Disney Aulani Character Breakfast: Review of Makahiki Character Breakfast- 2023

Picture this: you’re in Hawaii with all those aloha vibes, the warm sun, the tropical breezes…🌺 ☀️ 🌊 But what could make your Hawaiian vacation even more perfect? A touch of Disney magic!! ✨

And this is exactly what dining at the Aulani character breakfast at Makahiki is like!

You see, at the Makahiki character breakfast, you get to indulge in the most delicious food while getting up close and personal with your favorite Disney pals. Imagine having a tasty breakfast in Hawaii while hugging Mickey and high-fiving Goofy ✋ – it’s just so much fun!

In this post, I’m super excited to tell you all about my family’s incredible experience at Makahiki, how to get a reservation, tips, and more!

Let’s go! 🌺 🍳 🥓 🥞

✨Gawrsh!!!! Did I forget to mention that I’m also a travel agent who specializes in Disney Destinations? If you need help planning your Disneyland vacation, please contact me, and let’s get started!

Location of Makahiki (Aulani Character Breakfast)

Makahiki–The Bounty of the Islands is located at Aulani, A Disney Resort & Spa in Ko Olina, Hawaii. This is the only restaurant at Aulani Resort that offers a character dining experience.

Makahiki is located on the first floor of the main building next to The ‘Ōlelo Room and the Waikolohe Valley pool.

Note, that the main lobby of Aulani is NOT the 1st floor. If you’re not staying at the resort or even if you are staying at the resort, you might find this confusing! We stayed at the resort and had difficulty finding our room because we didn’t realize the main floor was not the 1st floor.

🏨 Thinking of staying at Aulani Resort? Check out, Is Aulani Worth It? A Review of Aulani, A Disney Resort & Spa in Hawaii.

How to Get to Makahiki From the Main Lobby:

If not staying at the resort and just coming to visit for the Aulani character breakfast, you will enter the main lobby, take a left, and go down the first set of stairs you see. Makahiki is located right there at the bottom of the stairs. You can’t miss it!

Makahiki Breakfast Hours

Makahiki -The Bounty of the Islands (Aulani Character Breakfast) is open from 7 AM-11 AM.

*Note, Makahiki is also open for dinner, but dinner is NOT a character meal. Dinner hours are from 5 PM-8:30 PM.

Reservation Information for Makahiki (Aulani Character Breakfast)

It is very important you make a reservation for the Aulani character breakfast! If you are familiar with any of the other character meals at Walt Disney World or Disneyland such as Goofy’s Kitchen at the Disneyland Hotel you know just how important it is to make your reservation EARLY! And it is no different at Aulani!

Makahiki character breakfast dining reservations can be made 30 days in advance. You can conveniently make this reservation on the Aulani Resort app. So, if you haven’t already, go ahead and download the Aulani Resort app.

Advanced Dining Reservations open at midnight Hawaii time. Set an alert on your phone, make your calendar, or however is best for you to remember because this dining reservation books up quickly! Most of the time it even books up the morning it opens!!

However, if are unable to get a dining reservation at Makahiki, try to do a walk-up that day. Your best chances of getting in are to arrive when they open at 7 AM.

Aulani Character Breakfast Review

I’m so excited to bring you a review of the character breakfast at Aulani. I absolutely love Disney character meals and never miss going to a character meal while visiting any of the Disney Parks.

So, needless to say, visiting and going to the character meal at Aulani was a must!

Check-In Process & Photographs

When we arrived at Makahiki, we checked in at the desk and were greeted by friendly staff.

We were directed to walk around the corner to the outside area around the beautiful koi pond to get our picture taken with Mickey Mouse!

At the time there were only a few families in front of us, but when it was our turn Mickey took a quick break.

After about a quick 5-minute break, Mickey was back and the Disney PhotoPass photographers were ready! Not only did they take pictures with their camera but they also offered to take pictures with my phone too.

I think this is so great that Disney does this for those families that don’t want to spend additional money on purchasing photos.

📸These pictures taken before your meal by the Disney PhotoPass Photographers will be ready for viewing and purchase during your meal. Someone will come to your table and present the photo package for you to purchase if interested.

The meet-and-greet with Mickey Mouse in all of his Hawaiian attire was so much fun! Plus, this is probably the only place you’ll see Mickey do the shaka gesture! For those that don’t the shaka is the “hang loose” gesture. To do the shaka gesture, you extend your picky thumb and curl the rest of your middle fingers down. 🤙 It is the ultimate symbol of the aloha spirit in Hawaii.

