I wonder if it is hit or miss with this place. Our first time it was fantastic, I couldn't wait to take my mom there on this last trip. The food, while not horrible, just was not as "wow" as I remembered from the first time.
Our server, Sharon, however was the best server I've ever had in all my trips to WDW.
I really think you won't know by reading, you'll just have to chance it and try for yourself as everyone's idea of good is different.
Most everyone here raves on Wolfgang Puck Express, and that was our absolute, hands down, worst meal, will never go there again and is forever referred to in our house as "Wolfgang Yucks".
I don't think you have to worry about characters, they aren't at the dinners, which is what you have to get for the Fantasmick Package. We try to get the earliest dinner seating, around 3:30pm, so we have a big breakfast around 10, skip lunch, have the Fantasmic dinner, then a popcorn or something later during the show.