How "participatory" are character breakfasts?

[stellablue]

We are going to Crystal Palace next weekend for the Winnie the Pooh breakfast.

We are going because: a) we love breakfast and b) I LOVE Winnie the Pooh.

I am also extremely shy when it comes to public attention, and I have no interest in participating in group dancing or anything. I just want to enjoy my breakfast and enjoy meeting the characters and watching THEM be silly (as opposed to me )

I've seen some pictures of character meals where people are up dancing or in a conga line, etc..

Do they do things like this a CP breakfast or is it relatively low key?

 

[irongirlof12]

don't worry, you are not 'forced' into anything! It is mostly kiddies that get up and do the dancing stuff.

we had a great time at crystal palace with winnie the pooh and gang. They visit each table in turn for photos and autographs and a cuddle if you want one. they are very good at interacting at a level that suits you so go ahead and enjoy yourself.

I would recommend getting an autograph book!

 

[theparsons]

We went to CP our first morning in WDW.....and the previous poster is correct, you are not in any way required to join in the parade.

The characters will come to your individual table and wave at you.....if you want to engage them you can....offer them a paper to autograph, get up and give them a hug and get a photograph, or just sit there and talk to them (remembering that they can't talk, only body language and gestures). We did the autographs and hugs/photos the first time they came around....the second time we just did hugs....the third time Pooh came around the girls blew him kisses and he blew them back and left to the next table. If you simply wave back they'll move on to the next table.

Occasionally an announcement comes over the loudspeaker telling the adults to hold their dark green cloth napkin in the air and wave it around to create the 1000 acre wood lmao and the kids (of all ages) are invited to join the characters in a parade. I saw plenty of kids not getting up for this and that's fine, I never saw the characters trying to get them up, though the announcer did come on and encourage everyone, but only once.

As someone who didn't really think she'd want to jump up and hug some stranger in a character costume, I have absolutely adored Eeyore since my girls were little and everything in our lives was "pooh" of some sort, (now it's Princesses). I found myself jumping up the second time he came around and hugging him. I then blushing to think others saw me gush over him,

So don't be surprised if your love for the character overtakes your shyness or decorum. Just go with the flow, no one is going to point and laugh at you at WDW. Now....do that same gushing at your local shopping mall in the Pooh bear aisle and you might find security following you around.

Go and enjoy in whatever way you want!

 

[disnut8]

You'll be fine. The characters will come to you, not the other way around. You don't have to do anything that you don't want to do. I KNOW my father-in-law, father, mother-in-law and husband did NOT do the hokey-pokey at Whispering Canyon Cafe.

 

[grinningghost]

You can participate as much or as little as you want. Generally, the characters will focus more on the kids, and just pat the adults on the head. They kind of gauge the adult's reaction before taking things further. But if you WANT a photo with the character, ask them - they are more than willing to pose.

 

[disneyfav4ever]

I eat at CP all the time. I always get a picture and hug from each of the characters, and that's it. The food there is wonderful too.

 

[stellablue]

Oh good! and it's good to know that the characters will come to you. I do want to get my picture taken with Eeyore, I'm just too shy to run up to him!

 

[simonkodousek]

No, you will not be embaressed at the Crystal Palace. It is very laid back and calm, and the characters are friendly.

 

[LSchrow]

Oh good! and it's good to know that the characters will come to you. I do want to get my picture taken with Eeyore, I'm just too shy to run up to him!

awwww, he would probably love you!
make sure you post the pic when you come back

 

[stellablue]

awwww, he would probably love you!
make sure you post the pic when you come back

I will!

 

[LoveKermit]

Here's my CP character story.

My husband and I missed a connection in Atlanta and it was about midnight. So, we rented a one-way car and drove the rest of the way. We switched cars and picked up our luggage at MCO. Then, we stumbled into WL, changed clothes (and brushed our teeth) and stumbled over to MK and breakfast.

Did I mention, we hadn't eaten since before we left Chicago, say 4 or 5 in the afternoon and that time span is different sleeping than driving and being awake, you know?

Anyway, we were so ravenous that we were constantly stuffing our faces. We practically shooed away the characters. We gave them a little wave and a little signal to move on to tables with children and not interrupt us.

Later that day, I fell asleep standing in line for Mission Space.

Now, this past Aug we took our 7 month old and stood for pics though she didn't like the characters at all. But it was more fun for us!

 

[collcass]

We are doing Crystal Palace for lunch on our first MK day in July. I figured by 11:45 the kids would truly need a break from the Florida heat. Crystal Palace really looks neat.

Have a great time

 

[gypsydoodlebug]

I LOVE CP. One of my favorites for breakfast. DD got to be the line leader during one of the little "parades" and about died. Daddy and I kept eating and snapped some pictures. You should be fine.

 

[Joanna71985]

You can participate as much or as little as you want. Generally, the characters will focus more on the kids, and just pat the adults on the head. They kind of gauge the adult's reaction before taking things further. But if you WANT a photo with the character, ask them - they are more than willing to pose.

Actually, that's not entirely true. Once when I was working at CP there was a table of adults eating there. They had an absolute BLAST interacting with Tigger and Eeyore towards the end of dinner. I swear, both characters spent several moments at that table.


I love interacting with the characters, and character meals are so much fun. My hobby is to do all of them, and I just have 5 to go (Ohana's, Cape May, GF breakfast, GF dinner, and the new AK breakfast).