After getting our picture taken with Mickey, we were instructed to go back to the check-in desk and let them know we were finished with our photographs.

The check-in desk instructed us to wait in the seating area until our name was called.

Setting & Atmosphere

When walking into Makahiki I noticed just how beautiful the restaurant was. It has a modern atmosphere with a Hawaiian feel. The ambiance is truly filled with the spirit of aloha, making you feel right at home from the moment you enter.

Makahiki is an open-air restaurant with both indoor and outdoor seating. If you dine indoors you’ll be dining amongst the beautiful local artwork and stunning murals.

If dining outdoors you’ll be dining on the lanai amongst the beautiful tropical plants.

When walking to our table we came across someone playing the ukulele and singing “Happy Birthday” to a table.

They sat us indoors which I was very happy with because the indoor dining area is just so beautiful! My eyes kept gazing at the stunning light fixture with glass fruit hanging from it!

Makahiki is the name of the traditional Hawaiian celebration of the harvest. After knowing the meaning of Makahiki, I really think Disney did a fabulous job tying in the name of the restaurant with the atmosphere.

Characters at Makahiki Character Breakfast

It seems like the characters at Makahiki fluctuate from day to day.

During our visit to the Makahiki character breakfast, we saw Mickey Mouse, Goofy, Pluto, and Max.

Our first encounter was with Mickey Mouse after check-in.

As the hostess was taking us to our table we stopped for a meet-and-greet with Goofy before being taken to our table. Makahiki has a special photo spot set up to get your picture taken with a character on the walk to your table. I’ve been to a lot of Disney dining experiences before and this is the first one I have seen that does this. I think this is such a great idea to do this meet-and-greet before being taken to your table.

And while at our table, Pluto and Max came to the table for a meet-and-greet and pictures.

I will say that the meet-and-greets at this character breakfast at Aulani were fantastic! The characters were very engaging and funny!

I have heard from others that Minnie, Stitch, Chip, and Dale have also been seen at the character breakfast. So, I would not have your heart set on seeing a certain character because they may not be there on the day of your breakfast!

Breakfast Menu at Makahiki Character Breakfast

The Makahiki character breakfast is a three-course breakfast. It used to be a buffet in the past, but it is no longer a buffet!

Since it is no longer a buffet you might be thinking it might not be enough food, but trust me, it is! The portion size of the entrees is HUGE! I left Makahiki feeling so stuffed and I didn’t even finish my meal!

Your breakfast feast will start with a basket of mixed mini bakery items including coconut danishes, guava danishes, blueberry muffins, and butter croissants. 🥐

They will also bring out a plate of seasonal fruit and berries including pineapples, cantaloupe, blackberries, raspberries, and strawberries for everyone at the table.🍍 🍓

The entrees at the Aulani character breakfast include Kalua Pig Omelet, O’ahu Farmer’s Omelet, Traditional Omelet, Eggs Benedict, Hawaiian-Style Loco Moco, Eggs Your Way, Punaluu Sweet Bread French Toast, Buttermilk Pancakes, Belgian Style Waffle/Mickey/Minnie Waffles, Lox and Bagel, and Vegan Tofu Rancheros.

With this wide variety of breakfast entrees, there is surely something for everyone to enjoy at the Makahiki breakfast.

What Did My Family Eat at the Aulani Character Breakfast?

Our meal started with the welcome basket of bakery items. My family is a big fan of bread, so we really enjoyed this! All of the mixed bakery items were delicious!

Then the fruit came out. Everyone seemed to really enjoy their fruit platters. My youngest son told me it was the best fruit he ever had! I’m not a big fan of fruit, so I didn’t even try mine. I know, I know crazy right? 🙈

Now for the entrees, Chris and I both got the Traditional Omelet with herb-roasted potatoes. The omelet included bacon, cherry tomatoes, onions, and cheddar cheese. It was massive and oh-so-good!! It was way too much food for me though, so I shared the remainder with my 16-year-old son.

My teenage son ordered the Buttermilk Pancakes. 🥞 The pancakes were topped with macadamia nut-tahitian vanilla sauce. And because I like to try everything I tried a bite of his and it was so delicious! 😋

My teen daughter ordered the Punaluu Sweet Bread French Toast. It was served with sweet cream cheese, fresh berries, and maple syrup. And of course, I tried this too! If you’re looking for a sweet breakfast this would definitely be a great choice! The sweet cream cheese on top just made it that much better!

