Be Our Guest Restaurant Breakfast Review
This Be Our Guest Restaurant breakfast review features photos and our thoughts the morning meal here, including whether it’s a good value, and which Walt Disney World guests might enjoy breakfast at Be Our Guest Restaurant. We’ll also discuss how this ranks among pre-park opening dining options at Magic Kingdom.
For starters, Be Our Guest Restaurant is the spot we’ve named the best counter service option in the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World–for lunch, at least. The restaurant is set inside Beast’s Castle and themed to the various rooms from said castle in Beauty and the Beast.
Be Our Guest Restaurant participates in the Disney Dining Plan–at breakfast, it’s a one-credit counter service restaurant, which actually makes it one of the best counter service values when on the Disney Dining Plan. You can read more background about the restaurant in our Be Our Guest Restaurant Lunch Review.
Demand for Be Our Guest Restaurant has been high since it opened with the first phase of the New Fantasyland expansion, and several years later, it still hasn’t really died down. This is in large part due to the cool setting, which makes it one of the best themed restaurants at Walt Disney World. However, as is true of much of what ails the world, I blame the internet.
Irresponsible bloggers have written about the difficulty of scoring Be Our Guest reservations and others have hyped this into the new “it” Walt Disney World restaurant. Like Cinderella’s Royal Table and Le Cellier before it, Be Our Guest Restaurant has become more popular by virtue of its popularity, as everyone wants to get into the restaurant that is difficult to book. In other words, its popularity is a bit of a self-fulfilling prophecy.
It only makes sense that Disney has responded to said prophecy by finding a way to open the restaurant for another meal. While I was personally hoping for “Fourth Meal” seatings catered by Taco Bell, I guess breakfast will have to suffice. This gives more guests the chance to enjoy the fun setting of Be Our Guest Restaurant and allows Walt Disney World to sell more meals.
Seems like a definite win-win…OR IS IT?!
Before we get to the thrilling conclusion of that cliffhanger, let’s cover our experience at Be Our Guest Restaurant for breakfast. For starters, since I wasn’t thinking and made the ADR less than two months in advance, our options were limited, and we got stuck with 8 am on an Extra Magic Hours morning.
Normally, I consider 8 am the perfect time slot for breakfast in the Magic Kingdom, but I recommend going on non-EMH mornings.
We were out the door from Caribbean Beach Resort by 7 am, and got to the Contemporary by about 7:15 am via Uber. (Have I mentioned yet how much I love using Uber at Walt Disney World?!)
From there we were through the turnstiles by 7:30. After that, it was a waiting game until 7:50 am when they finally let in guests people with ADRs.
It was a mad dash up Main Street as we tried to quickly get photos along the way with the park devoid of guests with our 10 minute window of early entry. These empty park photos are something I do at night with regularity, and it honestly never gets old. I’m like a kid on Christmas every time.
We are huge fans of doing ADRs in these early morning hours. You can read all about this in our Strategy for Pre-Park Opening Breakfasts at Walt Disney World. Given the price and its location in New Fantasyland, this is actually arguably the best option for a pre-park opening (PPO) breakfast in Magic Kingdom.
Beyond taking empty park photos on Main Street and in Fantasyland, the big advantage that both Be Our Guest Restaurant and Cinderella’s Royal Table offer is that they are beyond the rope drop barriers (unlike Crystal Palace and Plaza Restaurant).
This means that you have a potential rope drop advantage for Seven Dwarfs Mine Train if you do either Be Our Guest Restaurant or Cinderella’s Royal Table. If you finish eating before park opening, there’s a good chance you’ll be among the first in line for Seven Dwarfs Mine Train. It varies by day, but we’ve even had success riding once before rope drop and then lining up again before the crowd arrived!
Breakfast at Be Our Guest Restaurant is prix fixe, including an entree, beverage, an assortment of pastry selections for sharing at your table, and is priced at $29 for adults & $16 for children.
That’s unquestionably a lot of money for what you’re receiving, but keep in mind that this is only one counter service credit on the Disney Dining Plan. If you’re paying out of pocket, consider the value of those empty park photos and/or rope drop advantage.
