Character Dining Lunch with Young Children

[k8Davies]

Hello

After all the help you gave me with regards to Disney Hotels, I need some more help with a Character Dining decision. As I'm nearly at my 180 days

We're off to Disney in Oct and while we are away my DS turns 1. So we want to celebrate this at Disney and we were thinking about booking a Disney Character Lunch.

I had a look and I think I've whittled it down to either Hollywood & Vine (Disney Junior Dine and Play) or The Crystal Palace. Not sure which one would be best for our party.

Apart from the Adults who would be happy with either we will have my Nephew who is 2 and a half and maybe my American cousin and her son who is 6 (but that's not definite yet).

So any advise/people's dining experiences with young children would be brilliant. Also if anyone knows if you can order a cake at these lunches that would be helpful too.

Thanks in advance for all the fab advice

 

[torsie24]

I can't help on the meal front but I'm pretty sure you can get cakes almost everywhere.

I'd say pick which characters you think they'll enjoy seeing more.

 

[foxxxy83]

We had lunch at Crystal Palace when I took my DS last Oct and LOVED it! The Whinnie the Pooh & Friends characters were REALLY good and posed for pics at EVERY table... they weren't rushing you to finish and you were able to visit the buffet as many times as you liked... worst point for me was the LONG LONG wait (over half an hr from our allotted ADR time!) in the blistering heat outside waiting to be seated but given that they don't rush you out the door etc as I've previously mentioned, this is understandable. Our favourite character meal was definitely Tusker House for breakfast (although 1900 Park Fare had FAB characters just not enough food... everywhere just looked quite bare in comparison to Tusker House so not sure what happened there!) Hope that helps.. am sure others on here will have had more experience than me coz we've only been the once but I know all advice helps so thought I'd share my experience for what it's worth. Hope you all have a FAB time no matter where you decide on!

 

[scoobydooby]

In my opinion the food is considerably better at Crystal Palace. However, for little kids I'd also choose based on their favourite characters. I do think the food is sub par at Hollywood and Vine though.

 

[poppyberry]

We did both in out trip last Oct with our then 15 month old DS. He loved both, particularly Jake and Piglet, I was worried about the food at Hollywood and Vine but we didn't find it too bad although I'd agree CP is better. We are doing both again this Sept and can't wait to see Doc and Sophia!

 

[chmurf]

The Whinnie the Pooh & Friends characters were REALLY good and posed for pics at EVERY table...

yes that's what characters do at character meals ...Sorry to ironise here but bolding "every" made it sound like it was an amazing thing, when in fact it's just what people book character meals for.
Nevermind.

@OP : for the younger ones, Winnie and Friends might be more "infant-friendly".
Disney Junior Characters will appeal more the the 6 years old.
H&V now features DocMcStuffins and Sofia the 1st but I don't think it will matter to them.

I think I'd go for CP.
We did CP and H&V on our last trip with a 6 years old, and even if H&V was a favorite, CP was not lost on our DS, he still enjoys Pooh, Tigger and the Hundred Acre Wood bunch.

 

[2Tiggies]

Another vote for CP


I think H&V can be slightly more chaotic feeling. We really enjoy eating at CP and have always had good food there. If you aren't rushed you often get the characters revisiting your table a second time.

They are also very good at approaching the table with little ones with caution to allow time to read the child's reaction. They are so used to children being afraid of them so they are pretty sensitive to reading uncertainty.

 

[foxxxy83]

Agreed this is what folks book Character meals for but we found on a couple of occasions that characters would miss out a table here and there which has obviously been done accidentally and in such a busy atmosphere is understandable and yes I am being pedantic when I say that but at CP, they did seem to be more "on top of" things and every effort was taken to ensure the characters didn't miss any tables... plus before I went on my last trip, I hadn't realised they visited every table. I thought it would be just a case of they paraded through the room every so often or something like that. Yes, I am a "dumb blonde"! Sad but true! Lol!

 

[Frankiemack]

If you haven't considered it yet, might I recommend Chef Mickey's at the Contemporary Resort for Breakfast or Dinner? It's a monorail ride away from MK.

For me, its the best place to go if you are doing a single character meal as the big 5 characters are there: Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Goofy and Pluto.

I've had bad experiences at CP the last 2 times I've been there although reviews are mixed.

 

[2Tiggies]

Our favourite character meal was definitely Tusker House for breakfast (although 1900 Park Fare had FAB characters just not enough food... everywhere just looked quite bare in comparison to Tusker House so not sure what happened there!)

So are you recommending 1900 Park Fare? I thought you hated it.

Food at 1900 Park Fare is TERRIBLE! Ended up complaining about that and the sheer lack of it. It was 8am and hardly anything left! As a result it felt like the characters seemed to take FOREVER as well!

It's actually one of our top picks although I'd pick neither that nor Tusker House for a 1 year old.

 

[torsie24]

. @OP : for the younger ones, Winnie and Friends might be more "infant-friendly". Disney Junior Characters will appeal more the the 6 years old. H&V now features DocMcStuffins and Sofia the 1st but I don't think it will matter to them. .

I don't know....

