Dining with Mickey: Aulani's character breakfast
I have no fewer than a dozen photos of me and my dining companion with Mickey and Co. I'm at Aulani's character breakfast to ostensibly review the breakfast, but really, I'm just excited to see Mickey, Minnie and Goofy (though I'm still disappointed that I just missed Stitch). You gotta really like Mickey—or at least have kids who do—in order to make this breakfast buffet worth it. It's fairly standard fare for $32, with the usual eggs, breakfast meats, cereal, miso soup and congee; the more exciting stuff are the assorted dim sum (mini steamed manapua, pork hash), carved ham and Mickey Mouse waffles. The latter is mostly exciting because it's Mickey's face stamped on a waffle, otherwise, it's just a pancake batter that doesn't get crispy like a good waffle does.
The other reason why you have to like Disney: every hour, Aunty's voice and ukulele strumming fills the space as she goes around with the characters in various games, like a "fishing" game in which children follow Goofy through the restaurant like the Pied Piper. Every single child in the restaurant is riveted (OK, us too). I don't know how any kid here ends up eating anything; if they're not out of their seats hanging with Mickey, they're craning their heads to see what he's doing.
The character breakfast is only Saturdays, Sundays and Wednesdays. Be sure to make a reservation. $32 for adults/$18 for keiki nine and under.