Character Meals?

[jodi90]

Hello!! This is my first trip to WDW and I'm very excited. I've got my ADRs booked and I've got 4 character meals planned. I'm concerned that it's too many. We have 7 in our group including 3 kids, (8, 7 & 4). Their Mom (my SIL) seems to think that's too many. I'm not sure. Here is what I have...Crystal Palace for lunch, Donald's Safari for breakfast, CRT for Dinner, and Akershus for breakfast. Since I'm so new at this I'm hoping that you can help me to know if I have to many character meals booked and should try to adjust the plans.

Thanks!!

Jodi

 

[bangzoom6877]

Last July, our sons were 1 and 3 and we did 5 character meals on a 5-night trip. Here's what our dining itinerary was:

Day 1: Liberty Tree Tavern dinner at MK (had characters back then)
Day 2: Biergarten dinner at Epcot (no characters)
Day 3: Hollywood & Vine breakfast at DHS (characters)
1900 Park Fare dinner at Grand Floridian (characters)
Day 4: Boma dinner at Animal Kingdom Lodge (no characters)
Day 5: Crystal Palace dinner at MK (characters)
Day 6 (departure day): Chef Mickey's breakfast at Contemporary (characters)

My kids handled the character meals fine. My older son was not as interested in the food as he was in the characters, but that was to be expected. He still ate enough each day! Everything depends on the children, you will get mixed opinions here. Many people told me I was crazy for planning so many character meals on such a short trip, but I know my kids best and it worked out great. However, if your SIL is not comfortable with that many, then you may want to reconsider. She knows her kids, so maybe she is just looking out for their best interests and character meals are not suitable for them. Some people prefer to try one and then see how their children react before going to several. I made sure to book meals that had different characters at each (except LTT and Chef Mickey's both had Minnie, Goofy and Pluto back then but my kids love them). We did not wait in hot lines at the parks for my kids to meet their favorite characters. Instead we ate with them, and enjoyed more of the rides and attractions while in the parks.

Enjoy your trip!
WARNING: Disney World is addicting!

 

[ncmickeyluvr]

Well, if that's too many then I'm guilty right along with you!! I've booked Chef Mickey's, Crystal Palace, 1900 Park Fare, and Garden Grill for our upcoming trip.

Here's my thinking:

1. Standing in line to meet characters is a complete waste of time, imho. We have to eat, the kids want to see character...one stop shopping!!

2. The kids menus at ts restaurants does not impress me in the least!! It's virtually the same as cs. I couldn't sit and eat some fabulous meal while my kids ate mac n cheese or chicken nuggets. At least at a buffet they have some other options. I considered upgrading the kids to adult tickets and getting adult dining credits during free dining, but eating where we are makes just as much sense.

 

[MJAJmom]

As a character meal junkie, I do not think that 4 is too many. However, what you might want to think about is the mix of characters that you are seeing. I love CP and Tusker House. Then you have 2 princess meals. If you want to make an adjustment, I'd switch out one of the princess meals for one with Mickey and/or Minnie, like Chef Mickey or Cape May Cafe

 

[jodi90]

As a character meal junkie, I do not think that 4 is too many. However, what you might want to think about is the mix of characters that you are seeing. I love CP and Tusker House. Then you have 2 princess meals. If you want to make an adjustment, I'd switch out one of the princess meals for one with Mickey and/or Minnie, like Chef Mickey or Cape May Cafe

I was actually debating about the 2 princess meals. My SIL really wants CRT but the only time I was able to book it was at 4:05 and I read a few days ago that dinner at CRT only has Cinderella and Fairy Godmother. My nieces really like Ariel and Belle so that's why I booked Akershus. Is CRT really worth it without seeing more princesses?

CP is where I really want to eat. I love Winnie the Pooh and I'm excited to see Donald and Daisy at Tusker House.

 

[woodkins]

Too many character meals...no such thing!
I think you are good, especially since they are all featuring different characters. I also recommend Chef Mickey!

 

[68wdwmom]

If you are doing CRT for supper you will not see any princessess only the fairy God mother If this is your first trip no amount is too many. Once you do the character dinners your kids will be so excited that it is addictive. You will want to do the characters just to see the look on their faces every time they see a new one.Don't forget your autograph book!

