Chickens from Goofy’s Barnstormer in the Magic Kingdom.
This question comes from Ryley, who asks: “Is there a Chick fil A anywhere at wdw?”
Ryley, I have bad news: Sadly, you won’t find a Chick-Fil-A on Disney property, although there are a number of other non-Disney restaurants on site. The good news is that there are several located nearby, the closest being at 7891 W Irlo Bronson (407-787-4001). There’s a Super Target just a little farther down the road, so if you’re out running errands, it’s very convenient.
I did find one site, Food Delivery Orlando, that will pick up your order from any restaurant and bring it to your resort. I’m not sure how good of a deal that works out to be or how fresh your food would be when you get it, but it’s a thought. If you’re flying out of Orlando (MCO), there’s a Chick-fil-A in the main terminal.
Thanks for your question and for reading the site. Hope this helps.
You’ve probably seen the headlines. After 11 hours and 5 minutes, American John Isner bested France’s Nicholas Mahut in a history-making Round 1 match at Wimbledon; it was the longest match in Grand Slam history. This got me thinking. Were there any epic character dining match-ups? And then it came to me. Chef Mickey’s and Crystal Palace are very evenly matched and the advantage could easily be shared between the two.
Set 1: Characters
Chef Mickey’s in the Contemporary features the Fab Five. Your little ones will meet Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Donald, and everyone’s best friend Pluto during breakfast and dinner character dining. Dressed in their chef’s garb, the characters will make the rounds.
This is a tough one. Chef Mickey’s has a small advantage because you’ll meet five characters instead of four. However, the characters at both restaurants are costumed, which means they won’t be speaking to your children (yet), and all are classic characters. But c’mon, this is Disney World. As much as my kids love both Mickey and Winnie-the-Pooh, at Disney World the Mouse himself has a clear advantage.
This set goes to Chef Mickey.
Set 2: Location
Chef Mickey is located in the Contemporary Resort, which is a very short monorail ride from the Magic Kingdom. On a nice day, my family enjoys the short walk from the Magic Kingdom over to the Contemporary for dinner.
Crystal Palace is conveniently located in the Magic Kingdom, off the hub. There’s no need to leave the theme park – just take a break from your touring to recharge and refuel.
For most guests, eating at Chef Mickey’s is more difficult from a logistics standpoint. Unless you’re staying at a monorail resort or have access to a car, you won’t have a direct route from most Walt Disney World resorts to the Contemporary. You must travel to a central location such as a theme park or Downtown Disney and then catch a monorail, bus, or boat to the Contemporary. Of course, it can be nice to take a break from the Magic Kingdom, head on over to Chef Mickey’s for dinner, and then return to the Magic Kingdom for Wishes. Even with that, The Crystal Palace wins this one simply because it’s located directly in the park itself. Yes, you need theme park admission to eat here but if you’re thinking about character dining, chances are you have kids and the Magic Kingdom is a must-do park.
The Crystal Palace wins this set.
Set 3: Food
Both restaurants offer a buffet instead of family-style meals and both restaurants have their die-hard fans.
Breakfast is largely the same at Chef Mickey’s and Crystal Palace with the ubiquitous breakfast fare – eggs, waffles, breakfast pastries, fresh fruit, cereal, breakfast meats, and potatoes with a few signature items thrown in. What kid will be able to resist pizza for breakfast (aka Minnie’s Breakfast Pizza) at Chef Mickey’s or the much talked about Pooh’s Breakfast Lasagna at Crystal Palace?
Food is plentiful and varied at both dinner buffets. The salad bars will tempt you with their traditional and not-so-traditional offerings of greens, pasta salads, and bean salads. A buffet wouldn’t be a proper buffet without some soups and carved meats – you’ll see them at both restaurants. And then there are the predictable offerings that include something for meat-lovers, at least one seafood dish, some pasta, and lots of tasty sides. Chef Mickey’s and Crystal Palace know their core audience and cater to it. Both have stations with traditional kid favorites like mac ‘n cheese and chicken tenders. Let’s move to dessert. Say these two decadent words with me. Sundae Bar. And yes, both restaurants have one.
For me, the food choices and quality at both character dining experiences are similar. So, the score is “deuce” and the winner will be a matter of your family’s preference. In fact, it may even change up on any given day.
Set 4: Value
Many families opt for the Disney Dining Plan so let’s start there. Chef Mickey’s and Crystal Palace will run you one table-service credit so there’s no clear winner based on “cost” alone. For those paying out-of-pocket, breakfast at Chef Mickey’s (adult, $26.62; child, $14.90) is a few dollars more than Crystal Palace this summer. Interesting. I would have thought that breakfast at Crystal Palace would have a premium but more on that later. When we talk dinner, the price for children at both buffets is equivalent – $17.03. However, mom and dad will pay about a dollar more for dinner at Crystal Palace ($35.14) than they will at Chef Mickey’s. Looking at cost as the only factor, one game (breakfast) goes to Crystal Palace while one (dinner) goes to Chef Mickey’s.
