Disney's Bon Voyage Adventure Breakfast
Last week, I had the pleasure of attending one of Walt Disney World's newest character dining experiences, the Bon Voyage Adventure Breakfast at Disney's BoardWalk Inn. What makes this breakfast stand out from other theme park princess experiences such as Ariel's Grotto or Cinderella's Royal Table is that the Bon Voyage Breakfast allows you to meet two of the most popular Disney Princesses from their 1989 classic, The Little Mermaid, and their more recent 2010 hit, Tangled, along with their princes. Since romantic interests have become increasingly less popular as of late, opportunities to meet princes at the Disney Parks are extremely rare. That's why I was very excited to learn about the Bon Voyage Adventure Breakfast opening up at the Trattoria Al Forno restaurant about a year ago. Finally, I would have a guaranteed opportunity to meet Flynn Rider and Prince Eric alongside Rapunzel and Ariel. I remember how excited I was at the prospect of meeting Prince Eric when I used to frequent Walt Disney World because it was like winning the lottery. Eugene (aka Flynn Rider) only came out with Rapunzel when their movie had just opened.
Trattoria Al Forno was not created as a character restaurant and is still used as a traditional Italian restaurant during lunch and dinner. Therefore, it doesn't look like a princess themed restaurant, but it really doesn't need to. The royal guests enter through the front door as if they are just stopping by to say "hello" to everyone before continuing their adventures. "Adventure" is a key word here, as it is the definitive theme of the breakfast. Every table receives a map showcasing some of the major landmarks of the Disney Parks with spots for children to write down their favorite character, ride, etc. When Prince Eric came to our table, he asked us what adventures we were planning to go on today. I have read that this is something everyone gets asked when they attend the breakfast. It is generally assumed that people will eat breakfast at the hotel in the morning before heading out to play in the theme parks for the rest of the day. That wasn't the case for me, but I'm sure I'm in the vast minority.
My favorite thing about this character breakfast is how much effort they put into theming the menu after the two movies that the characters came from. With names like "Tower of Pancakes" or "Swimmer's di 'light," anything you order is sure to have a Little Mermaid or Tangled-inspired twist. Before the meal, the waiter brings a frying pan filled with pastries shaped like seashells and Rapunzel's royal sun-shaped crest. The frying pan itself is another obvious nod to Rapunzel. Even the Tower of Pancakes I ordered had powdered sugar on top in the shape of her royal crest. It was also absolutely delicious and way more than I was able to eat. The "Shipwreck Al Forno" comes with a miniature trident for photo opportunities, which is immediately removed afterward for safety reasons.
As for the character interactions, the princesses and princes greet each table individually as opposed to in pairs. Despite the romantic-looking promo picture for the breakfast, I did not see any cutesy interactions between the two couples, but I was also seated near the door and had an obscured view of what was happening in the back of the restaurant. Rapunzel greeted my table first, but she sadly had a forced smile and did not have a lot to say. You can tell when theme park princesses are not enjoying their jobs when they ask you to pose for a picture right away without trying to interact first. Eugene, on the other hand, was an absolute delight. He announced himself at our table in a big way and assured us that he didn't steal anything even if we found some of our things were missing. A nice bonus was that he carried around a miniature version of his "Wanted" poster from the movie and demonstrated to us how they could never get his nose right. Prince Eric, who never had much of a personality in the 1989 feature, was still quite charming, asking us about what adventures we had planned for the day. He was introduced as a sailor, following the "adventure" theme. Ariel, my favorite princess, was the last to come to our table. She was quite cheerful and sweet and complimented me on my hair accessories.
Overall, the Bon Voyage Adventure Breakfast is a charming addition to Disney's character dining roster as well as a rare opportunity to meet some of the princesses' love interests. Just don't expect to see too many romantic interactions. Each character entered and exited separately and did very little to acknowledge their partners. The menu boasts terrific food and great theming. It's a magical experience for kids of all ages. If you'd like to see more of a show during your meal, Medieval Times, which I recently reviewed, just announced that they would be adding a queen as their new master of ceremonies along with a brand new female-empowering script! I'm looking forward to experiencing this new version of their show one day.
Trattoria Al Forno was not created as a character restaurant and is still used as a traditional Italian restaurant during lunch and dinner. Therefore, it doesn't look like a princess themed restaurant, but it really doesn't need to. The royal guests enter through the front door as if they are just stopping by to say "hello" to everyone before continuing their adventures. "Adventure" is a key word here, as it is the definitive theme of the breakfast. Every table receives a map showcasing some of the major landmarks of the Disney Parks with spots for children to write down their favorite character, ride, etc. When Prince Eric came to our table, he asked us what adventures we were planning to go on today. I have read that this is something everyone gets asked when they attend the breakfast. It is generally assumed that people will eat breakfast at the hotel in the morning before heading out to play in the theme parks for the rest of the day. That wasn't the case for me, but I'm sure I'm in the vast minority.
My favorite thing about this character breakfast is how much effort they put into theming the menu after the two movies that the characters came from. With names like "Tower of Pancakes" or "Swimmer's di 'light," anything you order is sure to have a Little Mermaid or Tangled-inspired twist. Before the meal, the waiter brings a frying pan filled with pastries shaped like seashells and Rapunzel's royal sun-shaped crest. The frying pan itself is another obvious nod to Rapunzel. Even the Tower of Pancakes I ordered had powdered sugar on top in the shape of her royal crest. It was also absolutely delicious and way more than I was able to eat. The "Shipwreck Al Forno" comes with a miniature trident for photo opportunities, which is immediately removed afterward for safety reasons.
As for the character interactions, the princesses and princes greet each table individually as opposed to in pairs. Despite the romantic-looking promo picture for the breakfast, I did not see any cutesy interactions between the two couples, but I was also seated near the door and had an obscured view of what was happening in the back of the restaurant. Rapunzel greeted my table first, but she sadly had a forced smile and did not have a lot to say. You can tell when theme park princesses are not enjoying their jobs when they ask you to pose for a picture right away without trying to interact first. Eugene, on the other hand, was an absolute delight. He announced himself at our table in a big way and assured us that he didn't steal anything even if we found some of our things were missing. A nice bonus was that he carried around a miniature version of his "Wanted" poster from the movie and demonstrated to us how they could never get his nose right. Prince Eric, who never had much of a personality in the 1989 feature, was still quite charming, asking us about what adventures we had planned for the day. He was introduced as a sailor, following the "adventure" theme. Ariel, my favorite princess, was the last to come to our table. She was quite cheerful and sweet and complimented me on my hair accessories.
Overall, the Bon Voyage Adventure Breakfast is a charming addition to Disney's character dining roster as well as a rare opportunity to meet some of the princesses' love interests. Just don't expect to see too many romantic interactions. Each character entered and exited separately and did very little to acknowledge their partners. The menu boasts terrific food and great theming. It's a magical experience for kids of all ages. If you'd like to see more of a show during your meal, Medieval Times, which I recently reviewed, just announced that they would be adding a queen as their new master of ceremonies along with a brand new female-empowering script! I'm looking forward to experiencing this new version of their show one day.
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