Character dining Breakfast or dinner?

[sammie1884]

Hi everyone,
Getting excited for our November trip (a little early I know!) Been ill the last few days so been busy noting down tips etc.

One thing that I am still undecided on is Character dining times. On past visits we have just gone with the flow and booked them for when we want but this time it will be our 2 young Kiddies first visit (DS will be 5 and DD will be 22months)

So we have pretty much decided that we want to do chef Mickeys and Crystal Palace for Character dining but not sure wether to do breakfast or dinner (can't decide what times will be best for the kiddies) we have always done breakfast at crystal palace and done chef mickeys on our last visit for dinner.

Does anyone who has done both (breakfast and dinner) have an opinion on what to do for the best?

Thank you

 

[chmurf]

Thinking strictly budget : if you're on the DDP then do dinner Character meals, if you pay OOP do breakfasts

With kids I would not do dinner at a monorail resort without a car especially if your ADR gets you to leave the TTC/MK area during rush hour when transportation is crowded (juste after wishes or at park closing time)
sleepy, cranky kids when you're stuffed and packed inside a bus like sardines in a tin can ... explosive mixture...

 

[sammie1884]

Thank you, Sorry I forgot to say we are not doing ddp, staying on site though at AoA. We do have a car so driving will not be a prob. I am glad you said that though because I think last time we monorailed it from MK to Chef Mickeys and back again. I probably didn't bat an eyelid about the crowds etc back then! But your right, with kiddies we will find this stressful!

We have never had breakfast at Chef Mickeys, do you know what it is like? Is it similar to Crystal Palace?

 

[orangetiggs]

Bith kast two years with our girls, 23 months first visit and just under three second visit we preferred breakfasts, ok not get value on ddp but ours were so tired by dinner time that they were not interested in micckey and co and just wanted food then bed

We are heading back in nov and girls will be four and ill mostly be doing breakfasts and lunches and then dinner will be early counter service for girls and then we will pick something up later i would think when theyare sound asleep in the stroller

 

[sammie1884]

Think we will go for breakfasts then. Like your idea of an early cs then sleep in the buggy. I am now wondering if it would be a good idea to take a buggy for DS ?! He will be just 5 and I wasn't going to take one for him (just for DD), but now I am thinking we might need it?!

 

[orangetiggs]

We went with our nephew last year who was 4.5 and he never uses it here but did use it alot in disney, esp good if you wanna stay out and watch fireworks and they might fall asleep.

My girls will be four and i will def be taking one as i dont want to rent one as they are not nice in the parks hard plastic ones and dont wanna carry them

 

[Tinkerbell1989]

No help with the character thing (youngest person at meal has been 15!) But with the stroller thing, the first time we went in 2000, my sister was only jus

 

[Tinkerbell1989]

No help with the character thing (youngest person at meal has been 15!) But with the stroller thing, the first time we went in 2000, my sister was only just 5. We didnt bring a buggy, she never used it at home and yet she struggled the first couple of days. So we hired one for her and she used it most evenings, to rest her legs and have a nap. Even my 8yr old brother used it (possibly just out of laziness though!)
Xx

 

[Laurafoster]

Definitely take a Buggy, we have seen several parents struggling with carrying kids or kids being really tired.

We don't have a double buggy so will be renting one out there. (Not one of the park ones as they look uncomfortable and are so expensive). We are renting a city mini double instead.

 

[sammie1884]

Thank you everyone! I will deffo take one for him then. Will Virgin let me take 2 buggies on? or do you think they would let me take a double on? I could possibly get a cheap double before we go?

 

[Elise79]

I would do character breakfasts over dinners - it doesn't seem so bad the mad scramble for breakfast food in between characters and doesn't seem so bad if it gets cold!

Our DD is 4 1/2 and in December she used her stroller only in the evenings - we left it in the room during the day. I would say she has about another year of evening use as she was getting more tired from the walking.

Virgin will let you carry a car seat or buggy per child

 

[sammie1884]

I would do character breakfasts over dinners - it doesn't seem so bad the mad scramble for breakfast food in between characters and doesn't seem so bad if it gets cold!

Our DD is 4 1/2 and in December she used her stroller only in the evenings - we left it in the room during the day. I would say she has about another year of evening use as she was getting more tired from the walking.

Virgin will let you carry a car seat or buggy per child

Excellent, thanks for this info. I deffo have got extra buggy on my shopping list now. Then at least we can stay out a bit longer in the eves too.

 

[MrRomance]

Hi everyone,
Getting excited for our November trip (a little early I know!) Been ill the last few days so been busy noting down tips etc.

One thing that I am still undecided on is Character dining times. On past visits we have just gone with the flow and booked them for when we want but this time it will be our 2 young Kiddies first visit (DS will be 5 and DD will be 22months)

So we have pretty much decided that we want to do chef Mickeys and Crystal Palace for Character dining but not sure wether to do breakfast or dinner (can't decide what times will be best for the kiddies) we have always done breakfast at crystal palace and done chef mickeys on our last visit for dinner.

Does anyone who has done both (breakfast and dinner) have an opinion on what to do for the best?

Thank you

Thinking strictly budget : if you're on the DDP then do dinner Character meals, if you pay OOP do breakfasts

With kids I would not do dinner at a monorail resort without a car especially if your ADR gets you to leave the TTC/MK area during rush hour when transportation is crowded (juste after wishes or at park closing time)
sleepy, cranky kids when you're stuffed and packed inside a bus like sardines in a tin can ... explosive mixture...

As the above poster said, how you're paying is a key issue. Breakfast is much cheaper OOP, but if you've got the DDP dinner is the most bang for your buck.

We've done both at Crystal Palace, I prefer breakfast but dinner is great too.