First time doing a character meal

[Riss]

Hi, my family is going in September, 6 adults and one child and this is going to be the first time that we've ever done a character meal. Insane, right?

I have currently planned for 2 character meals, both dinner and both at around the 5:00pm hour, one at Crystal Palace and one at Hollywood and Vine as part of the Fantastmic dinner package. I was just wondering if anyone had any advice when it came to doing a character meal in general or a character meal as dinner. I have seen a lot of people talk about doing character meals as breakfasts and not very many about dinner. If there is, maybe I missed it somewhere along the line?

We do have the standard Disney dining plan for our 4-night stay and are allotting the other 2 TS credits to do the Spirit of Aloha the day we disembark from the Disney Dream, so as we don't have to do a park since we'll probably be tired from waking up so early. I know that I've read that it's not the best to use credits for this type of thing, but my mother's friend recently went and liked the show and my mother has shown an interest in doing it.

As for who is going on this trip, it's my parents, who at the time of the trip will be 49 and 51, and us, their four children, who will be 24 (me), 23, 21, and 19. We are also taking a child that we babysit and he will be one month shy of his 3rd birthday when we go. No one in our party has any sort of food allergies.

Seeing as this will be our first time we have ever done a character meal, I was curious as to whether there would be anything we should be aware of before even going or any tips that would be helpful regarding the experience, the places, or even going at dinner. Thanks!

 

[a742246]

You will have a great time. Only questions I have is how will the 3 year old react with characters? and what time is the child is at his best? If the child is better
in the morning then I would recommend the Crystal Palace for breakfast, they have an excellent breakfast with the winnie the pooh characters.

Regardless it sounds like a great trip!

 

[eeyoresmom]

Our family is very close to yours as far as ages. We have done just about every character meal but H&V. That one does get consistently poor reviews but I'm a firm believer in going and deciding for myself. I do think that you may as well choose a character meal that has charaters you are actually interested in. For a long time, maybe still, H&V had the preschool Disney Playhouse characters that no one in our group really knew. That is the biggest reason we haven't tried it. On the other hand the step sisters at 1900 Park Fare are a riot so we go there fairly regularly. Character meal dinners are an excellent value on the ddp so now's the time to try them out. Just know that you may have to wait to meet the characters as they make their rounds and your meal will therefore be interrupted several times. You can interact with them as much as you feel comfortable. As adults we often pose for a picture with each but that's about it. If you are going at a busy time of year the restaurants often get back logged and you may have to wait beyond your ADR time . Have fun!

 

[Riss]

You will have a great time. Only questions I have is how will the 3 year old react with characters? and what time is the child is at his best? If the child is better
in the morning then I would recommend the Crystal Palace for breakfast, they have an excellent breakfast with the winnie the pooh characters.

Regardless it sounds like a great trip!

I've actually been constantly showing him YouTube videos, I know it's not the same thing but he's at least been able to see what they look like in costumes, and we have taken him to see Santa and the Easter Bunny. I think as long as he's not really forced to be with them alone he'll be fine? At least I hope he will be. There was always someone holding him when we went to see them, as in all 4 of us adult children got in a picture with Santa with him and my one sister constantly held him. I do have a season pass to a theme park closer to home and my family is hoping to possibly take him there in the summer and try out some more costumed characters, Snoopy and the gang, before we head to Disney to get him used to seeing costumed characters.

And honestly, I think he's better after he's had a nap. He doesn't really get enough sleep at night currently, his mother works overnights so he sometimes stays at our house, getting dropped off at 10pm, going to bed at like 11pm, and then she comes and picks him up at around 8am, so he's a bit cranky in the morning. But once he's had his afternoon nap, around 4-5 hours after he wakes up, then he is the most agreeable I think? Of course all of this could change by the time we go.

 

[LongLiveRafiki]

Crystal Palace and Hollywood & Vine are both buffets so the 2 year old can have his own plate of food for no charge. Buffets can be a little tough with little ones as you'll have to take turns going up to the buffet and getting food and having someone sit with him. The servers *should* give you a rough idea of how long it will be before the first character comes around, but they don't always do that, so definitely try to pay attention to the character rotation. You don't want to be stuck at the buffet or in the restroom when they come around. There is no order in which the characters come to the table, so with the first character try to notice the couple of tables they go to right before yours so you can time things better. It's also helpful to have your camera and autograph book (if doing one) and pen ready when the character gets to your table so you're not holding things up. Make sure the kid's hands and face are wiped so he's not getting spaghetti sauce or something on the character. If you have any choice on where the 2 year old sits (sometimes with highchairs they can only be placed at certain spots), try to have him on the outside of the table to make it easier to get him out to see the characters. If you want certain groups of people in pictures/ poses/ multiple shots, speak louder enough for the character to hear you. The restaurants can get a little loud and it's tough sometimes for the characters to hear in those costumes.

