On each of our visits to Walt Disney World we aim to try at least one new experience. While researching dining options for our most recent trip, I noticed a character breakfast I hadn’t heard much about, and decided that the Good Morning Breakfast with Goofy and Pals was the perfect fit for a new-to-us experience. We were looking for a special dining experience for a celebration, and an elevated character breakfast sounded like a unique way to enjoy a special meal.
Offered on Thursdays, Saturdays, and select Tuesdays, the Good Morning Breakfast with Goofy and Pals is the Four Seasons at Walt Disney World Resort’s sole character dining offering. At just a few dollars more than Chef Mickey’s, Ravello offers a full breakfast spread with an elevated and sophisticated atmosphere. The cost is $46.00 for adults and $24.00 for children aged 3-12, not including tax or gratuity. Of course, Goofy is on hand, but his “pals” for this experience are the main mice! Mickey and Minnie join Goofy in making visits to each guest.
Reservations for this experience can be made through My Disney Experience or on OpenTable. Parking at the Four Seasons is valet-only; Ravello validates parking so there is no cost to park for the meal, but a small gratuity for the valet staff is customary.
Upon arrival at Golden Oak, guests will check in with the main gate and are directed to the Four Seasons. Simply marveling at the lovely Golden Oak property was a particular highlight for our group!
Ravello is located on the lower floor of the Four Seasons Resort. After entering the breathtaking lobby, guests should take the elevators down to the restaurant.
Our party was seated promptly after arrival and our server greeted us by name throughout the course of our meal. We were offered hot, fresh coffee and invited to help ourselves to the breakfast buffet. Cold options included fresh fruits, cereal, pastries, cold cuts and cheese, a build-your-own yogurt parfait station, salad, smoked salmon, and breakfast breads. Hot options included omelettes and eggs cooked to order, bacon, sausage, chicken sausage, breakfast potatoes, waffles, and pancakes.
While all of the food was delicious and high-quality, our favorite item was the Bomboloni — miniature fried cinnamon-sugar doughnuts stuffed with a chocolate hazelnut filling. These were incredibly light and addictive! Food on the buffet stations was replenished quickly and everything tasted fresh. Our made-to-order omelettes were another highlight of the meal.
Adult guests of legal age can add bottomless mimosas for $15.00 per person. We enjoyed these and our server kept our glasses full.
Ravello’s character breakfast shines most by offering the opportunity to meet and mingle with Minnie, Mickey, and Goofy in an exclusive environment. While the restaurant was bustling during our breakfast, we saw each character at least three times. None of our interactions felt rushed, and we had plenty of time with each visit. Mickey treated us to a little dance performance while Goofy and Minnie lingered with us and “discussed” our birthday celebration. PhotoPass is offered with a photographer accompanying Goofy, but Mickey and Minnie are happy to pose for guest photos and a Four Seasons cast member took group photos for us with our camera.
Character meals often feel loud and chaotic to us, so I was a bit worried about booking a character breakfast as a special event. The Good Morning Breakfast with Goofy and Pals was certainly an exception to the character meal “norm.” At regular intervals, a celebration song plays throughout the restaurant and guests are invited to wave napkins, dance, or stand to acknowledge celebrations. The celebration songs were short and unobtrusive and a fun experience for the children at neighboring tables. Even with those moments of fun and noise, the entire dining experience was subdued, relaxed, and sophisticated. Perhaps it’s just that the Four Seasons exudes luxury and refinement, but this character meal is one of the few I’d call sophisticated.
There’s little I can think to critique from our experience. For those particularly seeking Mickey waffles, this breakfast isn’t going to satiate that craving. Fresh waffles were replenished on the buffet as they were depleted, but the waffles were square and were soft and fluffy. I like my Mickey waffles with a bit of a crispiness to the outside edges, but that’s a different style of waffle than was on offer here. Our PhotoPass photos didn’t come out as well as the ones we took with our own cameras, but of course, this will vary based on the PhotoPass photographer who’s accompanying Goofy and the lighting in the restaurant. Another point of consideration is that there aren’t dining discounts available for the meal, which is already on the high end for character dining, nor does Ravello participate in the Disney Dining Plan.
Another potential drawback is that guests will need to travel to Golden Oak to experience this meal, which makes this option less convenient for guests without access to a vehicle. Since the Goofy and Pals breakfast is only held on certain days of the week, attending this one will require some pre-planning.
On the other hand, this experience might be a good fit for families who have children between 10-12 years old. While Disney classifies anyone 10 or over as an adult, the Ravello buffet includes kids aged through 12. This is also a wonderful way to see a bit of the Four Seasons for guests who might be considering a stay there on a future trip.
Overall, we were highly impressed with the food, the fantastic character interactions, and the attentive service. We felt the value of this meal was pretty good, despite being a few dollars more than the other character meals where Mickey visits with guests. The extra cost reflects the better level of service we experienced and was fair for the quality of the food available. We would book this breakfast experience again without hesitation and look forward to a return visit! If you are looking for a leisurely and special breakfast, I highly recommend this one.
