My character meal questions...

[NewEnglandCamper]

Disney Dining is part of the fun and I don't mind paying.
Got all my favorites from when we visited 5 years ago:

* Ohana - breakfast
* Tusker House - breakfast
* Garden Grill - lunch

Questions:
1. Is the Ohana and Tusker House really $34.00 now for breakfast + tip?
2. When they do the picture can I have them put in on my Disney Memory Maker? Last time we went they gave us a card at Chef Mickeys? I don't have much use for real photos.
3. If I had to give up one which one would you get rid of? NOTE: The garden grill is my wife's 50th birthday celebration.
4. At the Garden Grill my 1 year old grandson is traveling with us. Will they have a booster and I assume he is FREE?

PS. I'd love to go back to Aukerhaus again but this trip traveling with my grandson (age 1)

 

[Capang]

1. Could be more depending on the season.
2. No more pictures with photo pass except for certain places like 1900 breakfast and CRT. No prints, yes any taken by photopass photographers will go to MM.
3. Tusker.
4. Yes, they will have a booster. Make sure he is on reservation. Not sure if he is free. I’ve heard it can vary between plated meals and buffets.

 

[ENJDisneyFan]

Yes the 1 year old is free at buffets.

 

[DisneyWishes14]

Of the three I would give up O'hana breakfast - the food is incredibly salty.

Why not go to Akershus with your grandson? My DS has been to every princess meal multiple times since he was 1 and he's always enjoyed them. He's now 10 and doesn't want to go to ANY character meals anymore (LOL!), but when he was younger he liked them all. He even waited in the lobby of Akershus once (when he was around 5) because we missed Cinderella coming to our table and he insisted he had to meet her before we left and she was on her break! The princesses would absolutely dote on your grandson!

 

[River Country]

Garden Gill is not a buffet, but I still believe there is no charge for the 1 year old. they are all good I love the breakfasts at all 3 but never had the lunch at Garden Grill so I couldn't comment

 

[ENJDisneyFan]

Garden Gill is not a buffet, but I still believe there is no charge for the 1 year old. they are all good I love the breakfasts at all 3 but never had the lunch at Garden Grill so I couldn't comment

Garden Grill is family style so yes, 1 year old is free.

 

[Pumbaa_]

I would pick th over ohana any day. Love the food, the venue and the characters

 

[KenHutch]

If you had to give up one I would surrender Tusker House it has declined a little over the years (still good thou). We are eating breakfast with Stitch one day and dinner at Garden Grill ourselves.

 

[KrazeeK120]

I'd get rid of 'Ohana out of those 3.

I've never seen a booster at a Disney restaurant. Maybe I just wasn't looking hard enough though! My son was 18 months when we went and we just used high chairs (even though he was already using a booster at home by that time). He's a big boy (30 lbs at 18 months) and he still fit fine in the high chairs. You'd have to have a freakishly large 1 year old for the high chairs not to work, honestly.

 

[GillianP1301]

1. Looks about right, I don't pay attention much to exact price because we use DDP.
2. The only meal on your list that does a photo is 'Ohana and any memory maker photos all get uploaded to your memory maker account, no more hard photos.
3. I would give up Tusker House on your list. 'Ohana and Garden Grill are two of our absolute favourites. They are both family style and not buffet, which I prefer because it's way more relaxing.
4. 1 yr old is free. Not certain on the booster seat, but I would assume yes because I've seen them at Disney restaurants.

 

[NewEnglandCamper]

I decided to give up Ohana! as that was our time we are staying at a regular hotel and they offered "free breakfast"... now trying to get into BE OUR GUEST for lunch! Any suggestions!!! Please and thanks!

 

[DisneyWishes14]

I decided to give up Ohana! as that was our time we are staying at a regular hotel and they offered "free breakfast"... now trying to get into BE OUR GUEST for lunch! Any suggestions!!! Please and thanks!

If you can't get an ADR for your entire group, trying breaking your party up into smaller sizes and find multiple ADR's around the same time. It's QS so once you get in you can sit wherever you want.

Or, sign up for a Touring Plans reservation finder.

