Pick two: which character dining to keep?

[Aggiegrl]

We are 5 adults, a 2.5 year old, and two 11 month olds. The only character dining we have done is Crystal Palace lunch and Tusker House breakfast.

I need to drop two ADRs from this list:

4:10 PM Garden Grill (on first full day of vacation)
9:55 AM Chef Mickey (on non park day in middle of vacation)
8:05 AM Crystal Palace (on last full day of vacation)
5:35 PM Chef Mickey (on last full day of vacation)

Which ones would you keep?

ETA-The 2.5 year old and 2 adults have done Crystal Palace lunch, not the whole group. All adults and the 2.5 year old have done Tusker House before.

 

[sarmat1]

We are 5 adults, a 2.5 year old, and two 11 month olds. The only character dining we have done is Crystal Palace lunch and Tusker House breakfast.

I need to drop two ADRs from this list:

4:10 PM Garden Grill (on first full day of vacation)
9:55 AM Chef Mickey (on non park day in middle of vacation)
8:05 AM Crystal Palace (on last full day of vacation)
5:35 PM Chef Mickey (on last full day of vacation)

Which ones would you keep?

ETA-The 2.5 year old and 2 adults have done Crystal Palace lunch, not the whole group. All adults and the 2.5 year old have done Tusker House before.

You don't state what your other ADR's are. But I personally wouldn't do 2 TS in one day (particularly 2 character TS meals). So I'd eliminate one of the last day ADR's. Then it really comes down to does your group like the Pooh characters? The other 3 ADR's double dip both Mickey and Pluto. GG adds Chip and Dale. I'd definitely keep GG especially since being family style, you don't have to get up to get your food (and worry about missing characters). And then one of the ADR's on the last day (depending on if it's a Pooh crowd or a Fab Five crowd).

 

[Aggiegrl]

You don't state what your other ADR's are. But I personally wouldn't do 2 TS in one day (particularly 2 character TS meals). So I'd eliminate one of the last day ADR's. Then it really comes down to does your group like the Pooh characters? The other 3 ADR's double dip both Mickey and Pluto. GG adds Chip and Dale. I'd definitely keep GG especially since being family style, you don't have to get up to get your food (and worry about missing characters). And then one of the ADR's on the last day (depending on if it's a Pooh crowd or a Fab Five crowd).

Thanks for your opinions. These are are only ADRs this trip. Everything else will be counter service with the exception of maybe an "adult night" walk up outside the parks.

I guess that's my problem...I don't know WHAT crowd we are! My 2.5 year old likes both the fab five and pooh characters, although Mickey is tops. The adults are all there for the kids (really the 2.5 year old) and don't care. I'd like to do GG, Chef Mickey breakfast, and Crystal Palace...but I feel like 3 character meals in 7 days is too much.

I think you are right about Garden Grill. Since we are doing Epcot our first day, seeing Mickey at dinner might be a good way to kick off the trip.

 

[mom2rtk]

Thanks for your opinions. These are are only ADRs this trip. Everything else will be counter service with the exception of maybe an "adult night" walk up outside the parks.

I guess that's my problem...I don't know WHAT crowd we are! My 2.5 year old likes both the fab five and pooh characters, although Mickey is tops. The adults are all there for the kids (really the 2.5 year old) and don't care. I'd like to do GG, Chef Mickey breakfast, and Crystal Palace...but I feel like 3 character meals in 7 days is too much.
I think you are right about Garden Grill. Since we are doing Epcot our first day, seeing Mickey at dinner might be a good way to kick off the trip.

Not even close to too much. The kids are the right age to really enjoy it. Make the most of it at this age.

 

[Mariep26]

I don't think it is too much. We did 3 on our last 5 day trip -- CP, Tusker House and Hollywood & Vine. Those were the only TS meals we did. It was great!! Everyone really enjoyed kicking off our day with the characters and getting early entry to the parks!!

 

[sbobbio]

I would do Garden Grill on the first night and Chef Mickey in AM. Not to add to your dilemma but Akerhaus for breakfast is also good and comes with a picture package. It has all the princesses, not sure if 2.5 year old is girl or boy

 

[tzeitel]

I would keep CM for the last night dinner - that is what we are doing and think it is a nice way to end our vacation

 

[shannonstar]

I would keep Garden Grill and Crystal Palace. I wouldn't give up an ADR before the park opens. And Garden Grill is one of our favorites.

 

[ladeeesquire]

I'd drop the chef mickey dinner because you're already doing CM for breakfast and the characters are the same. I'd keep the other 3 for sure. Although I think 2 sit down character meals are too much in one day there's no way that 3 over the course of 7 days is too many.

 

[IncredibleboysMom]

Drop Chef Mickey's dinner, the food is much better at breakfast. Garden Grill is an awesome meal, especially with kids as young as yours, mostly because the food is brought to your table. You get to relax a little and wait on the characters rather than trying to juggle food for everyone, taking photos, etc...plus GG is yummy!

Have fun!

 

[RRRmouse]

Crystal Palace breakfast is one of our favorites, esp an 8:05; being on Main St in the MK for pictures before it opens is almost worth it by itself.

Garden Grill is a great relaxed way to kick off a trip. The characters are great, come to your table and the food is pretty good. The way the tables are set up in a big circle somehow makes it seem more personal when the characters stop by rather than seeing them across the room the whole time at other tables

Chef Mickey's is kind of a zoo, and the dinner food isn't so good. Maybe keep the breakfast for now in case you decide you want to do a third character meal.

I would drop the CM dinner on your last day. You might decide you want to be getting some last minute park time in rather than a mediocre at best meal in what feels like a subway station.

 

[lovin'fl]

We like CM dinner. I'd drop the 2 breakfasts, but we just don't do breakfasts at Disney...very rarely.

 

[mom2rtk]

If you're paying OOP for the meals (not on the dining plan) then do breakfast any time you have the choice. It's cheaper and you get the same experience.

 

[Aggiegrl]

If you're paying OOP for the meals (not on the dining plan) then do breakfast any time you have the choice. It's cheaper and you get the same experience.

We're staying at Bonnet Creek, so I'm not sure this holds true. We'd normally be eating breakfast in the condo and would likely eat dinner out regardless of what we did for breakfast.

I guess the other consideration I have is that we are only doing 4 park days (military tickets). I feel like two park character meals might eat into our already precious park time, KWIM?