Too many character meals?

[FSU Girl]

OP my biggest issue with the plan is that character breakfast food... kind of sucks. I think 1 table service meal per day is perfect, but I would probably stick with just one character meal for a week and the rest meals with better food.

Ya the food is definitely not the best but it’s more for the characters. We’re having a date night at Victoria and Albert’s so we’ll have one great tasting meal lol.

 

[Mambo Junkie]

We do lots of character meals, to do easy meet and greets. We try not to have the same characters. My granddaughters are very careful not to get more than 1 autograph per character per trip. For instance, this past trip we bypassed meeting Ariel and Eric at the Halloween party because the girls already had Ariel's and they didn't want to be rude in just getting Eric's autograph.

 

[meggiebeth]

For me I think it would depend on the restaurant and the meal. I’d happily do five character meals for breakfast because I think the character buffets are some of the best breakfasts in WDW - I’d actually go to them without the characters too! If you can fit them into your schedule and you like the look of the restaurants and food, I say why not!

 

[leebee]

I look at it this way: On a Disney vacation, time equals money. I always looked at character meals as time I didn't waste standing in line for a character meet-n-greet. I mean... you have to eat anyhow, so why not get some characters in there, too, so you don't have to stand in line to meet them? We always looked for meals that would expose us to the "Fab 5", as much as possible, and Crystal Palace for the Pooh Guys. Princesses are different, because princess meals are $$$. Given our druthers, we'd do Akershus for the princess and not the Castle, simply based on cost, but really this one is a toss-up. I wouldn't overdose on characters, but you have to eat anyhow!

 

[Mousetopia]

I’m second guessing my choices my mother thinks I have too much planned for the week. We have a character meal planned once a day each day except our arrival and departure days. But we’ll have a baby and 3 year old who loves characters and doesn’t do well with waiting in lines so it’s the best way for her to see them. My mom was saying breakfast should be something quick and small and most of my character meals are breakfast. Do you think I’m over doing it?

Character meals are a major drain on time. What is your time at Disney worth ? Will the kiddo really enjoy that many long large sit down meals? Only you know the answers. For me 1 special meal with characters that they love per trip sounds perfect!

 

[leebee]

Character meals are a major drain on time. What is your time at Disney worth ? Will the kiddo really enjoy that many long large sit down meals? Only you know the answers. For me 1 special meal with characters that they love per trip sounds perfect!

We usually spent an hour or a little more at a character meal, and there'd be 4 or 5 characters. How long would it take to stand in 4 or 5 character lines in the parks... and you'd still have to take the time to eat. Even a QS meal is going to take close to an hour, usually.

 

[Mousetopia]

yes, you mentioned that. My opinion though is I think for a 3 year old doing many character meals in one trip, is a Lot. Will they fondly remember each separate event, love /have a connection with every single character? Have the time to spend? Are they planning otherwise to stand in all those lines and meet all those characters? (if so yes doing all the meals would be a better choice!) Or really just have a few that are important to spend time with and they plan to enjoy others as they happen upon them in the parks? All great choices, depending

 

[DisneyByMarriage]

I have three kids, and when they were younger (say 4, 2, and not 1) we did lots of breakfasts. Ohana and Topolinos are so great because they bring the food to you - which as a mom I appreciated. At 3 and 1, I don’t think you’ll miss too much park time and it also sounds like you’ve been before and will go again. So if you don’t get ride something - oh well. My kids are older now and they still appreciate one table service a day. Breakfast is also often the only time all three of my kids like the same food choices, so if I had time on a trip, I’d likely do a breakfast everyday too.

Ohana and Topolinos bring the food to you, which cannot be overlooked as a mom. Garden Grill will provide you with a break in Epcot, though keep in mind it’s not on the same side as the Skyliner drop off. Tusker House I would consider swapping for lunch - the character interaction there is fantastic but it is expensive if you don’t think everyone will like the menu. I’d keep the ressies for now and after the first two days, you will know if it’s too much. Have fun!

 

[FSU Girl]

I have three kids, and when they were younger (say 4, 2, and not 1) we did lots of breakfasts. Ohana and Topolinos are so great because they bring the food to you - which as a mom I appreciated. At 3 and 1, I don’t think you’ll miss too much park time and it also sounds like you’ve been before and will go again. So if you don’t get ride something - oh well. My kids are older now and they still appreciate one table service a day. Breakfast is also often the only time all three of my kids like the same food choices, so if I had time on a trip, I’d likely do a breakfast everyday too.

Ohana and Topolinos bring the food to you, which cannot be overlooked as a mom. Garden Grill will provide you with a break in Epcot, though keep in mind it’s not on the same side as the Skyliner drop off. Tusker House I would consider swapping for lunch - the character interaction there is fantastic but it is expensive if you don’t think everyone will like the menu. I’d keep the ressies for now and after the first two days, you will know if it’s too much. Have fun!

Yes we’ve been a lot, but will be the baby’s first time and we didn’t go into the parks until my first was 18 months so will be new experience for us. I do like most of the meals I picked aren’t buffet that seems a lot trickier with little kids.

I decided to not do Tusker House. I just don’t think there’s enough for me to eat for lunch and breakfast time would need to be too early to accommodate us doing a capture your moment. So we’ll have one less character meal which my mom is happy about lol.

Good point for Garden Grill being farther from the skyliner. We are going at 10am so hopefully we’ll get everyone up and moving in time to get there. I figure if everyone is up a lot earlier we can ride Living with the Land before our reservation

 

[Eastern]

Leave your ADRs in place and if it's too much you can cancel up to two hours before for most meals. I think it is too $, too much food, and takes too long, but I'm not you.

 

[FSU Girl]

Leave your ADRs in place and if it's too much you can cancel up to two hours before for most meals. I think it is too $, too much food, and takes too long, but I'm not you.

My mom thought it was a lot of food too. Our plan for when we are doing a breakfast is to skip lunch since it’s a lot of food so we’ll only be doing breakfast and a smaller dinner