Hello Basics. This post serves as the very first **review** for the Bibbidi Bobbidi Basics brand. Today I am going to write about my family’s experiences at the character breakfast at the Riviera Resort’s Toppolinos Terrace. I am going to use a simple rating system for this review. Instead of stars, I am going to use basics. There will be three categories for this review. Those categories will be Atmosphere, Cost/Benefit, and most importantly, Food. The rating system consists of one basic being awful and five basics being unforgettable. Let’s get into it.
October the 8th we had a noon reservation for Toppolinos to celebrate my daughter, Olivia, turning four years old. It was our first time seeing the Riviera Resort, and I was delighted with the European theming and tasteful Disney art pieces that decorated the walls. The black and white framed photos of Walt in Europe were a sentimental touch that brought a sense of nostalgia to the resort. After exploring the grounds, we headed up to the top floor for our reservation. The foyer sparkled with hundreds of bottles of specialty European wine behind glass cases. The dining area was large with floor to ceiling windows that overlooked Disney property. There were fun and eclectic light fixtures hung from the ceiling that added to the overall feel of a swanky European restaurant.
We had a party of seven with us and that earned us the “best seat in the house” according to our lovely hostess. We were sat right by the open kitchen, and it turned out to truly be a great vantage point for the characters because they entered and exited from a hallway right beside the kitchen. They served us a plate of pastries as a snack before our main courses. They were delicious with adorable “artist” theming. Around that time, we were graced with our first guest, Daisy. Daisy was dressed in a Parisian ballet costume, and she danced her way around the room greeting guests from a distance. We stan Daisy in this household, and her appearance was a great way to kick off the dining experience.
Now for the best part, the food. We all ordered different items and they were all delicious. Adult entrees are all 42.00 plus tax and children’s entrees over three are 27.00 plus tax. It is a set price, but they did allow Graham to just eat off of our plates and share with his sister. I ordered the Sour Cream Waffle with sausage while my husband ordered Wood-Fired Butchers Steak. We ordered the Mickey Waffle Dippers for Olivia and Graham. They arrived on a large “paint pallet” plate with multiple options for dipping sauces. Their meal was perfect for them and had plenty of food to fill both of them. But Katie won the day with her Spiced Sausage Hash order. We all wanted to try a bite. And it was TO DIE FOR.
As we were enjoying our truly delightful meals, we took in appearances from Minnie, Mickey, and Donald with one showing up every 15 to 20 minutes. Minnie was dressed in a fashion-inspired outfit, Mickey was a painter, and Donald dressed as a sculptor. The artist theming was clever and made for some really fun (socially distanced) photos. After our meal was finished, and we had seen all four characters, we headed back downstairs to FINALLY see the Tangled Wall. For those of you who don’t know what I am talking about, there is a gorgeous mosaic mural of the lantern scene from Tangled in the courtyards of the Riviera Hotel. There is also a mural from Peter Pan, but I don’t think that that one is as popular. I have been dreaming of visiting the Tangled wall for a very long time, and I am happy that I finally saw it. It was even more beautiful in person than in photos. Lastly, we hopped on our very first Sky liner ride and jetted over to Epcot for a full day of fun and celebration of our new four-year-old girl.
For the ratings:
Atmosphere gets four out of five basics for a truly memorable theme and dining experience.
Cost/Benefit receives a three out of five basics because the meals are EXPENSIVE, and I felt as if the portions weren’t as large as some other character dining experiences.
Food receives a four out of five basics. The food was delicious; however, I am reserving my five out of five basics for Trattoria Al Forno (leave a comment below or engage with our social media if you want to read a review of it next).
Have you experienced the character dining at the Riviera Resort? If so, what did you think? Leave your own review in the comments below or tag us on social media!
Basically yours,
Ariel