My 11 month old would recognise Doc McStuffins but probably not Winnie the Pooh

(We have Disney Junior on for nappy changes and when I'm doing her hair - and she has the doc toys)

 

[tinks_1989]

I don't agree that Hollywood and Vine would be more for 6 year olds. We have taken DD 3 times 2, 2 and 1/2 and 3. She loved it they get up and dance every 15 minutes and once every hour do a parade around the restaurant.

We have eaten at every character meal at WDW now at least twice.
Our favourites are

Ohana Breakfast
Tusker House Breakfast
Garden Grill Dinner

Worst
Chef Mickey, I know some love it but the food even for buffet was awful, 2 and 1/2 hours and only saw 3 out of 5 characters. Our waitress offered to bring us to the other characters but we just couldn't be bothered to spend any longer in there. The character interaction we received was mediocre any way.

 

[foxxxy83]

Not promoting 1900 Park Fare... just making the point that, character-wise, once they got to your table the fact you could have chit-chat with them (Alice, Mad Hatter and Mary Poppins), you felt you had "met them" more. The food was spare when we were there and the characters did take ages to come to the table which could have been managed better but that was only when we were there and I know others who've had better experiences.

 

[pickers1982]

Does your ds like any characters in particular? That would decide it for

Only done character dining at chef mickeys. Saw all characters in good time and they were very good. That said found the food just ok and the buffet format all abit crazy

 

[lush]

I don't know....

My 11 month old would recognise Doc McStuffins but probably not Winnie the Pooh

(We have Disney Junior on for nappy changes and when I'm doing her hair - and she has the doc toys)

I agree with torse24 -
My two little ones are both under 3 and they would both know all of the Disney Junior characters better than the Winnie the Pooh ones. Not that they don't know Pooh and Friends but I wouldn't say the Disney Junior gang are aimed at age 6 and over. You only need to look at the daily 'Birthday Book' to see that. The majority of the kids are under 4.

 

[scoobydooby]

We have done all the character meals at the hotels and the parks multiple times over the last 8 years, so if your question is wider than Crystal Palace or Hollywood and Vine do ask away. I have had good and bad experiences at the same places. The only place I have found the food consistently poor was Hollywood and Vine but others I know have had good experiences. I think in reality it's a bit of a lottery.

The breakfast (food and characters), at the Polynesian is our favourite.

The most chilled out, relaxed character interaction we have ever had has been at Cape May Cafe for breakfast at the Beach Club. The best place to get quality time with Minnie Mouse if that's your kid's bag.

We have had experiences ranging from needing to complain to exceptional at Chef Mickey's.

Garden Grill seems consistently good.

Food at Akershsus is a cut above the average character meal.

Cinderella's Royal Table has upped its game for food quality this last couple of years.

All just MHO of course

 

[dixonsontour]

H and V is the only character meal onsite we haven't done. DD was 4 first time we had ddp and wasn't into the disney junior characters.

Crystal palace is lovely and light and airy. My DD was never into pooh but loves the characters there - just been looking at photos with her tonight.

 

[Zeebs]

My advice would be to book the meal towards the end of your trip, we have taken 3 children around the 1 year old mark.

Child 1 loved the characters couldn't get enough of them.
Child 2 hated the characters cried if they came near him.
Child 3 didn't like them very much at all either and cried, as she got older and on a trip to a character meal at LEGOLAND she was screaming as the character entered the restaurant which was right down the other end of the place. Still hated them.

It is very expensive if your child hates the characters, meet a few in the parks first then you can cancel the meal without fee's if bubs doesn't like them.

We have Chef Mickey's booked towards the end of our trip to see how Madam 4 is handling them.

Crystal Palace would be my vote as the characters even if not recognised by the child are nice and cuddly.

Kirsten

 

[chmurf]

I don't know....

My 11 month old would recognise Doc McStuffins but probably not Winnie the Pooh

(We have Disney Junior on for nappy changes and when I'm doing her hair - and she has the doc toys)

My DS was also a Disney Junior addict from an early age.

My point was just that smaller ones might be more familiar with Pooh than with "toddlers characters".
Jake and Doc are 6 years old. Sofia must be around 6 (not sure about her)
Those characters are more "geared" towards kids the same age as the characters.

I do agree that many kids will be familiar with Disney Junior characters at a very early age.

At the end of the day, it depends on the parents who know their kids best and which character is more likely to be a hit for their kids.

Knowing a character does not mean that the kid will not shy off, or even be scared of the character.
As previously mentionned, Pooh and friends charachers are often better when it comes to approaching little ones.

Kids will have a blast at H&V. But I think the main point is, for the OP, to anticipate their kid's reaction to the characters.

Both restaurants are great. But when it comes to cuddles and hugs, some kids will rather hug a Pooh or a Piglet, than a Handyman with a tool belt, or a pirate, even friendly ones And some kids will prefer the DJ characters.

CP might be a safest bet on the kid's response when faced with the characters. At character meals or meet&greets we've all seen little ones burst into tears and scream at the top of their lungs ... character meals are expensive, why take chances ?

 

[torsie24]

I really can't see why Pooh & Tigger are any more or less likely to make a child cry than Sofia or Handy Manny though?