Best Character Dining?

[talfe]

Hi! We are going to WDW in October & I made reservations for Chef Mickey's and Garden Grill (both for dinner). Right now my kids aren't thrilled with big costumed characters but am hoping by then they will be. Should I risk it and keep the reservations or try another character dining experience? Also, How is the food for what you pay? Thanks so much!!

 

[2Tiggies]

Hi and welcome to the DIS!!!

Are your children both boys? How old are they?

If you have the reservations, don't cancel them now. There is no penalty for cancelling and you have nearly 6 months to decide. Personally, I think you should keep the reservations until you are there. You can "test" your kids' response to the characters with one or two meet n greets in the parks where they get to approach the characters, rather than the characters approaching them as they do at the restaurants.

I asked if they were both boys because of your reference to pirates. If you had girls, or very young boys who don't mind them, then the princess meals may be an option as they are "face characters" so it is really an evidently real person, dressed up for the part and they may find this less intimidating. For younger children the Crystal Palace is a popular choice as it is Pooh and friends, but if it is the sheer size of them that intimidates a child, I don't see that this will make any difference.

But don't cancel those ressies just yet. My DD surprised me one trip by suddenly taking to things I knew she wouldn't - but she just got caught up in the atmosphere of it all and we never looked back since.

 

[talfe]

Hi! Thanks so much 2Tiggies!! I have two girls (3 and 8 - the "Pirates" reference was for me-LOVE that ride) and this will be their first trip. Perhaps they will surprise me as well! Take care!

 

[mmtska]

We went to the GG last year. The food was really good (and I even asked for some stuff off of the kids' menu) That was nice because you don't have to get the food-it's all you care to eat, but they bring it to you. The Characters (Mickey, Pluto, Chip and Dale) are awesome, and the turning of the restaurant is pretty rockin.

If the girls like princesses, we also went to Akershus in Epcot. We had a lot of fun there (just me and DH) and loved seeing all the princesses! (I'm a huge Aurora fan if you can't tell) The food was different, but still really good.

 

[HunnyJar]

For character interaction Garden Grill is the best in my opinion. We had the best time there in February while we were celebrating our daughter's 1st birthday. The characters were so great and spent quite a bit of time at our table. Plus all of them came back multiple times. Just a great evening! Plus the food was good, too!

Another favorite of ours is 'Ohana - Best Friend's breakfast with Mickey, Pluto, Lilo and Stitch. The food was WONDERFUL and I am not a breakfast person. The whole breakfast was so much fun and very tasty.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

I would also keep your reservations because character dining locations are sometimes very hard to get into. Now as for the food my family and I have been to Chef Mickey's a few times for dinner and found nothing wrong with their food.

 

[BebopBaloo]

There is hope! My DD doesn't like costumed characters anywhere, except for WDW and Chic-fil-a (the cow). Crystal Palace was her introduction to characters when she was 23months and she loved them! She still wants breakfast with Pooh bear on a regular basis. I wish he made house calls.

Crystal Palace gets my vote everytime, for food, atmosphere, and character interaction. However, we haven't been to GG yet (on the next trip list) and I like all the great things that I am reading about that.

 

[talfe]

We went to the GG last year. The food was really good (and I even asked for some stuff off of the kids' menu) That was nice because you don't have to get the food-it's all you care to eat, but they bring it to you. The Characters (Mickey, Pluto, Chip and Dale) are awesome, and the turning of the restaurant is pretty rockin.

If the girls like princesses, we also went to Akershus in Epcot. We had a lot of fun there (just me and DH) and loved seeing all the princesses! (I'm a huge Aurora fan if you can't tell) The food was different, but still really good.

I just made a reservation for Akershus (my girls LOVE Princesses-they will go nuts).

Thank you all so much for your advice! Loving the DISBoards!! I want it to be a great time for my family!

 

[KTJAY]

Hi! We are going to WDW in October & I made reservations for Chef Mickey's and Garden Grill (both for dinner). Right now my kids aren't thrilled with big costumed characters but am hoping by then they will be. Should I risk it and keep the reservations or try another character dining experience? Also, How is the food for what you pay? Thanks so much!!

My son was 8 during our 1st trip to Disney and he hated Chuck e Cheese and other characters. So I was so worried he wasn't going to like character dining. He was fine though and still is at 15-lol. We did CM, CP and 1900 Park Fare for breakfast with Alice. He loved Alice.