Other components of value would be the character experience itself, the food variety, and the food quality. As mentioned in Set 1: Characters, you get a little more bang for your character buck at Chef Mickey’s. Otherwise, the two character experiences are very similar. The same can be said for food variety and quality. It’s close, but this chair umpire makes the call that gives the game to Chef Mickey’s based on an extra character autograph.
However, the set’s not over. What do other Walt Disney World guests think? After looking at the average score given to each buffet at AllEars.Net and TheDis, the slightest of edges and therefore the game goes to Crystal Palace which scores just a little bit higher than Chef Mickey’s.
Where does this leave us? Looks like this set is a tie-break situation.
Set 5: The Intangibles.
Okay, so let’s recap. Chef Mickey wins the character set while Crystal Palace takes the location set. It’s a toss-up between the two for food and value. For all intents and purposes (at least for our hypothetical tennis match), we’re all tied up and the winner of this set takes the match. You’ll have lots of back and forth as you consider some of the less tangible aspects of the dining experience.
• Ease of ADRs. Chef Mickey’s is one of the more difficult ADRs to secure – right up there with Le Cellier and Fairytale Dining at Cinderella’s Royal Table. Throw in the fact that Crystal Palace offers an extra meal, lunch, and Crystal Palace is my winner here.
• Venue. With its Victorian inspired atmosphere, complete with gorgeous architecture, it may look like Crystal Palace takes the win over the more cartoonish and graphic décor at Chef Mickey’s. However, don’t count Chef Mickey’s out just yet. It’s located in the Contemporary which means the kids will watch the monorail travel not just by the hotel, but through the building. This one’s a tie.
• Empty Theme Park. In Set 4: Value, I said I was surprised that breakfast at Chef Mickey’s was more expensive than the same meal at Crystal Palace. That’s because I would pay a premium for those 8:05 ADRs before the Magic Kingdom opens. It’s an amazing opportunity to have Main Street, U.S.A., practically to yourselves.
So there you have it. In my match-up between the top-seeds Crystal Palace and Chef Mickey’s, Crystal Palace scores the match point – barely. If you were the chair umpire, which would win those close calls? Now, I think it’s time for me to turn off Wimbledon to return to my regularly scheduled programming.
Lisa M. Battista is the author of Beyond the Attractions: A Guide to Walt Disney World with Preschoolers When she’s not chasing after her little ones, you can most likely find her at the beach or in the kitchen trying her hand at a new recipe. You call follow her on Twitter @DisneyExplorer.
This article is featured on this months edition of Disney Blog Carnival.
Send your child a character phone call and make their day extra-special!* Have a favorite character call your home with a personalized message – they can even greet your child by name!
You can have Tianna or Woody call your child and wish them a Good Night, a Birthday or Holiday Greeting, even give them some Encouragement!
If you have a Disney Food Confession email [email protected] or let us know on the Disney Food Confessions Facebook page.. He is accepting Food ideas or Photos if you have them!
This excellent news comes to us from the forums at WDW Magic:
Beginning on June 28, 2010, Guests will have new options for their photos from the Space Mountain® Attraction. The three product options available to the Guests are:
Purchase their photo as a print. A variety of print sizes and packages are available. These prints will be made directly by the systems inside the Space Mountain Merchandise Shop.
Purchase their photo as a digital download from the DisneyPhotoPass.com website
Purchase their photo as a digital file and combined with other bonus digital content on a Disney-themed USB drive.
Guests will also get a Space Mountain themed PhotoPass card which can later be used at any other PhotoPass location.
The USB Drive will include the Guest’s ride photo plus 7 extra professional stock photos of the Space Mountain attraction.
The original charge for the USB Drive and the first ride photo is $24.95. Additional photos can be added to the same USB drive as part of the same transaction for $9.95 per photo. All regular Merchandise discounts apply.
With the sun shining and days growing longer, summertime has traditionally been considered “wedding season.” Are you planning a Disney wedding? Or are you looking for ideas to make your special day a dream come true? Below are links to our past Disney’s Fairy Tale Weddings posts – read on to find out how we make magic happen for our brides and grooms!
Everyone’s favorite part of a wedding is the cake!
Disney Weddings Groom’s Cakes – Groom’s cakes are becoming a popular way to incorporate the groom into what is, so often, a bride-focused event. Check out some of the most interesting groom’s cakes we’ve seen.
Disney’s Fairy Tale Weddings creates one-of-a-kind experiences.
Mad Hatter Tea Party – Couples can choose from a host of bright and cheerful colors to create memorable events, incorporating some colorful Alice in Wonderland inspiration into their receptions, rehearsal dinners and even bridal showers.
