Character Dining

[Otootles]

Stayin at CSR in Feb. 1st time to WDW. 2 small boys 5 & 3. Have DDP. what are the best places for character dining? Just looking for opinions
Thanks

Harry

 

[KatMark]

Our favorites (as was the kids' when they used to travel with us--they are in college now):

Crystal Palace -- Breakfast with Pooh, Tigger, Eeyore and Piglet
Cape May Cafe -- Breakfast with Minnie, Goofy and Donald Duck (DD replaced Chip and Dale)
Chef Mickeys -- Breakfast or dinner (although we prefer breakfast)

We did the Princess lunch at Epcot just DH and I--didn't care for the food (and that was the reason we went).

We did Garden Grill years and years ago. I know they are cancelling one of the meals there--but not sure which one. A lot of people like Ohanas with Lilo & Stitch. We are not fans of Stitch or family style so we've not been here since it was a buffet with Minnie.

Hope this helps.

 

[princssdisnygina]

Well there are a few! I think for the food and the characters Chef Mickeys is my favorite place! The food is decent and the characters are Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Goofy and/or Pluto/Chip & Dale.

Since you have 2 boys I would guess a Princess meal would not work, but maybe they like to flirt? LOL! Akershus at EPCOT is a great place for breakfast with Disney Princesses!

I like O'hanas for breakfast! It is a Lilo and Stitch breakfast with Mickey and Pluto. The food is good there too!

I like Crystal Palace just because it is in the MK and it is Pooh and friends. The food is probably my least favorite but we do like to go.

We DO NOT like Liberty Tree Tavern at all. Not the food, not even worth going every couple of years, but others have enjoyed it.

 

[GatorLady]

Well there are a few! I think for the food and the characters Chef Mickeys is my favorite place! The food is decent and the characters are Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Goofy and/or Pluto/Chip & Dale.

Chip and Dale are no longer at CM. They can be found at the Garden Grill (dinner only now).

 

[Faline]

I have to agree with Crystal palace and Chef Mickey's. But I also have to say that 1900 Park Faire has GREAT character interaction.

 

[aDVCguy]

If you're into Pooh & Friends (who isn't)...
this is the place to be!

My wife, daughter and I had dinner there and
loved every aspect of it. There's plenty of
photo opportunities here...food's good...the
atmosphere great and not to forget...the
make your own ice cream station! Even I
found it fun to make my own ice cream bowl...
must be the big kid in me trying to get out!

 

[MatterhornMiss]

I would also recommend Chef Mickey's. You get to interact with the "Fab 5" (Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Goofy, and Pluto), and the food was good (at least it was for breakfast). It is a a fun meal. I hope by the time you get there, the lobby refurb in the Contemporary Resort will be completed, as that was the only detraction from the meal.

I thoroughly enjoyed the Wicked Step Mother at 1900 Park Fare, but the food was not good at all.

Crystal Palace for breakfast had good food and the Pooh Characters. If you chose this one, I would recommend trying to make your ADR before park opening. We got lots of pics on a practically empty Main Street. Once the park opened, the restaurant got a whole lot busier.

It's been so many years since Cape May that I don't remember the meal, but I have some great pics with the characters.

 

[love__goofy]

Chef Mickey #1 - my favorite
Crystal Palace - loved the atmosphere


Is your 3 year old into the Little Einsteins or Jo Jo and Goliah? I am not sure of the food, but Hollywood and Vine in DHS has a character meal. Someone will probably comment on this, I have never been.

Good Luck!

 

[kadesha]

We love Garden Grill at Epcot. (Make sure you ride the boat ride before eating here!) We've had the best character interaction here and we love to see the gang in their farm clothes. It's so cute! We loved the food, the catfish is amazing. My kids really liked the "decorate your own cupcake" dessert.

 

[MatterhornMiss]

I think the characters are no longer at Garden Grill for lunch. I'm not sure about dinner.

 

[Diane♥Disney]

I would pick Chef Mickey's for breakfast.

