Character Meal Questions, admission needed?

[Nora94]

We are set to arrive around noon on June 5th and obviously won't be doing the park that day but was wondering if I could schedule a character meal that night. Do you need to use admission to the park in order to do the character meal?

Thanks!
Nora

 

[Califgirl]

We are set to arrive around noon on June 5th and obviously won't be doing the park that day but was wondering if I could schedule a character meal that night. Do you need to use admission to the park in order to do the character meal?

Thanks!
Nora

Some Character meals are in the Hotels. Many are breakfasts -

Paradise Pier has Lilo and Stitch Breakfast. I'm not sure if it is a character meal during the rest of the day.
Grand Californian has the Chip & Dale Breakfast.
Disneyland Hotel has Goofy's and I believe that is all day.

plus there are lots of interesting choices to eat (not character meals though) in downtown Disney.

someone will post more about Goofy's kitchen, I'm sure.

 

[bumbershoot]

I think by that time the only character meal outside the park will indeed be Goofy's.

But why is it obvious you won't go into the parks that day? I would.

 

[mikayla73]

I believe that Goofy's kitchen is the only one that would be open for dinner. It is buffet style food. We have been to the brunch, which was very good.

Here's the link to the info on the DIS.

http://www.wdwinfo.com/Disneyland/dining.htm

Goofy's was pretty good, but as Califgirl mentioned there are bunch of places to eat in DTD that are pretty good too. But no character meals.

 

[Nora94]

we will get to LAX at noon, by the time we get our luggage and drive to the hotel it will be at least mid afternoon, we'll have to eat.

We are more the open to close parkers. I don't want to waste an admission day on only 6 hours of park time after a day of flying.

 

[Califgirl]

we will get to LAX at noon, by the time we get our luggage and drive to the hotel it will be at least mid afternoon, we'll have to eat.

We are more the open to close parkers. I don't want to waste an admission day on only 6 hours of park time after a day of flying.

I can certainly understand if you want to get checked in, eat, relax by the pool, etc. Can I ask where you are staying? If you are staying at a Disneyland resort hotel, you might kick yourself for not spending those hours in the park. Everything is so close and within easy walking distance. If you want to eat at DTD or in one of the Hotel restaurants (and the hotel restaurants are pretty darn good!) then you will need to park at DTD and get validated, or take your hotel's shuttle. Since you will be there and you will be able to SEE the parks, will it bug you not to go in? I don't know how long you are staying or what type of tickets you have, but I'm all for a relaxing stroll around the parks getting the 'lay of the land' so to speak.

 

[Nora94]

we are arriving on June 5th at noon, spending 6 nights at Anaheim Maingage Hotel (formerly the Radison Hotel Maingate), so really close to the parks. We have 5 day park hoppers. So, we are walking distance to everything, not renting a car that first part of our trip, then renting one to do Legoland and San Diego stuff.

 

[sand2270]

we went about a month ago and had 5 day tickets for the price of 3. We got to the park our first day around 2 or 3pm but got more done that half day than we did the rest of the trip. I also wasn't worried about wasting a ticket day since we were only there were 5 days and 2 of those were free anyway.

 

[sand2270]

oh nevermind, I didn't see the post where you said you were there 6 days with 5 day park hoppers...

 

[ballarinamom]

Would you consider adding a day? I think the $ for a 5 day to a 6 day is less than $10. I know I could $10 worth of Disney in an hour. Just a thought

 

[Nora94]

no, there are other things we can do that afternoon like swimming, downtown Disney, Pirate dinner, and such so I really think 5 full open to close days in the parks should be plenty. I think we'll either do the Pirate dinner or Goofy's dinner that night.
Nora

 

[moonbeams4]

Although I have not personally eaten dinner there, I hear the dinner at Goofy's kitchen is very good. My friend was there on Spring Break and was so happy with the dinner. She said the character interaction was great, and the food was worth it. We are booked for dinner there for our trip in May. 15 days to go!

 

[DevilDuckie]

no, there are other things we can do that afternoon like swimming, downtown Disney, Pirate dinner, and such so I really think 5 full open to close days in the parks should be plenty. I think we'll either do the Pirate dinner or Goofy's dinner that night.
Nora

We loved Goofy's! The buffet was very good and it was a wonderful time for everyone. If you are not landing until noon I am 100% with you- relax and swim and unpack. Use dinner as a prequel to your exciting trip, get to bed early and be at the front of the pack for rope drop.

 

[mommy2kande]

I am another big fan of Goofy's, and no park admission required. I was pretty impressed by the buffet. It wasn't crazy huge, but it had quite a few selections, and the desserts are so fun!

 

[JenDisneylandlver]

Goofy's is pretty much your only option. Besides Ariels, those two are the only ones that offer a dinner Character meal anyway!