Character Breakfasts and Dining Plan Question

[coopersmom]

We are planning several very early character breakfasts for our son (prior to park's opening) during our trip and will be on the dining plan. I don't eat breakfast. Just the idea of food that early makes me a little queasy.

Is it possible to pay for my husband and son and I just watch and take pictures? I'm not trying to get anything for free or flout any rules (I really won't have anything and don't want anything), I was just wondering if that's allowed since most character breakfasts are buffet-style and I know I would be taking up a seat, if nothing else.

 

[2Tiggies]

I think you are going to struggle with this. I am thinking of the character meals and all the ones that come to mind are either a buffet or family style meal. At these meals everyone in your reservation has to pay a TS credit/s for the meal. If you were eating at a restaurant where you just order your items off the menu, you would not have a problem, but character meals tend not to have such menus so I think you will have to have a good look at your plans and perhaps see if you can shift one or two of them later in the day or do a lunch instead if there is availabilty. How many character meals do you have booked and which ones are they?

 

[coopersmom]

We currently have 'Ohana (7:30 AM), Tusker House (8 AM) and, hope to add Crystal Palace on our Magic Kingdom day (I'll keep trying). Honestly, I'm not real big on buffets in general (as in: I despise them), but I want our son to have the character experience. If I can't save the credit (and I had already assumed I couldn't), it's not the end of the world. I guess I can always ask the server. The worst they can say is no.

As a foodie, I'm definitely going with the attitude that Disney is about the experience, not the dining, and I'm prepared to be, at best, underwhelmed. If I end up finding a meal or two I really enjoy, that's a bonus. I'm not going to let it effect the overall "magic" of Disney World.

 

[2Tiggies]

Try and get late breakfasts or else lunches for the others so you can at least join the others with your meal. I really like the Crystal Palace for the food. As Disney buffets go, it has never failed to please.

 

[TDC Nala]

All character breakfasts are either buffet or all you can eat family style, and you will probably not be permitted to remain at the table without paying for the meal. That is Disney's general rule about all you can eat meals. They used to allow it with an "entertainment charge" but now it is all or nothing. It is too difficult to have the servers police the table and make sure the person who isn't paying doesn't eat anything.

 

[williamson_ja]

There's no reason you have to be there so early. I am also one who just can't eat a big meal right in the early morning. It makes me sick. So, I just make my character meals for later in the day. One of the ones we wanted to do ('Ohana) only serves breakfast with the characters, so I just made the latest possible breakfast ADR and we'll count it as lunch. Our reservation time is for 10:55. By the time we get seated and they bring food out, it will be after 11:00. That's late enough I can start to think about eating something. If my reservations were for before 8:00 a.m., I wouldn't eat anything. Then I would just be wasting my time and money. Not worth it to me.

 

[dixonsontour]

Yes good suggestion to switch the reservation to brunch.

All the food is fresh and buffet clean so even if buffets are not your thing you will find something to your taste i'm sure. The fruit is always lovely.

Only time I have read of people not being charged was if someone obviously couldn't eat eg a tube fed child and then a manager may waive the charge.