Is Topolino's Terrace Character Breakfast worth the hype?
Topolino's Terrace is one of Disney's newest restaurants sitting on the 10th floor of the Riviera Resort. At night it is an elegant place for dinner and drinks with a wonderful few. At breakfast, it has become one of the most coveted Character Breakfast experiences with Mickey, Minnie, Daisy and Donald each sporting European Artisan outfits. So the big question remains, is it worth the hype? Here is my honest review of the Character Breakfast at Topolino's Terrace.
LocATION
Riviera Resort is not the easiest to access if you aren't staying there, at Caribbean Beach Resort (which is within walking distance), or at another Skyliner resort. Probably the easiest way to get here is via a rideshare service like Uber or Lyft. But if you have children needing carseats, this can be a hassle. Once Minnie Vans are back in service, I would highly suggest using those because they come equipped with two rear or forward facing carseats.
Until then, you'll need to use Disney transportation to get there. We opted to take a bus to Hollywood Studios and then ride the Skyliner to the Caribbean Beach exchange station. From there, we walked to Riviera Resort. If the Epcot line is available, you could hop back on the Skyliner and get off at Riviera but it might be faster to just walk as the Epcot line can be long in the morning.
Make sure yo give yourself upwards of an hour to get to the resort if you are using Disney transportation. Buses do not start operating until an hour before park openings so you'll have to plan your route depending on your reservation time and what parks will have transportation in operation. If you have an early reservation, I would try and get on the first bus to Animal Kingdom or Magic Kingdom and then hop on a bus to Riviera Resort.
The restaurant itself is simply gorgeous. Unlike other character dining spots, it feels more luxurious with elegant Disney touches. It feels very similar to California Grill which is one of my favorite restaurants on Disney property. One thing I really love is that it has three walls of windows which makes for great lighting no matter where you are sitting. This makes getting higher quality photos easier. Because it is on the 10th floor, you also have amazing views of the Skyliner and Disney property. It definitely doesn't skimp in terms of location.
FOOD & Service
The food at Topolino's Terrace was delicious. I had the Smoked Salmon (their version of Bagels and Lox) with a side of bacon and eggs. My kids loved the Mickey waffle on a stick even if they were mostly used as a vehicle for licking the sauces. I was with a large group of extended family and everyone loved their food. The wood fire Butcher's Steak was a favorite amongst our group.
One thing that isn't mentioned often is that this dining experience is All You Care to Enjoy even though the menu (at least right now) is laid out in a more traditional style. If you want to try some waffles with your main dish, just mention it to your server and they will configure your order in a way that allows you to try multiple things. You can view the full menu here.
Our server was one of the best servers I have ever had. No joke. My dad owned a fine dining restaurant when I was growing up so I have a high level of respect for servers who do their job with excellence. Ours server was phenomenal! He had dipping sauces ready before we even realized that they were getting close to empty. My coffee cup was always fresh. He anticipated needs and made our breakfast so enjoyable.
CHacacters
We, unfortunately, were sat in probably the worst seat at Topolino's Terrace. Our table was behind a screened area where I imagine normally the server's stations are located. Where my husband and I sat, we could barely see the characters. I had to get up and go around to the other side of the table to get any kind of picture or video.
The characters did use the screen to play peek-a-boo with my kids which they really loved. But I really wish we would've been seated in another location that was a little more open. If you get seated here, I would ask to wait for another table. My hope is that this seating area was very temporary and once distancing restrictions relax a little, this table won't be an option anymore.
The characters did not spend a lot of time at the tables which is a point of dissatisfaction for many people. However, they did come around four or five times during our breakfast. I personally would've enjoyed if they stayed at your table a little while longer and only came two or three times. It become a little bit of a revolving door and, since my seat was in a terrible spot for pictures, I found myself getting up from my meal often to try and catch pictures.
One little tip I will mention is that the characters will linger longer if you interact with them more. The kids at the table next to us started chanting "Donald! Donald! Donald!" every time he would come around. My kids quickly joined in and we ended up getting some good time with Donald as a result. Be vocal with the characters. Comment on their outfits, ask for a photo, and encourage more than just waving from your kids and you will most likely get a little more attention.
Price
Character Breakfasts a premium no matter where you go. At Topolino's Terrace, adults cost $42 and children ages 3-9 cost $27. Alcohol and specialty drinks cost extra. Drip coffee, juices like POG and orange, and fountain drinks are included with your breakfast. If you are coffee lover, there is a French Press for only $6 that I would recommend. The prices are high and I tend to only plan one meal like this for our vacation unless its a special occasion. You are easily paying twice as much compared to other great non-character breakfasts on property. Annual Pass Discounts are accepted here which does help with the costs.
Because this is Prix Fixe pricing and therefore "All You Care to Enjoy", kids under 3 are FREE which made the price a bit more accessible for me. Bode ate for free which was a bonus. It made up for the fact that Willa did not eat a lot for her $27 price tag. If your kids aren't big eaters and are both over 3, it might be a pricey pill to swallow because you aren't able to split meals. The kids price point breaks at the age of 10. So maybe make this a priority before your kids get to double digits to safe a little on their meals.
GRACE's RATing: 8/10
I think Topolino's Terrace Character Breakfast lives up to the hype. The food is some of the best breakfast on property - character dining or not. Other character dining restaurants give you a pretty basic breakfast of eggs, waffles, sausage and bacon for similarly high price point. Here you get a more creative and diverse breakfast selection that offers more flavor while still having the option for your basic waffles and eggs for those picky eaters. You may get better character interactions at Chef Mickey's but if you give it a little effort, these characters will give you some extra love.
Despite being sat in the worst spot in the restaurant, I still really enjoyed my breakfast and was glad my kids got to have some no pressure character interactions. I wish it was a little more relaxing for me. Constantly getting up to get a picture with the characters made for a busy breakfast but I think if you were seated in a better area, this wouldn't be as big of an issue. Many have mentioned that its harder to get a good picture because of how the characters interact but I have had other issues getting good quality pictures because of bad lighting at pre-COVID Character Breakfasts at 'Ohana (which is dark with single direction lighting).
Overall, I would rate it an 8/10 and would highly recommend getting a reservation for this if Character Dining is high on your list. If you are staying on Disney property, put this meal towards the end of your trip to increase the likelihood that you'll get a reservation for a time you want. Want me to do all the work for you? Book your trip with me and you'll get one on one planning services to make your next Disney Vacation amazing. Just fill out this form.