One of the first things people tell you when you’re visiting Disney World over your birthday is, “Get the Birthday Button! You might get free stuff!”
Birthday Button
The truth is, Disney restaurants actually do some wonderful things to celebrate birthdays (some free; some requiring advance preparation by you!). Because today is my birthday, I wanted to share a few of the fantastic birthday surprises you can find in Disney restaurants. (Thanks to the DisneyFoodBlog readers who contributed their celebration photos to the gallery below! The Gallery is being updated continuously as folks send in photos — so keep checking back for more pics!)
Disney Restaurant Birthday Surprises
When you call to book your dining reservations, let the Disney agents know that you’ll be celebrating a birthday on your upcoming trip. They’ll make notes in the reservation so that the restaurant is aware of your celebration. (Be sure to remind the cast member at the podium when you arrive; some notes slip through the cracks when things get busy…) If you’re making your reservations online, be sure to enter in your “celebration” at the end of the process!
The last time we celebrated a birthday in the parks, we headed right over to one of our favorite character meals: Crystal Palace! When there’s note of your celebration, Crystal Palace cast members decorate your table with multi-colored Mickey confetti and festive streamers. This lets your server know that someone’s celebrating, which results in a delicious cupcake and a card signed by the whole gang (no cost to you, of course)! Looks like the card is a bit outdated, eh? Where’s the Animal Kingdom?
Disney's Standard Birthday Card
Cupcake and Card at Crystal Palace
I’ve also had this wonderful treatment at Yachtsman Steakhouse, where the card was signed by nearly a dozen characters (I just don’t know WHERE they found all of them so late at night!), and the dessert was not just a cupcake, but a delicious soaked sponge cake molded with chocolate.
On another recent trip, I dined at Citricos, where I was presented with a semi-personalized “Happy Birthday” souvenir menu. Although the dessert I ordered wasn’t free (that I can remember), it was beautifully decorated to wish me a happy celebration. I’ve heard tell that Disney will be phasing out these Happy Birthday menus, which I think is unfortunate. It really does make one feel special!
Citricos Happy Birthday Menu
Citricos Dessert
Celebrations Planned in Advance
Most of the above occurred with little or no planning of ours; all we did was let the restaurant know that there was a birthday, and Disney did the rest. But if you’d like to be a bit more grand with your celebration, you can plan in advance to have Disney create a dessert that will serve everyone in your party!
Disney has a whole website section dedicated to Celebrations, as this year’s Park Promotion is “What Will You Celebrate?”
Disney World Celebrations Page
Included in this list are some great ideas to make your celebration even better, including information about customized cakes that you can order for your special meal celebration. Be sure to call the Walt Disney World Resort at (407) 827-2253 (the cake hotline) at least 48 hours in advance.
Special Tip: As you can see above, even if you didn’t plan for a cake in advance, you can still order a 6-inch cake upon arrival at most Disney table-service restaurants. These are available in both chocolate and vanilla. No notice is necessary. (I’m SO glad they’ve started doing this…I’m horrible about advance planning!)
DisneyFoodBlog Reader Celebrations!
To quote Lavar Burton, “Don’t take my word for it!” Here are just a few of the grand ways some DisneyFoodBlog readers have celebrated birthdays in Disney World:
Kona Cafe, Polynesian Resort: Birthday Treat
Rose and Crown Dining Room, Epcot World Showcase: Advance Prep Cake
50's Prime Time Cafe, Disney's Hollywood Studios: Birthday Treat
Cinderella's Royal Table, Magic Kingdom: Advance Prep White Chocolate Slipper Dessert
Paradise Pier, Disney's California Adventure, Disneyland: Birthday Treat
Liberty Tree Tavern, Magic Kingom: Birthday Treat
Boma, Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge: Advance Reserved Birthday Cake by Chef TJ
Boma, Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge: Inside the cake!
Chef Mickey, Disney's Contemporary Resort: Birthday Treat
Cinderella's Royal Table, Magic Kingdom: Birthday Treat
Another from Cinderella's Royal Table, Magic Kingdom: Birthday Treat
50's Prime Time Cafe, Disney's Hollywood Studios: Advanced Reserved Vegan Cake
Garden Grill, Epcot Future World: Make Your Own Birthday Treat
50's Prime Time Cafe, Disney's Hollywood Studios: Advanced Reserved Vegan Cake
Boma, Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge: Birthday Treat
Here are three photos of an AMAZING 4th Anniversary Cake. The only instructions to Chef Brian at the California Grill were: “small, haunted mansion, 4 years, chocolate and raspberry.” Incredible.