Make sure the 2 year old is listed on all reservations and since you have a party of 7, an automatic 18% gratuity will be charged. At Spirit of Aloha, gratuity is included in the price.

We always do dinner ADRs and there's nothing really any different to prepare for with that than at any other meal time.

 

[Riss]

Our family is very close to yours as far as ages. We have done just about every character meal but H&V. That one does get consistently poor reviews but I'm a firm believer in going and deciding for myself. I do think that you may as well choose a character meal that has charaters you are actually interested in. For a long time, maybe still, H&V had the preschool Disney Playhouse characters that no one in our group really knew. That is the biggest reason we haven't tried it. On the other hand the step sisters at 1900 Park Fare are a riot so we go there fairly regularly. Character meal dinners are an excellent value on the ddp so now's the time to try them out. Just know that you may have to wait to meet the characters as they make their rounds and your meal will therefore be interrupted several times. You can interact with them as much as you feel comfortable. As adults we often pose for a picture with each but that's about it. If you are going at a busy time of year the restaurants often get back logged and you may have to wait beyond your ADR time . Have fun!

I have read the reviews about H&V and have been worried for a little, but my family is generally easy-going and no one else has put any input in, so that's what I chose to do haha. I do agree about H&V not having any of the younger characters we knew, or that he watches. I think the last thing I read was that like Handy Manny, Jake, and some others from older shows were there still? But like, do they even still air those shows anymore? He watches a lot of those Disney Playhouse/Junior/whatever it's called shows, like PJ Masks, Puppy Dog Pals, and etc., and if there were something like that then I would have definitely chosen a earlier one so he could see them.

But I think the time we're going is like Minnie's Seasonal Dine? At least that's what I can infer from reports about it, and since we're going in October it'll be Halloween themed?

I was concerned about the reservation times possibly being pushed back and was originally going to opt for a reservation closer to 5:30 or 6, but felt that if it were pushed back a little, having a reservation time of 5 would at least make it still manageable to do with the child. Plus for the H&V for Fantasmic, 5pm was the only option available for us. I don't know if it was just a timing thing or if that's when the dinner reservations for that always happen.

 

[Riss]

Crystal Palace and Hollywood & Vine are both buffets so the 2 year old can have his own plate of food for no charge. Buffets can be a little tough with little ones as you'll have to take turns going up to the buffet and getting food and having someone sit with him. The servers *should* give you a rough idea of how long it will be before the first character comes around, but they don't always do that, so definitely try to pay attention to the character rotation. You don't want to be stuck at the buffet or in the restroom when they come around. There is no order in which the characters come to the table, so with the first character try to notice the couple of tables they go to right before yours so you can time things better. It's also helpful to have your camera and autograph book (if doing one) and pen ready when the character gets to your table so you're not holding things up. Make sure the kid's hands and face are wiped so he's not getting spaghetti sauce or something on the character. If you have any choice on where the 2 year old sits (sometimes with highchairs they can only be placed at certain spots), try to have him on the outside of the table to make it easier to get him out to see the characters. If you want certain groups of people in pictures/ poses/ multiple shots, speak louder enough for the character to hear you. The restaurants can get a little loud and it's tough sometimes for the characters to hear in those costumes.

Make sure the 2 year old is listed on all reservations and since you have a party of 7, an automatic 18% gratuity will be charged. At Spirit of Aloha, gratuity is included in the price.

We always do dinner ADRs and there's nothing really any different to prepare for with that than at any other meal time.

So I take it like once you're seated you're just kind of in the rotation? Like the rotation will just continue regardless of who comes and goes from which table, the characters just keep going around the venue, taking the same path, until the location closes?

I didn't even think about him becoming messy and getting things all over the characters. I guess my family should be thankful that at this current moment he's not a fan of sauce, like ketchup, BBQ, etc.

