Chef Mickey/Crystal Palace/CRT for first character meal?

[TMarie42]

Planning our first family vacation with DH, DD5 and DS3. It will be everyone’s first visit except mine. Which character breakfast would you pick for the first day. We are headed to the MK that day (staying at the Poly) and would like to do a character meal breakfast to kick off the day. DD LOVES princess and DS LOVES the fab 5. What’s a mom to do? Split the difference and go with CP? DD also loves pigs so piglet might be fun for her. Thoughts please!

 

[_auroraborealis_]

Maybe just do Ohana. It is right there.

 

[3gr8boys]

We did CP on our first family trip in 2008 and did CRT and CM during our second trip in 2014. Obviously I am not the most experienced person to ask, but I will offer some thoughts.

I, personally, would be eager to get to the park. Which means CP or CRT. I can understand wanting a meal with characters from the original Disney gang. Is there another time for that? (April 2018 we will be having lunch at Tusker House so I can see Goofy.)

CRT is, of course, fun for the Princess minded. I only have boys who never cared for princess interactions. (We did CRT breakfast in 2014 partially for my niece's benefit and partially for mine!). The boys had a blast, though, creating dueling and death scenes with the swords they were given. Your son wouldn't be miserable. But, are you planning on a princess meal at Epcot? You will find lots of info/opinions on dis regarding the merits of the princess meal options.

We had a great time at CP in 2008 and are going back for breakfast in April (by request of my 15 year old). Everyone found food they liked on the buffet and the characters were fun. At the time, my boys were 1, 5 and 9.

 

[KickassPrincess]

You also could see princesses at Akershus if you have an Epcot day planned. That way on your MK day you could either do CP or one with The Mouse.

 

[ppony]

Having done all several times, if you can manage your food expectations in that'll be just average breakfast fare, the one thing that is the BEST if you can do it, is getting one of the CP ressies before the park opens. There's just nothing like being able to walk down main street w/ very few people around and when you're out the park will either just have opened or shortly will. We won't do CM anymore. The service and food quality just absolutely tanked, but breakfast food is harder to screw up (usually). CRT is VERY cramped space wise If you're Pooh-sized you REALLY be self conscious. You're really limited on food choices available. If something isn't good, you don't have a buffet of possible other options. Kids have lots of options at the other 2 venues. I'm not a fan of buffets understand, but for breakfast and Disney and the fact that characters come to you and you don't have to wait in lines which is the ONLY reason I do them, they honestly aren't that much worse than regular sit-down.

 

[chloelovesdisney]

The castle is a unique experience, I'd pick that since you are going to the MK on your first day. You can definitely make it up to your son with a fab 5 meal another day.

 

[TMarie42]

Maybe just do Ohana. It is right there.

Thought about that as it would be easiest. But kids aren’t fans of Lilo or stitch and the reviews on the boards have been rather negative lately.

 

[Lisa F]

I would let each kid pick a breakfast and then work it out with your schedule, so if CRT is first then it's first. I would not try to do an out of park breakfast before RD on your first day. I LOVE CP and think the breakfast food is great there and I LOVE pooh and LOVE tigger but if your little girl loves the princesses you have to take her to the castle. I would recommend tusker house over CM for fab 5. Your son might get a kick out of safari clothes too, the food is good, you can add teh RoL package on... no downside. I think as long as both kids know they will get their choice they would be ok with not going "first."

 

[BriLovesDisney]

I would do CRT. No to Chef Mickey's and Akershus. Both have terrible food. Best Fab Five meal in my opinion would be Tusker House or Cape May. Cape May has better food, but Mickey isn't there.

 

[Aj1129]

We've been to CP once for breakfast and once for dinner and enjoyed both meals. DS who was 2 at the time loved all the characters. I do have to say Pooh stayed with my son for a very long time. We have video of them blowing kisses to each other.

CM wasn't a bad breakfast either. The characters were a little rushed except Minnie and that's only because we somehow got skipped and had to tell the server to have Minnie come back.

We will be returning to both during our next trip, but if I had to choose between the two it would be CP.

 

[Aela]

For fab5, I would recommend Tusker House and Garden Grill. For MK I would do Crystal Palace.

That said, we really like the breakfast at Be Our Guest, if you have a Dining plan it is a good use of QS credits. The two sandwiches are good, and my DD9 loves the meat&cheese plate.

 

[TiggerTrigger]

On my girls' first trip, their first ever character meal was Chef Mickey's. It was dinner and the food was horrible, but it felt like the right plan since it's the fab 5. Crystal Palace was their second character meal that trip and CRT was the third. So, we hit all the ones you're noting in their first WDW experience, but something felt right about it being Mickey and Friends before doing anything else. The younger one is more into Pooh and the older more princess, so that's where we sort of split the difference. I also prefer CRT over Akershus for a first since eating in the castle feels special...especially to the kids.

 

[nesser1981]

CP was my least favorite of the character meals, food and interactions. The characters were great when we did CRT, and my son was 4, just turned 4 and he loved the Castle.
Tusker House was actually my favorite for food and interaction.

We're doing Chef Mickey's again for our youngest, because he's never been before, but I'm not doing it on a park day.

My favorites in order.
Tusker House
Chef Mickey's
Cinderella's Royal Table
Hollywood and Vine Disney Junior (food wasn't good)
Crystal Palace

 

[CynBeth]

I would do CP.