We recently had breakfast with the characters at Disney Aulani, and it was truly a magical experience from start to finish!
The food was absolutely delicious, and the drinks were perfectly made—everything felt thoughtful and high quality. What really made this breakfast unforgettable, though, was the character experience. Disney characters come right to your table while you’re eating, giving you plenty of time to take photos, interact, and soak in the magic. The kids were beyond excited—laughing, smiling, and fully engaged the entire time.
One of the sweetest touches was that the characters also signed autographs, which made the experience even more special and memorable. And of course, the Mickey-shaped waffles were a huge hit—our kids loved them!
If you’re visiting Aulani with children (or are a Disney fan at heart), I highly recommend the character breakfast. It’s fun, well organized, and truly one of those core Disney memories you’ll treasure long after your vacation ends. 🌺✨
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Michael Kane
The ambiance and setting is fantastic. The service is phenomenal, as you’d expect at any Disney property. But, the food is just woefully underwhelming for the price. We are Disney people and go out of our way to these resorts, restaurants, etc. The food here needs to be better had the mahi mahi and it was so over cooked, just not good.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 2
Service: 5
Eddie Moy
Impossible to get reservations for the character breakfast. If you really want it, go 6:45am to line up. Would say skip and go to Off the Hook. Dinner service was horrible. Our seats were wet and there was ice cream on the floor. My seat was sticky. My son got a stomach ache from eating the ribs. Super expensive for a 3 course dinner. Skip and go out for dinner.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 2
Service: 2
Phil C
This review is for the character breakfast. A few in our group have been here before, and the rest of us were here for the first time. We made reservations a couple of months in advance for a large party and were seated within 15 minutes of checking in. Once called, we had a chance to take photos with Mickey Mouse, who was stationed near the host's desk. Everyone in our party had a picture with Mickey, and then we were led to our table.
The breakfast menu includes set starters and entrée options, no longer a buffet. Everyone at the table started with fresh fruit and a malasada. For my entrée, I chose the Punaluu Sweet Bread French Toast with Portuguese sausage. I enjoyed the French toast, though a bit sweeter than I'm used to, and the sausage was average. I've had better Portuguese sausage elsewhere. Some of my family enjoyed the Loco Moco, Kalua Pig Omelet, and Buttermilk Pancakes. The kids enjoyed their meals as well, especially the Mickey waffles.
A few characters (Minnie, Pluto, and Stitch) made their way around the dining area multiple times, greeting everyone, giving hugs, and creating photo opportunities. The adults were just as excited to see the characters as were the kids. This alone is worth the price.
Our primary server, Jason (12/14/25), was excellent, attentive, and friendly. Always props to the staff whenever we dine in as a large group.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Laura Montano
Overall great food ! A lot of food is served even for the kids meals
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Brooke Baker
The food was really good service was very good it was a good meal but save your money it cost me 300$ for just pancakes
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Melissa Bolduc
From what I understand, this character breakfast is really hard to get into. However, we were still on mainland time so we were up around 5am which made it easy to walk up to the door around 6:45 to stand in the stand-by line. We were 3rd in line (with all the other dads who woke up early to wait) and got in right at 7am. We were guided into the space and BOOM Hawaiian Mickey!! We sat at the table and were instantly greeted by Chip and Dale and took all the pictures and video we wanted. Next, we watched Minnie Mouse dance the hula to Uncle Mahina's ukulele and whimsical voice. We had met Uncle on the tour the day before and he remembered us by name! The service was slow, which could have been deliberate so we could see all the characters but it was noticeable after we had said hi to all the characters multiple times. The menu was small and made even smaller by my dietary needs. Here is my only real complaint...it is not like the cruise line or Disney World in terms of dietary restrictions. I have a dairy allergy and gluten sensitivity. I was very limited in what I could eat which made that hefty $57 per person FOR BREAKFAST much more painful. There weren't substitutions for dietary needs, just eliminations. So overall, I am very glad we got to do it once, but I am not inclined to do it again. I'd much rather go to one of the other restaurants on property, or cross the street to some of the outside of Disney options.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 4
David Wang
The food was excellent, but the server was terrible. Mari’s way of serving at a restaurant was an experience for me. She didn’t come by at all to ask what else we need after our food is served. I need to track her down to request for ketchup for my children. And when she came, she just went “YES”? I also needed to ask the busboy to get desert utensils. And not even a thank you when giving us the bill. At the end I still gave her 19% percent of tip, but b/c of this I don’t think I will come back to this restaurant again. First bad service in Hawaii.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 1
Julie Vice
This dinner was incredible!!! Our server Josh was excellent and very attentive. We had the 3 course dinner and it did not disappoint. First, warm bread came out that was so good! Then we had ceasar salad that was basically a meal on its own. I couldn't finish because I wanted to have room for my mahi-mahi over gnocchi in a sweet onion cream sauce with asparagus and corn. It was delicious! Super fresh and also added 4 shrimp in a garlic butter sauce. Way too much to eat, but it was so good! Hubby had the ribs with Mac and cheese--also phenomenal! For dessert, I got the roasted pineapple cobbler. It was good, but too sweet. Hubby got the Mickey brownie with vanilla ice cream and berries. Definitely the best dessert. You get 2 brownies and they were just fabulous! Highly recommend getting that dessert over the cobbler. The restaurant was open air and very spacious. Just over all beautiful and a great experience.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Anonymous
To be honest the experience was a bit underwhelming for the price. It was $55 about 1-2 months ago. $57 for 1 Malasada, 1 standard bowl of non-tropical fruit, and 1 entree. I understand you’re paying for the Disney experience but for that price l wish there was more options for the entree. It was nice to go once but don’t think I would go again.
