Character meal - opinions / advice please!

tinks86

tinks86

Mouseketeer
Joined
Jul 7, 2008
Hi everyone, we are going in June next year and it's my 30th birthday whilst we are there so thinking of booking a character meal for the evening as we will have our 2 1/2 year old son with us. The only one we have done before is garden grill this year which we really enjoyed and definitely want to do again so not sure whether to go for that one or something new / different for my birthday.

I know everyone likes different things but just after some opinions / experiences on the best character meals? The business of chef mickeys sort of puts me off a bit but happy to hear experiences to the contrary it just always looks busy!!!!

Thanks!
 
Hi. We have done every character meal on property multiple times. This is my families collective view. Others of course will disagree!!! The best food in our view is 1900 Park Fare both breakfast and dinner. Very fun characters both meals too. For an overall win for food, characters and ambience we choose Crystal Palace lunch/dinner (not so keen on breakfast food). Garden Grill dinner is great food and okay characters, Tusker House lunch/dinner is great food but awkward character interaction due to cramped tables. Two honourable mention breakfasts are Ohana and Cape May Cafe, both yummy food and calm character interaction. My only don't bother, critical as you have a toddler, is Hollywood and Vine. Inedible. Horrible service. Nasty.
 
Oh. Cinderella's Royal Table is overpriced but the food is good and if it's princesses you want in a magical setting this is it. I have had two meals at Akershsus. One yummy. The most recent since they took the starter buffet table away was poor.
 
With a 2 1/2 year old GG would win every time for a birthday. I want to be waited on on my birthday not running back and forth to a buffet juggling food and a toddler.

We like the family style meals best which is Ohana breakfast or Garden Grill. CRT is nice but IMO over priced for what you get as its a set meal. We only do it if we have free DDP.

However my actual pick for my birthday would be Yachtsman Steakhouse. Its where we went for DHs birthday last year and our 15th Anniversary this year.
 


I know you specifically said evening meal but I love Crystal Palace breakfast, for both food and characters (we love the Winnie the Pooh guys though). We have been there for Birthdays in the past and got a card signed by the characters and a Birthday cupcake, although I know this can happen at other places too.
 
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Another vote for Cape May Cafe breakfasts - a good selection of food, great service and unhurried character interaction.
 
If it's dinner then my favourite would be the 1900 Park Fare. The setting is lovely and there's a great selection at the buffet. The characters are quite funny too! My DS (who's 19!) still remembers getting 'engaged' to one of the ugly sisters when he was 8!!
 


Thanks for all the opinions, we've not done many character meals so wasn't sure which ones were the best!

We did love GG, the only thing putting me off it tbh is that we've done it before so wasn't sure whether I wanted to do something 'new' for my birthday but the family style meal did work brilliantly for us so I am very tempted.

1900 seems very popular and crystal palace, I am thinking of booking a character breakfast for another day in our trip so may think about one of those :thumbsup2
 
They've recently introduced breakfast at Garden Grill so you could try that instead? Its still family style so more relaxed.
On my last visit, we had a really good character breakfast at Cape May Cafe. We were located in a side room so a bit quieter and the characters spent quite a while with us. And I love 1900 Park Fare, really fun character interactions.
 
You talk about an evening meal, but with a child that young, chances are the characters will only find a cut little one asleep in the stroller (which btw you can't take inside the restaurant)
just sayin'

now, about character meals, at that age I'd probably do Crystal Palace.

Chef Mickey used to be a restaurant we overlooked (overrated, overbusy ...) but last month we went 3 times. Breakfast, Brunch and Dinner (not on the same day, lol) and it was a hit with DS ( 8 years old) We also enjoyed it very much.

We also like Hollywood&Vine.
 
chmurf said:
You talk about an evening meal, but with a child that young, chances are the characters will only find a cut little one asleep in the stroller (which btw you can't take inside the restaurant)
just sayin'
Click to expand...

That depends on the child - DD has done evening meals at Disney since the age of 9 months with no problem even later evening ones such as 7/7.30pm. We never have dinner before 6pm at home and its the same on holiday.
 
chmurf said:
You talk about an evening meal, but with a child that young, chances are the characters will only find a cut little one asleep in the stroller (which btw you can't take inside the restaurant)
just sayin'

now, about character meals, at that age I'd probably do Crystal Palace.

Chef Mickey used to be a restaurant we overlooked (overrated, overbusy ...) but last month we went 3 times. Breakfast, Brunch and Dinner (not on the same day, lol) and it was a hit with DS ( 8 years old) We also enjoyed it very much.

We also like Hollywood&Vine.
Click to expand...

Yes by evening meal we eat at about 5:30 so we are finished by 7 back for bed by 8 so he will be awake during the meal, which is why I was thinking a character meal would be best :thumbsup2
 
What about Be Our Guest? Not full on character but it is table service so no need to go to the buffet.
 
Only done Chef Mickeys and Ohana breakfast ourselves but the food was good in both although more choice at CM it was a self serve. If you want the big five though it's good but if you're a Stitch fan as my wife is Ohana would be her recommendation. Hope to do breakfast at the Royal table next time with a very early one so can walk down an empty ish Main Street I just want to go back to WDW so bad lol
 
Done 1900 Park Fare, Chef Mickey's, Crystal Palace, Cape May Café, O'Hana... Of those, Crystal Palace and 1900 Park Fare were the favourites, but Cape May Café is good too and cheaper (but more difficult to get to!). Probably wouldn't do Chef Mickey's again - too noisy/cafeteria like - or O'Hana - food is okay but less choice than elsewhere.
 
For a birthday meal you could do the beasts castle! Its pretty spectacular Inside and the food is decent ( although not my favourite as I prefer their qs lunch)
Otherwise 1900 park fare is incredibly good food. And the interaction is by far the best in my opinion.

I went to Disney around 19 times before doing park fare, and now it's on my must have list.
 
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