Bon Voyage Character Breakfast Review
One of the newest character dining experiences at Walt Disney World is also one of the best breakfasts in the resort restaurants. For this WDW meal review, we set sail to the BoardWalk for Bon Voyage Adventure Breakfast at Trattoria al Forno.
Starting with the basics, Bon Voyage Character Breakfast participates in the Disney Dining Plan as a 1-credit table service restaurant, and also accepts the Tables in Wonderland card for a 20% discount. In terms of pricing, Bon Voyage is comparable to other character breakfasts, and lower than character dinners. For families, character dining can be a good way to maximize your value on the Disney Dining Plan.
In this Walt Disney World dining review, we’ll offer food recommendations, how this stacks up with other character meals, thoughts on our interactions with the royalty from Little Mermaid and Tangled, and more. As one of the few princess meals outside of the Walt Disney World theme parks (and one with some relatively rare characters), Bon Voyage is a unique and highly-coveted Advance Dining Reservation…
We’ve previously covered dinner here in our Trattoria al Forno Review; if you’re looking for a good Italian restaurant at Walt Disney World, you should check that out. That review offers a rundown of how this dining spot compares to other options around WDW.
We won’t rehash all of that here, as this review is solely about the Bon Voyage Adventure Character Breakfast at Trattoria al Forno. Let’s get started by covering theme, restaurant ambiance, etc…
As you might recall, this is an Italian restaurant…and none of these fairytales are set in Italy. Bon Voyage Adventure Breakfast at Trattoria al Forno is just the normal version of the restaurant. No decorations or any sort of overlays, just different music. That’s something of a mixed bag.
Trattoria al Forno feels more upscale than your average character breakfast, but not to the point that it’s uncomfortable or stuffy. This restaurant benefits from the table spacing and layout of the dining rooms, plus the open/show kitchen, which gives it some kinetic energy even at breakfast.
However, the texture, rich woods, and fixtures don’t exactly scream “light-hearted and fun” character breakfast either. It just ends up feeling nice, but also an odd fit.
Trattoria al Forno isn’t something like Cinderella’s Royal Table where the setting is a huge part of the meal’s theme. It’s not even like Cape May Cafe, where the atmosphere helps create a more laid-back mood befitting of the character interactions.
At Bon Voyage Breakfast, there’s definitely a disconnect between setting and characters, but not so much that it’s detrimental to the overall experience. With that said, let’s turn to the food…
Breakfast starts with a variety of Pastries for the table to share.
It no longer includes a choice of Fresh Fruit or a Mixed Berry Parfait, as was the case when Bon Voyage Breakfast debuted. This cut is a disappointment (we honestly would’ve preferred fruit or a parfait over the pastries), but our entrees ended up being very filling.
Unlike a breakfast buffet, this is a prix fixe menu, meaning that adults select one of 9 different entree choices.
In reviewing the menu, it quickly became obvious to us that the two most interesting options would be King Triton’s Shipwreck al Forno and the Royale Breakfast. We also asked three different Cast Members about their favorites, and those two were the unanimous picks.
However, the most popular item at breakfast is, apparently, the Tower of Pancakes with apple compote. I’m guessing this is due to presentation.
Our server (who was great) did not recommend this, remarking that it was like a denser version of an ordinary pancake. She did bring two out for us to try, and we’d agree with that assessment. I’m guessing there was less buttermilk and more cornmeal to give these a coarser texture and a bit of crunch. They were fine, but not something to order unless you’re only concerned with Instagramability.
Next up is King Triton’s Shipwreck al Forno: “Calzone with Scrambled Eggs, Bell Peppers, Salumi, Bacon, Sausage, Blend of Cheeses, and Sunday Gravy.”
This absolutely defied my expectations. Rather than being a cheap and greasy mess, it was a flavorful and high quality. The crust had a nice crunch without being overdone, and the meats inside were varied, high quality, and perfectly spiced. The ‘Sunday Gravy’ was a savory tomato sauce that did its part to lighten the dish and up the complexity just a tad.
King Triton’s Shipwreck al Forno is ultimately a comfort food, but you could call it a “smart” one. It toes the line between decadent guilty pleasure and a nuanced Italian dish, which I really appreciated.
It’s also absolutely huge. If you order this, perish the thought that you won’t get enough food because this isn’t a buffet.
Finally, the Royale Breakfast: “Oak-grilled Steak, Asparagus, Cheesy-Egg Torte, Fonduta, Breakfast Potatoes, Crispy Onions.”
This is definitely the outlier on the menu, and would be ~$10 more expensive than everything else if these items were priced a la carte. We worried that this would be a cheap cut, but that was not the case. This was tender and had a nice, mildly smoky flavor. The torte and generous helping of breakfast potatoes likewise made this an incredibly filling dish.
Bon Voyage Adventure Breakfast has proven incredibly popular since debuting because it features two of Disney’s most beloved couples: Rapunzel & Flynn Rider from Tangled as well as Ariel & Prince Eric from The Little Mermaid.
