Is this overkill??

[CathieArms]

These are the character breakfasts I have planned:

1900 Park Fare (Breakfast)
1900 Park Fare (Dinner)
CRT (Dinner)
Akershus (Breakfast)
Chef Mickey's (Breakfast)
Crystal Palace (Lunch)
Tusker House (Breakfast)

It looks like we'll get Cinderella potentially 3 times and the other princesses twice. We'll get Mickey at lest twice and Pooh/Tigger Twice.

I just don't know how to cut it back. While I'm getting several duplicates, there are several things that appeal to me about each of those characters. Thoughts?

 

[WdwforLife]

These are the character breakfasts I have planned:

1900 Park Fare (Breakfast)
1900 Park Fare (Dinner)
CRT (Dinner)
Akershus (Breakfast)
Chef Mickey's (Breakfast)
Crystal Palace (Lunch)
Tusker House (Breakfast)

It looks like we'll get Cinderella potentially 3 times and the other princesses twice. We'll get Mickey at lest twice and Pooh/Tigger Twice.

I just don't know how to cut it back. While I'm getting several duplicates, there are several things that appeal to me about each of those characters. Thoughts?

It would be a shame for you to miss out on so many other awesome restaurants that do not feature characters when you can certainly meet characters elsewhere in the park.

Akershus features the most popular Disney princesses including Cinderella and while CRT is an okay experience, there are many other restaurants that are far superior. It's the characters you're going for really. So really you can get rid of CRT and 1900 Park Fare dinner right there.

Tusker House features Mickey, Donald, Daisy and Goofy while Chef Mickey's features Mickey, Minnie, Pluto and Chip & Dale. Chip & Dale are by far the easiest characters to get pictures with around the parks as is Pluto. Mickey, Donald and Goofy are the top 3 Fab Five that there's usually a wait and all three are featured in Tusker House. So I'd say, while many say they enjoy Chef Mickey's, Tusker House offers better characters. So that's another one you can get rid of.

 

[rdominy]

We are basically doing the same thing...we are all VERY picky eaters and breakfast is our best bet...also this trip is all about our DD3 and characters are the focus...(I prefer a hamburger and french fries any day of the week)
We are doing
1900 Park Fare (Breakfast)
1900 Park Fare (Dinner)
CRT (Breakfast)
Akershus (Breakfast)
Chef Mickey's (Breakfast)
Crystal Palace (Breakfast)
Tusker House (Breakfast)
So all the same places that you are doing, but two more breakfasts...it just depends on what's best for your family...for us...there is no other option

 

[MajorThomasina]

You have to give us a little more information regarding how long you're staying and who you're traveling with. For me it's definitely overkill, I would have three or four character meals max during a seven day stay. That's one character meal every other day. I definitely agree with WDWforLife, it's kind of a shame to go see characters that often with only decent food. You're missing out on a lot of the wonderful food offered at non-character restaurants!

 

[CathieArms]

We'll be there 10 days. We also intend to do the following restaurants:

Kona Cafe
Whispering Canyon
Les Chefs de France
Raglan Road
Rose and Crown
Teppan Edo
Tutto Italia
Coral Reef
The Wave
Biergarten
Yachtsman
HDDR
Boma
'Ohana


Basically, I have it figured where we'll eat 2 TS meals most days, usually a late breakfast or very early lunch (11:30ish) and then dinner. For those few days we'd eat 3 meals, I'd scheduled 7:30 breakfast, 1:30 lunches and then 7:30 or 8:00 dinners.

 

[LockShockBarrel]

I think you could be setting yourself up for a lot of loud screaming busy restaurants...but its like PPs said, could you give us a little more info? Are you travelling with kids? How old they are? Have they ever met the characters before? Are you planning on completely avoiding park character meet and greets and just seeing them at the meals?

