Conference koolit::disney

    
    Anybody know if the Polynesian Luau (sp) is a Character meal?
    
    
    Toby

    From a castmember:
    
    The Liberty Tree Tavern Character Dinner is in test mode until
    September 30. This dinner features Mickey, Goofy, Pluto and Chip & Dale.
 
    The menu is mixed greens, chicken, flank steak and sausages, veggies 
    and mashed potatoes, with Macaroni and Cheese for the "Little Patriots".
      
    The cost is $19.50 for adults and $9.95 for kids. Reservations can be 
    made up to 14 days in advance.

    RE: 460.1
    
    The first show (I think it's at 4:30) has Characters there, the later
    shows do not.  The early show is called something like Mickey's Tropical 
    Revue.  We're hoping to go to this in June.
    
    

    Are there any other Character Dinners?  We're going in October and I'd
    be very interested...
    
    Thanks!
    Carol
    

    The Grand Floridian has a Character Dinner with just Micky & Minnie
    at the 1900 Part Fare.  This is a buffet and is great!  We went last
    year also.  For the kids they have chicken fingers, pizza, mini 
    hot dogs, macaroni & cheese.  Then for the regular buffet prime rib,
    ham, and then TONS of other great food.  There's a fruit and salad
    bar, different types of pastas.  Then there's dessert - chocolate
    mouse cake, banana cream pie, brownies, cookies, rice krispie treats-
    I think that's it.  Make reservations early since this is always
    crowded.
    
    Julie
    

The polynesian has these dinner shows -- only the first has characters
and it's named differently:

Mickey's Tropical Luau: "Mickey and friends join an early version of the
Polynesian Luau Dinner Show.  One seating at 4:30 p.m.

Polynesian Luau:  Hula and dire dances accompany a delectable all-you-can-
eat luau feast.  Seatings at 6:45 and 9:30.

Bill A.

    I second Julie's remarks on the 1900 Park Faire buffet. I went there
    on my birthday last year and enjoyed it thoroughly...including the 
    five cast members who came over and sang Happy Birthday to me.
    
    Also, Mickey and Minnie seem to spend a considerable amount of time
    at each table. Heck Minnie spent about ten minutes cuddling up to me
    (for the full story watch "Inside Edition."
    
    Mike

    We went to Mickey's Tropical Luau in 1993.  If I remember correctly,
    the food and show were pretty much the same as the regular luau.
    The kids loved seeing the characters - Mickey, Minnie, Goofy and I
    can't remember who else.
    
    However, the autograph signing session was horrible!  There was no
    crowd control.  We only got Minnie's autograph and that's only
    because I got aggressive.  Kids kept shoving Nicole out of the way
    and when we would finally get close enough they'd move Minnie to
    another spot.  I actually got her autograph after the session was
    done.  They were trying to get me to sit down but I was adamant
    about not sitting until I got her autograph.  I should have written
    a formal complaint.  I don't think we'd attend this show again.
    
    The good news is the kids do get an autographed picture of the
    characters after the show.
    
    Ruth

    Anyone remember the cost of the 1900 Park Faire buffet??
    
    Carol
    

    Carol,
    
    It's high. I think it's $19.95 per adult and $14.95 per child but
    that's just a guess.
    
    Mike

    Does anyone know if the kids have to have the Macaroni and Cheese,
    or can they have the mixed greens, chicken, etc. for their $9.95.
    Also, are kids under 3 free or do you have to pay $9.95 for them
    as well.
    
    My daughter, although she likes macaroni and cheese would prefer
    the mixed greens, chicken and steak.  My son who is almost three
    would prefer the macaroni and cheese, but $9.95 seems steep (even
    though there are characters there).

      My suggestion for anyone who would be interested in seeing characters
    during a meal, Chef Mickey's has Mickey there at night.

    
    Gail,
    
    Since everything is brought out family style, they can eat whatever
    they want.  There are dishes of greens, chicken, macaroni & cheese, and
    you can take however much of each.
    
    I don't remember a separate price for kids who only wanted m&c.  If
    your kids are less then a certain age (can't remember what it is), then
    they include the m&c in the meal.
    
    - Gary

    This year's Birnbaum guide has a 20% off coupon for the Polynesian
    Luau.  I called the luau office and was told that if there was no time
    specified on the coupon, then it could be used for any of the 3,
    including the 4:30 Mickey Luau.  There is no time specified on my
    coupon.

