Too Many Character Meals???

[mommy4]

Okay, so I am trying to figure out our ADR's for November and I wanted to ask if there can be too many character meals? Right now I'm looking at Chef Mickey's, Crystal Palace, Liberty Tree Tavern, Donald's breakfast at Tusker House, and possibly Hollywood & Vine (for the playhouse Disney characters).
We will have a 7DS, 5DS, 3DS, and 22 monthsDD.
What do you think?
Me
DH
DS
DS
DS
DD -home from Ethiopia September 2007
first family trip to WDW!! November17-23, POR!!

 

[LastLookAtTheCastle]

Okay, so I am trying to figure out our ADR's for November and I wanted to ask if there can be too many character meals? Right now I'm looking at Chef Mickey's, Crystal Palace, Liberty Tree Tavern, Donald's breakfast at Tusker House, and possibly Hollywood & Vine (for the playhouse Disney characters).
We will have a 7DS, 5DS, 3DS, and 22 monthsDD.
What do you think?

Truthfully, that's a lot of character meals. We do one or two - it can be overload on the littler kids.

Both of mine were terrified when they were under 3, and DD at 5 wasn't completely sure of them either!

 

[MickeyNicki]

I think you can never have too many character meals!

 

[TiggerFamily]

We are doing all the some one as you are but we are not doing Holleywood and vine. We did all this same ones 2 years ago and we really enjoyed them. My boys will be 6 and 8 this trip. If you are on the dining plan I say do as many character maels a possible. My little one didn't like the characters last time so I'm hoping he will this time.

 

[faindrops27]

To much for me. I have a 4 & 6 yr old, and I only have crystal palace for breakfast. Out of 13 meals.

But, to each his or her own.

 

[nikjd68]

IMHO, children under 8 only care about TS meals if it IS character dining. The only thing I would say is one-a-day is probably best.

 

[Brian Noble]

I find that, for a week-long trip, two character meals works well for my kids, and has for a while. One with "face characters", and one with "fur characters". After that, they all start to seem redundant to me.

My kids have always enjoyed some of the other "experience/destination" meals: Sci Fi, 'Ohana, Coral Reef, etc. A "regular" place, like, say, Olivia's, is just another restaurant---still a nice treat, as we don't go out that often at home, but nothing special.

 

[RACHELSMOM1]

One can never have too many character meal experiences - one per day is not too much!! Especially with the ages of your kids, they will love the character meals. You will love them also, I am willing to bet on it...

 

[sherabby]

Last year we went in Aug and did 4 character meals out of 6 dinners and at the other two dinners with no characters my son was asking for characters to come to his table. (he is 7 too!) I think he enjoyed them. this time we are doing all but one character meal and Whispering Canyon our first night.

 

[MissMichelle]

I don't plan many character meals but that is because my kids are very easy and laid back in a regular table service setting...I have seen kids though that seem extremely bored and give the parents a hard time. If there are characters and something going on perhaps they wouldn't be bored stiff waiting for entrees...Another plus is character meals are usually buffet...which means getting food immediately and having "constant" going ons so that once "enough is enough" you can pay and leave. You will have eaten and seen the characters, getting some great pics and generally having a good time ;O)

I say plan what seems comfortable for you and your family...I personally don't think you can have "too many character meals".

 

[MissMichelle]

I hit enter twice and ended up with a duplicate post! SORRY!!

 

[Ashlander]

I definitely don't think it is too many. Kids grow up so fast and soon you will find they will not want to go to as many character meals. We have 4 planned for our week in September.

 

[LOLA2]

If you can afford it you should go ahead, I know I would. Besides keeping the kids entertained it is more noisy which I think makes parents more comfortable and relax since they don't have to worry about little cries or a little bit louder talking from the kids. It is always nice when the kids are happy and being entertained because you can actually eat yourself which sometimes is hard to do with small kids. The more the better imho.

 

[mommy4]

Thanks everybody! I think we will just keep our character meals for now.
We are on the dining plan, so I thought we would just take advantage of that and I love the idea of buffets because we get our food right away. Also, I think the characters will keep my little ones occupied. Hopefully they like them!
Me
DH
DS
DS
DS
DD -home from Ethiopia September 2007
first family trip to WDW!! November17-23, POR!!

 

[mickeymouseclubhouse]

We have all the same ones you have plus the hollywood and vine one AND Garden Grill!

My kids love them though and it keeps them entertained! Plus they don't get to eat with Mickey, the Little Einsteins etc back here at home!

Have fun and enjoy!!

 

[tarheelmjfan]

My only suggestion would be to try to plan more family style, character meals. LTT will fit the bill, but I'd try to find a couple more. Maybe, rotating buffet & FS. Taking care of 4 kids in the parks, then having to face fixing 4 plates, before you can sit to eat. If anyone wants more or dessert, that's that many more trips to the buffet. Sounds like you'd soon be worn out. Family style meals provide you with quick service, plus you get to sit the entire time. It's much easier to put food on a plate at the table, than to go through a buffet line multiple times. Just a thought.

 

[disneyfav4ever]

I'm doing seven in thirteen days, so no, I don't think you have too many.

 

[MBELSANTI]

When my DS was smaller, we did many Character BUffets on our trips. We actually did one a day. We would mix them up; breakfast one day, dinner the next. DS loved them and so did we. Plus with all of the different characters, we were able to get photos of him with everyone.

 

[1hero2princesses]

We are doing 7 in 9 days. My kids are little and they love a lot of the characters. Hopefully the baby won't have developed a fear of them by then. Besides they are buffets, so they can eat as much as they want. Our baby, currently 11 months, can out eat the other two.

 

[scrapbookworm]

I wouldn't plan that many character meals b/c of the cost and getting tired of them. Sometimes, they do seem more rushed and less quality service than a regular meal. We usually do 2 character meals per trip.