Character Meals w/ 2 year old

[cmoliver5]

Hi everyone!

This is officially my first post on the boards so thanks for all your input.

My 180 ADR window is coming up soon for our trip in September. Last month we experienced our first Character meal ever at Chef Mickeys for breakfast and we all loved it, especially my 18 month old DD.

What suggestions do you have for the next character meal experience for her. I've thought about Chrystal Palace with Pooh and Friends but I've heard it can be pretty hectic. Is this more or less so than Chef Mickeys? Chef Mickeys was lively but we did not find it overwhelming.

Thanks!

 

[_auroraborealis_]

Every character meal can be pretty hectic. If you didn't find CM overwhelming, Crystal Palace won't be either.

I highly recommend Tusker House as a character meal. Akershus is also excellent if you want to move into face characters.

 

[BebopBaloo]

Crystal Palace and Garden Grill get my vote. We've been to Crystal Palace many times, but only had one hectic experience...I really think it was just an 'off' day for them. It was at the same time of year that we normally go and around the same time of day. We've been back since then and had a great experience. Garden Grill has the best atmosphere, plus if you get a booth on the lower level, then it feels very private and you won't have any other people in the background of your photos.

 

[DisTXMom]

We love CP breakfast, but yes, it's busy- on par with CM. Garden Grill is nice because the food comes to your table as opposed to a buffet.

 

[LSLS]

My daughter loved Crystal Palace, and loved Cape May. She also loved Akershus (assuming you are into princesses) and Hollywood and Vine for Disney Junior. 1900 scared her a bit (you get loud characters in there), and she was shy for the O'hana parade. For hectic, Hollywood and Vine was the most hectic, followed by Chef Mickey and probably 1900. CP is somewhat, but it felt a bit more open (admittedly we are always in the very first seatings there so I probably haven't full on experienced the craziness), and Cape May and O'hana were the least crazy.

 

[Disney Khaleesi]

Crystal Palace is awesome.

Otherwise I'd suggest Garden Grill in Epcot or 1900 Park Faire at the Grand Floridian.

 

[jlsmith376]

Crystal Palace and Garden Grill are very good for 2 year olds. I also recommend Ohana if she's seen Lilo and Stitch. The food is fantastic and since it's served family style you dont have to worry about timing your buffet trips between character visits.

 

[BabyHabs]

Depending on what characters she is into.. We really enjoy Tusker House and Hollywood and Vine.

 

[TravelingTotMom]

I have a two-year-old son, and our favorite character meals are Garden Grill and Tusker House.

Garden Grill is nice because it is calmer than the others, and they bring the food to your table.

Tusker House is fun, and we like the variety of food (traditional food, plus some African-inspired dishes). We usually book a really late breakfast, so we also get to try some of the lunch food when it comes out.

 

[kniquy]

We did crystal palace and didn't think it was too hectic, some how they keep organization to who has seen the characters. Garden grill was one we did and with it being a sit down meal the characters came around to our table. There is always BOG for dinner (I am guessing Belle and the beast are there) but you need to know your own child and if they would be scared of any certain characters.

 

[LuvinDisney83]

Our order of favorites...based on both food taste/quality and best character interaction
Garden Grill-Always great food and the best interaction with characters
Cinderella's Royal Table-Great way to meet multiple princesses and good food
Crystal Palace-Breakfast is definitely the best and my 2 year old loves Tigger
Ohana Breakfast-Okay interaction and okay food
Akershus-Okay interaction, good food. Prefer Cinderellas
Hollywood and Vine-Good interaction, meh food
Chef Mickey's -Meh interaction, Meh food, chaotic
1900 Park Fare-Okay interaction, blech food

 

[Thing 1]

We find CM the most chaotic of all the meals. Garden Grill the least so. Crystal Palace falls somewhere in between. I would choose wherever you want pictures of the characters with and it will all be fine.

 

[disneyvoice]

Garden Grill! When my son was that age he LOVED Garden Grill and I think the character interaction at GG is one of the very best anywhere on property. It was actually the place he had his very first character interaction EVER. He was 8 months old and the CM was so sweet, when we told her he had never seen characters before she wanted to make sure his first experience was positive so he wouldn't be scared. She told all the characters so they would know he was new to the experience and they were great! Chip and Dale spend probably 10-15 minutes with him (granted we had the first ADR at dinner so they had some time). I swear that experience is why, at 15, my son still LOVES visiting with the characters.

 

[DWillowBay]

How about 1900 Park Faire at GF for breakfast? Pooh and Tigger are there, along with Mary Poppins, Alice and the Mad Hatter (who is amazing!). Anyway, it tends to be less loud there than in Crystal Palace and ...for me...better food. Just a thought.