Character Meals for Adults

[katt789]

Hi there,
I've been reading through a lot of trip reports, and it seems like there are a fair number of adults/young adults that go to character meals without kids, I was just wondering if anyone had first hand experience?
A group of friends and I, (4, 21 year olds) are going in may, with ADR's at Crystal Palace, Donald's Safari Breakfast, Akershus, and Ohana for character meals.

Do they generally just come by for the picture & signature and leave because you're not kids, or do they schtick a little bit?

I'm hoping that they do interact with us, and we should be ok in getting them to schtick back as most of us actually work at a dinner theatre, but I was just wondering?

 

[mimmi]

I didn't do character meals without kids at those places you mentioned, but at other restaurants in WDW and Disneyland Paris and it´has always been great with a lot of character interaction.
The best meal was in Paris with Pinocchio acting all shocked because of my two gay friends and them not even noticing him, I was in tears from laughing so hard.

 

[Luv4Disney]

DH and I have done LTT (when they had characters), Chef Mickey's, Donald's Breakfast, Crystal Palace, CRT and 1900 PF without kids. We always had a great time. We do have a little one now and can't wait to bring her to a character meal!

 

[addiln]

DW and I have done a few character meals and enjoyed them all. the characters stop at our table everytime and would take pictures with us. we felt like spent the same time with us as they did with a table with kids.

 

[figment_jii]

I've not done the character meals you mentioned, but did eat at CRT in December. There was three of us (all adults), but the princesses still came and interacted with us, so in that respect it was the same as if we had kids with us. My guess is that the characters gauge the response they get initially from you. If you seem like you want to be left alone, they probably do not linger. If you are engaging and seem to want them to interact, then they will.

 

[katt789]

Awesome! Sounds like we will have a good, or at least ok time! Thanks!

 

[Nadjalu]

Oh yes they interact with you.

DH and I go to Crystal Palace every trip and now also do Chef Mickey's and love the characters!

I get pics with them all, even had Minnie "hit" on DH, it was quite funny. He was a bit embarassed but he played it off. LOL

 

[OhThePain]

My girlfriend and I have done Akershus, CP and Donald's (as well as 1900 PF, CM, CRT and GG). I have to say that we feel that with the masked characters, more often then not (especially at CP) we have had to talk to those who watch over the characters to get them to come back to us for a picture, we feel it is because we don't have kids (we put our camera at the end of the table so it is noticable). They will stop at the tables all around us with kids and just skip over us. This doesn't always happen, but it happens enough for us to notice. However, with the face characters (i.e. the princesses and Alice and the Madhatter at 1900 PF) it seems like they spend just as much if not more time with us then with other tables. The princesses in particular get very inquisitive of us, usually to make sure I am treating her like the princess that she is... which I do.

On our last trip we did 6 or 7 character meals, but due to our experience with character interaction at most of them, on our next trip we are doing 2.

 

[AugustDisney]

BF and I weren't planning on doing any character meals because its just the two of us, but we'd like to eat at Cape May Cafe for breakfast, which happens to be a character meal (and since we are staying at the Yacht Club, its easy). We are going to try to link up with one of my coworkers who is staying at the Beach Club the same days BF and I are going to be staying at Yacht Club for this meal (we planned it this way). It will be fun to see her 3 kids with the characters.

 

[BroganMc]

My dad and I go to Character Meals all the time. Usually the buffett food is really good. I find the characters spend as much time with us as any kids, but the kids do love to hog attention. Don't be surprised if the little ones run up and give your character a hug while he/she is visiting with you. They honestly cannot help themselves.

One thing to keep in mind with the costumed characters vs. face ones is that while in costume the characters cannot see as well. They pretty much have tunnel vision and are drawn to the noises around them. Kids yell out the character's name so that's why they tend to be drawn to them. If you happen to be stuck back in a corner you might get overlooked. This always seems to happen at Crystal Palace where at least one character is in such popular demand and they have to circulate across two rooms as well as lead a parade every hour that some tables do get missed. Just let your server know.

One thing that's hardest for adults is to get into the spirit of the occasion. It is proper to call the character's name out, say hi, even tease and pretend play. Remember the mask characters cannot speak so you'll be offering most of the dialogue. And keep it family-friendly.

I find the more my dad and I play up the more the characters enjoy spending time with us and come back for more.

