A highlight of every Walt Disney World vacation is experiencing the joy of a character meal. The ability to meet your favorite pals while enjoying a tasty dish with your family is a treasured part of many guests’ experiences. The newest way to do this is atop the 14th floor of Disney’s Riviera Resort, Topolino’s Terrace - Flavors of the Riviera. Open daily for breakfast and dinner, you’ll experience exquisite foods alongside breathtaking views of the lake between Riviera and Caribbean Beach Resorts. If you’re taking in a later evening meal, you’ll be able to catch an unique view of the fireworks shows from both Hollywood Studios and Epcot during your meal. The restaurant features floor to ceiling windows, with a bright and airy ambiance, with touches of gold all around. At the entrance, you’ll see a beautiful selection of fresh pastas and a glorious wine cellar that would make many wine aficionados weep. There is a lovely bar area for guests waiting to be seated, with the restaurant featuring a variety of tables and open booth style seatings for groups of various sizes. If you're looking for a place to relax after your meal, there is an outdoor terrace, with comfortable seating, and incredible views of other Disney resorts and theme parks. Guests making a breakfast visit will enjoy Breakfast á la Art with Mickey & Friends, a prix fixe breakfast menu with Mickey Mouse (painter), Minnie Mouse (poet), Daisy Duck (ballerina), and Donald Duck (sculptor). Donald is your host and is the highlight of the meal, with his exuberant song and dance routine that has everyone cheering and clapping along. You’ll note artistic touches everywhere, from the painter’s brush themed pottery holding your table’s pastry and bread service - complete with a trio of jams and spreads and a stylish palette knife at each setting. There is a lovely selection of egg based, meatless, and savory dishes for your breakfast entree - I had the steak and polenta, which smelled just as incredible as it tasted. Enough so, that my friends had to remind me to eat, instead of just smelling the food! This is truly my favorite breakfast at Walt Disney World, and a must do for any guest. You can’t go to a character meal without taking some adorable photos, and that is exactly what we did during this meal. While PhotoPass photography isn’t available at this location, the character attendant is happy to take your family photos as each character visits your table. We had such a good time with each character, and these unique outfits really add to the artistic theme of the meal. A pro photo tip - because the restaurant has so much natural light, make sure when you take the photo, your photo subjects don’t have their backs to the window to improve the lighting in the pictures. If you feel the need to really celebrate, you can purchase a stuffed character to match your meal, as Mickey, Minnie, Donald, and Daisy are available in the restaurant. For those guests who want to celebrate a special meal with a spectacular view, try dinner at Topolino’s Terrace. Starting at 5pm daily, this restaurant becomes a Signature Dining experience, which does require dressier attire for guests. Khakis, or a lovely simple dress are more than appropriate, just no flip flops and shorts for dinner! Dinner features highlights of the French and Italian Rivieras, with bountiful selections of fresh seafood, hand crafted pastas, and premium meat selections. Guests preferring meatless dishes can find wonderful selections without needing to modify their entree. Highlights include burrata con panna, bouillabaisse, a picturesque tomahawk veal chop, expertly selected cheese boards, and premium desserts - like the warm Varlhona chocolate cake, featuring the top rated French chocolatier’s premium chocolate. Speciality drinks include premium coffees, unique top shelf cocktails, and darling “mocktails” for all tastes. During my last stay, my party experienced both breakfast and dinner, and we were truly delighted by not only the meal, but the ambiance of the restaurant, and the service of the Cast Members. I’ve been recommending Topolino’s to my own clients, ever since my experience here. It’s truly a gem, and perfect for the guest who wants a more elevated meal during their stay. Breakfast guests using the Disney Dining Plan, Disney Dining Plan Plus, or Deluxe Dining Plan, will use 1 Table Service credit per person. Breakfast reservations usually run from 7:30am - 11:00am daily. Note that character appearances are subject to change per scheduling. Dinner guests using the Disney Dining Plan, or the Disney Dining Plan Plus - will use 2 Table Service credits for each guest, and will receive a drink, entree, and dessert for your meal. Guests using the Deluxe Disney Dining Plan will use 2 Table Service credits per person, and receive a drink, appetizer, entree, and dessert for their meal. Dinner reservations usually are from 5:00pm to 9:30pm daily. Note that for breakfast and dinner, advance reservations are highly recommended, and can be made up to 180 days prior. To get to the Riviera Resort for a meal at Topolino’s Terrace: self parking at the resort is available for breakfast/dinner guests; take the Disney Skyliner gondola from Epcot to the Riviera stop, or take the Skyliner to the Caribbean Beach hub, and transfer to the Epcot line; grab a bus from any Disney park to Riviera, or to Caribbean Beach’s main bus stop, and then walk to the Riviera (approximately a 10-15 minute walk over sidewalk).
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