Character Dining with Older Kids

[TagsMissy]

Hiya.. please vote for your recommendation for Character Meals with 'older' kids... Early teens/tween... there is a younger child who wants a character meal so we are trying find the best option that a 12 and near 14 year old will also enjoy

 

[The Moonk's Mom]

I would say Chef Mickey's is always a good choice. My mother just took my 14yo niece and she loved it! She is very much a teenager KWIM? and she still kept thanking my mom for taking her there...they took some GREAT photos and she was smiling and laughing in all of them...looked like she was 5 again. Oh and the younger ones love it too!

 

[Pixiedust34]

My ds will be 13 on our next trip and he's pretty happy with any AYCE buffet whether or not there are characters. He's all about chowing down!

If your kids like buffets, give the Tusker House or Cape May breakfasts a try. You could also do Crystal Palace for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Chef Mickeys and 1900 Park Fare have breakfast and dinner. Since the characters are probably most important to the younger child, pick a meal with the character(s) that child wants to see the most. Tempt the older ones with all of the food offerings they'll have.

You didn't say the gender of the kids, but you might want to consider whether or not a Princess meal in Norway would would for your group. That is one place my ds wouldn't enjoy much because it's not a true buffet and it's strongly a girl theme. He does get by just fine at all other character dining.

 

[mommykds]

Chef Mickeys! I have a tween & she is as happy there as my 8 & 9 year old. And the ice cream for breakfast doesn't hurt either!

 

[loralie]

I have 2 boys, 13 and 11 and we are doing CM for dinner on our first day and for breakfast on our last day. The boys are looking forward to it because we did CM breakfast on our last 2 trips so it is like a tradition for them. We are also doing CP breakfast one day. We booked an early ADR so we can get into MK before it opens and walk down Main street with only a few people. It's not a character meal but we are also going to try WCC at the WL for the first time for a fun dinner one night.

Have fun,

Loralie

 

[PrincessTrisha]

1900 Park Fare for breakfast would be my first choice for a mixed group. Since it has a variety of characters - Mary Poppins, Alice, Mad Hatter, Pooh and Tigger - it has a mix of face and plush characters. The Mad Hatter is a riot (even when dealing with surly pre teens) and I think sometimes it helps with the older kids to have face characters because they are "real people".

Crystal Palace, Chef Mickey's, Cape May, or Ohana's breakfast would be my back up choices.

 

[maggiew]

Your older kids might like 1900 Park Fare because I believe Cinderella's step sisters put on quite an act. Plus the little one can see Cinderella and other characters.

Chef Mickey is a safe bet too.

Maggie

 

[Hootch]

1900 Park Fare for dinner is a great idea for character interaction. My (almost) six year old daughter probably wouldn't appreciate the humor of the steps but (almost) ten year old son probably would.

 

[TagsMissy]

Definitely not Princesses... even the youngest (girl) is no girly girl... Her mom and I were discussing this the other day and laughed at the thought of bringing her to the Norway restaurant. LOL I did get my hubby to sit through a meal there last year though

I am seriously leaning towards Chef Mickey's during one of our days that we are at BLT.


As for the genders, the older ones are 1 boy and 1 girl.

My ds will be 13 on our next trip and he's pretty happy with any AYCE buffet whether or not there are characters. He's all about chowing down!

If your kids like buffets, give the Tusker House or Cape May breakfasts a try. You could also do Crystal Palace for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Chef Mickeys and 1900 Park Fare have breakfast and dinner. Since the characters are probably most important to the younger child, pick a meal with the character(s) that child wants to see the most. Tempt the older ones with all of the food offerings they'll have.

You didn't say the gender of the kids, but you might want to consider whether or not a Princess meal in Norway would would for your group. That is one place my ds wouldn't enjoy much because it's not a true buffet and it's strongly a girl theme. He does get by just fine at all other character dining.

 

[TagsMissy]

1900 Park Fare for breakfast would be my first choice for a mixed group. Since it has a variety of characters - Mary Poppins, Alice, Mad Hatter, Pooh and Tigger - it has a mix of face and plush characters. The Mad Hatter is a riot (even when dealing with surly pre teens) and I think sometimes it helps with the older kids to have face characters because they are "real people".

Crystal Palace, Chef Mickey's, Cape May, or Ohana's breakfast would be my back up choices.

FORGET THE KIDS! I want to see the Mad Hatter

 

[KatMark]

My 18 year old son at the time (he's 23 now) did not want to go to a character meal for his high school graduation trip. However, since we took the girlfriend (she was then 17) with us and she had NEVER been to Disney, we were insistent we had to do a couple of character meals.

We did Chef Mickey's and Crystal Palace. They enjoyed both immensely, but really enjoyed Chef Mickey's:

 

[MinnieTink]

I'm throwing my vote in for Ohana. Mickey and Pluto were cute, as always, but Lilo and Stitch were really funny! And for my family, it is a 'plus' that it is not a buffet.

 

[DisneyTinkerbell]

My kids, DD17 and DS15, insist on doing Chef Mickey's every trip.

 

[Best Aunt]

At breakfast at Cape May Cafe, Minnie Mouse came over to 18-year old and started playing Tic-Tac-Toe with him on the placemat. He later told me that she cheated! I'm sure she only did that to amuse the teenager, right?

 

[Tinkerspell]

Garden Grill. And not just because my teenager insists that he has to go there or he's not been to Disney. The atmosphere is fun, but not too childish, Chip and Dale are an absolute scream, you get to peek into The Land, and it's AYCE... which is vital for a growing teen boy.

 

[I Am What I Am]

I am 14-going-on-15 years old. For character dining I recommend Chef Mickey's. We go there almost every time and have a blast! Plus the food is super good.