby was a delight to see and the African artwork throughout the resort provided a wonderful touch.

Loved seeing so many giraffes each day!

More animals just passing by our room!

Lobby at Kidani Village

Rooms - We had a studio with a savannah view and loved our room.  We were located near the Rafiki elevators so not too far off the lobby (Room 7730) which was nice because some rooms have a very loooong walk at the end of each day.  The furniture and accents in the room were very well connected to the theme and everything was comfortable.  In the studio room, we had a bed and a pullout sleep sofa.  While the studios can sleep up to 4, we would probably go with a one bedroom villa once our family adds our new addition simply because the extra space with 2 kids would be greatly appreciated.  There are a few different savannah views that your room may end up overlooking.  I would recommend requesting the Sunset Savannah as this has zebras and giraffes as well as some other large animals that will be easily recognizable for any kids that may be traveling with you.

Sleep sofa in our studio.  

Overall Grade - A-

Dan and I both agree that we would stay here again in a heartbeat.  Sure the bus rides were a bit longer and the lack of a quick service restaurant at Kidani is somewhat of a drawback, but neither of these dampened our experience in the least and they were easily overshadowed by the relaxing views of the safari and watching Brody's face light up when he saw the animals from our balcony.  I think Disney travelers of every age will find something to love about AKL!

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What to Consider When Staying Off Property

Let's face it - Disney is an expensive trip for a family.  And staying on property can make the trip even more expensive then taking advantage of some of the cheaper hotels that are in Orlando.  But, is staying off property the right choice for you and your family?  Here are some things to consider before making that decision.

Transportation - When you stay on property, Disney provides free Magical Express transportation to and from the airport as well as free transportation to and from your resort to the parks and Downtown Disney.  If you stay off property, you'll have to think about how you will get to and from the airport and to the parks.  One of the options would be renting a car.  Car rental prices in Florida are among the most expensive in the nation and you'll also have to pay for parking at the parks and maybe at your resort.  A second option that may work for you if your hotel provides free transportation to the parks via their own shuttles, is to simply arrange for transportation through Mears or another private company to get to and from the airport.  There is a range of options that private companies provide from a communal van / bus (cheapest) to private cars / limos.  A word of caution about free transportation from your hotel to the parks though - most will likely take you to the Ticketing and Transportation Center, not directly to the parks.  From the TTC, you'll have to catch another bus to the park of your choosing.  This can make for long travel times so keep this in mind if you have small kids.  We stayed off property in 2011 with some friends at the Hilton on I-Drive and as a group of four adults it wasn't that bad to manage.  However, I don't know that I would feel the same way toting small children, strollers, and diaper bags through multiple transportation changes.

Extra Magic Hours / Disney Dining Plan - This perk is extended to guests staying on Disney property and to a few off-site hotels.  If you're a Disney novice and not familiar with it, on select days some parks will open an hour early and stay open later for guests.  It's worth checking into if you enjoy the EMH benefit.  For me, EMH are nice but would not be a deal breaker if I could save several hundred dollars staying off property.  The Disney Dining Plan is only offered to guests staying on property.  If this is something that is important to you, you won't be able to take advantage of it while off property.

FastPass+ - This is probably one of the biggest considerations right now if you are looking to score hard to get FastPass+ times.  Resort guests have the ability to begin booking 60 days in advance of their reservation while guests staying off-property can only start booking 30 days in advance.  For my upcoming trip, I began booking FP+ times at the 60 day mark and their were some I couldn't get.  I would imagine times and attractions may be limited for guests staying off property who are at a disadvantage.

The Disney Experience - This is a biggie for me.  I loved our Hilton hotel when we were there.  The pool was beautiful, food was great, room was wonderful and had a great view of Epcot.  On top of all of that, it was free with Hilton points we accumulated and we were upgraded to a suite since Dan travels so much for work and has Diamond status at Hilton properties.  However, I missed Mickey.  Again, I haven't stayed off property much so maybe other hotels have more Mickey touches then the Hilton, but it didn't "feel" like Disney.  Especially now that I'm traveling with a little mouseketeer in tow, I enjoy being immersed in pixie dust and it's not the same staying off site.

