Help with Character meals, please!

[alexbigday]

I am so confused on all of the options! This is a first time visit for our family to celebrate my daughter's 7th birthday. We plan on going in January, so we have a little time. She REALLY loves the Princesses. I just can't seem to understand the differences in the options. Please, experts, what was your favorite meal and why???

Thanks so much

 

[Alysa]

We have had a really great and a blah meal at the Castle and at Park Faire, and a dreadful meal at Norway (but I have heard some people who loved it). I suspect that the difference has to do with timing - I would recommend asking for the first meal of the day before the characters, servers and chefs have time to get tired. I would also book one of each if you can (Park Faire, Norway and the Castle) to cover your bases. Once you have your magical meal, you can always cancel the others. I think you will probably experience the magic you are looking for if you inform your reservationist and your server that it is your DD's 7th birthday as well.
Good luck! Have fun!

 

[abk96]

We were there a month ago and we have 3 little girls ages 8,6,4.

Our favorite meals were CRT breakfast with the princesses. This was a must because my girls love the princesses too. Great food, service, princess interaction, and the location is awesome!

The other one with a princess was 1900 Park Fare dinner in GF with Cinderella, Prince Charming, Perla, and Suzy. The GF is one of our favorites and the food and service here are excellent too.

For characters we enjoyed Chef Mickey's Dinner at Contemporary Resort. Great food and lots of fun for the kids.

 

[!@#$%]

I am sure there are people out there who will disagree with my opinion, but here's mine. Weve been many times, and I say spontaneous still rules! How many times in your life have you heard someone say "That restaurant stunk!" when you loved it? How many times have you heard of a good experience at a place that you had a bad experience at? There are so many variables. Employees having a bad day, the noisy table next to you that you couldnt predict, your child spilling their soda, etc etc etc. When you get there, stop at the park information center, (usually at the entrance to the left upon entering the park) and ask them for their opinion. Single it to princess themed. (That has helped already) and if you do it, choose a slow time (preferrably a day or two in advance). A late breakfast, or super early. Same with lunch or dinner. Avoid 12:00-1PM for lunch. Going for the latest time for a particular meal has worked for us well. I recommend if your not on the dining plan to get a super late lunch and save yourself a dinner, by eating a snack later when you would be eating dinner. On our last character lunch we took the last lunch time available. We FEASTED!!! We basically rolled out on our round bellies, and at dinner time, we didnt want to even THINK of food! We had a powerbar upon arriving at the resort at 10:30PM, and were satisfied. All the character meals will be wonderful, Disney will be sure of it, unless you have a bad experience, in which case... How would you have known? I guess its clear I'm not a Calvanists. Just my opinion. Maybe not the best, but its mine.

 

[eeyore45]

Well, I'm not an expert... but I'll tell you my thoughts!! We have a dd8, and it was her first trip last July, we made a reservation for Breakfast in Norway... and we loved it!! Princess Aurora was/is her fav Princess, so I booked it thinking it would be a relaxing way to meet the Princesses, and it was. DD ate, the Princesses came, they talked, they signed, we took pictures... all in all a wonderful memory for our family!!

However, every time I passed the castle, I wondered if I could eat there? See, *I* wanted the experience the castle... I even walked up and asked if they had room for 3, they hemmed and ummmed, and dd, came up and said, mom, lets not waste time.... so we didnt!!

A long time ago we did Chef Mickey's, and I know many love and post their great experience there - its just not an atmosphere for our family.

Now, this October we're going, and this time I booked the castle (check the menus and the characters most likely to appear at www.allearsnet.com) I booked 1900 Park Fare for dinner, and I'm wondering if we should book at Norway too!!

 

[Aimeedyan]

I am sure there are people out there who will disagree with my opinion, but here's mine. Weve been many times, and I say spontaneous still rules! How many times in your life have you heard someone say "That restaurant stunk!" when you loved it? How many times have you heard of a good experience at a place that you had a bad experience at? There are so many variables. Employees having a bad day, the noisy table next to you that you couldnt predict, your child spilling their soda, etc etc etc. When you get there, stop at the park information center, (usually at the entrance to the left upon entering the park) and ask them for their opinion. Single it to princess themed. (That has helped already) and if you do it, choose a slow time (preferrably a day or two in advance). A late breakfast, or super early. Same with lunch or dinner. Avoid 12:00-1PM for lunch. Going for the latest time for a particular meal has worked for us well. I recommend if your not on the dining plan to get a super late lunch and save yourself a dinner, by eating a snack later when you would be eating dinner. On our last character lunch we took the last lunch time available. We FEASTED!!! We basically rolled out on our round bellies, and at dinner time, we didnt want to even THINK of food! We had a powerbar upon arriving at the resort at 10:30PM, and were satisfied. All the character meals will be wonderful, Disney will be sure of it, unless you have a bad experience, in which case... How would you have known? I guess its clear I'm not a Calvanists. Just my opinion. Maybe not the best, but its mine.

While I agree with much of what you said, she will not likely ever get into a princess meal on that day - they book 90 days out and don't take walk-ups. Being spotaneous is fine when it's doable, but I can't imagine not planning ahead for a princess meal and disappointing my daughter that morning when we find out there is no way she's doing to get to dine with them.

As far as the princess meals, you'll find positives and negatives of them all. The 3 main ones are CRT - breakfast or lunch at the castle, PSB - breakfast, lunch, and dinner in Norway, and 1900 Park Fare - dinner with just Cindy and her gang at the Grand Floridian. You can find menu's and prices for all at www.allearsnet.com.

We have only done the PSB breakfast and greatly enjoyed it - the food was typical breakfast fare and the princesses were great. We took the latest seating of the morning, so we could spend a couple of hours in the park beforehand, and we loved it.

CRT breakfast is notoriously hard to get into, while the others are a little easier. If you don't think your daughter will get sick of them, you can always try for all 3! =)

 

[asaj]

I have a 6 year old daughter. When we went a couple years ago, we did CRT for breakfast. We are going again in Oct, and are doing it again.

At first, she said that she didn't care if we did CRT again, but I just knew, if we didn't book it, that she wouls want to go as soon as she saw other kids going into the castle to eat. So, we got it booked, and since then, she has been excited about it again.

I would say, if you are only doing one princess meal, it has to be in the castle, if for no other reason than the experience. We are doing CRT, Chef Mickey (breakfast), and Crystal Palace (dinner) this trip, that way we cover all of our bases.

Just my opinion.

Andy

 

[!@#$%]

I would say alot of my previous post depends on WHEN you go. We only go on dead/value seasons. I can see the point if you were going in a more crowded time period. We never go when school is out or when its not one of the 4 lowest park attendance weeks (as stated on allears). Thats just my thing, if its not going to be slow i dont wanna go.

 

[marshallandcartersmo]

that was funny !@#$%!! I think that should be your tag phrase "if its not going to be slow i dont wanna go". It rhymes and everything!!

 

[!@#$%]

What can I say? I can picture the guy on the new Disney planner DVD (the one whos always looking for a parkbench) saying that!

 

[larklynn98]

my dd 7 loved!!! the my disney girl princess tea party as well as CRT but she got so much special attentiion at the tea party that she recommends it to anyone she finds out is going

 

[MomOf2DisneyKids]

DAVE! I love that guy! Every time we sat on a bench, we made a comment about him! LOL

Re: princesses....we've done CRT twice and PSB once. *I* personally prefered the castle, but my dd was so excited to see Mulan, who she had never seen before, that she liked PSB better this time.