Review: The Legendary Chef Mickey’s

Let me start by saying that I have fond memories of Chef Mickey’s. When I was a kid Pluto stole my shoe and ran away with it. Back then Chef Mickey’s was an open restaurant with amazing views of the Monorail and the inside of the Contemporary. Things have changed:

Food: We went for breakfast. Even though it’s a buffet it’s one of the best breakfasts you’ll find in Disney World. The selection is top notch and the quality is good. It’s not as good as the Kona Café but it’s good.

Atmosphere: Chef Mickey’s went through a major renovation in the last few years when almost the entire floor of the Contemporary was redone. A vast majority of the seats are now inside. Chances are you will not get a table that is out in the open. There are just too few of them. Like most of the other popular restaurants the experience was lessened to add capacity. At times it seemed like there were just too many people crammed in for breakfast. If you are in one of the open tables it’s not so bad but inside it can get loud.

Entertainment: If your goal is to meet the Fab Five you’re in the right place. Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Goofy, and Pluto all make appearances here. Most of the cast members do their characters to perfection. Goofy was an exception. Instead of being goofy he was kind of a jerk. He teased and made fun of people instead of acting like the character.

Service: The service was very good for a buffet and they checked in often. Our waitress was very nice too.

Cost: This is the most expensive breakfast you’ll find. At home I could pay 1/6^th the price for the same thing. My rule of thumb is I expect to pay up to double on vacation. This was far beyond that.

Overall I’d only go back to Chef Mickey’s if I was staying at the Contemporary. I would not go out of my way to see it. So many of the famous restaurants in Disney have fallen into that category. They got popular so management decided to squeeze as much money out of them as possible. That’s why you always need to try other places before they get ruined too.

Coming Soon to CMDTA!

My WDW trip is fast approaching. All the plans are set. I have my resort, ADRs, airfare, tickets, and a spouse who is mostly willing to go with me.

So what’s on the hit list? Here are the reviews / posts that will be coming:

The Brown Derby: Worth the Money?

Tusker House Review

Tusker House or Yak and Yeti?

California Grill: One Hit Wonder?

The Crystal Palace: Is it Good or Pooh?

San Angel Inn: Second Thoughts

Garden Grill Review

Le Cellier: Is It Over Hyped?

Chef Mickey’s: Back After 25 Years

Hoop Dee Doo: Still the Best?

Kouzzina Review

Is La Nouba Worth $200

CMDTA on the Loose!

Mexico’s Tequila Bar

Down Town Disney Review

There will be more too. I’m sure to have plenty of stories to add on top of these. I’ll have a load of new pictures and videos too. You’ll have to stay tuned to see what happens.

The Contemporary

Disney’s Contemporary Resort is the large A framed building that has the monorail running through it. It’s located near the Magic Kingdom and is listed as a deluxe resort. It’s my opinion that every Disney fan should stay in the tower at least once. It’s pure Disney magic. I normally try not to use the term “magical” but I think it’s over used and normally corny. This is an exception. Even if you just ride the monorail through the Contemporary you no doubt have had that moment when you said or thought to yourself “wow!”

The concourse is something else. It’s so big and open that you feel small as soon as you step out of the monorail. The shops only add to that sense of awe. They are as tall as a normal shop but don’t even make it a 5th of the way to the ceiling. On both sides of the concourse are the monorail tracks. Where they enter and exit the building there are large paneled glass walls. Then you have the famous mosaic. It doesn’t really fit anymore but it’s still a classic. One part of it is photographed more than the others. That part is the infamous five legged goat. Can you find it?

As far as food goes I’ll put my neck out there and say that the Contemporary has the best food options of any resort. The California grill is, in my opinion, the best restaurant in Disney World. The Wave is good and a nice break from the typical Disney fare. How could you complain about Chef Mickey’s? It’s a Disney World classic. The only part that is iffy is the quick service area. It’s not bad it just needs to have some bugs worked out. For what it is, it’s decent.

Another overlooked feature of the Contemporary is its access to the Wilderness Lodge and Fort Wilderness. If you spend the day in the Magic Kingdom and need to get to the Hoop Dee Doo Review, Trails End, Whispering Canyon, or Artist Point, the fastest way is via the Contemporary boat launch.

Right now the Contemporary has the best rooms in Disney World. They are very nice. They are comparably large and have nice amenities. The balconies are small but it’s still nice to sit out there.

A lot of people would argue that if they are staying in the tower they have to stay on the Magic Kingdom side so they can see the fireworks and so they can see MK at night. It’s nice but it’s not worth the extra $30 a night. There is also the fact that the bay side is quieter and you can see Illuminations from a number of the balconies on that side.

It’s the Little Things

Every now and then a cast member does something small that makes a good experience a truly memorable one. A cast member could do something big for you and you’d overlook it and think that’s what they need to do. You could be having an awful day, verbally beat a cast member senseless, and ignore what they do when they fix the problem. It’s the little things they do that can blow you away. We overlook it when someone bends backwards but when they show a little personal interest it can really knock you off of your feet.

Years ago my grand mother wanted to go on Space Mountain. My mom didn’t like roller coasters, I was an eight year old wimp, and my sister was doing a tour so my dad ended up taking her on. At the time she was near 70 so he wasn’t sure how she was going to respond. At the end of the ride my grand mother noticed that there was no line. She dragged my dad back on. At the end of that ride – still no line - round three! At the end of round three the cast member stopped my grand mother and told her it was too long of a walk. He let her just go around again, and again, and again. She got off after the sixth time.

That didn’t cost the cast member anything. Not time, money, or any real effort but twenty years later we still remember it and it was even mentioned at her funeral.

When I was a kid my parents took my sister and I to Chef Mickey’s for breakfast on one of our trips. Chip and Dale, Pluto, and Mickey were all there for the character breakfast. I remember Pluto. I don’t really remember the others beyond the fact that they were there. Why do I remember Pluto? Because he stole my shoe and took off with it in his mouth. That’s something small but everyone still remembers me chasing Pluto around Chef Mickey’s to get my shoe back. Years later I’d realize just how good Pluto and the gang were.

People don’t realize how hard it is to dress up like a character. I didn’t until I got a job at an arcade / funhouse called “Joker’s.” I had to dress up like the joker. Not the batman – face paint kind of joker but the three foot wide head with a big body suit joker. For people who have never dressed up in a suit like this it’s really hard to explain how rough it can be. Here are some hazards:

-After the first six months a sports cup became part of the uniform. Yes kids, little boys especially, enjoyed hitting the joker in the crotch.

-It’s hot. I was inside and in New England and it was hot. I have no idea how the Disney people can bear it in the summer.

-You can’t see. I believe that horses with blinders on have a better field of vision than anyone in a character suit.

-People are nuts. You can never predict what a seemingly normal person will turn into when they see someone in a character suit. Add liquor to that and it’s even worse.

-It takes forever to get in and out of the suit and you normally need help. This if fun if you have to pee.


Other than my grand mother and Pluto, I can’t remember any other stand out experiences. I’m sure they were there I just can’t think of them now. Next time you’re in Disney, just stop and look. I bet you can spot one.