The pool at the Walt Disney World Hilton on I-Drive

So, is staying off site the right choice for you and your family?  It depends.  There are certainly plenty of options that are cheaper then staying on property if that is your number one concern.  Don't forget to calculate any extra transportation costs that you may incur though.  I'm sure we'll stay off property again in the future, but my preference is to be on property whenever possible.

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Walt Disney World Restaurant Review: 'Ohana

'Ohana means family. . .and family means nobody left behind or forgotten.  Apparently it also means "good food" when you're staying in WDW and dine at this restaurant inside the Polynesian resort.

Dan and I dined here in April 2014 after returning from our Disney Cruise.  I wanted a little touch of Disney World magic to end our vacation without paying for a park ticket.  So we decided to visit Downtown Disney and then have dinner at 'Ohana.  It was a first for both of us and we'll definitely be back!

Location - First of all, 'Ohana's location is fabulous.  The Polynesian is a beautiful resort to explore and enjoy a pre-dinner cocktail by the pool.  The restaurant is on the second floor and provides a view of the Wishes fireworks if you time it appropriately (which we did!).  Like California Grill, 'Ohana also dims the lights and plays the music that accompany the firework.  Be warned - this is not an unobstructed view like California Grill though.  There is currently a volcano and trees that block part of the fireworks depending on where you are sitting.  We were lucky to have a table right next to the window without any obstructions, but not all customers will be so lucky.

Overall Experience - The experience in 'Ohana is one that you are not likely to forget anytime soon.  It's a very laid back, family friendly atmosphere.  The food is served family style and our waiter enhanced that experience with his energy and enthusiasm.  There was also a singer performing on a ukulele that traveled from table to table singing.  I especially enjoyed when they asked people celebrating a birthday or anniversary to come up for a special song - since we were celebrating my 30th!  One of the downfalls I had read about 'Ohana are long wait times even when you have an ADR.  We had a reservation and ended up waiting about 35 minutes for our table - not great, but not terrible either.  With the family style serving, it seems that moving people along can be challenging.

A little dark - but that's me getting my birthday lei!

Food - I have to admit that I was a little nervous about the food.  Your choices are limited here, but the food is delicious.  The main courses of shrimp, pork, and steak skewers accompanied by noodles and stir fry vegetables have all the "tanginess" of the Hawaiian Islands that you would expect to find.  And I think Dan speaks for most men in America when he says, "How can you beat meat on stick??" Don't forget to save room for dessert too as the bread pudding with the banana caramel sauce is unbelievable!

Overall Grade - A-
The only thing lacking in 'Ohana was the fact that we experienced what many others had complained about, a bit of a wait for our ADR.  Fortunately, we were traveling alone on this trip because I don't know how we would have entertained our 26 month old during the wait time.  We loved the food and the atmosphere though and definitely plan on returning soon!

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What I Learned in Walt Disney World with a Toddler

One of Brody's favorite things to do is look through our photo book from our Disney trip.  He loves to point out the characters and all of us.  He talks to the characters like they are sitting right next to him as he claps and laughs.

When we had said that we were going to extend our Disney Cruise with 3 days in WDW, we had a lot of nice smiles and sideways looks as if people were telling us "good luck!"  Disney with a toddler does have some challenges, but it can be a rewarding trip if you remember a few tips and tricks along the way.  Here are some things we learned with our 17 month old that may help you if a trip with a little one is in your future!

Brody cruising Main Street USA!