I specifically mention "have they met characters before" because I've read lots of reports on here with people taking their little ones to meet the furry characters and them totally wigging out and being really scared. I'd hate to see you report after your vacation and hear that you had kids that hated the characters when almost all your meals were character ones you know?

 

[rdominy]

Well like I said...for us I think it is going to really work wonderfully.
The ones listed above are the only TS we are doing so if you are overkill...I'm not really sure what most people will probably think of us.
For us there just wasn't anything my DH or I would eat at 99% of the TS and we looked at every menu on allears.

 

[CathieArms]

I think you could be setting yourself up for a lot of loud screaming busy restaurants...but its like PPs said, could you give us a little more info? Are you travelling with kids? How old they are? Have they ever met the characters before? Are you planning on completely avoiding park character meet and greets and just seeing them at the meals?

I specifically mention "have they met characters before" because I've read lots of reports on here with people taking their little ones to meet the furry characters and them totally wigging out and being really scared. I'd hate to see you report after your vacation and hear that you had kids that hated the characters when almost all your meals were character ones you know?

DD will be 15 and DS will be 6. Coming with us are the grandparents, and then dh and myself.

My goal is to have as few park meet and greets as possible. We'll be there in the summer and I seriously HATE standing in line waiting to meet the characters.

DD wants to do Akershus (again) and she's also specifically requested to eat in the castle. I think DS would get a kick out of the castle, too.

I like the idea of the "different" characters offered at the two 1900 Park Fare meals, and we keep missing Daisy so we definitely want to do Tusker House. Additionally, both kids were disappointed not to do Chef Mickey's last time.

When I look at it on paper, it sure seems like *a lot* of character meals. But, I also have a good number of nicer meals and am currently thinking of nixing the 1900 Park Fare dinner for Narcoosee's.

I just don't know...

 

[PixieDustandEeyore]

This is from my experience but I find character meals stressful! You got to time your food, try not to be mid bite when they arrive etc. I don't know I find it just easier to do the family style ones and not the buffet ones lol. I just find they become a chore at some point ...but thats just me...maybe I stress too easy! lol

 

[StitchFan73]

DD will be 15 and DS will be 6. Coming with us are the grandparents, and then dh and myself.

My goal is to have as few park meet and greets as possible. We'll be there in the summer and I seriously HATE standing in line waiting to meet the characters.

DD wants to do Akershus (again) and she's also specifically requested to eat in the castle. I think DS would get a kick out of the castle, too.

I like the idea of the "different" characters offered at the two 1900 Park Fare meals, and we keep missing Daisy so we definitely want to do Tusker House. Additionally, both kids were disappointed not to do Chef Mickey's last time.

When I look at it on paper, it sure seems like *a lot* of character meals. But, I also have a good number of nicer meals and am currently thinking of nixing the 1900 Park Fare dinner for Narcoosee's.

I just don't know...

When we go we have been able to do the Deluxe plan-so our day is a late-ish Character breakfast and a 5-7 Signature dinner and just snack it for lunch. We are usually too full for lunch.

I too like the idea of having to stand on as few Meet & Greet lines as possible and we have a great time and enjoy ourselves. But we have also stopped doing the park Commando style-so we don't mind spending a little extra time at the Character dining.

I think if you like the way it sounds-go for it! Everyone is different

 

[candielips]

Well if it is overkill, I'm killing it too
We are doing all the same TS, except Akershus, I just cannot stomach the food.
All of your other choices look great, so no worries.
Go, eat, and enjoy.

 

[Hopefully]

When I see your total list, it all looks great.
Enjoy

 

[dancin Disney style]

If that is what you want to do then do it.

For me it would be too much. Last year we decided to do a bunch of character meals. In a 9 day trip we did 4 and by the 3rd one we just didn't care about the characters anymore.

Definitely do the ones that have been requested.

