Disney & Universal Character Breakfast

[Eeyore14]

On our trip we had three character breakfasts. Ohana, Crystal Palace and Universal Studios.
Ohana at the Polynesian, ADR 9:55 here you meet Lilo & Stitch, Mickey and Pluto. We have been going here since our first family visit in 2001, in those days it was Mickey, Pluto and Goofy. We've noticed in recent years the skillet pan your breakfast comes in seems to have gotten slightly smaller, however the server will offer to fill it up again or bring a whole new one if you want extras. There was a lot of work going on at the Polynesian so it was pretty quiet here we got called straight in to get seated by the window. In previous years you could get a group photo taken as you walked in, however this wasn't available. As you go in you get a basket of sweet bread type pastries and a small plate of fruit as you are shown to your table. You get a tropical fruit juice and the server will take your order for any coffees, tea or chocolate milk. The food arrives in a skillet, scrambled egg, bacon, sausage and potatoes. Mickey waffles are brought round separately and put on your plate ask them to leave you some spares, as they then seem to disappear with their waffles. The characters come around and spend time with you so you can take pictures get autographs, etc. the interaction is always very good (Mickey wears a Hawaiian shirt) When Stitch appeared he came with a disney photographer so if you have memory maker this is when you can get a good group shot. However having the photographer there did make us feel a bit more rushed than in previous years when we were with Stitch. If you have younger ones they will enjoy dancing around the restaurant in a conga line when the characters go for some r&r. A great character breakfast if you are not visiting one of the parks and want a bit of Disney.

New to us this year Crystal Palace at the Magic Kingdom, Winnie the Pooh, Eeyore, Piglet and Tigger, ADR 10:25. We wanted to watch the opening ceremony as we have never seen it ( we are not early risers) so got to the entrance for 8:30 enjoyed the ceremony when the characters come off the train and then had time to meet Mickey at the town hall, ride Space Mountain, go round on the Tomorrowland People Mover (DH hates most rides), before heading for breakfast. We waited outside under the canopy for about 10 minutes before getting called in. There is a water cooler if you are getting thirsty with paper cups outside by the front door. Shown to our table and then the server came to take our drinks order and explain about the buffet and the characters, she said they take about an hour to get round. Piglet was near our table so we waited for him before heading off to the buffet. Large selection of breakfast items, plus fruit, pastries, an omelette station, Mickey waffles, poohs puffed french toast (tasted like a donut), poohs breakfast lasagne a kind of hot trifle cake thing. We really liked the buffet, DD's could load up on fruit and Mickey waffles, DH liked the beef hash. Character interaction was very good DD was looking the wrong way in pictures with Tigger and his minder brought him back to us. Liked the setting there was a nice topiary arrangement as you go in where you could sit and take pictures but no Disney photographer if you have memory maker. You could go to the buffet as often as you liked and they were changing over to lunch when we were there, thought the breakfast was good value for money. Only down side was I was going to buy mini kitchen sink ice cream but we were all still full up when we left at 4 o'clock! So will have to save that for another time. A great character breakfast, especially if you like Pooh and friends, nice to escape from the heat and crowds for a bit when you are in the park.

Also new to us was having a character breakfast at Universal. Looked into this in previous years when it was at IOA but it was super heroes. Now it has Gru and Stuart the Minion it pushed it up to a must do for us. Set in Cafe La Bamba in Universal Studios you meet sponge bob squidward, Dora and Dieago, Hop and Patch then Gru and Stuart the Minion. ADR 10:15. Got taken in straight away you then selected which breakfast option you want, a cooked breakfast with pancakes another with hash browns, a continental style one and I think one with fruit. We had the one with pancakes. You got a big plate full which was. Al little off putting for us the food was o.k but nobody seemed to eat much. You were shown to your table where your server took your drink order. The serve asked as well if we wanted anymore and we has more drinks which were large orange juices. Character interaction was very good, spent lots of time at the tables autographs were stamped in your book. The only down side was the place was very noisy obviously working on the principle if the music is loud you must be having a good time, which was a shame as it made the whole thing a little frenetic . A great character breakfast if you want to meet Gru and a minion, but a bit noisy if you are noise sensitive.