ADR's ready to go.. but DD says NO to cp..

[ALittleDisneyFan]

We are going in Sept.. staying at WL.. and only going to MK as far as parks go. We were supposed to go to CP one night & now she says no.. She can get really scared of the characters unless they are ones she likes!

Any suggestions? I have adr's for chef micks, crt, and wcc.

 

[Disney DieHard]

Hey there ALittleDisneyFan!

Having a little character terror, huh?

Okay, now are you looking for alternatives to character meals, just an alternative to Crystal Palace, or are you looking for specific characters. In any case I can offer up suggestions ... just want to craft my answer around your needs!

Respond soon!!!

Frank
Disney DieHard

 

[squirrel]

WCC doesn't have characters.

So is it just CP that she says no to? I wouldn't bother switching ADR's around. Looking at your signature, she's 4. I bet once you get there she will be fine.

I never asked my niece's where they wanted to eat. I picked the places and they seemed to enjoy themselves. I did ask the younger one if she would like to eat in the castle and she didn't seem to want to. Fine by me, it's not my favorite place. I only offered as I know her sister has been.

 

[nicki.momof3]

If you want to go to CP - go. It really is your choice as the parent. If you child does not like Pooh and friends I am sure chef mickeys would not be great either.

All you do is when a character approaches simply pass on the interaction. Just because you are at CP does not mean you are forced to interact with characters.

If your child is old enough to have an opinion about dining locations I am sure they are old enough to deal with your choice. I am all about making a trip for "my kids" but they are not allowed to dictate what we do all the time.

 

[Aliceacc]

One of my kids was terrified of the characters the first time we went. The poor thing spent the entire vacation looking around, terrified that a character would somehow pop out of nowhere, and lost sleep as the characters haunted her dreams.

Not much of a vacation for a child.

There are so many fabulous dining choices at WDW; I say you make an effort to accomodate your daughter.

SHe might enjoy dinner at 1900 Park Fare. It's Cinderella and the stepsisters and step mom. They're in costumes, but you can see from their faces that they're real people. So you can still get autographs and pictures, but there was no fear factor for us, and the step sisters were hysterical and the food was good. Ohana (at the Polynesian) is also good food and a lot of fun. We had a real nice meal at the Kona Cafe in the Poly as well.

LIberty Tree Tavern no longer has characters.

If you do consider other parks:
Likewise, breakfast at Aukeraus in Epcot featured 5 princesses, but no "face characters." Ohana (at the Polynesian) is also good food and a lot of fun.

We LOVE Yak and Yetti in Animal Kingdom.

We're also big Le Cellier fans. Next trip we want to try Biergarten.

Sci Fi Diner in DHS was a lot of fun-- really corny Sci Fi pictures play as you eat in what looks like an old drive-in car. Not at all scary.

 

[ALittleDisneyFan]

Sorry I didn't explain better! lol..

She wants to go to Chef Mickey's because she wants to see those characters. She wants to go to CRT because she wants to eat in the castle/loves the princesses. WCC has no characters so no issue there. FTR, she has been or seen all of those characters before

She doesn't want to see Pooh, etc so she doesn't want to go. Yes, I'm aware I could take her.. but it's a horrifying experience when she doesn't "want" to see them. For example, my sister insists on having characters at her kids b-day parties.. well they terrify her. She will run, crawl, panic, cry & shake.. this is what I am hoping to avoid by trying to find another alternative to CP. DD used to love Chuck E Cheese until my nephews bday party last year.. now she refuses. It's sad This isn't her just being a brat, it's actually her being terrified.

I'm only looking to possibly change the CP. I'm hoping if I take her to see the Pooh movie that she'll get on board? I'm also trying to explain that Mommy is having a hard time finding other restaurants (which is the truth).. and that she doesn't have to take pictures with the characters, etc..

I'm open to char meals (mickey & gang, princesses... that's as far as that goes). I'm open to just non-char meals as well. I'm open to GF, WL, CR, Poly, and MK..

Thanks

 

[Disney DieHard]

Hello again ALittleDisneyFan!

Okay, now that I have a clearer explanation of what you want lemme give it a shot! Basically, you've given me an easy task because you are pretty much open to anything with the exception of a Pooh meal.

So! Let's get started! (Cracks Knuckles)

Now, the one thing I'm not sure of is whether you're looking for a B, L, or D place. So I will suggest a little bit of everything for you and then if you still have any questions PLEASE feel free to ask!

For a character breakfast there are a couple possibilities. You have Akershus in Norway in EPCOT which is a home-style breakfast which, in case you don't know, means that they will slam a big pan full of scrambled eggs, sausage, bacon, and breakfast potatoes down and as you eat up they will bring out more! At this breakfast you have the opportunity to interact with the Disney Princesses. When you first enter the restaurant you will be guided into an alcove where you will have your picture taken with a "stationary" Princess, usually Belle, then you will be seated and the remaining Princesses ... Ariel, Sleeping Beauty, Snow White, and Jasmine will come around to your table. During your meal you will also be given your picture from when you came in. There is no charge for the picture ... it's NOT free ... it is included in the price of your meal ... so technically you ARE paying for it. This place is worth the price an the monorail hop or car drive it takes to get to EPCOT ... in MY OPINION.