Let’s start by taking a look at the plate of pastries that came out “for the table.” I suppose if you really want to ‘hack’ this meal, your entire group can go in as parties of 1, ordering separately and each sitting at different tables. (This might also be a good pretense for getting away from those in your group who aren’t morning people.) That assumes, of course, that you care about these pastries. They are pretty much the same things that sit around at every resort hotel’s counter service spot at breakfast.
We have never purchased any of those, and now I know why: they are nothing special. These pastries were by no means bad, they were just totally forgettable. I’d be lying to you right now if I described how any of them tasted, because I didn’t even remember by the end of the meal. If you’re still hungry after your entree eat some of them as they are fine, but don’t expect anything amazing.
Sarah ordered the Open-Face Bacon and Egg Sandwich: “Poached Eggs, Applewood-smoked Bacon, and Brie on a Toasted Croissant served with Fresh Fruit.”
She liked the breakfast sandwich but was not blown away by it. The quality skewed more towards a table service breakfast entree than a counter service one and was pleased that it wasn’t overly greasy. She said the eggs were good, as were the brie, tomato, and arugula. She thought the baguette was slightly harder than a normal baguette, though.
I took one look at the menu and knew what I wanted–nay, needed: the Croissant Doughnut. Otherwise known as the cronut, this divine culinary wonder is thus far the greatest invention of the 21st Century. That’s high praise, considering that Truck Nuts were also conceived of during this century.
This cronut was…just fine. The cronut is topped with banana caramel sauce, vanilla pastry creme, chocolate ganache, and whipped cream. It was large, decadent, and glorious-looking, but like the open-face sandwich, it just didn’t blow me away.
The dough was a bit rubbery and the whole thing was just way too sweet. I love sweet, unhealthy foods, but this was way too much. There was no restraint whatsoever–it was sort of like a breakfast prepared by Buddy the Elf. In the end, any cronut is better than no cronut, but I prefer the <$6 cronut a la mode in Epcot.
Now, as to whether having breakfast at Be Our Guest Restaurant is a win for guests, well, sort of. With few exceptions, I’m not a huge fan of breakfast at Walt Disney World. This is not one of those exceptions. Yes, the food is better than virtually every counter service breakfast spot, but that’s not saying much. Counter service breakfast is typically awful and overpriced.
As compared to a buffet like Chef Mickey’s or Crystal Palace, the price here isn’t outrageous–but it’s also not a buffet. When you compare it to counter service breakfasts, or a hidden gem like the Trail’s End breakfast buffet (which costs the same amount for far better and unlimited food), it seems like a worse value.
On the plus side, it does allow more guests to see the restaurant, which is cool and worth experiencing, despite some of my quibbles with the design choices (the creepy Imagineer-tribute babies still bug me). The problem I have with the breakfast besides the value is that it only works out to be the “best” way to experience Be Our Guest Restaurant in a narrow set of circumstances.
This is because lunch is (or at least was, when I was trying to book) the easiest reservation to score at Be Our Guest Restaurant, is the cheapest way inside, and is also the best counter service meal in the Magic Kingdom. By contrast, breakfast is harder to book, not as good as lunch, and more expensive.
This leaves a few scenarios where Be Our Guest Restaurant’s breakfast is recommended: 1) you want to see inside Be Our Guest Restaurant but for some reason can’t get in for lunch or dinner; 2) you are on the Disney Dining Plan and have extra credits; 3) you really want to get into the Magic Kingdom before official park opening, and want to do so as cheaply as possible. In our view, #3 is the big one and can trump everything else working against Be Our Guest Restaurant at breakfast.
Overall, breakfast at Be Our Guest Restaurant is a passable meal, albeit pricey for breakfast. Let’s not kid ourselves, though. This meal isn’t about the food: it serves as a way to get into Be Our Guest Restaurant and/or into the Magic Kingdom before park opening. The food alone simply isn’t good enough to justify the price, but when factored with seeing a popular, well-themed restaurant plus getting into the Magic Kingdom before park opening, I think it can be a worthwhile experience.