 

[NewEnglandCamper]

If you can't get an ADR for your entire group, trying breaking your party up into smaller sizes and find multiple ADR's around the same time. It's QS so once you get in you can sit wherever you want.

Or, sign up for a Touring Plans reservation finder.

Is Touring Plans reservation finder FREE?

 

[CrazyHare]

Is Touring Plans reservation finder FREE?

It is. You have to have their free membership. Then you look under your dashboard to find the link to use it.

 

[cgh]

1 year old is free at all of those.

I'd say O'hana for skipping. My kids LOVED Tusker House, well, and Garden Grill. We keep on cancelling 'Ohana due to reviews, so I can't give feedback for 'Ohana except that we keep canceling it.

 

[TheRustyScupper]

Yes the 1 year old is free at buffets.

NO!
UNTRUE!
A RUMOR BY PEOPLE WHO ASSUME!
A RUMOR BY PEOPLE WHO DO NOT KNOW THE RULES!

KIDS UNDER-3 EAT FREE "411":
1) TECHNICALLY, there is no such thing as a "kids-under-3-eat-free" policy.
. . . no where in ANY Disney brochure is this mentioned
. . . there is no such policy
2) But, when done per policy, they eat almost free.
3) And, based upon CM discretion, they can eat free.
4) The official rules:
. . . kids under three can eat off the adult's plate
. . . they can still get an empty plate for themselves, and take food from an adult's plate
. . . if they order anything, like milk, they are supposed to pay for it
. . . if they order any food, they are supposed to pay for it
. . . this is anywhere, including buffets
5) What really happens:
. . at buffets & AYCTE kids usually "eat buffet food free"
. . . . . . adults could get the food, instead and give it to the kid
. . . . . . the adult could claim it is their plate kid eats from
. . . . . . they might as well have a drink, for same reason
. . . . . . it's tough to determine it was theirs or their parents
. . . . . . thus, kids can have their own plate and beverage without charge
. . at non-buffet, servers can determine if they ordered food
. . . . . . it is easy to tell if they got a drink
. . . . . . the server usually charges for food ordered for the kid
. . . . . . the server usually let's the drink go, but not food
. . . . . . the server, at their own discretion, can charge for beverage
6) So, to wrap-up, in practical terms
. . . at non-buffets, kids under-3 eat without charge ONLY from parent's plate
. . . at buffets & AYCTE, they can actually take food from the buffet table or separate plate
. . . at all meals, items are ordered for the child "might" be charged for them

7) Please remember to add your child to the table count.
. . . if there are four adults and a child, that needs an ADR for five people
. . . this is regardless whether the child is lap, stroller, highchair, or regular chair
. . . also, if the baby makes six people, the AUTOMATIC 18% GRATUITY is in effect
. . . no automatic gratuity at CRT-HDDR-LUAU-BBQ, as tips are already included in the meal price

 

[gypsy_at_heart]

https://disneyparksmomspanel.disney.go.com/question/kids-eat-free-work-buy-dining-plan-211818/

Since it says kids under three eat on a complimentary basis at buffet and family style restaurants there, I'm sure you're safe.

 

[McNs]

Good choice on skipping Ohana, I was underwhelmed on our visit, only went because my daughter is a avid Stitch fan. I was hoping for something similar to the interaction with Stitch at Mickey's Surf's Up breakfast at Paradise Pier Hotel at Disneyland, but sadly it was just the photo op. Food was mediocre and limited, and when we asked for more waffles it took ages for two to be delivered and no syrup...

Probably my favourite character meal on our visit was at Cape May Cafe at Beach Club. Food was standard but good, the best bit was the waffles with the fixin' station.

"This is how you Mickey Waffle!"

 

[CinderDuffy]

Yes, the one year old is free.

 

[cgh]

FWIW- My son has severe food allergies and we have never been charged for any of his foods at buffets or price fixed meals with one exception. (including Chef Mickey, Trailsend, O'hana, Garden Grill. Crystal Palace, Tusker House, Garden Grill, 1900 Park Fare, or Boma)

I did have to pay for him at CRT full price even though they never brought either of us an appetizer. They said there he could eat off my plate for free, or get his own and pay. Only place.