Storybook dining at Artist Point or Chef Mickeys for 1st night for 1st time visitor?

[cyclonemama]

A friend and myself(both 60yr.Olds) will be arriving to Disney around 1 PM after an early morning flight. My friend has never been to Disney and she wanted me to take her for her birthday. I’m trying to figure if I should make reservations for Storybook dining with Snow White after the stellar reviews and keep it more relaxing or take her to Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto and the Grand Floridian to see the gingerbread house before dinner at Chef Mickeys. She is excited to do the character dining to see the characters. Any input? What do you suggest?

 

[Lisa F]

A friend and myself(both 60yr.Olds) will be arriving to Disney around 1 PM after an early morning flight. My friend has never been to Disney and she wanted me to take her for her birthday. I’m trying to figure if I should make reservations for Storybook dining with Snow White after the stellar reviews and keep it more relaxing or take her to Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto and the Grand Floridian to see the gingerbread house before dinner at Chef Mickeys. She is excited to do the character dining to see the characters. Any input? What do you suggest?

as an adult without kids, chef mickeys is my nightmare. Loud, messy, chaotic, medicore food. Actually as an adult WITH a kid, I still have avoided it and have never been there. The chef theming does nothing for us and we'd rather see those characters elsewhere with better food.
For the price I'd definitely do Storybook especially with he bonus of going to WL at christmas. IMO it's nicer there than the GF even with the gingerbread house.

 

[DisneyWishes14]

I would do Trader Sam's, the GF gingerbread house and then take the boat to WL for Storybook Dining. Anything but Chef Mickey's!

 

[Lisa F]

also the gingerbread house is only there for christmas. If you don't have dinner reservations for the next month you might have a tough time getting. Maybe you are holding chef mickeys and considering switching, but what is available might make your choices. if you're going 6 months from now there won't be a gingerbread house.

 

[DisDreaming4116]

Plus you will (likely) have another opportunity to see the gingerbread house and walk through the Grand Floridian whereas you won't likely find yourself at WL.

 

[cyclonemama]

Thanks for your feedback. This trip won’t be until next November. I’m already planning things out I’ve heard Chef Mickeys food is getting better lately but I know what you mean by loud and chaotic. I didn’t know if I should start her out with the FAB 5. She said to do the planning and surprise her. I want to make it a special trip since she just lost her husband to cancer a couple of months ago.

 

[Lisa F]

Thanks for your feedback. This trip won’t be until next November. I’m already planning things out I’ve heard Chef Mickeys food is getting better lately but I know what you mean by loud and chaotic. I didn’t know if I should start her out with the FAB 5. She said to do the planning and surprise her. I want to make it a special trip since she just lost her husband to cancer a couple of months ago.

that is very sweet of you.

I think that on a travel day, low key is the way to go. The storybook dining is getting such fantastic reviews and the character interaction is amazing and unique to WDW. Honestly if you want to do two meals... the food is also just ok at Hollywood and Vine, but for christmas we REALLY enjoyed Hollywood & Vine. The food was just ok but the overall experience was great with some of the best character interaction we had on that whole trip. It's another thing that is special to christmas... they have other themes but I think christmas is the best one. It's a great thing to pair with fantasmic seating too. The christmas outfits are SO adorable.

 

[cyclonemama]

Hollywood and Vine is a great suggestion with many of the same characters. I like the Christmas outfits also. I never thought of it as an option. And the fantastic package is enticing. Decisions decisions.

 

[DWillowBay]

For me, it would depend on which characters are most important for the OP's friend. If the person is a Mickey & gang fan, then Chef Mickey's (which we enjoy!!) and if Snow and her Crew are important, then Artist Point. I'm sure both places have their pluses and minuses as far as food, atmosphere, noise level, etc. If characters are the goal, go with the most important ones.

 

[tinkerhon]

Agree with some of the others - I would eat a cardboard box from the food court before going to "Chef Mickeys" again ! Did the breakfast a few years ago, and our kids now refer to the restaurant as "Camp Mickeys" ! It was crazy in there ! DD was almost trampled getting a bowl of cereal !

 

[FSU Girl]

Chef Mickey was hands down my worst Character meal and I would never have booked it if we didn't have the kids with us. The food was awful, how do you mess up breakfast food? And it took forever to see the characters. We had to wait a long time for our table and then they had a couple characters come out then did a break for what felt like an hour before they came back. Kids liked it though. I would do the Artist Point, its unique characters and new.

 

[HopperFan]

Can’t imagine choosing Chef Mickey for adults. I mean I wouldn’t even take kids but for adults it would kick my trip off with a negative.

Artist Point would be a special way to start a trip!!!

 

[gharter]

Another vote for Trader Sams, then the GF for the Gingerbread House. Then Wilderness for Storybook dining . While its been a while, was never impressed with Chef Mickeys. Can't imagine wanting to do it without kids.

 

[marielynn724]

The food at Storybook Dining is way better than Chef Mickey's. Also, Wilderness Lodge is so beautiful at Christmastime... it has a lot more of a "magical" Christmas feeling than Contemporary. The whole experience would be more pleasant at Storybook Dining, I think.

 

[AMK53]

Did Chef Mickey once, never again .Chaos! Mediocre food

Am excited to do Storybook dining in January

Also you could consider Trader Sam's and then Kona Cafe . We really liked Kona

 

[Nancyg56]

I would start with CM if your friend was bring kids, however with two adults I would avoid it and go to AP for Storybook Dining. We had dinner there on Tuesday and the entire experience was lovely.

I would begin at the Grand and then over to WL for dinner. If your friend woudl like the classic characters, I suggest also booking MInnie's Seasonal Dine at H&V. The food was better than okay, bit those characters in their holiday finery were a sight to see.

Another surprise fun meal was Garden Grill. My family had breakfast there this week and while I knew the food would be good, and the interaction nice, I was not expecting the characters to be as much fun as they were. A really fin way to start an EPcot day.

For reference we are a group of adults with the youngest in my crew 17 and my DH at 65.

 

[SnowChaser]

Sounds like a fun evening for your friend!
I would consider grabbing an earlier reservation time (5pm-ish) for Artist Point. Enjoy wilderness Lodge before and after your meal, then head over to the monorail resorts to round out your evening.

An Uber or the like would be your most direct route to the Poly or GF. Boat to MK or Contemporary is always lovely too, though slower, as you’d need to then monorail or grab another boat to GF or Poly (and possibly cold).

 

[cyclonemama]

I appreciate all of your replies. I’m thinking Storybook Dining at Artist Point would be the best choice. Thoughts on if I should take her to Trader Sams and GF first with dining after since it hard to get into Trader Sams later or dine first and then head over.

 

[cyclonemama]

I think I’ll also book the Fantasmic package with Minnie’s Holiday and Dine on our HS day. That way she can see the Fab 5 also.