*Dining @ Disney*--Character Dining 101

A Character Meal can be a magical experience...

 

My two favorite princesses at Cinderella's Royal Table in June 2012.

 

 

But it can also be a little overwhelming...

 

My princess, age 2, and Eeyore... both a little traumatized.

 

One of the best ways to meet characters at Disney World is at a Character Meal.  No waiting in line for over an hour to hug Mickey and take a picture with him... Just enjoy some amazing food and Mickey will come to you!  LOVE IT!  But, not all Character Meals are created equal.  And it may not be wise to schedule a character meal on your first night, when you had to leave for the airport at 3:00 am and your tiny princess only took a short a nap in the stroller and she isn't really keen on people in costumes... just sayin' :).

 

So, let's jump into some questions...

 

What's a Character Meal?  A Character Meal is either a buffet, family-style, or pre-plated meal (with a set price for adults and children ages 3-9), where four or so Characters visit each table to sign autographs, take pictures, and interact with you.  The Characters are different for each restaurant, and are subject to change.  The meals are typically all-you-care-to-eat (you can asks for seconds if you have a family-style or pre-plated meal). 

 

Do I need to make a reservation?  YES.  Seems like we've talked about this before :).  Reservations are key... I've known of people who've been able to get same-day reservations, but those were exceptions and not the rule.  You can make reservations through Disney World's website or by calling (407) WDW-DINE.

 

How much do they cost and are they worth the money?  The cost depends on each restaurant, time of day, and time of year.  A Character Breakfast at Chef Mickey's will run you about $30 per adult and $17 per child, not including gratuity or photo package, while a dinner at Cinderella's Royal Table will set you back about $70 per adult and $40 per child, but your gratuity and photo package are included.  Ouch.  Yes, they can be pricey.  But is it worth the money?  I certainly think so.  I love looking back at pictures of me and my sister cheesing it up with Donald and Goofy in the 80's and watching my children create those same happy memories is priceless to me.  And I HATE waiting in line.  Hate it.  Especially to meet characters.  Last June, I waited for over an hour in the heat with my little princess to see Rapunzel.  Not my idea of fun, although I think she would have waited 12 hours to meet her :):

 

The point is, Character Dining is a great way to enjoy some delicious food and let your kids get in some character time, without wasting half your day waiting in lines.


How do I decide which Character Meal to book for my family?  Take a look at allears.net's Character Dining page.  They have a great description of each meal, who the characters are, and you can go to the menus to see what the food is like.  Consider everything--characters, location, price, and food--when making your decision.  You wouldn't want to schedule a dinner at Garden Grill in Epcot when you were planning to spend the day at Magic Kingdom.  And you wouldn't want to book a dinner for your seven-year-old son at Cinderella's Happily Ever After Dinner at 1900 Park Fare.  Not that I made that mistake or anything :):

The only picture I could get of him remotely close to one of the characters.  Bad, bad mom.

Character Meals may require some advanced planning and extra money, but they have certainly been magical experiences for our family.  Not to mention, some of the BEST FOOD EVER!

Our boy, much happier with our Character Meal choice at age 9 and Pluto :).

*GEEK TIP: Schedule a Character Meal at one of the resorts on the monorail (Polynesian, Grand Floridian, and Contemporary) and use the opportunity to get out of the Magic Kingdom during the crazy lunch and dinner rush and enjoy a nice relaxing meal (IN AIR CONDITIONING!) away from the crowds.  And BONUS... kids LOVE the monorail!