Each character is announced as they enter the room with a bit of fanfare and interact with one another before meeting guests individually. This bit of pomp and circumstance worked well and helped give the meal a nice energy and made it fun even when the princesses and princes weren’t at our table.
Whenever we review meals at Walt Disney World featuring face characters, I always offer the caveat that we’re awkward around these princes and princesses. Not in a creepy sort of way (at least, I sure hope not!), but more in a we don’t know what to say to their fairytale-style prompts.
I’m happy to report that this wasn’t totally the case here, and we did a “great” (for us) job interacting with the characters. Ariel is always an easier princess to meet because she has a sense of childlike wonder about everyday objects, and it’s pretty simple to play off of that.
Flynn Rider is just a chill dude; unlike the royals, he’s more down to earth. Flynn actually reminds me a bit of Gaston–once you get past the vanity, both are somewhat relatable characters.
You could probably hang out by the quarry and throw things down there with either of them.
Rapunzel asked if we had seen Pascal, and not only did we remember that he’s the lizard, but Sarah also had a clever response about spotting him all over the place outside.
That might not sound great, but anything more than an “uhhh” or one word response qualifies as great in our book.
Beyond that, the characters were really exceptional. There were a couple of points when Rapunzel and Flynn Rider interacted with one another in our area of the restaurant, and two separate occasions when each of them individually did gags at the window near our table.
When it comes to face characters, this type of passive experience is way more our speed, and we enjoy that so much more than being put on the spot for an often-awkward interaction.
In our view, Bon Voyage Breakfast at Trattoria al Forno is one of the top 5 character meals at Walt Disney World. It joins other newcomers like Storybook Dining at Artist Point and Breakfast a la Art with Mickey & Friends at Topolino’s Terrace as the “next generation” of character dining, with quality emphasized over quantity.
However, whether Bon Voyage is right for you really depends upon what you’re after in terms of characters, ambiance, and cuisine. If you want food quantity over quality, Bon Voyage Breakfast is not your best option. If you’re looking for a fun and light atmosphere, there are better choices. If you want Fab Five (or Sensational Six?) characters in themed outfits, it’s not really in the conversation at all.
However, if you want a filling breakfast that’s also high quality, great interactions with rare royalty, and a slightly upscale setting, Bon Voyage Breakfast at Trattoria al Forno reigns supreme. This breakfast has a ton going for it, and personal preferences aside, a strong argument can be made that it’s the best overall option at Walt Disney World right now.
Overall, if Bon Voyage Adventure Breakfast at Trattoria al Forno checks the right boxes for you, it’s hard to beat. Some of the characters are impossible to find elsewhere, there are a couple of dishes that are of exceptional quality, and the experience, as a whole, feels ‘elevated’ as compared to normal character dining. While we normally prefer fur characters to face characters, we had a blast at Bon Voyage, and it far exceeded our expectations. Suffice to say, Bon Voyage is the second-best character breakfast at Walt Disney World, surpassed only by the new Breakfast Á la Art with Mickey & Friends at Topolino’s Terrace.
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Your Thoughts
If you’ve dined at Bon Voyage Adventure Breakfast, what did you think? How does it rank among character breakfasts for you? Do you prefer face or fur character meals? Do you agree or disagree with our review? Any questions we can help you answer? Hearing your feedback–even when you disagree with us–is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!
We were there in June – loved the character interactions but not the food. I’m Italian and we do not eat “Sunday Gravy” for breakfast. We were also disappointed with Ariel – my daughter’s favorite – she wasn’t as fun as Rapunzel.
The food is great and they are willing to fix items not on the menu if asked, and still only charged us the child’s meal price.
Our 4 year old daughter simply wanted eggs and fruit, and they happily obliged, this past year when we went.
They were very accommodating!
I don’t know but for me that food would have me on the toilet rather quickly for a breakfast meal. No fruit in this day and age is a head scratcher. As if Americans need to be fattened up any further. How about some lighter choices.
Here comes the smolder!!! Awesome!! Sounds fun!
We absolutely loved this breakfast and can’t wait to do it again on our upcoming February 2020 trip. I got the Royale Breakfast (and 2 Bloody Marys) and it was delicious and very filling. I also found the starting pastries to be way better quality than the pastries you get at Be Our Guest breakfast.
The character interactions were great. Flynn rider, who is my favorite “Prince,” even sat down at our table and chatted with us. He also kept calling Prince Eric, “Boat Boy” as he razzed him from across the room. It was, all in all, a great experience!
One last note, don’t forget to ask Flynn Rider what he’s got in his satchel!
We LOVED this breakfast! We asked Flynn Rider what was in the satchel? He squatted down beside my daughter and whispered, “If Blondie finds out, she’ll kill me…” He opened the satchel and showed us the crown! (Of course, my daughter asked if she could try it on…”Ohhh… No. Not gonna happen.”) During pictures, he said, “Get the camera ready.. here comes the smolder.” He was HILARIOUS! This breakfast is definitely on our TO DO list for next visit.