There are some guests for whom Be Our Guest Restaurant’s breakfast will be perfect, and they will absolutely love it. To that end, I don’t fault Disney for offering it. It definitely does have its strengths and will work well for some parties, but I don’t see us doing it again. If you don’t have a desire to get into the Magic Kingdom before it opens for empty-park family photos or the like, you should skip breakfast and do lunch at Be Our Guest Restaurant, instead, for those are the better meals here.
Want more dining tips? Check out our 101 Delicious Walt Disney World Dining Tips. If you are planning a Walt Disney World trip, make sure to also read our comprehensive Walt Disney World Trip Planning Guide to make the most of your experience!
Your Thoughts
Have you eaten at Be Our Guest Restaurant? Which meal–breakfast, lunch, and/or dinner? Did you enjoy the meal? What was your favorite part of the experience? Want to eat at Be Our Guest Restaurant? Share your thoughts on anything related to Be Our Guest Restaurant in the comments!
I have a bit of an off subject question, but I read in your BOG Lunch review to use manual settings for pictures in the castle. Could you /would you please let me know what settings do you use while in the castle?
A little off topic, but I noticed that you mentioned staying at Caribbean Beach Resort. We are staying in a preferred room late Nov/Dec. Can you share briefly your experience there. We are hearing mixed reviews and are thinking about changing hotels.
Beautiful resort that we adore! Don’t change, it is a short bus ride to most parks. You will not be disappointed.
Question, I have been to be our guest for dinner and Beast is there walking around and taking pictures. Is it the same case for Breakfast?
No, no characters at breakfast.
When I called today, I was told that as of today, breakfast reservations for BOG have been extended until October 3. I asked how I would know when I would be able to make a reservation for December, granted they continue it, and she basically said I had to keep checking back. Any advice?
Thanks!!
We really enjoyed our breakfast here and although it was busy and a bit noisy restaurant in the main hall, we all really enjoyed the food (minus the pastries) and the decor.
I’ve read reviews on other blogs that say you can order more pastries (not that it sounds like you would) if desired. I’m unsure if that was during the initial run of breakfast & has changed since. That may soften the edge on the $20 breakfast? But I do hope service hasn’t started to slip since I’ll be trying BOG out for the 1st time in Sept.
I always enjoy reading your blog, Tom. Even when I think you’re crazy, high on Pixie Dust or giving too much praise for too little a product.
I can’t comment on BoG breakfast because after two perfectly lousy (OK, one was awful and one was mediocre so average them out and you get perfectly lousy!) meals at the place (one dinner, one lunch) I won’t be going back. Oh, and both meals were free, so that should tell you what I think of the place.
I realize this is a Disney Blog, that is why I am here, but I’d have a hard time telling people to spend $20 per person for an average at best meal when they can do better at Denny’s and you don’t need to do anything there but walk in and get seated. Maybe in the O-Town morning rush (it’s a 2 a.m. place for me), you might have to wait 15 minutes!
At some point, the real world and reality should be part of the conversation. In addition to food that was mediocre at best (awful French onion soup … awful because they chose to make it vegan to save money instead of offering a vegan choice) and terrible service the place is loud as hell and the theming makes no sense. The prince makes dining hall that pays homage to him being what he was most ashamed of? This is Disney. It’s about story, man. And cupcakes for dessert? Really?! I’ve been to France somewhere close to 10 times and I have never even seen a cupcake. I know Disney seems to think they are the answer to everything, but c’mon …
And the designers apparently thought ”we can get more bodies in here if we make the tiniest restrooms” at any dining establishment in the MK other than the 1971 era upstairs facilities at LTT. Having a line out the door to use the men’s room is a regular issue here.
When folks can even have a quality and relatively fair priced meal at Trail’s End, a short boat ride away, that is a buffet, I just don’t see how you can recommend this place.
Hope that wasn’t too negative. But other than a QS meal at Cosmic Ray’s, BoG has given me my worst two Disney meals in the last five years (and that covers every Disney park on the planet!)