You also have Cape May Cafe at The Beach Club. Cape May Cafe is a GREAT alternative to Crystal Palace and Chef Mickey's! It is a buffet style meal and the only REAL difference between it and Crystal is that there is no chef in the center making custom omelets and pancakes. In this meal you have Goofy, Donald, and Minnie coming around to your table. The BIG + to this venue is the noticeably lower volume level! Where Crystal and Chef Mickey's are VERY loud and GO GO GO ... Cape May is low-key and relaxing by comparison!

Now, you also have Ohana's for breakfast at the Polynesian Resort. My family and I didn't like this restaurant ... but that is OUR opinion and there are plenty of others here who LOVE it ... it is possible that we may have just gotten unlucky the day we went but it really soured us on it. The Ohana breakfast has Lilo & Stitch and is also a home-style meal like I described for Akershus above.

As far as dinner ... if you've read my other posts you will know that I am an Ohana *****! I LOVE OHANA FOR DINNER! There are no characters at the dinner meal ... there are kid activities that can be participated in such as coconut races, limbo, hula dancing etc led by Lipoa who is an Ohana icon ... she's been there for YEARS and she really adds to the atmosphere! Ohana is also an All-You-Can-Eat restaurant featuring skewers of meat cooked over an open wood pit and then brought to your table!

I hope this helps ... I know I am leaving out other restaurants like 1900 Park Fare (Which I think has slipped a lot over the past few years) and others but I just wanted to give you a few of my favorites! If you have any questions or comments about something I did or didn't address PLEASE ask!!!

Take Care & Be Safe!!!

Frank
Disney DieHard

 

[SabresFan]

A suggestion - our daughter was terrified of people in masks, people in beards, etc. I think she was 3 or 4 at the time.

We took her to Chuck E Cheese early one day, and we asked the manager if we could take her back to see the costume. They let us go back there, and put the head on us, and then on her.

Once she saw that it really was just a costume, she got over it. The manager at Chuck's said they do it a lot for kids that get scared.

It might or might not work for your little one, but it did the trick for us. And it didn't really take away any of the magic - now she is DD18 (and graduating from HS tomorrow night) and she still gets a thrill from seeing Eeyore (and all the other characters, although Eeyore is her absolute favorite).

 

[everythingALICE]

If MK is the only park you're going to, it definitely narrows down the character options. Personally, I might show her a couple Pooh movies/books to see if she warms up to it...I'm pretty sure I was obsessed with Pooh when I was young! If she's still adamant that she doesn't want to see him, I agree that it's probably to both your benefit not to force her.

It's pricier than CP, but depending on what time of year you go Mickey's Backyard BBQ might be an option. It has Mickey and Friends (since you know your DD is okay with them) and is at the Fort Wilderness Campground, just a boatride away from the MK.

Ohana during dinner might be nice too. There are no characters at dinner, but there are some fun activities for kids (coconut racing or something? Not sure to be honest) and there's singing and such for people's birthdays, anniversaries, etc...so it might be more entertaining for her than some other non-character meals.

 

[ALittleDisneyFan]

Thanks for all the suggestions! I did look into Mickey BBQ, but it seems to only be on thursdays/saturdays, unfortunately!

I'm okay with non character meals as well!

She's a pretty shy girl so she wouldn't take part in the Ohana stuff, but it does sound like a lot of fun!

 

[OhThePain]

Are you on a dining plan or paying OOP?

1900 PF for dinner would be a good choice if you are looking for something with characters.

LTT or The Plaza are good choices that are in the MK that don't have characters. The Grand Floridian Cafe is another option without characters that is right on the monorail loop. Check out the menus on allears.net to give yourself an idea of what the restaurants have to offer.

 

[disneybex]

If you want a great relaxed restaurant in MK instead of CP, we loved the Plaza, tasty milkshakes and delicious ice-cream sundaes

 

[pooh4evr]

Try Liberty Tree it is one of our favorites!

 

[adventure_woman]

I would keep the ADR, just in case...but if she doesn't want to see the characters, I wouldn't go. DD is also 4, and I know that they can get petrified and I have sat through a meal with her sobbing on my shoulder before...DEFINITELY not worth it!!

As for other options:
O'Hana - both breakfast and dinner were awesome. I doubt you can get in...but I would look for it. Breakfast has Mickey, Pluto, Stitch and Lilo in it (DD said "No Thank You" to seeing Stitch).

1900 Park Fare - I have been to both breakfast and dinner. Both nice. (wait....breakfast has Pooh and Tigger but also Alice, Mary Poppins and Mad Hatter so that may not work).

 

[MrsLS]

Liberty Tree tavern is good at MK & there are no characters but I've only been for lunch. At dinner it is family style/one meal.

 

[ALittleDisneyFan]

Thanks!!! Is there anywhere besides Cape May & Chef Micks that has Mickey? (I don't think Ohana(??) is available.. plus I think she would freak over stitch.

We're on DDP.. Is the plaza a table service or quick service?

 

[everythingALICE]

The Plaza is a TS meal, but is pretty inexpensive, as it mainly serves sandwiches, ice cream, etc. If you're using the DDP, I probably wouldn't use a TS credit on it.

Aside from the ones you just mentioned, I don't think there are any character meals w/ Mickey at resort restaurants. The only other place he might possibly be is at the character breakfast at Garden Grove at the Swan hotel (I know they have some of Mickey's friends, just not sure if he is there). However, I believe the character breakfast is only on weekends, and they also do not accept the DDP.