Crystal Palace character dining Q

[PoohBearFamily]

Hi all, we're planning our family's first trip to WDW next spring and the one character dining that I think would mean a lot to them would be Pooh & friends. We have four kids, they will be 6 yrs & under. They know and love Disney mostly through books (their absolute favorite being Winnie the Pooh series), and the cast member I spoke with on the phone highly recommended making an ADR for the Crystal Palace for this experience. We can probably only afford 1 Disney restaurant experience that has Character dining, and I was wondering what you all suggest?

1) Going to Crystal Palace on breakfast/lunch/dinner of our MK day? What time?

2) Is character dining still a thing with covid? Hoping by our early May 2022 trip, things will be "normal", but just curious what it's looking like now?

3) Also, are Winnie the Poohs friends anywhere else in the parks typically to meet & greet?

Thank you!

 

[tseitel]

Right now there are no characters at Crystal Palace. At this time the only character meals are at Chef Mickeys (Contemporary) , Topolinos Terrace (Riviera) and Garden Grill (Epcot)

 

[Deb & Bill]

There are no meet and greet for characters at this time. There are maybe two restaurants that do have a character or two that march through the dining area, but do not stop at tables. There is no report on when or if character greetings will return.

 

[PoohBearFamily]

Right now there are no characters at Crystal Palace. At this time the only character meals are at Chef Mickeys (Contemporary) , Topolinos Terrace (Riviera) and Garden Grill (Epcot)

Oh really? Wow! Thank you, that's good to know. I wonder why the CM was suggested it so much, maybe there's plans to bring them back to Crystal Palace in the future? Hmm. She didn't mention anything about them not being there. How strange.

I've heard good things on here about all 3 of the restaurants you listed- so those would be good too I'm sure!

 

[PoohBearFamily]

There are no meet and greet for characters at this time. There are maybe two restaurants that do have a character or two that march through the dining area, but do not stop at tables. There is no report on when or if character greetings will return.

Ah ok, still would be cool for them to see them even from a distance, since our kids don't know any different (first trip ever). But that's good to know- hope they greetings do return!

 

[Deb & Bill]

Oh really? Wow! Thank you, that's good to know. I wonder why the CM was suggested it so much, maybe there's plans to bring them back to Crystal Palace in the future? Hmm. She didn't mention anything about them not being there. How strange.

I've heard good things on here about all 3 of the restaurants you listed- so those would be good too I'm sure!

The lady on the phone probably doesn't even work in Florida and works for a call service in Topeka, KS. Many of them have no idea of what is really available at the restaurants.

 

[Krisshay13]

PoohBearFamily,
Hopefully, by next spring, character meals & meet/greet will be back to normal (fingers crossed).
Keep an eye out for updates. If they are, Crystal Palace is a great way to meet Pooh & Friends. We loved the breakfast there.
If it's your 1st trip, you may want to find a Disney travel agent. They can really help with the planning & they would know what meals have characters & what discounts come out. And yes, reading this board helps a lot!!!
Happy Planning!!!

 

[PoohBearFamily]

PoohBearFamily,
Hopefully, by next spring, character meals & meet/greet will be back to normal (fingers crossed).
Keep an eye out for updates. If they are, Crystal Palace is a great way to meet Pooh & Friends. We loved the breakfast there.
If it's your 1st trip, you may want to find a Disney travel agent. They can really help with the planning & they would know what meals have characters & what discounts come out. And yes, reading this board helps a lot!!!
Happy Planning!!!

I thought breakfast sounded good too. Here's coming they do come back! I will ask my travel agent about dining when we get closer in to 2022 then! Thanks so much!

 

[TCRAIG]

I can 1000% recommend Crystal Palace for breakfast - it’s a must do for us...and I do believe that by spring of 2022, both breakfast and characters will be back.

 

[tseitel]

Forget to add Hollywood and Vine at the Studios for characters

 

[Geomom]

It is so hard to predict what May 2022 will look like. Right now dining reservations are done at 60 days out (vs the 180 days pre-covid.). I wouldn't stress about it right now. Check back 6 mths before your trip to see what character dining is like then.