But, keep them coming! 🙂
Thanks for the review! I am curious though, in looking at available ADRs towards the end of the test there seems to be a ton of availability. Makes me think that the current format isn’t working and folks are figuring out that it isn’t worth missing rope drop for. Are you guessing that they will extend past mid-July? My money is on them extending but with a format change…
Those pastries look like they came prepackaged from Sam’s Club.
I have a love-hate relationship with BOG. The first time we ate there, it was absolutely perfect. We got to sit by the window with the snow, we had a wonderful waiter, good wine, and good food. But then the next time we ate there, it wasn’t quite as good. We went back again last fall, and the quality had slipped a little more. We did end up snagging a lunch fast-pass this last visit, and I will say the value at lunch was great, probably better than at dinner, but it was insanely loud in that echoing cavern of a ballroom. I’m not sure if it’s me, and my expectations are too high from my first dining experience there. But with Disney, you’d hope (and assume) that you’d have an amazing experience each and every time.
It’s definetely something that a person should experience at least once, just for the atmosphere and theming. But I’m not sure that it’s worth all the reservation fuss.
Is it harder to get reservations for breakfast? I’ve found availability most days with no problem. Did a check just yesterday and 3 slots were open for a Saturday. I do wish they would hurry up and open up the availability for August and September already.
Thanks for helping me to set my sights a little lower. I wanted an early park opening experience and am willing to try something new, so we’re going to give it a whirl, but I won’t get too excited!
Any word on when/if Disney will extend breakfast at BOG past the trial run? We are going in October…have our lunch reservations for BOG on our last day in the park…but would rather have 8:00 breakfast there to get in the park early if we can swing it. Great blog…it’s been a valuable resource in trip planning!
My family of 4 ate breakfast at BOG 2 weeks ago. We all thought the food was really good. I for one ordered the vegetable quiche and it was delicious. My daughter who is 19 ordered the cronut and loved every minute of it. I tried it and agree it was a bit to sweet for me but my daughter won’t stop raving about it. We have had dinner there about 4 times but not lunch. We will definitely eat breakfast there again.
Nice to have another perspective on the cronut–thanks for the feedback!
We ate there recently and felt that it was worth doing…once. The food wasn’t bad, just seriously overpriced. The best tip I could give is to have everyone at your table check out separately, just so you can get more pastry trays (as the policy is one tray per check regardless of how many sit at a table, although they may try to bring only one…if they try that just request more as if you were sitting at DIFFERENT tables you’d be getting separate trays anyway).
Great tip on checking out separately, thanks. I didn’t know that’s what determines the multiple trays of pastries. Although, I still maintain the “sit at different tables” tip if you dislike your family. 😉
We ate there today. $21.99 for a rather nondescript breakfast plus $ for drinks. I had the croquette madam, other person had the meat & cheese platter. Both ok but not special nor worth the price. I expected my own pastries, they gave only one tray. I told the worker that I would like mine to go. She then asked if we were together, I said yes, but I would still like my own. At that point she brought another tray and a brown box to package them. Shame on Disney for misrepresenting and being overly frugal with guests paying a premium for a lackluster meal. A separate tray of pastries is shown for each brfst entree. Parties of 2 or more should not be given the same amt of pastries as an individual receives. I saw a party of 5 with the same small tray!
We have eaten lunch there in the past and it was quite good.
Assuming that getting into the park before rope drop is your number one goal, how well do you think getting reservations at BOG (on a non EMH day) works? I can eat any old breakfast. Is it worth it being that deep in the park at open?
Is this your goal for the photos, or do you just want to be in a good spot at rope drop? If only the latter is true, and you don’t care about breakfast, it’s absolutely *not* worth it. Just get FP+ for Mine Train or do it at the end of the night, instead.
I’ve not done 8 am BOG myself but I’ve read several reports of people who found it very helpful for RD positioning (with 9 am park open). Many people are unable to get fp for mine train or Anna and elsa and if you have small children riding at close is also not possible. Supposedly those at BOG breakfast are allowed over to mine train and Anna and elsa ahead of the RD crowd from the main gate. One person reported she did this twice on her trip. One morning the BOG group was let through extra early and had 3 mine train rides before everyone from the gait arrived. She said the other morning was more Standard and they got one ride on mine train before the wait increased. So it might be worth it in some situations.