    Does anyone know what the MKC discount is for the Luau?  I thought
    that it was 10%, but I'm not positive about that.
    
    Does the coupon in the Birnbaum guide say that it can't be combined
    with any other discount?  I would imagine that you would have to 
    choose between the Birnbaum coupon and the MKC discount (couldn't
    do both).  Does anyone know for sure?

    25% for 9:30 show.  also, i saw another birnbaum guide that
    specifically stated 9:30--i'm wondering if i got one with a
    mis-print, although dining reservations seemed to know about it.
    

      The discount is specifically for the 9:30 showing on the Luau. I'm
    going there this saturday and will find out if there are any other
    discounts available. I can't wait!!
    Tina
    

    In a tips note from 1990, it mentions having dinner at the Contemporary
    Character Cafe.  Is this still an option?  We are heading down next
    week, and I thought going to the Contemporary the first night to check
    out some characters and going up to the top to look out on the MK would
    be a great way to start the trip (will have two kids, ages 3 and 5).
    
    We'd probably still head over there even if there are no characters,
    but don't want to set kiddie expectations incorrectly!!
    
    Thanks!
    Julie

    Julie, I don't think there's a Character dinner at the Contemporary.
    But, there's a great Mickey & Minnie buffet dinner @ 1900 Park Fare @
    the Grand Floridian.  This is the best!
    
    19.95  Adult
     9.95  3-11 
    
    Have fun,
    Julie
    
    

    
    just back last night....news flash!  Chef Mickeys is now at the 
    Contemporary where the Contemporary Cafe used to be.  It's completely
    changed from the way it used to look and has a big 'Chef Mickey's' sign
    and a whole new beuffet setup. They do a breakfast/lunch/dinner
    buffet and the chracters are Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, and Chip & Dale.
                                                         
    you can make reservations for it through 407-wdw-dine.
    
    We ate there for dinner one night late at 9:00pm and we nearly had
    the characters to ourselves.  BTW, they only do dinner from 5-9:30.
    We also had breakfast there the last morning and it was REALLY crowded.
    Luckily I had gotten a 'priority seating assignment' and they took us
    in nearly right away.
    
    --Bert

    Bert, how was the dinner was it so-so or great?

    
    Food was ok.  they had the normal prime rib and ham sliced
    at your request, various vegetables and breads, full salad and fruit
    bar, and several other entrees like baked salmon, chicken pot pie, etc.
    
    I wouldn't call it great, but it was a regular meat and potatoes kind
    of fare.  The dessert bar is first class, and stands head and shoulders
    above the main dinner buffet.  8^}
    
    I think the price was about $16 for adults.  No kids in the party so I
    can't tell you their price.
    
    We had a unique experience with Dale.  He stuck a straw up through
    his mouth, drank some water from my friend's glass and then proceeded
    to march around blowing bubbles in it.....until some disney manager
    type got onto him.  We all thought it was the funniest thing we ever
    saw and gave him a big round of applause!  Chip was across the way
    literally rolling on the floor laughing.  They were really like the
    cartoon characters, sort of michevious and funny all at the same time.
    
                                             

    Thanks for the late breaking news!  I think we'll try it, I'll include
    a review in the trip report.  I really want to go up to the top of the
    Contemporary so the kids can look out over the park at night.  We fly
    in at 3:00 PM and won't go into the parks until the next day, so this
    will be their first "event" of the trip.
    
    I had the 1900 Park Faire written down, but I don't really have a sense
    of how long it takes to get between places.  The last time I was there,
    Epcot was not even built, so I am clueless (well, except for all the
    notes I have printed out, highlighted, clipped, filed, etc.)
    
    Thanks, we have only 10 sleeps to go (that is how we count in our
    house!)
    
    Julie

    Anyone care to comment on the differences between/pros & cons of the
    dinners at 1900 Park Fare and Chef Mickey's.  Right now, we have 
    reservations for both and am not sure if we should keep them or
    if they are so similar that we should try something else.  Suggestions?
    
    Also, is there a MKC discount for dinners?  If so, must it be 
    mentioned when making reservations or when the bill is received?
    
    Thanks a bunch.
    
    Jacqui
    

    1900 Park Faire is more expensive, has higher quality food, and I know
    is frequented by both Mickey and Minnie. When I was at Park Faire I
    noticed that the dining families were more reserved. That is, noone
    went running up to the characters and the characters came to each table 
    and spent a few minutes with all the visitors.
    