Hey Sarah, your outfit is absolutely adorable! 🙂
We also enjoyed the bon voyage breakfast and agree that the adult breakfast entrees were really good. We liked the food so much that on our subsequent trip we went back to have breakfast there without the characters. They have a small room set aside for walk-up up only that is shut off from the character interactions. It was a little isolated and the lovely pastries were not included, but if you’re just looking to try those wonderful breakfast entrees without the upcharge for characters, this is an option.
We love this breakfast! My daughter had a bandaid on her hand and Flynn grabbed Rapunzel to borrow her hair to heal it. He won me over as my favorite Disney character meeting.
Thanks for another great review. It would be helpful to me and I assume a growing number of other readers if you would mention any vegetarian or vegan options on the menus of the restaurants you review.
I looked at the vegetarian/vegan menu at this breakfast a couple of years ago. I recall that there were oatmeal and pancakes that could be vegan, and that the calzone could also be vegan. If I recall correctly, there was a vegetarian variation on the egg dish that I loved so much, with mushrooms over polenta. Interestingly, the kids’ steak and eggs dish automatically came with “eggs,” that were actually a vegan egg replacement. We thought that was odd, considering there was already steak on the plate, but I’m sure the option would be made available to replace typical eggs with this vegan option, upon request.
When we were there in Feb 2019, I asked if there was fruit coming. The waiter kindly told me that was no longer part of the menu, but he could bring it out on request, which he did at no additional charge. This was a big relief because my kids love to eat fruit at breakfast.
Flynn and Rapunzel are awesome. We had a great satchel vs. man purse debate with Flynn.
good to know, tucking this tip away for next week
Another one to file away for the next trip. Your reviews are usually spot on. I, too, much prefer furry characters 🙂 May have to give this a try tho.
Wish we could put laughs and thumbs-up on other comments. Those are frequently fun to read too 🙂
We dined there and it was one of our favorites! Our kids really enjoyed the interaction between Flynn Rider and Rapunzel. They also seemed really down to earth compared to some of the other character meals we have had. Overall a great experience and a close walk to Epcot.
We LOVE Bon Voyage! My family eats a lot of character breakfasts, not because we’re dying for character interactions, but because we use PPO ADRs as a cheater fastpass on our summer trips. While we love the overall experience at the Garden Grill, and the interesting buffet options at Tusker House, we agree that Bon Voyage is the most fun of all the possible character meals. Prince Eric aside, these characters are funny and interesting, with a lot of inter-character interactions and joking. The food is the most delicious – the eggs over polenta and tomato sauce is the only Disney breakfast that I crave when I’m at home. I’m so glad you had a similar experience!!
Tom, as usual, I appreciate your honest reviews! We have ADR for Bon Voyage Breakfast for our upcoming trip in January and have been looking forward to it. I was wondering if you have ever dined at Tusker House for Breakfast? We have thought that that was pretty top notch… great characters, very good food, etc. I hope BVB is indeed better!
This is my favorite character meal by far. We went September 2018 because Rapunzel is my favorite, and then again in February 2019 at my husband’s request because of the food. We got the same things you and Sarah got and they were exceptional. We went on the day of our Halloween party and since we were going as Rapunzel and Flynn Rider, we wore our costumes to the breakfast. We also went after the Princess 5k and wore our costumes again. They aren’t used to adult dressing up, so we got a little bit of extra attention, making it even more fun.
I love reading your reviews! We just did this breakfast in June and LOVED it. It quickly became my husband and I’s favorite because the characters had so much personality! Flynn Rider was at our table when they announced Rapunzel coming into the room and his response was just perfect! He was starry-eyed and said “gosh she’s so beautiful”. Prince Eric just sat down at our extra chair and started talking to us. We always love watching how excited our 6yo is at character dining, but this one was also super fun for us as adults. 🙂
We have an ADR for the Bon Voyage Breakfast during our trip in January! We have three kids (10, 7, and 4), and mainly booked because Rapunzel is one of my daughter’s favorite characters, and she’s so hard to find! (Not to mention Flynn Ryder or Prince Eric) We have the dining plan and had originally thought about just doing character lunch/dinners, but decided to do this breakfast because of the characters. I’m so glad we won’t be disappointed! 🙂
Thanks for all your informative posts. We went to Disneyworld a few weeks ago, but I still enjoy reading your insights. Having tried to get to a character breakfast 2 years ago with a 2 year old who was starving, we decided this trip to character lunches. With the dining plan, we did 4 character lunches, had a simple breakfast of cereal and fruit in the hotel room and used the quick service meal for dinner. It was easy to get them (a 5 year old and a 1 year old – 2 of our grandchildren) to lunch and being the hottest part of the day, it was great to take time out for a leisurely lunch in air conditioning. My husband and I were also pleasantly surprised by the quality of the food in each restaurant!
I see you with that Creed quote in there.
Hahah, I’m glad someone caught that! I’m sure 99% of readers will just think I’m some weirdo who wants to throw things into a quarry, but that’s totally worth it for the 1% who will get it.
Haha! I had to go back and re-read the post to find it…good eye!