Hiya Samantha,
Welcome to planDisney! I just took my daughter to visit
Chef Mickey’s during my last visit, and she loved the experience! I had never done Character Dining experiences before, but now I’m obsessed. No matter if you are young or just young at heart, nothing quite beats seeing Mickey and his pals while you enjoy delicious food.
Samantha, I like where your head is at with your planned itinerary; starting your morning at Chef Mickeys before heading to Magic Kingdom Park sounds like a perfect start! While you can park at Disney’s Contemporary Resort with a confirmed dining reservation, your parking perks will not extend for the entire day. To ensure that Guests with resort and dining reservations are accommodated, you would only be able to park for up to three hours at Disney’s Contemporary Resort. While this is more than enough time to enjoy your meal and explore the resort, it is not near enough time to explore Magic Kingdom Park. So you would need to transfer your vehicle to the Transportation and Ticket Center after you finish dining before heading off to Cinderella’s Castle.
If you are like me and are thinking about how that transfer time is precious minutes, you are not enjoying a DOLE Whip in Adventureland. I have two potential solutions for you! Like the convenience of having your vehicle nearby? If your breakfast reservation isn’t too early, I suggest parking at the Transportation and Ticket Center before heading to Chef Mickey’s. You could drop your car and hop on the
monorail to Disney’s Contemporary Resort. Then after you finished eating, you could proceed to Magic Kingdom Park and not have to worry about moving your vehicle. Keep in mind that the monorails from the Transportation and Ticket Center begin running about 30 minutes before the earliest Theme Park opening for the day, so this may not work depending on your reservation time. Is your dining reservation super early, and do you happen to be staying at a Walt Disney World Resort Collection Hotel? Then I highly recommend one of my favorite transportation options, the
Minnie Van Service! Minnie Van is perfect for getting around Walt Disney World Resort quickly. A friendly Cast Member will get you to your reservation with plenty of time, and after your park day, they can get you back to your room without having to deal with the mad rush to the monorail in the evening. I have an infant, so I loved the ease of traveling using the Minnie Van (the car seat was also an incredible perk).
I hope this was helpful, Samantha. Please come back and see us if you need anything else!
Happy Planning,
Ashley F.