 

[CathieArms]

I'm sure it's a personal preference, but I think it's perfect. Here's your bonus: with that many character meals, you'll reduce the amount of time you have to stand in line waiting to meet those characters. You know you'll be meeting them at your character meals, so you can bypass them at the parks. I wouldn't change them, personally.

 

[AllyGirl_79]

I was thinking the same thing -- no such thing as too many!

We do eat at Crystal Palace every year. It's one of my favorites.

I will agree with a pp though and mention that two princess meals might be less fun than, say, going over to Ohana to see Stitch or visiting Mickey at Chef Mickeys. But your point about the variety of princesses is well taken. And, really, eating in the castle is an experience, regardless of the characters there. I would probably keep trying for an earlier reservation at the castle, but I think you'll have a great time either way.

 

[OKW Lover]

OK - contrarian voice here. While I can see doing one or two character meals, I'm not seeing the reason to do more. If its more characters you are after its easier and cheaper to catch them in the parks. If its a good meal, you can dine cheaper at restaurants that don't carry the premium price you pay for having characters there.

 

[wildirishrose]

Just a clarification at CRT for dinner, you will see Cindy at the bottom of the castle, the FG and the mice do a show, so you get to see one Princess. We have 6 Character meals planned for 5 days, my kids love them my husband prefers the girls get the autographs there than stand in line for them, the food is fairly decent and the look of my kids faces is priceless.

If you really want to see the princess's keep Askerhaus. The Castle is nice (But expensive) and I think everyone should eat there once.

 

[ktlm]

We did 3 character meals for DD's 1st trip when she was 2 years 10 months and 4 character meals on our trip when she was 3. They were a lot of fun. I would not get rid of any of the meals you picked. You have a good variety of characters. CRT and Akershus won't be repetitive because like was said before at CRT dinner you only get a picture with Cinderella and then the fairly godmother with the mice and at Akershus you will get 5 princesses total. We haven't done dinner at CRT (we did lunch), but I can tell you my DD was pretty impressed to be inside the castle itself. Don't assume that you won't have to stand in line for the characters in the parks if you take your kids to character meals. It depends on the kid. My DD could have seen Jasmine 5 minutes ago at Akershus, but if she saw her outside, she had to get in line to see her again!

 

[sohappy]

My kids <3 character meals. They can always find something to eat and they love that the characters spend time with them. I love not having to stand in line to meet those same characters! For our upcoming trip, we have:

Ohana, Tusker House, Crystal Palace, Hollywood and Vine, Chef Mickeys, CRT and 1900 PF- so, ummm, yeah, I am not the voice of reason here!

 

[abc999]

We have CRT, Ohana, Tusker House, Akershus, Crystal Palace, Chef Mickey and Hollywood & Vine planned for September... I asked my kids who they wanted to eat with and they said everybody. I would ask the kids, not the mother what they think is too much.

 

[Pooh&OurHunny]

My son loves to eat with characters so 4 for us would be not enough. We love CP and Tusker House...we only do CRT breakfast b/c that's when the characters came around (also lunch time but dinner time no characters at the dinning room that will stop and sign and pose with you). In one trip we did CRT, 1900 Park Fare breakfast and Dinner, CP, CM, Tusker House, Cape May breakfast, Hollywood and Vine, and LLT (when they had characters). So you can never have too many. My son loves it so we kept on going.

 

[mybgirl]

Hi, we do all of them, and I'm 11 we love the charaters, and it's never enough! we are on the meal plan. My mom loves it. Again never to many. Just a tip if you love charaters do the POLY!!!




Seth.

 

[vcgirl925]

Last trip we had 4 adults and three kids 4, 4, and 2. We were on the ddp and we ate at:

Mickeys backyard bbq (character)
Play 'n dine at the hollywood and vine (character)
Chef Mickey's (character)
Garden grill (character)
1900 park fare (character)
Boma (non-character)
Le Cellier (non-character)

Honestly the kids loved it, but the adults had our fill of character meals and buffets. And the ones we chose were great with the exception of garden grill. This time around we are only doing two, one more for ds (crystal palace) and one for dd (akershus). Everything else is non character.