Whenever Disney debuts a new dining experience, it’s a big deal. But when that dining experience is a character breakfast featuring two beloved Disney Princesses and their guys, well-let’s just say everyone is pretty excited!
That’s exactly what happens when Trattoria al Forno transforms itself into the Bon Voyage Adventure breakfast from 7:30 am to 11:00 am every morning! Featuring Rapunzel and Flynn Ryder (Eugene for you purists!) from Tangled, and Ariel and Prince Eric from The Little Mermaid, Bon Voyage is the new go-to breakfast destination!
Getting There
Located right on Disney’s BoardWalk, Trattoria al Forno is very easy to get to. Kind of. Sort of. (Depends on where you’re coming from.) LOL!
It’s a short walk or boat ride if you are staying at a BoardWalk resort such as Beach and Yacht Club, Swan and Dolphin, or of course Disney’s BoardWalk, but if you are staying anywhere else on site, you need to make a plan. Shuttle buses only run from resorts to Parks, not resort to resort. You could take a bus from your resort to either Epcot or Hollywood Studios, but then you would still have to walk or wait for a boat.
Your best bet? Download the Lyft app if you don’t already have it and arrange for one of those adorable “Minnie Vans” to transport you for just $20! You’ll be happy, as Disney advises you to give yourself a full hour if using their transportation, and that’s a pretty early wake-up call for a 7:30 reservation!
Lucky for us, we were coming straight from the Wine & Dine Half Marathon, so we were able to board a bus from the Epcot parking lot and get dropped off right in front of Disney’s BoardWalk Inn! (And boy, were we hungry!)
Check In
It was easy to find and we walked right in. Directly to our left was the hostess stand and we gave our name. It was quick and there was no line.
To our right was a mobile gift shop…with everything a little Prince or Princess might want! Ariel and Rapunzel princess dresses, Flounder and Pascal plush, dolls, light up toys and even some swords and hats!
The waiting area was spacious and beautiful, but we weren’t there long at all…they called us to be seated right away!
The Venue
The room was big, with high ceilings and chandeliers. Most of the tables were full when we arrived for our reservation time of 10:30…breakfast was in full swing!
On one wall was a beautiful lighted display of crystal and dishes behind glass. The center of the cabinet was filled with silver candlesticks, teapots and platters…all recovered from “under the sea”. 😉 No tables were set up against it, so guests are free to walk up and take a closer look.
The other wall featured their large, open air kitchen. It was bright, clean and bustling with activity.
We were seated promptly and given a table for four…room to spread out! The table was warm wood and the chairs upholstered. Pretty comfy! (Especially after running 13.1 miles!)
The Menu and Service
Our server was personable, and promptly brought us coffee and juice, included in the cost of the prix fixe menu. ($34 for ages 10 and over, $20 for ages 3-9) I needed that coffee!
The menu is basically set up as three courses. The first course consists of a plate of pastries for the table to share. The second course is a fruit salad that everyone in your party is served individually. The third course is the main entree you choose from the seven themed choices, most egg-based.
Every table was also given this Bon Voyage Adventure Journal. This was very cute, and I know my two children will enjoy this when we bring them during our April trip! The front had dates of travel and a place for them to write their name. When you open up the trifold journal, there were places to share your favorite Disney character, ride, show, snack and souvenir! A very cute keepsake souvenir to take home!
For Everyone to Share
I am a sucker for presentation, and the selection of pastries did not disappoint! Five different pastries were presented in a small frying pan…yes, a la Rapunzel braining Flynn! Three were themed, and all were delicious! We were asked multiple times if we would like more of any particular one.
This was both of our favorites-Rapunzel’s sun sugar cookie! It was buttery and flaky, and dusted with powdered sugar. (I regretted almost immediately not taking advantage of enjoying a second one!)
The next pastry mimicked Rapunzel’s braid. This was big and could definitely be shared by two people! It was good, too…the brown areas seemed to be cinnamon and maybe even small seeds.
The final themed pastry was Ariel’s clamshell. It tasted like it had an almond filling, with a tiny candied “pearl” on top. Too cute!
The empty frying pan inspired me to purchase one of those mini frying pans from the supermarket aisle to bring with us next time, along with some metallic Sharpie pens! Though the characters have been presenting signature cards, they will sign upon request-how cute would that be?
Second Course
The fruit salad was just the right size, and served individually. It had enough recognizable fruit that everyone in your party should be able to find at least something they like! The day we were there it featured grapes, honeydew and cantaloupe melon and blackberries. They use fruit in season- I’ve also seen strawberries, raspberries and pineapple! You could request seconds, as well!
Entrees
All seven entrees have clever, themed names like King Triton’s Shipwreck al Forno and Tower of Pancakes. Most were predictably egg-based, but not all. The Tower of Pancakes was impressive-a stack of fluffy pancakes topped with powdered sugar in the shape of a sun. It came with bacon (or sausage) and fruit compote, but my friend noticed that someone else had fresh fruit with theirs, instead. They were happy to make the substitution!
I ordered King Triton’s Shipwreck al Forno. It was billed as a calzone with soppressata, bacon, sausage, blend of cheeses and Sunday gravy. I’m not sure exactly what I was expecting, but I was surprised that the calzone was actually an omelet. I was also surprised that the “Sunday gravy” was red, and not brown! (What kind of Italian am I, anyway??)
Even though it was my error, not theirs, our server was very gracious about switching out my entree at my request. This time I ordered Two Eggs Poached Underwater, which featured fennel sausage, Sunday gravy and parmesan cheese over golden polenta with toasted focaccia. This was much more to my liking…and yes, this picture was snapped one second before I almost dumped my breakfast! (No eggs were harmed during this blog post!)
Traveling with little ones? Children ages 3-9 have their own menu, with an additional four entrees, including Mickey Waffles! The other entrees include egg white omelettes, scrambled egg substitute and flapjacks. Have a picky eater? No problem! There were plenty of requests for regular scrambled eggs, eggs over easy, sunny side up, you name it!
Character Interactions
As expected, the character interactions were great, even as two adults with no children. Each character meets separately, and Ariel was the first to join us. She was wearing her “legs” outfit…her seafoam green dress.
Prince Eric came next. His costume was really impressive-very detailed! We didn’t spend a lot of time with each character, as we didn’t need anything signed (and again, were two adults!), but they were happy to interact. From what we could see, they were great with the kids!
Rapunzel was next, and she was super sweet and cute, but we were really waiting for…
Flynn Ryder! LOL! Everyone’s favorite rogue prince did not disappoint! Funny, cute, and totally in character. (Ask him about his pocketbook…he loves to talk about his satchel!)
Speaking of satchels, don’t forget to ask Flynn-Eugene, if you prefer, to show you what’s inside. Yup-that’s what you think it is-Rapunzel’s crown!
Hitting the Parks
It’s much easier to get out than get in! If you are heading to Epcot or Hollywood Studios, it’s as simple as walking out the door and lining up for the boat service right on the BoardWalk! Disney’s BoardWalk buses can take you directly to Magic Kingdom or Animal Kingdom. If you have to return to your on-site hotel, however, you would need to first go to the closest park and then board your resort bus from there.
All in all, we found the cost more than justified for the delicious meal, hard to find characters and fun interactions. I cannot wait to take my family here for breakfast in April! We have a 7:35 ADR and plan to spend the rest of the day at Blizzard Beach. Until then, Bon Voyage from the BoardWalk!
Jacqueline lives in Southbury, CT with her husband, two children and cat, Rocky Road. She is an autism mama, runDisney enthusiast and new AP holder. You can follow her on Facebook at Neverland Press and on Instagram as @morphingintominnie.