We had our reservation - were given a little buzzer thing to inform us when they REALLY were ready for us....about 15 minutes later. There were several characters and once you are IN and at your table there looks to be no time limit on how long you can linger which was nice except for the fact that it was a total zoo in there. We were totally surprised to see how many very young children started SCREAMING when they met the characters face to face. The characters - including Cinderella and the mice and the Prince all make their way to your table for autographs and pictures. It was nice not to have to track them down.
The buffet is nice enough - prime rib sliced at the buffet but it either wasn't warm when they cut it, or because they slice it so thin it is actually cold by the time you get to your table...so that was disappointing....the coolest thing in my daughter's opinion was the KID SIZE buffet with kid food on it...pizza, mac/n/cheese, etc. She thought it perfectly thrilling to have the food at her eye level. She must have gone up there 10 times....
I am usually the picky one and my husband is usually the insanely patient one - but my husband was totally irritated with our server and for the first time EVER TO MY KNOWLEDGE my big tipper husband tipped our waiter a single big fat $1. I was typically up at the buffet with my daughter so I'm not sure what his real complaints were - except that our waiter was pretty much non existent....and when he WAS there he seemed to have this pompous air about him - it was as if HE was above us on the social ladder - which totally mystified me...we weren't dressed up I suppose but my husband and I both work in the legal profession so we aren't really white trash trespassing - but that's how he made us feel....perhaps that's the "charm" of the Grand Floridian - but that attitude doesn't impress us. We frankly love the Dolphin.
Anyway - would I do it again? Well, the food was nice....but I like Boma's alot better. Frankly, I'd rather take my daughter to Boma's and get an early seat for the parade right on the drive at the Magic Kingdom. THAT parade is a MUST SEE for kids...and it was perhaps my favorite part of our trip. The characters all wander up the street and touch the kids and bring them out onto the drive there in front of the big Castle and it is just so.....MAGICAL. Our character dinner at GF just wasn't too "magical" and more of a strain than anything...guess I'd like to find another kid-size buffet for my daughter and do the parade....(Boma's doesn't have the kid-size buffet).
Just my humble opinion.......ok food, high price, hectic....but we did get to see Cinderella - but we saw her at MK for free anyway -
