Any one not doing character meals?

[hollyb]

Real quick DS 9 and DD 6 /2 (when we go) are more interested in the parks and not the characters. When we take them to Great Adventure they see them and keep going. Also we are pretty laid back and let them eat when they want too on vacation any way. We have decided not to plan any meals with characters. Are we horrible parents? I think they would rather spend their time in the parks. We will eat at our hotel if we are there at meal times.

 

[Vickie46]

no.. I don't think that is bad at all.. we are letting our daughter have Chef Mickeys and then the rest we are eating where we want too.. it seems like when we have a character meal.. we are all so worried about pictures, autographs... she can't eat she is so excited.. that we think one meal with the characters is enough for us... but don't get me wrong.. we have been where we had one each day.. its just too much for us.

 

[Nanajo1]

There are plenty of opportunities to see the characters at the parks if your kids want to see them/get autographs. So not doing the character meals would be okay. Each family needs to plan the vacation that best meets their needs.
Have a great trip.

 

[walker409]

My kids really have no interest in the characters either. We'll take our first trip next April and I've decided to book the Wonderland Tea Party for my dd (age 4) and the Pirate Treasure Hunt Cruise for my ds(age 7, 10). We're also going to see the Hoop Dee Doo Revuse. I think they'll get more out of these activities than a character meal.

 

[Scutapipig]

Nope! No character meals here, either, and I have an 8 year old and a 10 year old.

I don't want to pay a large amount of money for my 10 year old to eat at adult prices, since I'll be lucky if I can get him to eat at all.

Some of our best interactions with characters have happened when we run across them in the parks.

 

[Rapunsel]

We only did a character meal because it was Dh's Birthday. So we could have one with out it. We are not character people anyways. I can't stand waitiinin line. So the last time we went to Disneyland we did a princess meal so that we could see the characters and celebrate my DDd's 1st birthday.

We are going back in June and only doing 1 day at the park and doing 1 character meal on a different day. So they are still going to Disneyland twice. Just not doing the rides the second day..

 

[allboyz]

We might not be going to a Character meal if Chef Mickey's does not have a cancellation for our date. I was able to get one at Crystal Palace for lunch but my kids are not very excited about eating with Pooh and friends. They want to eat with Mickey. So I'm thinking about cancelling the lunch. Why should I pay that much to eat if those are not the characters they want to eat with? I will keep checking chef mickey to see if there are cancellations though...

 

[hollyb]

Thanks I think we are making the right choice. If not we will just have to go back.

 

[poohraedopey]

You could consider an early AM meal if you want to do one without missing park time. Say the park opens at 9 and you have an 8:10 CP breakfast you are already in the park and at the rope drop well before opening.

Hubby and I did 2 Character breakfasts with no kids and we loved it. But we did the early thing I'm not sure we would have given up our park time for it! We still haven't decided exactly what we are doing this trip with kids.