Our 3 generation group of 6 had the 3 course dinner tonight at the Makahiki restaurant in the Disney Aulani Resort. Our waitress was great but the food was disappointing. For the price we expected a higher level of food quality and flavor. Some items were excellent, like the wedge salad and the California Roll, and others were mediocre - for examplethe daily catch was dry/overcooked, overly fishy, and it was served with a vegetable medley that would probably have been great except for the overwhelming caper content/flavor.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 3
Service: 5
Kevin Hilden
The morning character breakfast 🥞 is awesome! Usually get to meet 4-6 characters along with a tasty breakfast! Make sure to sign up early as not many openings the morning of.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 4
J U
The Good: The dulce de leche cheesecake and the table brioche bread were both quite enjoyable. The bread and a dessert should be good in a restaurant, but not the stars of the meal, however. The ambiance at night time was really quite beautiful. The staff did well accommodating one of our guest's diet restrictions/allergies.
Just OK: The corn chowder was fine but under seasoned. It arrived with a skin on the top as if to suggest it had been sitting at the pass for too long. The table salt and pepper brightened it up somewhat. The roasted tomato soup came with a nice little grilled cheese for dipping, but the soup tasted no better than Campbell's. The prime rib was perfectly cooked and a sizeable portion, but was chewy/tough, only choice grade perhaps. Same went for the strip steak. One of the half chicken entrees was cooked just right, the other was over cooked to the point of being inedible. The accompanying mashed potatoes were bland.
The Bad: The wedge salad had ice crystals between the layers of lettuce. The mahi mahi special was past over cooked - very dry and mealy. The picatta sauce was creamy for some reason and the citrus was overwhelmed by the exorbitant number of capers. The pasta also has a skin on it again suggesting it had been sitting at the pass too long. A mocktail was ordered without the mint garnish, and arrived with mint in it. The staff delivering the food had no idea who had what and the waitress was MIA during this time.
Our dinner experience can be described as serviceable, but disappointing. Also, it was $700 for 7 people including a 19% mandatory service fee. As is often my primary question, was there value in the cost and experience? No. It seemed like you are paying resort prices for a seat in a beautiful restaurant rather than receiving delicious, high quality, well-seasoned, and properly cooked food.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 2
Service: 3
Jules
Came here for the character breakfast. I have been to many other character meals so I kind of knew what to expect. First they have you take a picture with Mickey, he was great! We didn't have to wait long to get seating, make sure you make a reservation 30 days beforehand because it is hard to get. All the characters were really great and our server was wonderful. The food was sort of a miss. I know its supposed to be more about the experience rather the food but I have had good food at other characters meals. The malasadas were the best part. I am glad that we tried it out though, if we're to vacation here again it's something we can skip.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 2
Service: 5
Jaime Obeso
This is the kind of restaurant where, even though the food isn’t meant to be a fine delicacy, it’s absolutely delicious and hits just right. I had breakfast here every single day of my stay, and I wouldn’t have changed that for anything.
My go-to was always the same: their Loco Moco paired with timeless Mickey waffles—a perfect way to start the day before hours of swimming and exploring the island. The Loco Moco was rich, a true taste of the local cuisine, so I made sure to take advantage of it daily. The Mickey waffles, on the other hand, brought back a wave of nostalgia—not just for their taste, but also because the sight of Disney characters walking around reminded me of being a little kid having breakfast at the Grand Floridian during family trips. Those are the kinds of moments Disney has a way of making and keeping alive.
Of course, the service was top-notch, just as you’d expect at any Disney resort—attentive, friendly, and consistently on point. The menu had plenty of tempting options I wish I’d tried, but these two dishes were simply too good to stray from. Great flavors, comforting memories, impeccable service, and the perfect fuel for island adventures.
