Character meals....

[RichmondTiggerFan]

Oh another thing....how do you find out about the hours? For instance, how long do they serve breakfast? How do you make a reservation? Do you have to pay when you make the reservation?

WDW's website (and wdwinfo.com, of course) are good places to get info about character meals. As for making reservations, you can do it online through the WDW website or by calling 407-WDW-DINE. For most character meals, you do not have to pay when you make your reservation (Cinderella's Royal Table requires you to pay at the time you make the reservation, and there may be others.)

 

[DISdreamin']

Wow...you all have been a lot of help. Thanks for all the tips! We do have the quick service dining plan (free for the week we're going) We'll be driving down, so we'll have to drive to a resort we want to eat at? Right? If I recall the buses from our resort only go to the parks. Or do we have to take a bus to the parks and get back on a bus that'll take us to another resort? I think it'll be much easier to just do a meal at one of the parks then, if that's the case. We definitely do plan on just sticking with breakfast because it is cheaper. And as of right now, we'll probably end up doing 2 character meals, lol. My son wants Mickey and my daughter wants Cinderella. Thanks for all for your input!

Honestly, if I were you I'd look into how much it would be to upgrade to the regular dining plan. If I've got it right, it'll only run you about $110, which is less than you'll spend OOP if you do two character meals (I ran your days and resort from one of your posts for both QSDP and DDP). Plus, if you're doing character meals it may be difficult to use up all of your QS meal allotment! Just some food for thought (pun fully intended!).

If you do CP, that alone for two adults and two children will run $66 for breakfast, more for dinner. Add to that another character meal (maybe even CRT if you can book it - you're talking about another $180 for that 2TS place if you do breakfast) and I think an upgrade will more than pay for itself.

FWIW, though, before you change anything I'd get online and make reservations for everything you want, with the possible exception of CRT. For CRT, I'd check availability unless you don't mind paying up front for it. As the PP mentioned, they do charge up front for that meal unless you call and link the reservation to your package ressie with the dining plan.

 

[SweetMissy]

Honestly, if I were you I'd look into how much it would be to upgrade to the regular dining plan. If I've got it right, it'll only run you about $110, which is less than you'll spend OOP if you do two character meals (I ran your days and resort from one of your posts for both QSDP and DDP). Plus, if you're doing character meals it may be difficult to use up all of your QS meal allotment! Just some food for thought (pun fully intended!).

If you do CP, that alone for two adults and two children will run $66 for breakfast, more for dinner. Add to that another character meal (maybe even CRT if you can book it - you're talking about another $180 for that 2TS place if you do breakfast) and I think an upgrade will more than pay for itself.

FWIW, though, before you change anything I'd get online and make reservations for everything you want, with the possible exception of CRT. For CRT, I'd check availability unless you don't mind paying up front for it. As the PP mentioned, they do charge up front for that meal unless you call and link the reservation to your package ressie with the dining plan.

The week we're going, we get the dining plan for free. We're fine with the plan we're getting....don't care to have a sit down meal. I don't think we'd be able to upgrade anyway considering we're not paying for it to begin with but of course I don't know much about anything regarding Disney, lol. I talked more to my husband and he only wants to do the 1 character meal....which is fine with me. My daughter will love the Mickey meal regardless. We'll just have to definitely take the time to see Cinderella. Thanks for your help.

 

[lupp2217]

We love O'Hana. We always do it our last day of out trip. You will see Mickey, Pluto, Lilo, and Stitch. It is a lot of fun!

 

[4HppyCamprs]

In August 2009 we went during free dining and ate at alot of the character meals and will NOT be going to chef mickeys ever again. It was free but the food was just not good..Golden Corral is better. Also i have read that Mickey no longer visits the table and only does a meet and greet photo op as you enter..something to consider.,,
That said I love love love Tusker house and Crystal Palace

 

[MyTwoPrincesses]

The week we're going, we get the dining plan for free. We're fine with the plan we're getting....don't care to have a sit down meal. I don't think we'd be able to upgrade anyway considering we're not paying for it to begin with but of course I don't know much about anything regarding Disney, lol. I talked more to my husband and he only wants to do the 1 character meal....which is fine with me. My daughter will love the Mickey meal regardless. We'll just have to definitely take the time to see Cinderella. Thanks for your help.

Yes, you can upgrade, even with free dining.

 

[mjp12831]

We're fine with the plan we're getting....don't care to have a sit down meal.

While buffets, these character meals ARE sit down meals. Quick Service isn't going to cover you and you'll pay oop.

You can upgrade when you're getting free QS (we did it last year) - you just pay the difference between what QS normally costs to whichever one you are upgrading to.

If you're planning on paying oop for a character meal or two, the upgrade fee is probably paid for. Just call your travel agent or WDW and have them price out the difference for you, then compare to what you're going to pay oop for your character meal.