Character buffets - do you have time to eat?

[ShannonMB]

On our last trip we did LTT and CRT and had no problem eating in between pics and visits with the characters, but how is it at the buffets?

We have CM and CP booked for dinner this time, and I wonder, what if you're at the buffet line when Tigger or Mickey try to stop at your table?

Seems like it might be a rushed feeling? Pics and characters are priority, esp for DD 8, but I def want to eat, too!

Thoughts?

 

[princesswendy720]

I'd like to know too! We have 2 character buffets booked, and I'm afraid if I get up to get more food I might miss them.

 

[Subrbnmommy]

When you get seated they tell you from which direction that Characters will arrive so that you can plan accordingly!

 

[mdhkitten]

I've eaten at both, and at Chef Mickey's they seemed to make it to our table more than once, but you can see if they're near your table at both places before you get to the buffet and if they're that close, the server should let you know.

It seems to take FOREVER for them to make the rounds at Crystal Palace. In fact, one time we were there for over an hour and a couple of the characters hadn't come by and the server had to get them. What had happened is that they had their "parade" that the characters do during the meals with the kids and once it was over they switched out whoever was playing the character and the character that came back out started on the other side of the restaurant!

 

[Diane♥Disney]

It can be tricky timing, you have to watch where the characters are before you go up to the buffet. If a character is only a few tables away, you should wait for that character and then go before the next one comes. They are spaced out enough where you can go up between. Sometimes as someone already mentioned, a character might be only a few tables away and then they stop to do the parade and then they don't come back and you see them on the other side of the room and have to wait all over again.

 

[Ti2GrLvr]

usually the host/hostess will let you know where they come from and we usually try to time our trip(s) to the buffett when one has just been to our table and another is still seen alittle ways away.

 

[MickeyNicki]

When DH and I took our 2 nieces to Chef Mickeys it was a nightmare...they were so into seeing the characters they didnt want to eat at all so it was a huge waste of money....plus the food was blech.

When we took them to the Princess Breakfast it was much easier because the food was brought out to us and they did eat more....I think getting up to the buffet was a pain with 2 little kids.

 

[FSUSammy]

We've gone to both CM and CP. At both places we'd scope out where the nearest character is. If they are still far away we'd go hit the buffet. We never missed any of the characters doing it that way. If we saw a character was coming soon we would not get up to get food, we'd sit and wait.

 

[Stitchfans]

Last March at CM it seemed like we would never be able to eat. We had characters coming by so close together, and since I had old pictures of me with them they were so interested in the pictures they took a little longer at our table.

I could see our waiter getting a bit peeved cause he wanted us to hurry up and eat so he could turn over the table for new customers and another tip. Wasn't our fault. I refused to let him hurry us up cause we were tired and hungry. Not to mention of course we paid a small fortune for the meal since it was the surcharge time of the year. All in all though we had a great time.

 

[Hootch]

there is plenty of time. To me CRT is the most difficult to find time to eat because it has the lowest character to guest ratio.

Usually my wife takes the kids up to the buffet, after looking around to see if characters are near, and let's the kids pick out what they want to eat. The kids come back and waith with me and my wife gets her plate. I'll then go up when she gets back if no characters are nearby.

Generally, we're done eating before all of the characters make it around to the table. Last trip to CM we had to wait awhile for Pluto since he's my daughter's favorite. Somehow Goofy lapped him.

 

[AnnetteF]

We've done all of the character meals and I have always felt that the buffets don't lend themselves well to character meals. Many times we have missed characters and then had to wait forever for them to come around again. You think they are nowhere near, but sometimes they just seem to show up out of nowhere. I prefer the meals that are either family style or pre-plated. Yes, they do sometimes interrupt your meal, but that is what we are there for anyway - the characters. I'd much prefer to be interrupted than miss them altogether and have to wait forever for them to come around again!

 

[lizzytizzy]

I have a question to ask about buffets. My daughter and I went with some friends for the 1900 Park Fare character breakfast at the Grand Floridian. This was our very first character meal ever and we enjoyed it. My question is once the characters went to all the tables, is breakfast over? I've noticed other tables clearing out after the characters did their rounds. My friend got up and left too. I didn't want to ask but was wondering if we could've stayed on after that for the breakfast because we didn't get to eat.

 

[VacationKicks]

I have a question to ask about buffets. My daughter and I went with some friends for the 1900 Park Fare character breakfast at the Grand Floridian. This was our very first character meal ever and we enjoyed it. My question is once the characters went to all the tables, is breakfast over? I've noticed other tables clearing out after the characters did their rounds. My friend got up and left too. I didn't want to ask but was wondering if we could've stayed on after that for the breakfast because we didn't get to eat.

You can stay as long as you want. We have been at Chef Mickey's and the characters came by several times before we were done.

Most people will wait to see the characters if they finished eating and leave as soon as they have seen them. Maybe that's why you notice a bunch of people leaving after seeing the characters.

 

[Atlanta WDW Fan]

We did CM for dinner last trip and was not very pleased. The characters did come by a lot, but the food was very disappointing. It felt rushed to us, trying to manage the four year old, and get plenty to eat. We were on Free Dining so the price was fine with us, obviously, but I would not have wanted to pay that price for that experience. I think breakfast there might be better. O'hana was our best character meal by far. Didn't like Playhouse Disney Play and Dine very much either. All for the same reasons, and character meals in general don't work for us in the parks, due to the time you waste. But as with most things, its a personal taste issue.

 

[disneypolybride2008]

I've eaten at both, and at Chef Mickey's they seemed to make it to our table more than once, but you can see if they're near your table at both places before you get to the buffet and if they're that close, the server should let you know.

It seems to take FOREVER for them to make the rounds at Crystal Palace. In fact, one time we were there for over an hour and a couple of the characters hadn't come by and the server had to get them. What had happened is that they had their "parade" that the characters do during the meals with the kids and once it was over they switched out whoever was playing the character and the character that came back out started on the other side of the restaurant!

I agree! We ate our whole meal w/o seeing any characters. When we were leaving i mentioned that and the waitress had us go to the other side of the restaurant where all the characters were and had them all come over for a picture with us. We got quite a few pics, some w/ both of us, some with just one person, and a few different characters. That was nice of them, but they couldnt be doing that for everyone... maybe they should have two sets of characters, one for each side of the restaurant. oh wait, that would cost Disney more $.

 

[Mr. & Mrs. Smith]

maybe they should have two sets of characters, one for each side of the restaurant. oh wait, that would cost Disney more $.

I think it has less to do with money than it does with spoiling the magic. What would happen if little Timmy saw 2 Poohs.

 

[ShannonMB]

I think it has less to do with money than it does with spoiling the magic. What would happen if little Timmy saw 2 Poohs.

That's what I was thinking! How could they have 2 Poohs? There's only one REAL Pooh!