We recently had breakfast with the characters at Disney Aulani, and it was truly a magical experience from start to finish!
The food was absolutely delicious, and the drinks were perfectly made—everything felt thoughtful and high quality. What really made this breakfast unforgettable, though, was the character experience. Disney characters come right to your table while you’re eating, giving you plenty of time to take photos, interact, and soak in the magic. The kids were beyond excited—laughing, smiling, and fully engaged the entire time.
One of the sweetest touches was that the characters also signed autographs, which made the experience even more special and memorable. And of course, the Mickey-shaped waffles were a huge hit—our kids loved them!
If you’re visiting Aulani with children (or are a Disney fan at heart), I highly recommend the character breakfast. It’s fun, well organized, and truly one of those core Disney memories you’ll treasure long after your vacation ends. 🌺✨
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
The ambiance and setting is fantastic. The service is phenomenal, as you’d expect at any Disney property. But, the food is just woefully underwhelming for the price. We are Disney people and go out of our way to these resorts, restaurants, etc. The food here needs to be better had the mahi mahi and it was so over cooked, just not good.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 2
Service: 5
Impossible to get reservations for the character breakfast. If you really want it, go 6:45am to line up. Would say skip and go to Off the Hook. Dinner service was horrible. Our seats were wet and there was ice cream on the floor. My seat was sticky. My son got a stomach ache from eating the ribs. Super expensive for a 3 course dinner. Skip and go out for dinner.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 2
Service: 2
This review is for the character breakfast. A few in our group have been here before, and the rest of us were here for the first time. We made reservations a couple of months in advance for a large party and were seated within 15 minutes of checking in. Once called, we had a chance to take photos with Mickey Mouse, who was stationed near the host's desk. Everyone in our party had a picture with Mickey, and then we were led to our table.
The breakfast menu includes set starters and entrée options, no longer a buffet. Everyone at the table started with fresh fruit and a malasada. For my entrée, I chose the Punaluu Sweet Bread French Toast with Portuguese sausage. I enjoyed the French toast, though a bit sweeter than I'm used to, and the sausage was average. I've had better Portuguese sausage elsewhere. Some of my family enjoyed the Loco Moco, Kalua Pig Omelet, and Buttermilk Pancakes. The kids enjoyed their meals as well, especially the Mickey waffles.
A few characters (Minnie, Pluto, and Stitch) made their way around the dining area multiple times, greeting everyone, giving hugs, and creating photo opportunities. The adults were just as excited to see the characters as were the kids. This alone is worth the price.
Our primary server, Jason (12/14/25), was excellent, attentive, and friendly. Always props to the staff whenever we dine in as a large group.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Overall great food ! A lot of food is served even for the kids meals
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
The food was really good service was very good it was a good meal but save your money it cost me 300$ for just pancakes
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
From what I understand, this character breakfast is really hard to get into. However, we were still on mainland time so we were up around 5am which made it easy to walk up to the door around 6:45 to stand in the stand-by line. We were 3rd in line (with all the other dads who woke up early to wait) and got in right at 7am. We were guided into the space and BOOM Hawaiian Mickey!! We sat at the table and were instantly greeted by Chip and Dale and took all the pictures and video we wanted. Next, we watched Minnie Mouse dance the hula to Uncle Mahina's ukulele and whimsical voice. We had met Uncle on the tour the day before and he remembered us by name! The service was slow, which could have been deliberate so we could see all the characters but it was noticeable after we had said hi to all the characters multiple times. The menu was small and made even smaller by my dietary needs. Here is my only real complaint...it is not like the cruise line or Disney World in terms of dietary restrictions. I have a dairy allergy and gluten sensitivity. I was very limited in what I could eat which made that hefty $57 per person FOR BREAKFAST much more painful. There weren't substitutions for dietary needs, just eliminations. So overall, I am very glad we got to do it once, but I am not inclined to do it again. I'd much rather go to one of the other restaurants on property, or cross the street to some of the outside of Disney options.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 4
The food was excellent, but the server was terrible. Mari’s way of serving at a restaurant was an experience for me. She didn’t come by at all to ask what else we need after our food is served. I need to track her down to request for ketchup for my children. And when she came, she just went “YES”? I also needed to ask the busboy to get desert utensils. And not even a thank you when giving us the bill. At the end I still gave her 19% percent of tip, but b/c of this I don’t think I will come back to this restaurant again. First bad service in Hawaii.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 1
