First time doing a character meal

[LongLiveRafiki]

@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).

Usually when you make ADRs online, it asks the number of people, then it will come up with a list of everyone on your hotel reservation and any linked reservation and allow you to select who will be dining. If for whatever reason that didn't happen, it's not a big deal, the server just won't know his age. The server is the only person who needs to know he's under 3 so she doesn't charge you DDP credits for him, but like I said, those can be reversed if you forget to tell them/ they forget to ask.

 

[piratepride]

Tusker House is a great character meal option! We have done the lunch w/ the ROL seating a couple of times. Crystal Palace is great too. we have also done HW & Vine when my two were younger. It is fine but seemed much faster paced than the others. I remember the food not being as good as some of the other character meal options as well. If your kids like Disney Jr. that would be the best option for you. Our kids loved Handy Mandy, Little Einsteins, etc.

 

[KenHutch]

This only thing I can add to the many helpful hints I have read here is remember at H&V you are going for the characters not the food. This is the only restaurant at WDW to make our never again list. But when my daughter was young we went for the characters.

 

[DizneyMommy]

Usually when you make ADRs online, it asks the number of people, then it will come up with a list of everyone on your hotel reservation and any linked reservation and allow you to select who will be dining. If for whatever reason that didn't happen, it's not a big deal, the server just won't know his age. The server is the only person who needs to know he's under 3 so she doesn't charge you DDP credits for him, but like I said, those can be reversed if you forget to tell them/ they forget to ask.

It never asked me who was dining when I made any of mine. And I’ve changed them a few times. We have a package with hotel, tickets and Dp

 

[DizneyMommy]

@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).

I’ve never had it ask me ages or names, just total guests. We have 7 also with a 2 year old. We counted her in the total and when we get there we will let them know she is 2. No one even needs to know until you order. This is how we always do it at DL too.

 

[sponica]

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.

Once my kid gets beyond needing to be fed at 7 AM, I'm shooting for late character breakfasts, I've heard Tusker House when they do the switchover from breakfast to lunch is amazing.

 

[KenHutch]

Once my kid gets beyond needing to be fed at 7 AM, I'm shooting for late character breakfasts, I've heard Tusker House when they do the switchover from breakfast to lunch is amazing.

It is and with fewer people in the place the characters tend to spend more time with you.

 

[KrazeeK120]

It is and with fewer people in the place the characters tend to spend more time with you.

There aren’t fewer people in the place, though. The last breakfast seating is at 10:55 and the first lunch seating is at 11:00. Breakfast continues right into lunch...the restaurant doesn’t close in between, and there’s no break in available ADR times.

I had an early lunch seating the last time I was there (11:20), and there were a lot of people still there from breakfast.

 

[Riss]

This only thing I can add to the many helpful hints I have read here is remember at H&V you are going for the characters not the food. This is the only restaurant at WDW to make our never again list. But when my daughter was young we went for the characters.

I have kind of deduced that from some of the reviews that I've read. Thankfully my family seems to be pretty laid back when it comes to buffet food, because they know that the quality isn't always the best. And I did mostly book it because of the characters, and also because of the Fantasmic package. We had one more TS credit and I didn't know what else to use it for, and none of my family members really had any idea, so I just went with that haha.

 

[KenHutch]

There aren’t fewer people in the place, though. The last breakfast seating is at 10:55 and the first lunch seating is at 11:00. Breakfast continues right into lunch...the restaurant doesn’t close in between, and there’s no break in available ADR times.

I had an early lunch seating the last time I was there (11:20), and there were a lot of people still there from breakfast.

Bummer the last time we went there during the change over there was a 20-25 minute period where we were almost alone in the place.

 

[KenHutch]

I have kind of deduced that from some of the reviews that I've read. Thankfully my family seems to be pretty laid back when it comes to buffet food, because they know that the quality isn't always the best. And I did mostly book it because of the characters, and also because of the Fantasmic package. We had one more TS credit and I didn't know what else to use it for, and none of my family members really had any idea, so I just went with that haha.

If you go there understanding that you will be fine. The character interaction is 1st rate and you get characters you won't see anywhere else. I was looking at past meals and I think we have been to every character meal except for Cape May breakfast. A friend had lunch at H&V recently and got an early lunch ADR and told me that while the food was very pedestrian it was hot and the place was clean.

 

[dachsie]

Another character dinner option is Garden Grill with Chip and Dale and Mickey and Pluto

 

[Pdollar88]

I’m curious how folks handle pictures with characters if doing a character meal solo. Ask a friendly person near you? The server?

 

[LongLiveRafiki]

I’m curious how folks handle pictures with characters if doing a character meal solo. Ask a friendly person near you? The server?

You can always ask a server or other guest, but don't count on it, especially with the server. They may be busy and unable to always be there to snap a pic. With other guests, it often works better if you ask them before the characters get there if they would mind taking pics of you and offering to do the same for them. If you wait until the character is there, it just makes everything take longer and it's harder to expect someone to drop what they're eating right then to snap a pic now. If they have a heads up, along with the offer that you'll do the same for them, you will likely get a better response.

 

[Nancyg56]

I have kind of deduced that from some of the reviews that I've read. Thankfully my family seems to be pretty laid back when it comes to buffet food, because they know that the quality isn't always the best. And I did mostly book it because of the characters, and also because of the Fantasmic package. We had one more TS credit and I didn't know what else to use it for, and none of my family members really had any idea, so I just went with that haha.

I never worry about reviews, especailly those for buffets. Chef Mickey gets horrible reviews, but my family likes it there, and we always take newbies for their first meal.

I have never been to H&V, however we peeked in the windows during the CHristmas Seasonal dinner, and the character interaction was darling! Go prepared to have fun and you will.

WIth regards to the young one, if the child is not interested or is afraid of the characters, they will not press. These characters are very good at determining how to interact with people, so they will be respectful of how your family wants to roll.

Have fun!