Stay on the Monorail if you can afford it - We were lucky to only be staying for 3 days and in a relatively cheap season at Disney so we could afford the Contemporary this trip.  It was wonderful having the monorail so that you didn't have to break down a stroller for the bus ride and also endure the multiple resort stops on the Disney transportation.  You will have to use the busses for some parks, but with the young crowd you're probably going to spend most of your time in Magic Kingdom.  It also is quick to get back for naps when needed.  We LOVED this and would continue to try and stay at a monorail resort as long as we have kids that are stroller aged.

Take Breaks - Just face it now that you are not going to get to do everything in Disney.  That was a hard reality for me to adjust to, but napping / breaks are crucial for the preschool set.  We went back to the resort for pool time and nap time in the middle of the day which helped a lot.  Also, since we were traveling in July we avoided the parks at the hottest part of the day.

Cooling off in the pool at the Contemporary

Character Meals are Awesome - Little ones love the characters (well, most do. . .some run away screaming!)  Little ones are also not very patient which can make you forget you're in the "happiest place on Earth" as you're standing in long character meet and greet lines.  The Character meals give your kids a chance to meet the characters while taking their breakfast / lunch / dinner break.  I'm personally a fan of the breakfasts.  They are cheaper then the lunches and dinners and I also find the food to be the most toddler friendly for my picky eater.  Great tip. . .schedule your character breakfasts before parks open to the public if dining in a park restaurant.  You get early admission to the parks and some great photo ops at popular spots with no crowds!

One of our favorite character meals for kids is the Winnie the Pooh breakfast at The Crystal Palace in Disney's Magic Kingdom Park!

How about having breakfast with some friends from the Hundred Acre Wood?

Prepare to wait - No matter when you go to Disney, peak season or off peak season, you will undoubtedly find yourself in lines. . .lots of them.  Think about things that are small and easy to carry in your backpack / diaper bag that will entertain your kids if they get antsy.  Maybe download some of their favorite shows to your smartphone or someone else suggested bringing pipe cleaners that you can bend into lots of different shapes and play with while you wait.  

Take Advantage of the Baby Centers - Even if your little one isn't an "infant" anymore, the infant care centers are a great place to catch a break from the heat and hustle and bustle of the parks.  They have a nursing area if you have a really little one, diaper changing areas, rocking chairs and toys and a TV with some cartoons.  I didn't know these existed because they are so well hidden in the parks.

Check out my full guide to the Baby Centers of Walt Disney World here.

If traveling with a little on is in your future, best of luck!

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Walt Disney World Resort Hotel - Contemporary Review

My first Disney property review that I'm going to write is of my favorite place so far.  Disney's Contemporary Resort has just about everything that guests would look for in a pixie-dusted vacation. Keep reading to check out the pros and cons of my experience in this resort.

Location - You can't beat the location of the Contemporary.  I think that many people who book here do so for that reason.  You can walk to Magic Kingdom (a big plus when the park is emptying after the fireworks), take the monorail to Epcot, and only require busses when traveling to Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom.  Room views vary a great deal.  If you're willing to pay the really big bucks, you can get a room with a view of the Magic Kingdom fireworks!  We had a room on the ground level in the Garden Wing and had a perfect view of the Electric Water Pageant as we were lying in bed.

Dining - Another can't beat in my experience so far.  Contempo Cafe offers Quick Service options while The Wave is a nice, quiet option for a sit down dinner.  Chef Mickey's is an almost must do for anyone with little kids and it's great to have a character breakfast without worrying about the hectic morning travel around Disney properties.  Last, but certainly not least, adults can't miss eating at California Grill.  I'll review this fabulous restaurant in a future entry, but trust me when I tell you that it is not to be missed on a Disney trip.

Theming - This is where Contemporary will probably lose some points in the opinions of various people.  Whereas places like Art of Animation and All Star Movies are over-the-top Disney (almost too much for my taste), and Caribbean Beach and Port Orleans transport you to another time and place, Contemporary is very modern.  Disney touches are subtle in the decor.  I really enjoyed it actually.  I felt like I was in Disney without having 15 different characters watch me while I sleep.  Likewise, the pool area is not very exciting.  Don't get me wrong.  The pool was nice and included a water slide and splash area.  However, I can see where kids would not be impressed with the look and feel of the Contemporary.