 

[flipflopmom]

These are the character breakfasts I have planned:

1900 Park Fare (Breakfast)
1900 Park Fare (Dinner)
CRT (Dinner)
Akershus (Breakfast)
Chef Mickey's (Breakfast)
Crystal Palace (Lunch)
Tusker House (Breakfast)

It looks like we'll get Cinderella potentially 3 times and the other princesses twice. We'll get Mickey at lest twice and Pooh/Tigger Twice.

I just don't know how to cut it back. While I'm getting several duplicates, there are several things that appeal to me about each of those characters. Thoughts?

We had basically the same lineup, other than subbing out Ohana breakfast for 1900 PF breakfast. We didn't enjoy the 1900 dinner as much, although the stepsisters were fun. I would, personally, do Narcoosee's instead. We did 1900 PF, CRT, and AKershus, and 1900 was our least fav. We did CM and TH, both great, as well as Ohana. CP was not rockin the day we were there, but it has been fun in the past!


The few times we have done 3 meals a day, we were miserable, just an FYI. And that was with the same time spread you had.

 

[jojomoore]

I think that you need to plan no more than two TS meals a day because dining takes a lot of time our of your day. I would also make sure that your dining plans are in line with your park plans. In other words, make sure that you are eating near or in the park that you will be staying in for the day. Character Meals are alot of fun for children and adults so i think its fine to have several in trip as long as you realize that they could potentially take longer than noncharacter meals. Sometimes there are breaks in between characters that can take a long time. You may be finished with breakfast long before the characters make there way around.

 

[ReneeA]

That would be way too many character meals for me - but I don't like the chaos and noise associated with them, and the fact that my kids are too distracted to eat. I hate having to find snacks less than an hour after a sit down meal.

I count on relaxing a bit when I sit down to eat.

 

[CathieArms]

I think that you need to plan no more than two TS meals a day because dining takes a lot of time our of your day. I would also make sure that your dining plans are in line with your park plans. In other words, make sure that you are eating near or in the park that you will be staying in for the day. Character Meals are alot of fun for children and adults so i think its fine to have several in trip as long as you realize that they could potentially take longer than noncharacter meals. Sometimes there are breaks in between characters that can take a long time. You may be finished with breakfast long before the characters make there way around.

Very good advice. For the most part, I have them planned on our "late start days" or at the end of the day...with the exception of Crystal Palace for lunch.

Tusker House - I truly don't like AK, so that breakfast could last 4 hours and I'd be thrilled. LOL

The only one that "worries" me a little is Akershus since I want to do it before park opening at Epcot and still hit park opening.

Oh well..I think I'll nix the 1900 Park Fare dinner in favor of Narcoosee's, but I'll probably keep the rest. Chef Mickey's mostly only because I think we'll stay at BLT.

 

[catne]

Heck, if you want to see all those characters, go for it. Kids will soon be flying the nest (at least your older kid) and then it could be too late. At the very least, capture the memories with photos now.

Agree 100% with no waiting in character lines...could not do that!

Seems like you have lots of non-character places planned, too so you will get a break. And if any character breakfasts are early - before park opening- you will find those are not all that busy/hectic so not too bad. Besides, your kids are older, so not that big of a deal to do busy buffets. Go for it

 

[flipflopmom]

Heck, if you want to see all those characters, go for it. Kids will soon be flying the nest (at least your older kid) and then it could be too late. At the very least, capture the memories with photos now.

Exactly! As I said in my TR or dining review one, for us it's kinda like the movie Polar Express - we'll keep ringing the bell as long as they can hear it!

 

[topmonkeygirl]

We're doing 4 maybe 5 character meals. We do the breakfast for 2 reasons. Kids aren't as cranky in the morning, and we want to sit and relax at night. We don't want to stand in another line to get food and we're just not that into dinner buffets. I don't think I would do the same restaurants twice, there are too many to choose from. We're doing CRT, Tuskar, Hollywood and Vine (we have no idea who JoJo is but we get into the park early), and Akershus. We're thinking of dropping Kona for Ohauna, but not sure yet.