Hi Heather,
Welcome to planDisney! I am always delighted to answer delicious dining questions!
Topolino's Terrace - Flavors of the Riviera might just be my favorite character experience now. The characters are ADORABLE. My girls loved their artistic attire, the views from the restaurant are stunning, and the food has been lovely when we have dined there. Every time we visit, we have to do at least one character meal with Mickey and Minnie Mouse so typically we stop by Chef Mickey's.
While we still have a special place in our hearts for Chef Mickey's, we are delighted to make some new memories at Topolino's Terrace - Flavors of the Riviera. My absolute favorite memory happened when Daisy stopped by to chat and Donald appeared genuinely jealous that she was spending so much time with my husband. EVERYONE laughed. Check the
dining updates to verify character dining experiences and remember that experiences could still change by the time of your visit.
Having said that, your choice may depend on what your family's favorite characters are and what your schedule might be while visiting the Walt Disney World Resort. On our last trip, we stayed at Disney's BoardWalk Villas, so we just caught the
Disney Skyliner over to Disney's Riviera Resort to dine. If you are not staying at the resort, consider the travel time to and from and how that dining experience will fit with your other plans.
Garden Grill Restaurant in EPCOT is super cute and works well when you are planning an EPCOT day. My girls and I love seeing
Living with the Land while dining. It is simply the coolest part of the experience for us.
Of course, my final question is do you have to choose? Why not try both? We always do more than one character meal. You could, for example, do Topolino's Terrace - Flavors of the Riviera for breakfast and Garden Grill Restaurant for lunch or dinner. And, if you do both on the same day, you can ride the Disney Skyliner!
Heather, these are difficult dining decisions, but I hope I have helped! Remember to make your
advanced dining reservations and
Disney Park Pass system reservations. We are so excited to welcome you back to a
world of magic!
Magic and memories,
Donyell