Contempo Cafe -- Breakfast -- Quick Service -- Contemporary

*This dining experience took place in September 2013.

 The Contemporary to me is classic Disney. It's really an iconic resort and truly gives you a feel of nostalgia. With the monorail whizzing through the resort, it's hard not to love everything about the Contemporary. Their quick service location, Contempo Cafe is right in the center of it all. It's located near the monorail station and directly next to Chef Mickey's. In general, it's a great quick service spot to grab a quick bite for special diets.

 On this particular visit, my family and I grabbed breakfast here before heading to the Magic Kingdom. Now you know I'm a big fan of table service breakfast, but I will say that quick service can be really quick and efficient. I adore the Mara for example (see review HERE); it's probably my hands down favorite quick service breakfast spot. Contempo Cafe offers a hearty breakfast, though perhaps not quite as good as others. It's not bad if you're at the Contemporary though.When you order with a special diet here at the Contempo Cafe, you head to the pick-up station, which is rather small. Check with a cast member and explain that you have a dietary need. For me, I usually have a good idea what I want here, but it's always good to check with the cast members. The manager met me and she was fairly new (she just moved from Michigan, my home-state, less than 2 months ago), so she wasn't completely sure of everything and had to check. I told her I wanted the bounty platter because I could get allergy Mickey waffles (my weakness!). The eggs she said are usually dairy free (scrambled eggs that is) and that the potatoes and other items except the biscuit would be OK as well. So I waited and checked out the restaurant. It was quite busy!

Dining area--I love the view of the artwork

I also noticed while waiting that Rapid Fill (the new refillable mug program) was installed and available for purchase, though it didn't look like the machines were actually working like they were supposed to yet (i.e. they were installed and you could use them but they weren't fully functioning). I also noticed that Rapid Fill is only on the soda machines, not coffee and tea.

 Finally my food was ready, and I went to pick it up. I noticed right away that there was a nice "hidden" Mickey on my lid. Can you spot it?

No so hidden Mickey!

Most of my breakfast was just fine. I liked the eggs, but they were nothing to write home about. The bacon was also good. The turkey sausage...not my cup of tea. I found it too spicy and really thin and weird tasting. I think I recall not liking this before, but it had been so long I thought maybe they had changed it. The potatoes are the exact same ones next door at Chef Mickey's--a little spicy though! Now the Mickey waffles...uggg...this was a fail. 1) They used straight Namaste which to me doesn't taste as good and 2) they didn't cook them all the way through. They were a gummy, nasty mess. Also, the only syrup they had was the corn syrup based kind and not the real maple syrup. Yuck!! I can handle that if the Mickey waffles are at least good to begin with. But both? No thank you.

Next time I will head to the Mara!

Overall, I feel sort of so-so about this breakfast. Some things were good and others, just mediocre at best. Those Mickey waffles were cold and gummy. Not the way I envision my beloved allergy Mickey waffles! Right now, I think I'd skip this for breakfast unless I was staying at the Contemporary (and even then I might think of other options). I'm giving this a 6 out of 10. Just so-so.