Character Dining

[excited4dis]

Hi all, I'm new here, but I have been reading the boards since I booked my vacation for myself and my two sons (ages 10 and 7 for July 28-Aug 3). I love the fabulous tips! My kids have never been to Disney (I have), so I am excited to take them!

We are staying at ASMo. I just booked a character breakfast for the 29th at Cape May Cafe at 9:05am. It was a toss up between that and Chef Mickeys but the time was better at CMC. I hope I picked the right one!

Anyway, while making the reservation, I noticed that it says to give an hour and a half to get to the dining reservation from anywhere in DW. If we leave from our resort, do we really need to leave by 7:30am to get there? Because we are not arriving until about 3pm the day before, I would like to take advantage of MK's EMH that night. So I would like to let the kids sleep in a little so they are well rested.

Also, I had originally booked a character dinner at The Garden Grill for the 29th at 5:15pm, but now I am having second thoughts keeping it since I booked the breakfast. I looked at their menu and I don't really know if my kids will enjoy the food. Plus, I am not sure I need the extra expense that goes along with a second CM. Does anyone else know of a good place in Epcot for kids? It doesn't have to be a CM.

Thoughts?

 

[vicki_c]

Generally 1.5 hours is overstated a bit, but in some cases it could take that long.

For example ...

how do you plan on getting to the Cape May Cafe?

There are no buses from one resort to another, so you have a more complex location to get to, PLUS it's early in the morning.

Using Disney transportation, you would have to take a bus from your resort to Hollywood Studios, and I think at that hour of the morning, might have to walk to the Beach Club (20 minute walk). The boats may be running at that time, but I'm not sure - if they are, it will still take you 20 minutes or more due to stopping at Swan/Dolphin and I think Boardwalk first as well, before Beach Club.

If you really want to do this breakfast, I would budget for a cab from your resort (or drive if you have a car, but I got the idea that you didn't).

edit: I see now the reservation is at 9:05 - boats should be running then, but it won't be quicker than walking most of the time. For some reason I had in my head that the ADR was at 7:30 am.

 

[readytogotodisney]

I think how long it'll take to get there depends on how you're getting there. If you're taking a cab or driving yourself I would think leaving 45 min before you reservation would be enough.

If you're taking WDW transportation you'll have to take the bus to Epcot and then walk to the back of WS to get to BC. Probably a 30 minute bus ride, plus wait time, and another 20 minutes to walk to BC.

Or you could take the bus to HS and take the boat over or walk to BC. Again, probably a 30 minute bus ride, plus wait time, and then either a 20 min walk or a 10 min boat ride, plus wait time for the boat.

 

[vicki_c]

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If you're taking WDW transportation you'll have to take the bus to Epcot and then walk to the back of WS to get to BC. Probably a 30 minute bus ride, plus wait time, and another 20 minutes to walk to BC.

OP cannot do this for 2 reasons - one: Epcot is not open yet and two: need park hoppers, which they may or may not have.

 

[readytogotodisney]

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Geez, Vicki... so sorry! Calm down, I was trying to be helpful. No need to be snippy.

 

[excited4dis]

Thanks for the replies.

I won't have a car with me so I will be soley relying on WDW transportation.

I also have the park hopper option on my tickets.

I hope this character breakfast is worth the pain it is to get there!

I looked again at the Grill menu and I think my kids WILL like it. It's not as expensive as I thought it was. I must've looked at the wrong menu before.

I also made a character breakfast at Tusker House on the morning we will be going to AK. At least it is direct to getting there from ASMo.

 

[excited4dis]

I checked the park hours for July 29th and Epcot has EMH beginning at 8am. Would this be my best bet to getting to Cape May Cafe?

 

[B-Ride]

IMHO, a trip to Cape May is not worth it without a car. We always rent a car for dining at resorts off the monorail. My personal recommendation would be 'Ohana or Crystal Palace for a buffet breakfast with characters. Much easier to get to both. Not worth a couple of hours of travelling with young kids just for breakfast no matter how good it is.

 

[vicki_c]

Geez, Vicki... so sorry! Calm down, I was trying to be helpful. No need to be snippy.

There was not one thing snippy in my post nor was it intended that way. Just pointing out the problem with that part of the advice to save the OP any problems. And calm down? Do you see some hysteria in my post that I don't? No caps, no exclamation points, nothing. Don't read things into things that aren't there, please.

 

[B-Ride]

There was not one thing snippy in my post nor was it intended that way. Just pointing out the problem with that part of the advice to save the OP any problems. And calm down? Do you see some hysteria in my post that I don't? No caps, no exclamation points, nothing. Don't read things into things that aren't there, please.

I have to agree with vicki_c. I couldn't see it either. She was offering good advice in an attempt to be helpful. Please don't read things into people's posts that aren't there. We are all friends on the Dis.

 

[excited4dis]

Hmm...I already have a character lunch reservation at The Crystal Palace on another day.

Sounds like I am better off just canceling it and have breakfast at our resort (ASMo) instead.

Besides which, I decided to keep our reservaton for the Garden Grill for dinner that same day.

 

[lovesdumbo]

I really enjoy Cape May breakfast. Have you considered making a later ADR and making it more of a brunch? That way you could go to Epcot and do Soarin and Test Track before heading over to breakfast.

If you keep this time I would suggest taking the bus to DHS rather than Epcot. If you choose the Epcot route you would have to go through security, get into the park, walk through future world and into world showcase to get to the international gateway.

If you take the bus to DHS you don't have to go through security to get to the boat. The boat stops at Swan but then the next stop is Beach Club.

My kids love Garden Grill. The food is just OK but the character interaction is better than most charater meals.

 

[excited4dis]

Glad your kids like The Garden Grill! I think out of all the restaurants at Epcot, my kids will like that one the best. They can be pretty picky eaters.

As for Cape May, I just canceled my reservation. I have planned for us to go to the waterparks after breakfast, so I think we will just eat at our resort food court. The menu there looks great too. Besides, I do have quiet a lot of reservations booked.

They are:
The Garden Grill - dinner
The Crystal Palace - lunch
Tusker House - breakfast
Rainforest Cafe at AK - lunch
Sci-Fi Dine-in - lunch
T-Rex, A Prehistoric Family Adventure at DTD - lunch

I chose the places more for the atmosphere. Hopefully the food is descent.

I tried to make lunch time our biggest meal and then we will most do QSD for dinner and breakfast.