Questions about Character Dining. Help pls.

[Whidby]

Hi everyone, I've looked through a number of posts and even guide books and got confused about Character Dining. I have some questions on character dining that I hope you can help.

1. For places like Ariel's Grotto, Goofy's Kitchen and Plaza Inn, are characters available all day for Breakfast, lunch and dinner? Or is it only for specific meal times?

2. How do I find out the hours for meal times? eg, what time does breakfast start and end? As well as lunch and dinner.

3. Where can I find / and what are the prices for the buffets or fixe price menus (eg for Ariel's).

4. What is Premium Dining? I saw on the Ares travel website that they have tickets for Disneyland Premium Character Dining at Ariel's or Goofy Kitchen for $39 for adults. Regular Character Dining at Plaza Inn (breakfast) is $32 for adults. Are these good prices?

Thanks in advance!

 

[2munchkins]

Some restaurants have characters all day, and others have them only for certain meals.

Ariel's Grotto - breakfast, lunch only
Goofy's Kitchen - breakfast, dinner
PCH Grill - breakfast
Plaza Inn - breakfast
Storyteller's Cafe - breakfast

Here is a site where you can see the prices and menus for the character meals: http://allears.net/dlr/din/menu/menus.htm#dl

As for the Area meal vouchers, I did a comparison of prices a few months ago, and found that it can save a few dollars. For example, Ariel's Grotto for lunch is $37, plus tax & tip. The voucher is $40 ($38 + fee) and includes tax & tip. I'm not sure of the tax rate for these meals, but tax + tip i know is higher than the $3 difference in price for the voucher.

Once you decide on your character meals, you can compare those prices to the ones in the link above. These vouchers are also good for those folks who like to prepay everything.

 

[DahliaRW]

Whether or not the vouchers save you money depends on the time of year you go. In January, the off season, the cost was less than the vouchers. But at peak times they raise the price.

 

[BELLEDOZER]

I can vouch for Minnies and friends brekki at the Plaza Inn. We did it last month. The food was excellent with good variety, we saw 12 characters. Some lingered more than others, but we had a great time there. Be aware that they give the kids balloons with weights, and there will be one parent that will end up holding them for the entire day while the rest of the family goes on rides, unless you take them back to your hotel room afterwards. Otherwise won't hestitate to go there again.

 

[Whidby]

I'll be there in May....erm...is it considered peak? Or would peak be summer?

Thanks for the link 2munchkins! and the tip about tax + tips! I didn't think about those.

hmmm...if I do 3 character meals, perhaps we can do a Minnie & Friends Breakfast on a MM morning (tie the balloon to the strollers) and Ariel's for Lunch after BBB and Goofy's for dinner (not on the same day of course! )