Oh, don't expect the mask character to see your camera. Like I said, they have tunnel vision. Half the time they are lucky if they don't trip over my wheelchair. That's why they have handlers.

 

[Joanna71985]

I'm 25, and I do character meals all the time. I get lots of interaction from the characters

 

[CindyIsMyFave]

Loved our breakfast buffet at Chef Mickey's - just DH and I. We were at the end of a small line of tables, packed in by a window and I was worried they wouldn't get to us, but all 5 did! Minnie teased DH a bit and gave him a kiss. Mickey, Donald, etc. were great with me.

The only "problem" was we couldn't really get a photo with the 2 of us and a character. I had to take one of DH and then vice versa. There was a family next to us and we bothered them once to take a photo of us, but I didn't feel right about re-asking and they didn't re-offer.

 

[Rantybaby]

In August 2007, I took my 1st trip to WDW. On my MK day I had breakfast @ Chef Mickey's. It was my only character meal. The 1st character I saw was Pluto, he was the mascot for my 1983 GradNight @ Disneyland. I was 43, I cried like a baby!! I had finally made it to DWD. Then the others-Mickey, Minnie, Donald & Goofy came by. I had my picture taken with each of them.

You & your friends enjoy yourselves. You have your whole life to grow up, enjoy being kids!

Taking my 2nd trip 1/23, can't wait to see Tiana. I'm now 47! So, I will be boohooing even worst.

 

[PurpleNurple]

One thing that's hardest for adults is to get into the spirit of the occasion. It is proper to call the character's name out, say hi, even tease and pretend play. Remember the mask characters cannot speak so you'll be offering most of the dialogue. And keep it family-friendly.

I find the more my dad and I play up the more the characters enjoy spending time with us and come back for more.

Good advice. Thanks. I'll totally keep this in mind. We are going in October and plan to eat at CRT. I'm excited to know that we'll get some interaction even without kids.

 

[Alabama Minnie]

As a adult only party we have gone to CRT several times and 1900 dinner once.
Every princess came by our table and offered greetings and photo opportunities to us.

 

[Kricketnp]

Whenever I go to Disney with my friends (group of 4 in their mid-twenties), we always make sure to hit up a character meal. On our last trip, we went to Chef Mickey's for dinner and the characters all came around and took pictures with us...Pluto danced with my friend and Goofy even got down on one knee and proposed marriage to me!

 

[StEpHandMiKe<3Disney]

My DH and I don't have any children yet and character meals are a must for us. I have never felt that we were treated differently bc we didn't have children. We always have a great time. Crystal Palace is by far my favorite one though. We also eat at Akerhus, 1900 Park Fare, and Chef Mickeys.

 

[Turkey Lurkey]

I surprised my wife with a breakfast at the Akershus on our honeymoon trip. All the princesses were great, talked and joked with us, and paused for pictures. The only one who didn't was Mulan, who just stopped briefly enough to say hi, thanks for coming, and then moved on, didn't even get a chance to ask for a picture with her. So I guess it depends on the CM, but most should be accommidating, especially if you play along.



TL

 

[PamelaKay]

My best friend and I take a girls trip every year to WDW. We are both in our 40's. We have done probably every character meal at Disney with the exception of CRT.

I agree with the previous poster about how the characters interact. If you interact with them, they are much more responsive. For example, if you ask Eyeore at CP if he is sad today, he will respond.

My favorite character interaction of all time is at 1900 Park Fare. There you can see Cinderella, Prince Charming, Lady Tremayne and the stepsisters. Drizilla and Lucinda. The step family is a hoot and provides a ton of interaction. We once asked Lucinda if it was difficult being mean all the time and she explained to me in great detail that I shouldn't believe everything I read.

I hope you and your friends have fun. Here are my favorite character meals.
1. 1900 Park Fare for dinner - Great food and interaction
2. Garden Grill - Ok food, but the restaurant is small and the characters actually made it around more than once and even sat down at our table with us for a bit.
3. Crystal Palace - Food pretty good and I love to interact with Eyeore and Tigger
4. Tusker House - Best food, not as great interaction with characters. They seemed very rushed.

 

[katt789]

Awesome! I like the stories I've heard, sounds like we will have a good time, and I don't mind if kids are running around after their "turn" they're kids, they're allowed haha