    Chef Mickey's may be close to 10-20% cheaper than Park Faire....I don't
    know if Minnie is there, and the food may be a bit lower in quality.
    
    If you have been to neither then go to both. Both are very good with
    the new Chef Mickey's getting rave reviews. If you go to both a review
    in here will help those going later in the year.
    
    Mike

    Unless someone talks me out of it, I think we will go to both.
    
    FYI - the prices are as follows:
    
    	1900 Park Fare - $19.95 Adults
    			 $ 9.95 3-11
    
    	Chef Mickey's  - $17.95 Adults
    			 $ 7.95 3-11
    
    Jacqui
    

    
    I had dinner at Chef Mickey's in January.  Mickey, Minnie, Goofy,
    Chip and Dale were there.  Food was fine but not outstanding.  
    Goofy was particularly gregarious.

    What happened to the old Contemporary Cafe? They had a great dinner
    buffet...Did they relocate it? Does Chef Mickey's food selection
    compare to it?
    
    thanks,
    Ernie

    The old Chef Mickey's is being replaced by The Rainforest Cafe.
    
    Mike

The Contemporary Cafe is gone for good.  Chef Mickey's is open for
Breakfast and Dinner.  The restaurant next to it, The Concourse Steakhouse,
is open for Breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Bill A.

    Quicky comments on our character meals last month:
    
    Minnie's Menehune (sp?) breakfast at the Ohana room in the Polynesian
    was very good.  It features Minnie, Goofy and Pluto dressed in
    tropical garb.  The atmosphere is very nice, and in addition to the
    characters coming around to your table as usual, at one point the
    characters get all of the kids up and they have a parade around the
    restaurant (the seating areas surround the cooking area in the
    center), marching around to music.  Relaxing, fun, and an all-around
    nice experience.
    
    Chef Mickey's at the Contemporary was also very good, and equally
    convenient by monorail.  This one features Mickey, Minnie, Goofy
    (who actually "works" cleaning tables and the like, in addition to
    his normal "station" out front as a greeter of sorts), and Chip
    and Dale.  Dale is a character in more ways than one; when he signs
    his autograph, he draws a little gap-toothed smile underneath it.
    When I saw that, I opened my mouth and pointed to my Letterman-esque
    real-life front-tooth gap, and he got a real kick out of that.  We
    shared a mimed comedy commiseration over our gap-toothed conditions.
    The buffet food was okay, what little I'd had of it; I was late,
    having gone back to my room "across town" to pick up the camera flash,
    but this had the unintended effect of extending the meal's duration
    long enough so that the characters returned and I could get some
    photos.
    
    Mickey's Tropical Luau at the Polynesian... hmmm.  Expensive.  The
    show's okay but not great (the music is the best part, imho, mostly
    a guitar-based mix of hawaiian and jazz, which I can't really
    describe), and it's way too fast-paced trying to handle the meal and
    the show together (I missed much of the show while helping my kid
    with the food, which is definitely not kid-friendly food by the way).
    The food itself was not that great, either, other than the fresh
    tropical fruit opener.  They pretty much rush you along and get you
    outta there for the next show.  The characters don't come around to
    the tables, there's no autographs or meetings (unlike a few years ago,
    apparently, based on an older reply in this topic), and you don't get
    an autographed photo (as mentioned in the earlier reply).  You do get
    a "playbill" of sorts with the characters' autographs obviously
    pre-printed on it, and a lei of miniature shells.  I'd recommend passing
    on this one (as we will on future trips).
    
    Most of the character meals seem to feature Mickey, Minnie, Goofy,
    Pluto, and Chip & Dale in some combination.  Are there any that
    feature some of the other characters?  I didn't see Donald anywhere
    other than on stage, for example.
    
    Chris

    We saw Donald Duck at The Grande Floridian's Character Breakfast at
    1900 Parke Faire last October.  Mary Poppins was also there.  That's 
    the only place we saw Donald, though.
    
    Carol
    

We will be celebrating my daughter's 18th B'day at WDW this
summer. There are a lot of great places but does anyone have
any suggestions as to what restaurant we might try?

She really likes "Winnie the Pooh".

Thanks,

Doug

    The Crystal Palace!

    re: .36
    
    Definitely the Crystal Palace, and be sure to make reservations;
    it's probably the busiest character meal of all, from what I've
    heard and seen.
    
    We didn't do this one when we were there a couple of weeks ago,
    but it's definitely on the "next trip" list.
    
    Chris