Do they only have high chairs at these venues or is something like a booster seat available? We've sat him in a booster seat at some places we've been with him so far and I kind of like that idea better? But if high chairs are the only thing that they have, then we'd more than likely be willing to go in that direction. But even though I have added him in on the reservation number of 7, we would still have to specify that he's a child once we check-in for our reservation, is that correct?

And, if the gratuity is included for the Spirit of Aloha, and we're using the dining plan, does that mean that it's included on the dining plan then or should we still leave a tip?

 

[a742246]

Riss, you sound like a great person. I really don't know too much about this subject but others might. If you could do another post saying something like this :
Travelling with a 3 year old child to Disney who is not my child, any tips?
I say this because if something happens to the child, what do you do? I don't know but others probably can give you tips.

 

[Riss]

Riss, you sound like a great person. I really don't know too much about this subject but others might. If you could do another post saying something like this :
Travelling with a 3 year old child to Disney who is not my child, any tips?
I say this because if something happens to the child, what do you do? I don't know but others probably can give you tips.

I didn't even think about doing that. Thanks! I'll make sure to make one right now

 

[Jessirip]

We are just back and did many a character meal with our 3 & 6 year olds. I thought they were totally worth it, and though we didn't do H&V, Crystal Palace breakfast was possibly our favorite (Bon Voyage Breakfast a close second). The character rotation here seemed the most organized, probably because of the layout. The characters were super cute and the daylight that streams in is wonderful for photos from all angles.

My tips would be to ask your server when you can expect the first characters so you know how long you have to grab food at the buffet. Dad typically stayed with the kids while I did their two plates of some "apps" (fruit, cheese, etc.) to keep them busy and stave off the hangries. Also if you find out the rotation, you can see them coming.

Another tip for photos, it can feel like you have to rush, but you don't. Take your time with the characters to frame a photo... making sure you aren't including dirty plates of food or straws in your shot. If you need them to move for a better photo just ask... they are pros at this.

Finally, we did experience some long waits on just that one more character (Dale at Garden Grill and Mickey at Tusker House). Sometimes your server won't realize it, so if they bring the bill and you haven't seen someone yet let them know. They will get them to you asap... they want their next table to arrive.

Have a great time!

 

[DISNEY1975]

Character meals can be lengthy, waiting for each character to get to the table for photos/autographs. If your table just missed a character before being seated, you will have to wait a full rotation before he/she/it will get back to your table. For this reason, I prefer and early breakfast for character meals. I start around 7:30 - 8am and am out to enjoy the day by 9.

I also enjoy a lot of the Epcot restaurants for dinner, so I tend to book those over a character meal.

I do, however, go to Minnies seasonal dinner at H & V for the Fantasmic package. Its a good meal, characters are cute. Not sure what the seasonal theme will be in September. We've been for the holidays (November) and spring (April). The characters were cute and they seems to move along quickly at H&V. Nothing wrong with a breakfast lunch or dinner with the characters, I just prefer early morning and because so many other great spots are only open for lunch and dinner, I choose to go to characters at breakfast.

 

[LongLiveRafiki]

So I take it like once you're seated you're just kind of in the rotation? Like the rotation will just continue regardless of who comes and goes from which table, the characters just keep going around the venue, taking the same path, until the location closes? Correct. The characters follow the same rotation all day and it's rare for them to deviate from it. If you do happen to miss a character due to being at the buffet or in the restroom, sometimes if you're in the restaurant long enough you can catch them on their next rotation, though sometimes that can take awhile. You can also let your server know you missed whichever character and they MAY be able to get the character back over, but don't count on it. Sticking to the rotation helps to ensure the characters see every table in as timely a manner as possible.

I didn't even think about him becoming messy and getting things all over the characters. I guess my family should be thankful that at this current moment he's not a fan of sauce, like ketchup, BBQ, etc.

Do they only have high chairs at these venues or is something like a booster seat available? We've sat him in a booster seat at some places we've been with him so far and I kind of like that idea better? But if high chairs are the only thing that they have, then we'd more than likely be willing to go in that direction. The restaurants should have booster seats, though they don't have as many of these as highchairs and can run out. I believe counter service places only have highchairs. I have not been to H&V, but at Crystal Palace, most, if not all of the seating is tables rather than booths. Just wanted to throw that out there because we personally don't like boosters in a chair as they fall off too easily. But even though I have added him in on the reservation number of 7, we would still have to specify that he's a child once we check-in for our reservation, is that correct? When the ADR was made, it should have been made for 6 adults and 1 child under 3. When you check in, they will confirm the number of guests and ask if you need any highchairs or boosters. There's no need to confirm his age with anyone. When you sign the DDP receipt at the end of the meal, double-check that you weren't charged for him. If you were, just mention to the server that he's under 3 and they can remove it.

