He wants a character meal each day - help me pick please!

[snowy76]

We have had wonderful character interaction at Garden Grill, that would be my number 1 (and we enjoyed the food, especially the salad). Then Crystal Palace.

Have a magical trip!

Second that! GG has GREAT character interaction. I would also add (as some already have) Hollywood and Vine for breakfast. Currently the characters are Handy Manny, Oso, and two of the Little Einsteins. Our DS5 loved it in August, not too old at all. We had one of the first seatings and had the characters multiple times at our table.

Cape May for breakfast is also a great, low-key character meal IMO.

 

[shannonstar]

My DS 9 says this is the order he would choose them in and why. We have gone three times in three years, so he is becoming somewhat of an early expert:

1. Tusker House for Breakfast
Love the character interaction and you can be the first people on Safari if you get an 8am reservation when the park opens at 9. Send someone for FPs to Expedition Everest.
2. Crystal Palace for Breakfast
See above reason, except send for Space Mountain FPs. Ride Splash and Thunder repeatedly until the lines get too long.
3. Garden Grill
The character interaction is awesome, the restaurant goes in a circle, and if you score the last reservation of the day, you can use that Soarin FP you were saving just before you go in.
4. 1900 Park Fare for Breakfast
The Mad Hatter is awesome, the food is good. It's a little girly, but he still likes it. Go at 7:30 and be at MK in time for rope drop.
5. H&V for Breakfast
Be there at 8am, but it's not really about the characters, although they do have dancing and such. It's about making sure you are on the list for the first Star Wars Jedi Training Academy. The other parent can run and get FP for Toy Story and be back in time for the show.
6. Ohana for Breakfast
Go at 7:30. The food is good. Lilo & Stitch are fun characters. It's close to the Magic Kingdom or the Monorail to Epcot, so plan to go to one of those parks afterwards and watch rope drop.
7. Princess at Norway
Not a favorite, but good for getting on Test Track early. If you score an 8am, you can send one person to Soarin for FPs while the rest of the family does Test Track. When they get back, you can do Test Track again with them.
8. Cinderella's Royal Table - not high on his list. A bunch of princesses you can see elsewhere (Norway). The line is always long and the meal is slow. Maybe if you could get the first reservation of the day or the last one of the night?
9. Cape May Cafe for Breakfast - we have sadly never made it here b/c of it's out of the way location. It should probably rank higher as we have heard good things about it. If you are staying at the Beach, Yacht, Boardwalk, Swan or Dolphin, it would be a great choice. You could then go to HS or Epcot and use the back gate.
10. Mickey's Backyard BBQ - he hated it. That's all I can say about that.
11. Chef Mickey's - loud, crowded, and overwhelming. It is close to Magic Kingdom though.
12. Garden Grove - not on the DP. At the Swan?

 

[MagicalMawMaw]

I haven't been to all the character meals. I pick two each trip as I love them.

We went to Cape May breakfast this time. We had an early reservation & I loved it. Uncrowded & great characters. They were unrushed & I really really liked this place. I give it top ratings all the way!

Tusker House Safari breakfast was awesome too. Been here several times.

Next I'd say Crystal Palace. We've also been here several times.

These are the best ones I've been to so far.

 

[Darcy03231]

Crystal Palace (any time)
Chef Mickey's breakfast or dinner
Garden Grill
Ohana breakfast
Grand Floridian breakfast (Alice, Mad Hatter, Mary Poppins, Pooh & Tigger)
Grand Floridian dinner (Cinderella, Prince Charming, Stepsisters and Stepmother)
Tusker House breakfast
Princess Breakfast at Norway
Cape May breakfast

Actually, we like all of the character meals with the exception of Cinderella's Royal Table. We've done it a couple of times and have been less than impressed each time. The food wasn't good and we felt rushed.

 

[Mich123]

I agree that GG has great character interaction and the rotating restaurant is another plus--it's fun to see Living with the Land from above.

My family really likes the 'Ohana breakfast--Stitch is a hoot and you can't go wrong with a character meal with Mickey!

As I was reading your post, I wondered if you might be able to get help with your ressies from Disney Guest Relations since this is a wish trip.

I hope you have a magical trip!

 

[Butler_chic07]

TUSKER HOUSE - was the best! My absolute favorite. We did go for breakfast and as another poster said it is a little different interacting with face characters as "masked" characters. The characters at Tusker House are classics. My husband and I went there on our engagement trip. We were wearing our engagement buttons. Minnie and Daisy were hilarious they gave my husband (then fiance) many kisses and acted like they were going to steal him! It was hilarious and a wonderful memory!

And I obviously do not know your son, but I have spent a lot of time around young boys, who actually loved the Princesses at character meals the most. Because they got to be the prince! And had a lot of princess attention... it may be worth doing one.