My youngest son ordered the Mickey/Minnie Waffles. You get 4 Mickey or Minnie Red Velvet Waffles. They asked him which ones he wanted. He chose 3 Mickey and 1 Minnie. He said the Red Velvet Minnie Waffles tasted just like the regular Mickey Waffles. 🤷🏻‍♀️. And of course, he enjoyed them! You can never go wrong with Mickey Waffles!

Oh and did I forget to mention we were celebrating my birthday here too! 🧁 🎉 I unfortunately didn’t get a ukulele solo, but I did a super cute dessert! 🤣 I was already completely stuffed so just took a little bite and the kids ate the chocolate pieces.

How Much is the Disney Character Breakfast at Aulani?

If you are familiar with any of the other Disney character breakfasts at Disneyland or Walt Disney World, then you know they are not cheap.

This is because, with Disney character meals you are paying for more than just the food, you are paying for the experience too!

And this experience is something that you and your family will remember forever!

But honestly, every time we went out for a meal in Hawaii we forked out a lot of money because dining in Hawaii is much more expensive than dining in the mainland. So, the cost of this character meal wasn’t much different in price from many of the other places we dined in Oahu.

But without further ado, here are the current prices for the Makahiki Character Breakfast.

Adults: $49
Children(Keiki) 3-9 years old: $29

*Note, prices are subject to change.

Is Aulani Character Breakfast Worth It?

So, is the Aulani character breakfast worth it? Absolutely!! If I go back to Aulani Resort again, which is hope I do, I will definitely be booking Makahiki again!

I loved everything about Makahiki! The atmosphere, the character meet-and-greets, the food, and the service!

To get the magic of Disney in Hawaii was everything!! It is simply priceless! ✨

However, if you’re not into Disney and the character aspect, then you might be better off skipping this meal. There are other places at the resort you can grab breakfast like Off the Hook.

Tips for Eating at Makahiki Character Breakfast

✅ Make Your Advanced Dining Reservation 30 Days in Advance!

This is so, so important. Book your Advanced Dining Reservation 30 days in advance on the Aulani Resort app. Reservations open at midnight Hawaii Standard Time, so be sure to look up the time difference between where you live and Hawaii. I live in Central Standard Time and there is a 5-hour time difference.

✅ Arrive Hungry!

The food is plentiful here! Arrive hungry and be ready to eat lots of delicious food!

✅ Come Picture Ready!

Yes, you’re on vacation and it’s morning, but come dressed in Disney or Hawaiian attire! It really makes the experience that much more fun!

Make sure to wear some Hawaiian Mickey Ears. You can purchase Mickey Ears in the Aulani Gift Shop or you can even make Mickey Ears at Aulani if staying at the resort.

*Note, you do need a reservation to make Mickey Ears. You can make the reservation for this activity on the Aulani Resort app.

Here are some ideas for super cute clothes you could wear to the Aulani character breakfast! I’m especially loving the Mickey Hawaiian shirt perfect for your toddler, little or big boy!

Disney Characters at Aulani Resort (For Resort Guests Only)

So maybe you couldn’t get a reservation at Makahiki or maybe you are wondering if you can see characters at the resort without doing the character breakfast.

If staying at Aulani Resort, you will most definitely be able to see characters during your stay. If you are not staying at the resort though, know that you will not be able to see the characters unless dining at the Makahiki character breakfast.

During our stay, we saw characters in the hotel, near the koi pond, and around the pool area.

Characters can change from day to day. On the morning of your visit, look on the Aulani Resort app to see the full schedule of what characters will be at the resort for that day.

Some characters you might see at Disney’s Aulani include Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Pluto, Goofy, Stitch, Moana, Chip, Dale, Donald Duck, Daisy Duck, and Max.

They also have characters you’ll only see at Aulani including a super cute green turtle who loves to play the ukele named ‘Olu Mel.

FAQs- Character Breakfast at Aulani

Final Thoughts: Aulani Character Breakfast

The Aulani character breakfast is a super fun dining experience at Disney’s Aulani Resort in Hawaii.

It has a laid-back, modern atmosphere with beautiful decor featuring Hawaiian murals and glass lighting.

It might be a little pricy, but well worth it for the only Disney character dining experience you can get in Hawaii.

I’m giving Makahiki’s character breakfast 5 out of 5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️!

I will definitely be back!

-Aloha! 🌺

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