 

[noahdove]

We liked Tusker House, Crystal Palace, and O'Hana the best. Great character interaction. We did Chef Mickey's also, but once the little parade started, some of the characters didn't pass by us...but, the kids enjoyed all the meals and entertainement.

 

[kadesha]

I think the characters are no longer at Garden Grill for lunch. I'm not sure about dinner.

yeah it's dinner now. Character dining begins at 4:30.

 

[mi*vida*loca]

Crystal Palace has excellent food as does Tusker House. WE did these last trip and LOVED them!

New ones we have are Chef Mickey's that I think your DS's would enjoy. Ohana's breakfast.

 

[goofygal531]

Liberty Tree and Garden Grill will no longer have character meals as of Jan 09.

My boys love Crystal Palace, Hollywood & Vine (Big Little Einstein fans!!), Cape May Cafe and we had the best time at Liberty Tree Tavern.

This trip, DS4 has asked to eat with Donald Duck so we're trying out Tusker House. He's also asked to meet the "beautiful princess" Cinderella so we're having dinner at 1900 Park Fare and breakfast at Cindy Royal Table.

We didn't care for dinner at Chef Mickey's. Our entire family was ill after the meal. Should we go back, it will be for breakfast only.

I would have loved to tried O'hana's breakfast w/stitch, but it was just out of the way this trip.

Also consider lunch at the Sci-Fi Cafe. Not a character meal, but the boys might enjoy dining in the cars

Oh, when you ask "Best place for character dining" do you mean character interaction or for food? Because 9 times out of 10 the meal is mediocre.

 

[steelebug]

My DS3 loved Chef Mickey ( we did dinner). I was not that impressed with the character interaction at Hollywood and Vine. We were there over an hour and never did get JoJo which was why we were there to begin with. Just some thoughts

 

[kadesha]

My DS3 loved Chef Mickey ( we did dinner). I was not that impressed with the character interaction at Hollywood and Vine. We were there over an hour and never did get JoJo which was why we were there to begin with. Just some thoughts

Same experience with Hollywood and Vine! We were there well over an hour and Goliath and Leo never made their way to our table. We will never go there again, it's too busy and unorganized!

 

[goofygal531]

Oh, DH and I hate Hollywood & Vine, we hate the food and the service! But every trip the boys ask to eat with Leo and June! So we just deal with it.

Trust me, DH will say "Oh, we're eating here AGAIN!"


I don't mind too much, we're on the DxDDP

 

[Happyathome]

Liberty Tree and Garden Grill will no longer have character meals as of Jan 09.

Isn't the Garden Grill still having character meals for supper? I hope so, I've got dinner booked there for our Jan trip!!

 

[bangzoom6877]

We went in July with our 2 boys, ages 3 and 1 and will be returning in 2010 when they are 5 and 3. We went to the following, and would return in a heartbeat:

-Crystal Palace dinner w/Pooh, Tigger, Piglet and Eeyore...excellent food & character interaction. Napkin parade was cute and my 3 yo participated and loved it!

-Hollywood & Vine character breakfast (at DHS) w/Jojo, Goliath, Little Einsteins June and Leo...delicious food and great for little ones into Playhouse Disney characters. They dance with the kids and lots of interaction!

-Chef Mickey's breakfast at Contemporary Resort w/Mickey, Minnie, Pluto, Goofy, Donald Duck...delicious food! Excellent character interaction too. We want to try dinner next time

We also went to 1900 Park Fare for dinner with Cinderella, Prince Charming, stepmother and stepsisters. I was the one who really wanted to eat with Cinderella, but I had heard that the characters were hilarious, and as it turned out they were and all of us enjoyed it. But DH was not crazy about the food, I already got my "eat a meal with Cinderella" fix, and the boys are not into princesses. However, we are seriously considering the character breakfast there on the next trip since it has Alice & the Mad Hatter and Pooh & Tigger. DH loves Alice in Wonderland, the kids love Tigger and Pooh and I...well I just love the atmosphere at the Grand Floridian!!!

Another we will definitely try on our next trip is Cape May Cafe breakfast at Beach Club resort. I hear great things about it and we will be across the lake at BWV!