Best character dining

[clbielick]

Hi! We havent been since earlier in COVID when there was essentially no character dining. Whats the updated recommendations for character dining? Will have 4, 6 and 8yo girls, and be going when its extremely hot so lunch time sit down meals will be a welcome chance to cool off. Staying at BLT. Thanks!

 

[GBRforWDW]

My favorite character meals aren't lunch options and they're also not in park, but I'll toss em out anyway.

Topolinos could be an option for a late breakfast after spending a few hours in Epcot. The breakfast runs til 1215, but I'd reserve for 1130 or a bit earlier if possible.

Snow White's Storybook Dining is an amazing dinner option. They're only open from 4-9 pm and located at Wilderness Lodge. We took a bus from Magic Kingdom over and it was a great break opportunity.

In Park options:

Hollywood and Vine in Hollywood Studios has been good as a non buffet. The buffet is returning Aug 28th though, so not sure if it'll still be good or not.

Garden Grill at Epcot is a fun option, both for food as well as characters as you get to meet Chip and Dale here.

Tusker House at Animal Kingdom and Chef Mickey's in the contemporary hotel are the final 2 character meals, but I don't have experience with either location.

Hope that helps a little. Have fun and enjoy your trip!

 

[sponica]

I enjoyed the lunch at Garden Grill. Good food and wonderful interactions. Hands down some of the best character interactions.

If tusker house does late breakfast, that might be worthwhile. I like their breakfast but have no experience with lunch.

I have heard the recommendation of a late breakfast at topolinos somewhere else.

 

[mby]

I really like Tusker House because it's a great meal, great characters, and it's not too difficult to get a reservation

 

[EmmaG]

I loved chef Mickeys with my then 4 yrar old but it was pre covid when we last went in Feb 2020.

 

[maui2k5]

We love Garden Grill, especially when they offered breakfast. You can get great character photos without people eating food in the background of the pics

 

[GBRforWDW]

In case you haven't seen, Disney World announced the return of 3 additional character dining options yesterday:

http://the360ofdisney.com/2022/07/06/disney-world-announces-more-character-dining/

 

[Her Dotness]

Crystal Palace, definitely!

It'd better be offering breakfast again by our trip next year. We enjoy meeting Pooh and Friends to start our MK day.

 

[Jacq7414]

I wish Crystal palace breakfast was coming back. It was my favorite.

We loved Topolino’s though. We did like an 1145 breakfast

 

[Earningmywings]

One thing to consider is the characters they would meet at each meal. If your main concern is the character interaction. If they don’t know who the characters are it may not be as special. I would look at the restaurants to narrow down the ones the kids would like best from a character stand point and go from there.

 

[TheOneWithTheTriplets]

As a PP said, lunch is tough right now for character meals. The best ones are breakfast or dinner only at resorts.

Will Crystal Palace be back to characters by the time you go?

And, if they open the lunch/brunch option back, Chef Mickey is another easy one from MK that my then 5 yo girls loved. You could book the latest breakfast they have and do breakfast foods for lunch.

Garden Grill is great. It was a particular request of mine to do again for our upcoming visit.

If you decide to do a dinner, Storybook Dining is awesome. The queen is excellent in character, the dwarfs are fun and don't meet regularly outside of that meal. But, it's not a lunch that gets you out of the heat of the day...