Add Sparkle to Your Wedding! – Take your wedding experience straight into the stratosphere with your own private fireworks display!
Parasailing Wedding – Jenna & Robert were married onboard the Disney Cruise Line on July 19, 2008. The ceremony was on Castaway Cay, and after the ceremony they went parasailing … in their wedding attire!!
The star of the show is the bride. Here’s a look at bridal fashion.
Princess Tiana Gown Now Available For Brides – Kirstie Kelly, couture designer for Disney’s Fairy Tale Weddings bridal gowns, tells us about the long-awaited Princess Tiana gown.
Want to know more about Disney’s Fairy Tale Weddings? Here’s where you can find more information.
Disney’s Fairy Tale Weddings & Honeymoons on Facebook – Disney’s Fairy Tale Weddings joined Facebook in March to bring you the latest in wedding trends, reviews, and the latest happenings and updates from the team.
Disney’s Fairy Tale Weddings Book Available – This book by David Tutera, with style tips by Kirstie Kelly, outlines some of the great options that Disney’s Fairy Tale Weddings has to offer.
The Adventurers Club in Walt Disney World is explored in a video game. Garry’s Mod runs off the Source Engine and is playable in Half-Life 2, Counter-Strike Source, or Day of Defeat Source.
The author brerben began work on this map in March 2009, and finally finished in June 2010.
It is an almost 100% accurate virtual recreation of the actual club that existed in the Pleasure Island region of Walt Disney World.
“We have a huge 9 year old Star Wars fan in the family and we are headed to Disney World the week after Thanksgiving 2010. He has heard about the Jedi Training Academy and I am wondering if that attraction will be temporarily closed when Disney closes Star Tours for refurbishments. Any word on that?”
Shep, thanks for your question and for reading the site. I double-checked this with Disney and you’ll be happy to know that although Star Tours is right next to the Jedi Training Academy, it won’t affect the show, so your little one can join the other Padawans and fight Darth Vader and the Storm Troopers. It’s a lot of fun, one of the highlights of my seven-year old’s trip last December.
For information on what to expect and how to make sure your Padawan gets his or her turn, check out this article. Biggest piece of advice: Get there early so you won’t have to wait all day.
Enter Disney Family Movies’ Aladdin’s 3 Wishes Sweepstakes for your chance to win one of three great prizes including an Apple MacBook Pro, a 3-D television with glasses, and a $5,000 Disney gift card. The prizes are worth between $2,299 and $5,000.
Grand Prize 1: A 17-inch Apple MacBook Pro. (ARV: $2,299)Grand Prize 2: A Samsung 46-inch 1080p 3D LED HDTV and 4 Samsung 3D Rechargeable Active 3D Glasses Adult Version. (ARV: $3,599.95)
Grand Prize 3: A $5,000 Disney Gift Card. (ARV: $5,000)
You might remember me advertising Botcon last week. It sounded like it was going to be a really cool event. I was right check out the video from Inside the Magic.
The Transformers convention BotCon 2010 was held from June 24-27 at the Walt Disney World Dolphin Resort. Fans gathered, some in costume, to buy and sell Transformers collectibles, meet celebrity guests, experience a battle simulator, play video games, and attend discussion panels.
Looks to be an upcoming short by Disney Animation Studios. No official word has been released yet as to what movie this might be premiering in front of .
The short seems to be about a small clock adorned with a whimsical figure for sale in a shop is overlooked by customers and looked down upon the other, more refined clocks. That is until a thief breaks into the shop one night and changes everything.
Seven students enrolled in Eden Autism Services Florida’s school for children with autism enjoyed a day at Walt Disney World and night at a resort hotel this month, thanks to money they raised themselves.
Eden teacher Staci Thompson found instructions to make “cookie jars” – glass jars containing all of the dry ingredients needed to whip up a batch of homemade cookies – online last fall and thought it would make a fun class project. She also thought it would make a great fundraiser for the holidays.
“There are some things typical children do to raise money that children with autism can’t do. Measuring the ingredients for the jars, attaching a recipe with ribbon – these were all things our students could do,” Thompson says. “We sold them for $10 apiece during the holidays and they sold so well that we made 50 more to sell at the Naples Invitational Artfest in January, which benefits Eden.”
All totaled, the class made almost $1,000. With a little extra help from one parent, it was enough to pay for park tickets and hotel accommodations for all seven students and three teachers chaperoning the trip. The students selected to use the money for the trip.
“For many of them, this will be their first night away from home without their parents. They’re very excited,” Thompson says. “It’s been very beneficial for the students to be part of the whole enterprising process from making the product to selling it and exchanging money. They worked hard and may be willing to work even harder in the future because they are seeing the fruits of their labor.” Thompson says she may help the students make cookie jars, or another craft to sell, each year due to the success of this year’s sales.