Rooms - You are definitely getting a higher quality room for your higher price tag at the Contemporary.  Having stayed at value, moderate, and deluxe resorts, I can honestly tell you that the quality of the bed lines, towels, mattress, etc are all much better at the deluxe resorts.  The Contemporary also boasts some of the largest non-DVC rooms on property.  We had two queen sized beds, a full sized crib (they brought us that rather than a pack n play for Brody), 2 dressers, desk, and a sofa in our "standard" room.  We had so much extra space in the hotel room that we left our very large jogging stroller (BOB Revolution for those of you in the stroller crowd) set up in the room and still had lots of extra space to walk around and lay out suitcases.  I think this was the largest "standard" hotel room I've ever stayed in.

Overall Grade - A

The only thing holding me back from giving this an A+ is the theming.  In my opinion, it's totally worth the extra money to stay up close to the magic when you're traveling with a little one that needs breaks / naps.  I would probably opt to stay on the monorail line in the future with a stroller aged child, but I can also see saving money and getting a little more Disney theming when traveling with a school-aged child.

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Breakfast with Character

Today is one of those "perk" days of being a teacher - a snow day!  Snow days in my house find me in Minnie Mouse pajamas and Brody spending the day in his PJs too while we play, read, and watch Disney Junior.  This particular morning, I made blueberry muffins and fruit for us for breakfast.  After eating breakfast, we played with our new Mickey Mouse Clubhouse that Santa brought us a few days ago while watching Mickey Mouse Clubhouse on TV.  Disney and breakfast on this snowy day makes me think of the character breakfast experiences at WDW.  Today I'm going to give my thoughts on one of the most popular - Chef Mickey's!

Location - Chef Mickey's is located in the Contemporary resort.  On our most recent trip, we stayed at the Contemporary so the location could not be beat for us!  I will warn you that if you are staying at another WDW resort that you want to allow plenty of time for a trip to a restaurant in another resort since Disney does not offer resort to resort direct transportation.  This means that if you are staying at Port Orleans for example, you need to take a bus to Magic Kingdom and then take the monorail over to the Contemporary.  Within the Contemporary, this is an open air restaurant in the hotel atrium.  You can hear lots of noise from within the hotel and the monorail so it's not a quiet place to eat, but that worked well for us with a toddler who is not always a quiet guy himself!

Food - I feel that all character breakfast buffets are about the same.  Food is good - not great.  You have your Mickey waffles, fruit, eggs, breakfast meat, yogurt, etc.  I don't think that anyone goes to a character breakfast looking for a gourmet meal, but the food is good enough that it won't keep you away.

Character Interaction - Chef Mickey's is THE place to see Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Pluto, and Donald at a character dining experience.  While it is great to knock out all of the classic characters in one meal and this will save you lots of time in potentially long character meet lines in the parks, I felt the whole experience was rushed.  With the exception of Donald, the characters hurried past your table - signing the autograph book, posing for a quick picture, and then moving on.  While I'm sure some of this may have been the people working that day, I can't help but also think that some of it has to do with this being one of the busier character meals and that they were trying to hurry diners in and out.  I've heard repeated stories about being rushed so I don't feel like it was just us.

Overall Experience:
Despite not being thrilled with the rushed experience, we'll most likely end up back here again - especially with a toddler.  Brody knows these characters well and enjoyed meeting them which is exciting to see.  I feel it is overpriced at more than $30 per adult, but I don't know that anything in Disney is really a bargain.  The nice thing to remember with character buffets is that children under 3 eat free.  That's a nice chunk of savings if you're traveling with a toddler and makes the character meals an easier bill to handle.  There are other character breakfasts that will save you $5-$10 per person which I liked better (I'll talk about Crystal Palace in another post), but if the classic Disney characters are a must, then Chef Mickey's is for you!

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