Right now, Hollywood and Vine is also a distanced character meal (in addition to the aforementioned Topolinos, Garden Grill, and Chef Mickeys). During this past summer, Pooh was seen frolicking in the grass near the imagination pavilion at Epcot, and you could get socially distanced pics with him as he was leaving for break. (Pre covid, you could meet him and Tigger in the UK pavilion. He could also be seen at breakfast at 1900 park fare at the grand floridian and all meals at Crystal Palace.)

 

[OnceUponATime15]

We love the Crystal Palace for breakfast, we always fit it into one of our MK days.

When my girls were little it was the first request... breakfast with Pooh & his friends.

Word to the wise though... It doesn’t fall into the quick meal timeframe. by the time the last of the characters make their way around the restaurant to visit, it can be a time consuming morning. (Good to know for planning purposes should fast passes return to the parks before your trip)

 

[DisneyHardin]

If Crystal Palace returns to "normal" at some point, I highly recommend breakfast. If you can get the last breakfast time slot of the day, you can actually eat some breakfast food and some lunch food for the breakfast price.

 

[PoohBearFamily]

I can 1000% recommend Crystal Palace for breakfast - it’s a must do for us...and I do believe that by spring of 2022, both breakfast and characters will be back.

Oh ok I think breakfast is a must then! I saw photos of the Mickey Mouse waffles and they look so fun. I sure am hoping characters will be back

 

[PoohBearFamily]

Forget to add Hollywood and Vine at the Studios for characters

Great! I'll look these up too

 

[PoohBearFamily]

It is so hard to predict what May 2022 will look like. Right now dining reservations are done at 60 days out (vs the 180 days pre-covid.). I wouldn't stress about it right now. Check back 6 mths before your trip to see what character dining is like then.

Right now, Hollywood and Vine is also a distanced character meal (in addition to the aforementioned Topolinos, Garden Grill, and Chef Mickeys). During this past summer, Pooh was seen frolicking in the grass near the imagination pavilion at Epcot, and you could get socially distanced pics with him as he was leaving for break. (Pre covid, you could meet him and Tigger in the UK pavilion. He could also be seen at breakfast at 1900 park fare at the grand floridian and all meals at Crystal Palace.)

Oh ok I'll check back around early December then. That's so about Pooh and Tigger in Epcot! We'll have to go to Crystal Palace if characters are back. thank you!

 

[PoohBearFamily]

We love the Crystal Palace for breakfast, we always fit it into one of our MK days.

When my girls were little it was the first request... breakfast with Pooh & his friends.

Word to the wise though... It doesn’t fall into the quick meal timeframe. by the time the last of the characters make their way around the restaurant to visit, it can be a time consuming morning. (Good to know for planning purposes should fast passes return to the parks before your trip)

That is good to know, I'll expect a late start at MK that day then I appreciate your advice!

 

[PoohBearFamily]

If Crystal Palace returns to "normal" at some point, I highly recommend breakfast. If you can get the last breakfast time slot of the day, you can actually eat some breakfast food and some lunch food for the breakfast price.

That's a great tip - thanks so much!!

 

[MomOTwins]

The lady on the phone probably doesn't even work in Florida and works for a call service in Topeka, KS. Many of them have no idea of what is really available at the restaurants.

This is so true! We booked our upcoming March 2021 trip around 3 months out and the CM asked us if we needed help booking restaurants. I said we still had a few weeks to go before we could book ADRs and she said no, we can book at 180 days! Haha, just thanked her and went on my way.

That said I agree it is likely characters will be back in 2022. Maybe the CM you spoke to was thinking the same thing.

 

[StitchandPooh'sMom]

My kids are 18 and 22, and Crystal Palace breakfast is still a must do for us I expect character dining will be back by 2022 and definitely recommend Crystal Palace. We usually book an 8:05 slot to be finished before the park officially opens, but with the change to opening each park 30 minutes early for resort guests (not yet started, but coming), we might have to rethink that.