Chef Mickey's on departure day?

[pinkxray]

I would love to have breakfast at Chef Mickey's the morning we leave. I have never been to FL as adult by plane, so I have no idea how much time I need to allow to get to MCO. Our flight leaves at 11:45am and we have to return our rental car. If I make an ADR for around 8am and leave for the airport right after is that okay?
Thanks

[tinkerdee]

We too are from CT and always do Chef Mickeys for breakfast on the day we leave and fly Southwest home. We get an ADR for around 8am and leave for the airport at 9:30am. We have never had a problem and are doing it this year again. When are you going?

[pinkxray]

Thanks for the reply. I just booked my ADR for 8:10. How long does it usually take to make it through breakfast? I am figuring an hour? We will have been to many character meals so I'm not sticking around if someone misses our table.

I will be there May 22- June 1. I can't wait!

[tinkerdee]

You can get through the meal in under an hour easily, but it usually takes the full hour for all the characters to come through.

[danielle782001]

You should be fine...MCO wants you there 2 hours before...Unless it is a holiday period of travel 2 hours is more than enough...1 hour for the meal is plenty...Getting you on the road by 9:15...Takes about 30 minutes to get to the airport and return the car...It will be close but it should work...Just make sure you do your gift shop tour before you eat and I would arrive at CM a bit early because they may be able to seat you early at that time of day...Every minute will count and you do not want to feel rushing when you are eating and with the characters...

Again, this is not a holiday time, is it?

[pinkxray]

Our flight is on June 1, which is the day after Memorial Day. I am hoping it won't be too busy, the flights were much cheaper than the previous days. Should I just cancel and make it for the morning before?

[Hootch]

that will make things go faster is to use a rental agency that has on airport return. I have used both on airport and off airport and the former is much faster.

My Unofficial Guide is a bit dated (2006) but it shows Alamo, Avis, Budget, L&M and National as on airport.

We have been doing CM on departure day for the past few trips. When we have had an ADR more toward the middle of the service, it has taken us about an hour and a half to see all of the characters. This past trip we had one of the latest ADRs and it still took an hour to see all of the characters.

[dancin Disney style]

I agree with the other PP's. It should be fine but I would try for a slightly early ADR....maybe 7:45am. If you can't get one just show up early to CM's. They tend to be pretty good about seating people promptly. Also I would plan to be 'on the road' by 9:15...so that would mean leaving CM's by 9am at the latest.

I much prefer having to wait around at the airport that being stressed about missing my flight.....remember that MCO is very busy.

[freepixie]

We always do Chef Mickey the night before we leave as a last goodbye to the Mouse!! We don't like to do it in the AM, we usually take a very early flight home - less crowded and gets us home earlier - we usually grab something to-go from Capt Cooks' before getting on ME.

[danielle782001]

Originally Posted by pinkxray

Our flight is on June 1, which is the day after Memorial Day. I am hoping it won't be too busy, the flights were much cheaper than the previous days. Should I just cancel and make it for the morning before?

I am not sure what the airports are like the day after Memorial Day...You should post the question on the Travel board to get a general idea on crowds leaving that day...It really all depends on how stressed you want to feel...

We too always go to CM the day we depart but we never have had a flight that early...I love to say goodbye to Disney with that last character experience...As a few of us stated...Get there early and be ready to go...You should be fine...

Just check on crowds at the airport to be sure.

[goofy4tink]

The airport will be busy...many people will be doing the exact same thing you are doing to avoid the higher fares.
So....are you going to be able to check your bags at the resort before leaving in the morning? That way, you won't have to do that at the airport and that takes up time.
So...if your ADR is for 8:10, I would get there by 7:50..maybe you'll be able to be seated early. If not, at least you'll be seated pretty close to 8:10. You should plan on being out of Chef Mickeys by 9:15. Then, drive to MCO and let the others off at the departures area, and you return the car. That way, not everyone has to trek from the car rental area. But, be sure you have your boarding pass and ID with you (if you did RAC that morning).
You should be at MCO no less than 90 mins before flight departure if you have already checked those bags at WDW. If you have to check your bags and get boarding passes, then you need to be there the full 2 hrs before departure.

With an 11:45 flight, you should be at MCO by 9:45, not later than 10:15. Which means you have to be on the road by 9:15, at the latest.

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

I don't know what the chances of this happening is but since Chef Mickey's is a very popular location, sometimes they might get backed up with their ADR's for that day and seat you way past your scheduled time. So personally I wouldn't go there on a day I had a flight out of Orlando International Airport just incase because of that fact.

[pinkxray]

Thanks everyone. We had one day that was supposed to be a chill, out sleep in day but I booked Chef Mickey's that morning. Who needs to sleep in at Disney?