Character Meals - Under 3 Yrs

[LeeAnn]

I have two kids under 3yrs. I was thinking that Character Meals may be way to go since I don't have to pay for my kids. It can be expensive for adults. Is it worth it for me to do many Character Meals (2 Adults)?

These are the ones I thought on doing:
* Chef Mickey - Dinner
* Cinderella Castle - Bk or Lunch
* Garden Grill - Lunch
* Crystal Place - BK or Lunch
* Ohana - Bk

Is this too many? Do you recommend someplace else?
Help me w/ BK or Lunch.

For places that are pre-plated, will my kids get a plate or do they eat off my plate? Is it the same with buffets?

Are drinks included in the meals?


Thanks for your help.

 

[Harmony]

For buffets, a child under 3 eats free and can have their own plate. For all other meals, you will have to pay for their meal *if* you order them something like eggs or potatos, for example.

My 23m/o loved Chef Mickey's. We had breakfast there. Cinderella's castle, although he enjoyed the food and fruit, the characters weren't a big draw for him.

 

[Dopey's Girl]

Whether it's a character meal or a buffet, you'll save money with your kids because you won't have to "buy" them a meal. At the other table service restaurants, your little ones can still eat off your plate, but if you want them to have "kid food", you know, chicken fingers, mac n cheese, etc. you will have to buy the kids meal there.

My only caution: some little ones don't like the characters at first. You don't want to have all character meals planned if your kids end up being scared of them. But you know your kids best. As long as they aren't afraid, go for it. Character meals are fun. Food at most of them is just average though.

If I were you, I'd skip CRT until the kids were older, but thats my opinion. ONe you don't have on there that we have always loved it Liberty Tree Tavern. They serve you at your table and it includes mac n cheese for the little ones.

 

[knovak]

If you have girls I would book CRT for breakfast. My 2 and 5 year old DD's loved it. That was also our 1st character meal which seemed to help with our 2 year old as far as warming up to the character idea. Since the princesses our real people from there on in if she wanted to meet a character she did, if not she would just wave. At least no crying and screaming because she was afraid.

 

[impsmom]

We just did Chef Mickey's last week and DS2 loved it! He really got into it He ate from the buffet for free.
I just wanted to add that we did do the princess dinner at Epcot which was pre plated. I told the waitress that he could eat from our plates and she told us that "no, even the little ones get their own food. We just don't charge for it" so he had his own hot dog.
Of course that may vary from place to place and server to server

 

[Disney Spaz]

I have two DS's now teenagers who have been going to Crystal Palace to see Pooh since they were little. It is well worth the money and has become a tradition. Even now that they are 15 and 14 they still get excited to see Pooh and have at times knocked my DH and myself over if we were in the way. This is one character meal we would never miss. Plus the breakfast there is some of the best I have ever had.