Another California Grill, Disney's Contemporary Resort: Birthday Treat
Brown Derby, Disney's Hollywood Studios: Birthday Treat
1900 Park Faire, Disney's Grand Floridian Resort and Spa: Birthday Treat
50's Prime Time Cafe, Disney's Hollywood Studios: Birthday Treat
Le Cellier, Epcot's World Showcase: Birthday Treat
Citricos, Disney's Grand Floridian Resort and Spa: Birthday Treat
Princess Katy's Birthday Bash at Cinderella's Royal Table, Magic Kingdom: Birthday Treat
Key Lime Creme Brulee at Narcoossee's, Disney's Grand Floridian Resort and Spa: Birthday Treat
Narcoossee's, Disney's Grand Floridian Resort and Spa: Birthday Treat
Cinderella's Royal Table, Magic Kingdom: Birthday Treat
Cape May Cafe, Disney's Beach Club Resort: Birthday Treat
Princess Chloe at Akershus, Epcot's Norway: Pre-Ordered Birthday Cake
(Love this one!) 50's Prime Time Cafe, Disney's Hollywood Studios: Birthday Treat
Chef Mickey's Birthday Cake -- name is blurred as it was for a celebrity
Le Cellier Birthday Treat
Cinderella's Breakfast Birthday Treat
Tusker House Birthday Treat
Tusker House Birthday Treat
Chef Mickey's Birthday Treat
Chef Mickey's Birthday Cupcake
Cape May Cafe Birthday Treat
Artist Point Birthday Cobbler
Tony's Town Square Special Order Birthday Cake
If you’ve got a photo to add to this gallery, let me know via facebook, twitter, or email. Thanks!
Other posts you might enjoy:
Happy Birthday! Enjoy your big day!
Happy Birthday to You!!!
Love all of the different birthday creations. We had dinner reservations for my son’s 2nd birthday at the Crystal Palace in May. When I made the ADR I had them note it was his actual birthday. Sad to say our CM ignored the glitter, did not listen when we reminded her four or more times. My two year old did not care, but his big brother was quite upset since he saw other tables celebrating. I tried several times to tell our server again and on the way out checked to make sure I had it noted on our reservations. I did, in fact it even noted the date that I had called. The amazing people at the Crystal Palace apologized and gave him something even more special than the cupcake and song. Disney truly is magical – we have done it for a birthday now and our honeymoon.
Happy Birthday!!
I forgot when I emailed my photo in to let you know this too: we were at ‘Ohana in 2007 for breakfast on my Dad’s birthday. We were making him get a button once we reached the parks, but we hadn’t made him wear one the entire week. We walked into the restaurant with a wrapped gift for him and the hostess picked up on the fact we were carrying that gift. She asked if we were celebrating a birthday and who’s birthday it was…of course, we love to embarrass our Dad (turn about is fair play, right?) so we pointed and said, “oh, it’s his birthday!” She gave us all leis to wear so that everyone would know we were celebrating something special, sat us, and a few minutes later came by with a card and picture that was signed by everyone at the breakfast. It was a great way to start the day! …and yes, we did a character breakfast for my 55+ Dad!! Later in the day we were doing the Food & Wine festival and he kept getting free desserts! (Much to my delight since I’m the sweet tooth in the family!!)
Happy Birthday! Don’t forget you can use pics from my Disney Birthday entry as well (http://zannaland.com/disney-birthday
Hope you have a great day!
@Sarah and @Heidi: Thank you so much for the birthday wishes, and for being such great contributors to the blog!
@TheAngelForever: I’m so glad you posted that story — Disney’s always been very responsive to us when we’ve mentioned an issue or problem, too.
@Kelly: What a fun story about your Dad! I think character breakfasts are perfect for ANY age celebration!
Happy Birthday! Thanks for a very informative and entertaining blog!
Thanks Zanna and Joanna!
Everywhere I went they sprinkled confetti on the table for my birthday, even if I didnt get a free desert. I also got a placemat at 1900 Park Fare with the charecters signatures & a happy birthday tiara!
·.¸(¯`’·.¸(¯`’·.¸**HAPPY BIRTHDAY AJ**¸.·’´¯)¸.·’´¯)¸.·
Loved seeing all the possibilities for a birthday at the mouse house. Now pass me some cake please….
Happy Birthday!! Just got back from another Disney cruise/WDW trip….all these photos make me wanna be there next year on my bday!
Happy Birthday AJ! An excellent article and nice to see all of the fun and delicious photos!
A few comments from me….
During my last trip (May), we celebrated my wife’s birthday at Le Cellier. I preordered the chocolate “Celebrate today” cake. It was great. I actually wish I could have a piece of it now!
Besides getting free stuff from Birthday buttons, anniversary buttons seem to attract the same “pluses”. A few years ago, we were given anniversary buttons, which netted us complementary glasses of sparkling wine and a free bottle of wine at Le Cellier! That was probably one of the best dining experiences for us at WDW.
And finally, I just wanted to point out something special about the card you received at Crystal Palace: it has Roger Rabbit on it! That is something rare!
@April: Aren’t the placemats and Happy Birthday menus a nice touch! There’s nothing like being made to feel special on your birthday. I wonder if the birthday tiara is a standard…I’d love to have one!
@Amanda: Thank you, thank you! Cake, coming right up!
@James Chapman: Thanks, James! I’m so glad that you added Chloe’s birthday celebration to the mix!
@James (Disneynorth): A free bottle of wine! Sign me up (especially if it can be ice wine, for which I’m a total sucker!) Thank you for your comments and insights. And, yes, it DOES have Roger Rabbit on it — I thought that was cool, too. That’s the card I got several years ago, and it’s the one I just got last year, so I think they just made a whole bunch back before AK opened.
Don’t forget about the free birthday marshmallow covered in chocolate and sprinkles from MK’s Confectionery!
Does anyone know how much the “Celebrate Today” cakes cost? Thank you!