BoG and I are like a failed relationship where neither party really wants to break up. After an amazing first trip there, a good second trip, and a horrifying third (if you can call having a child throw bread at you then scold you for asking the parents to get them to stop a horrifying experience… Personally, I can), the magic is wearing off and I’m less excited to fight my way to a reservation. But when ADR time rolls around, I find myself reserving a slot for myself anyway. I have to admit though, breakfast looks ok… Not a5wdul, not great. Anywhere else I’d probably be fine with it. There… I don’t know… I expect a little more.
Personally, I feel like my dining experience is incomplete until I’ve been hit in the head by a few pieces of bread. You are obviously a grinch, and seriously deserved the scolding you received.
Your post is very timely! My family has an 8 am ADR for a BOG breakfast this Thursday on a day with 8 am EMH (we are staying at AKL). Never even been to BOG and got it last minute this week. Also have an 8 am BOG ADR for next week on a day park opens at 8 am. This reservation we got on the first day they started making BOG reservations but that day park opened at 9 am. Disney since changed hours to 8 am opening. 🙁 Mainly wanted BOG breakfast to take pictures in empty park. Surprised you didn’t get into park until 7:50 am. Is this common? I thought you could usually get into park earlier with 8 am ADR, like around 7:30 am. Any suggestions on which to keep? Also have BOG dinner ADR next week and are on dining plan so not worried about cost. Kids are 10 and 12 so won’t have a problem making a mad dash! 🙂
They said the “policy” was for us to get in at 7:45 am, but we didn’t actually get in until 7:50. It has been ages since we last did this, so I can’t give any definitive word on policy, but I’ve heard 7:45 am is about the norm, with slightly earlier or later depending upon the case.
You’ll still have time for empty park photos, you’ll just have to hurry.
I was wondering if any early ADR would do to gain access at 7:30/7:45…for example if reservation at 8:15/8:30 would we still get in at 7:30? That would buy more picture time…
We just returned from a week at WDW and ate at BOG twice for lunch. We pre
ordered our meal which saves time. It is such a reprieve from the heat, the food was great and not horribly costly. Free drink refills are a bonus! Best counter service at MK!
Yep, totally agree…about lunch. Lunch > Breakfast at Be Our Guest.
“it was sort of like a breakfast prepared by Buddy the Elf.”- well said, Tom. Thanks for the honesty and humor!
You’re welcome, although thanking someone for being honest seems a big wrong. Sorta like, “thanks, officer, for not assaulting me at this traffic stop.”
Based upon your review, it doesn’t seem worth trying to get breakfast reservations at Be Our Guest. Especially considering it’s popular just because it’s popular. (Like the Kardashians). However, I would expend the energy to get to Trattoria al Forno for their excellent breakfast (excellent at least according to my expertise, or lack thereof. I like it, what can I say.).
That said, in six more days, I will be on my phone at 7:00 AM (or maybe online) trying to secure dinner reservations at Be Our Guest for a December birthday celebration because that’s where the birthday girl wants to go. We do what we do for family.
Thanks for the info Tom. Your blog is extremely informative and entertaining. (Again, I like it, what can I say.)
You can do it online starting at 6am.180days out. I would not give wait to call at 7am. Hope you get what you want.we are taking our daughter for her 7th birthday the 6th Dec.
Thank you for that info Kim. Wasn’t aware of that. However, the birthday girl in this case is not six years old but in her late twenties. In our family we revere all age brackets.
If you find this blog “informative and entertaining” I *do* question your judgment and expertise, and therefore will never be dining at Trattoria al Forno. THANKS A LOT. 😉
Tom, you’re smart (and I mean that in the best possible way) and have a wonderful relationship with words. Your blog is definitely most interesting, informative and always full of fun. That said, I look forward to your review of breakfast at Trattoria al Forno.
FYI, the 6am to book is based on Eastern Standard Time. So it will be 3am Pacific Time. This can have a big difference on making reservations.