This dinner was incredible!!! Our server Josh was excellent and very attentive. We had the 3 course dinner and it did not disappoint. First, warm bread came out that was so good! Then we had ceasar salad that was basically a meal on its own. I couldn't finish because I wanted to have room for my mahi-mahi over gnocchi in a sweet onion cream sauce with asparagus and corn. It was delicious! Super fresh and also added 4 shrimp in a garlic butter sauce. Way too much to eat, but it was so good! Hubby had the ribs with Mac and cheese--also phenomenal! For dessert, I got the roasted pineapple cobbler. It was good, but too sweet. Hubby got the Mickey brownie with vanilla ice cream and berries. Definitely the best dessert. You get 2 brownies and they were just fabulous! Highly recommend getting that dessert over the cobbler. The restaurant was open air and very spacious. Just over all beautiful and a great experience.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
To be honest the experience was a bit underwhelming for the price. It was $55 about 1-2 months ago. $57 for 1 Malasada, 1 standard bowl of non-tropical fruit, and 1 entree. I understand you’re paying for the Disney experience but for that price l wish there was more options for the entree. It was nice to go once but don’t think I would go again.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 2
Service: 4
Restaurantji Recommends
Our 3 generation group of 6 had the 3 course dinner tonight at the Makahiki restaurant in the Disney Aulani Resort. Our waitress was great but the food was disappointing. For the price we expected a higher level of food quality and flavor. Some items were excellent, like the wedge salad and the California Roll, and others were mediocre - for examplethe daily catch was dry/overcooked, overly fishy, and it was served with a vegetable medley that would probably have been great except for the overwhelming caper content/flavor.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 3
Service: 5
The morning character breakfast 🥞 is awesome! Usually get to meet 4-6 characters along with a tasty breakfast! Make sure to sign up early as not many openings the morning of.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 4
The Good:
The dulce de leche cheesecake and the table brioche bread were both quite enjoyable. The bread and a dessert should be good in a restaurant, but not the stars of the meal, however.
The ambiance at night time was really quite beautiful.
The staff did well accommodating one of our guest's diet restrictions/allergies.
Just OK:
The corn chowder was fine but under seasoned. It arrived with a skin on the top as if to suggest it had been sitting at the pass for too long. The table salt and pepper brightened it up somewhat.
The roasted tomato soup came with a nice little grilled cheese for dipping, but the soup tasted no better than Campbell's.
The prime rib was perfectly cooked and a sizeable portion, but was chewy/tough, only choice grade perhaps.
Same went for the strip steak.
One of the half chicken entrees was cooked just right, the other was over cooked to the point of being inedible. The accompanying mashed potatoes were bland.
The Bad:
The wedge salad had ice crystals between the layers of lettuce.
The mahi mahi special was past over cooked - very dry and mealy. The picatta sauce was creamy for some reason and the citrus was overwhelmed by the exorbitant number of capers. The pasta also has a skin on it again suggesting it had been sitting at the pass too long.
A mocktail was ordered without the mint garnish, and arrived with mint in it.
The staff delivering the food had no idea who had what and the waitress was MIA during this time.
Our dinner experience can be described as serviceable, but disappointing. Also, it was $700 for 7 people including a 19% mandatory service fee. As is often my primary question, was there value in the cost and experience? No. It seemed like you are paying resort prices for a seat in a beautiful restaurant rather than receiving delicious, high quality, well-seasoned, and properly cooked food.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 2
Service: 3
Came here for the character breakfast. I have been to many other character meals so I kind of knew what to expect.
First they have you take a picture with Mickey, he was great! We didn't have to wait long to get seating, make sure you make a reservation 30 days beforehand because it is hard to get.
All the characters were really great and our server was wonderful. The food was sort of a miss. I know its supposed to be more about the experience rather the food but I have had good food at other characters meals. The malasadas were the best part. I am glad that we tried it out though, if we're to vacation here again it's something we can skip.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 2
Service: 5
This is the kind of restaurant where, even though the food isn’t meant to be a fine delicacy, it’s absolutely delicious and hits just right. I had breakfast here every single day of my stay, and I wouldn’t have changed that for anything.
My go-to was always the same: their Loco Moco paired with timeless Mickey waffles—a perfect way to start the day before hours of swimming and exploring the island. The Loco Moco was rich, a true taste of the local cuisine, so I made sure to take advantage of it daily. The Mickey waffles, on the other hand, brought back a wave of nostalgia—not just for their taste, but also because the sight of Disney characters walking around reminded me of being a little kid having breakfast at the Grand Floridian during family trips. Those are the kinds of moments Disney has a way of making and keeping alive.
Of course, the service was top-notch, just as you’d expect at any Disney resort—attentive, friendly, and consistently on point. The menu had plenty of tempting options I wish I’d tried, but these two dishes were simply too good to stray from. Great flavors, comforting memories, impeccable service, and the perfect fuel for island adventures.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Loading...