Character meal with an infant - Crystal Palace, Garden Grill, other?

[MrsDuck]

DH and I will be visiting with our 3ish month old in February. I would like to do a character meal for my birthday but am trying to decide what would be best! We are Disney regulars but have obviously never done this with a child (he's coming in November!).

I have breakfast at Garden Grill booked - I figured the booths were fairly secluded and I like the characters who attend. DH suggested Crystal Palace as it tends to be louder and we could get some cute pictures with Pooh and friends.

BUT, I'm also trying to weigh ease of accessing food: Garden Grill - they bring to the table. CP, we'd have to get up and navigate the buffet with the baby or take turns.

Any moms or dads have an opinion? Is there somewhere we haven't considered? FWIW, we are staying at the Poly and were really only planning on doing MK this trip with the baby. EPCOT too if that's where we wind up for an ADR.

Thanks!

 

[DisneyHardin]

If you are looking for great pictures with the baby and the characters I would do Garden Grill. The characters there are fantastic.

 

[DisneyWishes14]

I would do ANY of the character meals where they bring the food to the table. I found buffets to be so hard with younger children! I would do Garden Grill, Akershus or O'hana breakfast. Don't do CP. It's super chaotic.

 

[sponica]

DH and I will be visiting with our 3ish month old in February. I would like to do a character meal for my birthday but am trying to decide what would be best! We are Disney regulars but have obviously never done this with a child (he's coming in November!).

I have breakfast at Garden Grill booked - I figured the booths were fairly secluded and I like the characters who attend. DH suggested Crystal Palace as it tends to be louder and we could get some cute pictures with Pooh and friends.

BUT, I'm also trying to weigh ease of accessing food: Garden Grill - they bring to the table. CP, we'd have to get up and navigate the buffet with the baby or take turns.

Any moms or dads have an opinion? Is there somewhere we haven't considered? FWIW, we are staying at the Poly and were really only planning on doing MK this trip with the baby. EPCOT too if that's where we wind up for an ADR.

Thanks!

Like DisneyWishes14, I'd go for places where they bring the food to you....

 

[Sleeping Beauty fan]

Also, remember that the baby needs to be included in the party count.

 

[MrsDuck]

I would do ANY of the character meals where they bring the food to the table. I found buffets to be so hard with younger children! I would do Garden Grill, Akershus or O'hana breakfast. Don't do CP. It's super chaotic.

I figured that this would be the defining factor! Thank you!

 

[_auroraborealis_]

I will also warn that some babies freak out at fur characters if awake.

 

[Lisa F]

1000% agree with family style over buffet for a baby (or any small child!) Now that my son is 9 and can take care of himself at buffets it is MUCH easier but before he could do that, buffets were a challenge... worth it, but if I had to pick ONE and with a 3 month old... it would be family style for sure!!! You do not know the true pleasure of the food being brought to you til you've wrangled a klutzy excited 6 year old at a buffet!!!

 

[KimBean]

DH and I will be visiting with our 3ish month old in February. I would like to do a character meal for my birthday but am trying to decide what would be best! We are Disney regulars but have obviously never done this with a child (he's coming in November!).

I have breakfast at Garden Grill booked - I figured the booths were fairly secluded and I like the characters who attend. DH suggested Crystal Palace as it tends to be louder and we could get some cute pictures with Pooh and friends.

BUT, I'm also trying to weigh ease of accessing food: Garden Grill - they bring to the table. CP, we'd have to get up and navigate the buffet with the baby or take turns.

Any moms or dads have an opinion? Is there somewhere we haven't considered? FWIW, we are staying at the Poly and were really only planning on doing MK this trip with the baby. EPCOT too if that's where we wind up for an ADR.

Thanks!

Go with your gut. Garden grill will be easier with baby. Great classic characters and that cinnamon roll thing yum!!

 

[KrazeeK120]

I concur with what others have posted above. Go with Garden Grille. Even with an older child (18 months at the time of our trip), we found it was much easier to have food brought to us than to navigate a buffet. We did Garden Grille and Tusker House. We ended up going to the buffet one at a time while the other remained at the table with the toddler. Not the end of the world, but just having the food brought was a lot easier.

Although I will say that since you’ll most likely be wearing the baby, a buffet might not be too bad. It’s not like your kid will be trying to escape or chase the characters (or otherwise run amok) like my toddler might have.

 

[Runnsally]

GG hands down.