And, if the gratuity is included for the Spirit of Aloha, and we're using the dining plan, does that mean that it's included on the dining plan then or should we still leave a tip? The gratuity is already included in the DDP credits for this meal. Whether or not you wish to leave more is solely up to you, but you do not have to.

My responses are above in blue.

 

[eeyoresmom]

Tip.....seat the child and anyone else you know will want to be in the picture along the aisle the characters will be walking. That way they don't have to climb over family or make everyone get up and move each time a character stops by.

 

[Riss]

@LongLiveRafiki Thank you so much! I had made the ADRs online and I didn't actually see a part where it was split up, it only asked me the number of guests, but since we have to confirm at the check-in how many people are there, I'm going to say that it's not going to be a problem to just say that he's a child under 3. I could have missed the option, though, it was my first time ever making ADRs for our trip to Disney. Needless to say, we didn't really do much reservations or preparing on our trips before (granted they were together with the high school band).

 

[Riss]

Character meals can be lengthy, waiting for each character to get to the table for photos/autographs. If your table just missed a character before being seated, you will have to wait a full rotation before he/she/it will get back to your table. For this reason, I prefer and early breakfast for character meals. I start around 7:30 - 8am and am out to enjoy the day by 9.

I also enjoy a lot of the Epcot restaurants for dinner, so I tend to book those over a character meal.

I do, however, go to Minnies seasonal dinner at H & V for the Fantasmic package. Its a good meal, characters are cute. Not sure what the seasonal theme will be in September. We've been for the holidays (November) and spring (April). The characters were cute and they seems to move along quickly at H&V. Nothing wrong with a breakfast lunch or dinner with the characters, I just prefer early morning and because so many other great spots are only open for lunch and dinner, I choose to go to characters at breakfast.

I would choose a breakfast character meal, but my family isn't really big on the breakfast thing. In the past we would grab a quick breakfast at the food court and then be on our way or sometimes we wouldn't feel like eating breakfast at all. I think with my family it's safer to stay on the dinner side of things. I, however, would love to try a breakfast character meal someday. It sounds like it'd be a great way to start off the day.

 

[Riss]

Tip.....seat the child and anyone else you know will want to be in the picture along the aisle the characters will be walking. That way they don't have to climb over family or make everyone get up and move each time a character stops by.

Honestly...we'll probably all be in the pictures, at least all of the kids. My parents may once in a while, my dad is a huge fan of Tigger, but for the most part it'll probably be the children. He may be upset if he has to take a picture with them by himself, so one of us will always be holding onto him so that doesn't happen. So I guess my dad should be sitting in like the corner haha. He'll probably be too concerned with eating and trying everything to pay attention to what we're doing.

 

[rkstocke5609]

I strongly recommend Donald’s Safari Breakfast at Tusker House in Animal Kingdom Park. This is our favorite character breakfast on property. I also love Crystal Palace & 1900 Park Fare.

 

[DISNEY1975]

I would choose a breakfast character meal, but my family isn't really big on the breakfast thing. In the past we would grab a quick breakfast at the food court and then be on our way or sometimes we wouldn't feel like eating breakfast at all. I think with my family it's safer to stay on the dinner side of things. I, however, would love to try a breakfast character meal someday. It sounds like it'd be a great way to start off the day.

Its really great, especially getting pre parking opening photos of a fairly empty park! But, I too would ejoy it just as much at dinner. Grabbing a quick breakfast sounds great compared to the hour + we usually spend at breakfast. Either way you do it, it will be fun!

PPO Photos are amazing!!

 

[Riss]

@DISNEY1975 Wow! Those pictures look amazing! Hopefully one day we'll be able to experience this. Perhaps my family will feel like doing a breakfast next time haha

 

[DizneyMommy]

We are doing the seasonal Minnie dinner at H&V in June. It is a beach party at that time. We did it for breakfast with Disney Jr crew years ago, and didn’t think the food was bad though reviews were horrible. We did that one for the characters, and it was fine. It was the only place to find JoJo and the Little Einsteins which my girls went crazy over.