3 dining questions

[sunnydays28]

1. We arrive at 720 PM and would like to take my parents to dinner so they can share some of the magic with our daughter since they are not going to Disney with us. What is the latest on a Friday night that we can get a character meal out of the parks?

2. Does Ariel have any meals outside the parks? What are the other princess meals out of the park? What about Pooh and friends, are they always at 1400 Park Faire?

3. In general, are Orlando restaurants going to be busy on Monday Feb 14 with people celebrating Valentine's Day just as they are in other cities for the holiday?

 

[PoohsFan1]

1. We arrive at 720 PM and would like to take my parents to dinner so they can share some of the magic with our daughter since they are not going to Disney with us. What is the latest on a Friday night that we can get a character meal out of the parks?

2. Does Ariel have any meals outside the parks? What are the other princess meals out of the park? What about Pooh and friends, are they always at 1400 Park Faire?

3. In general, are Orlando restaurants going to be busy on Monday Feb 14 with people celebrating Valentine's Day just as they are in other cities for the holiday?

1) At 1900 Park Fare, their hours are from 8am-8:20pm and at Chef Mickey's, their hours are from 7am-9:30pm. These are the only resorts that offers character meals for dinner.

2) Ariel does not have character meals outside the parks, you can only find her at either Akershus in the Norway Pavilion at Epcot or at CRT in the MK (but of course both of these places do not guarantee she will be there, but she has been at both in the past). As for Pooh and Friends, Pooh and Tigger are at 1900 Park Fare breakfast but not at the dinner. At the dinner it is Cinderella, Prince Charming, Lady Tremaine, and the 2 Ugly Stepsisters.

3) Not sure exactly how Valentine's Day and Disney Dining are, I am guessing that the Signature restaurants will be a bit more crowded than the character meals, but of course that is just a guess.

Hope this helps you out a bit.

 

[Metsoskil]

Garden Grove at the Swan also has a character meal nightly until 9:30. No Ariel or Pooh, though.

 

[mommytravels]

The dinner at 1900 Park Fare with Cinderella, Charming, L. Tremaine and the stepsisters is loads of fun. The food is just okay, but the characters are wonderfully "in character". My boys love it. Also, not sure about the hours but Ohana dinner at the Poly, while not a character dinner, is lots of fun and the food is awesome. The entertainer engages the kids (and willing adults) in lots of fun stuff - coconut races, limbo contests, hula dancing.

 

[hannahdrewmom]

If you don't get in until 7:20 you aren't going to make anything in the park. With 1900 Park Fare stopping service at 8:30 I think your best bet is Chef Mickey's. However, this close to the date it is doubtful that you will get an ADR there or anyplace with characters. Those tend to book quickly. All Disney restaurants are going to be busy and you must have a reservation. I'd suggest seeing about dinner w/o characters someplace possibly on the boardwalk. There would be a fun atmosphere to walk around and see some night time entertainment. You might be able to get into a signature restaurant last minute... but I'm not sure anyone is going to want that kind of meal at 9pm.

 

[MiraDawl]

Mother's Day & Valentine's day top any list for restaurant busiest days of the year. I can only imagine this is especially so in popular tourist areas like Orlando.

 

[Quin]

Check religiously online for last-minute cancellations at Chef Mickey and Ohana. Ohana is not character but you can see out the windows from most of the main dining room; you can watch the castle change colors, see some fireworks, even see the Water Pageant although no sound. It will give the family some Disney magic even though no characters.

I mean it - check multiple times each day, right up to the day you leave. People do cancel and you can luck into the exact ADR you want.