too much?

[kimmer]

Hey,

I'm planning our families second trip to WDW this spring, but it'll be our first on-site with character meals. I was just wondering how others do it? Like, would a TS character breakfast each morning (we're there for 4 days) be too much? Would you maybe do one or two? And what about dinners? I'm just worried that I'll want to plan too many character breakfasts and dinners and it'll be overload. My girls are three and five.

Any advice or suggestions would be appreciated!!

 

[OhThePain]

I am a firm believer that there is no such thing as too many character meals. My girlfriend and I are doing 6 on an upcoming 8 night trip. They are fun and a great way to see many characters (and have a meal) without having to wait on a 45 min. line. Most places have great character interaction and will usually come around to your table multiple times. The more character meals you have the larger the variety of characters you will see.

Again, it is just my opinion.

Have fun and enjoy your trip, that is what is most important.

 

[TDC Nala]

How many can you stand? That's how many you ought to do. Do the kids have experience with character meals or might you find out the characters scare them?

We did have a poster once who booked sixteen character meals in one week - I'm absolutely certain that's too many, but I think one is too many.

 

[Pakey]

We took our grandson last year for his first visit and we had a character meal per day. We found it worked out perfectly. He got a lot of pictures and autographs without standing in lines in the parks. I think the majority of TS places at WDW are crowded and noisy anyway so doing the ones with characters didn't make much difference to us.

 

[HunnyJar]

We have five for our upcoming trip. Three breakfasts and two dinners. We are also trying for a variety of characters. My daughter will be turning 1 next week so I wanted to pick restaurants that had characters that she was familiar with. I do know that she squeals when she sees Mickey so I wanted to make sure he was at enough of them for her.

1900 Park Fare - Breakfast: Mary Poppins, Alice, Mad Hatter, Pooh and Tigger. Buffet.

'Ohana - Breakfast: Mickey, Pluto, Lilo and Stitch. Served family style.

Tusker House - Breakfast: Mickey, Goofy, Donald and Daisy. Buffet.

Akershus - Dinner: Princess meal. Last time we were there it was Belle (greeting guests), Aurora, Snow White and Jasmine. You choose from a menu, but they also offer items on the koldboard.. I'm sure I just slaughtered the spelling of that.

Garden Grill - Dinner: Mickey, Pluto, Chip and Dale. Served family style.


Even if it were just my husband and myself we would probably have at least four character meals. That's just the type of family we are. Only you know your family.. If you think your kids will like to see characters every day, go for it. If you think they might get burnt out on it - scale back.

 

[Rylee]

We like character meals, but... we're not big fans of buffets or family style meals.

We usually schedule 2 character meals for a 10 day vacation.

 

[bitohoney]

I have 10 character meals booked!
And it's just me and 2 16 year olds...but they love it!
We are on the DxDP though.

 

[kimmer]

do you guys find they take up a lot of time? we really want to get a lot in at MK over two days. How long are the breakfasts say? Should I anticipate an hour? More? We'll be on the deluxe dining plan as well, and probably doing breakfast buffets..

 

[GatorLady]

I find character meals do take longer than regular TS meals, I factor an hour for just a regular TS meal. You say you are going in Spring. If that is any time right near Easter it is a very crowded time. In my opinion, I wouldn't schedule my breakfasts to take up early morning touring time because that is when you can get the most done. The time you save not waiting in line to see characters will be replaced by the time you wait in line for rides.

We try to schedule more of a brunch time and tour before. I find that way we can get the most accomplished. An alternative to this theory is get the first seating time for breakfast.

(Oh, and my DD7 has never met a character meal she didn't like, there is no such thing as too many to her! DH on the other hand hates to take park time away with what he thinks is too much time spent eating.)

Hope you have a great trip!

 

[RMulieri]

do you guys find they take up a lot of time? we really want to get a lot in at MK over two days. How long are the breakfasts say? Should I anticipate an hour? More? We'll be on the deluxe dining plan as well, and probably doing breakfast buffets..

Not a fan of Breakfasts , they eat up valuble am park time.Figure 90-120 mins per character meal.

 

[AirGoofy]

How does your youngest do with the costume characters? Also, when planning 2 meals a day, you need to consider time? PP talked about 90 min for a character dining. But, if you don't want to wait in a 60 minute line for character pictures/ autographs, then it is well worth the time. If you do that, that is a lot of theme park time you will lose. Do you want them to do more rides or character meals? Are you still doing naps with children? Some like to do breakfast meals before the rope drop, but if I wake my children up that early, then they drop.

 

[GatorLady]

I think a lot of this is about timing. We do rope drop, but take an afternoon break when the parks are more crowded (the younger the kids, the more important I find this is).

I have never waited 60 minutes for a character line. Again timing. Get to Toontown 15 minutes before their rope drop. Wait longer and you will be standing in line. You can do this on a couple of mornings, princesses one day, fairies another if those are the characters your daughters are interested in. We did this last year and it worked out great for us. (I have a DD7.)

If you prefer to do breakfasts, then when you do them is key if you want to maximize your time to do the attractions as well.

 

[sherabby]

Disney Deluxe Dining and have 7 booked in 5 days. Also Hoop Dee Do Review, Sci-Fi, 50's prime time, whispering canyon cafe...lots of fun meals!

 

[FlightlessDuck]

I don't like too many character meals/buffets. It basically ends up feeling like the same experience each time. But then my kids are old enough (13 and 9) that the magic of those experiences are starting to wear off. I think we are going to do 1 during our next visit.

And in general, I don't like eating a breakfast TS. I'd rather be in the park.

 

[tami82]

I will be honest with you, i love breakfast but the one time i did do a character meal in the morning just didnt agree with me between eating too much and the heat I wanted to go back to the room instead of staying in the park. I would make a brunch, lunch or dinner reservations because it would give you a much needed break from the heat by that time and if you made a later reservation and you wouldnt miss too much time from the parks. I would do one at the most and leave the rest for later on in the days.

 

[MickeyNicki]

When we take the kids (nieces) we do a character breakfast every single morning and TS for lunch and dinner because they are picky girls and love breakfast foods so they fill up pretty good

For just DH and I we prefer TS dinners

 

[mommyoftwinz]

I love the character meals, it saves you from waiting on line in the park for autographs. For us, I liked the breakfasts better because my kids were exhausted at night and couldn't really sit through a meal. We did do 1900 Parkfare for dinner, we went early and we were staying at the GF so it wasn't too much. We saw Cinderella, Prince Charming, Stepmother and the stepsisters (who were fun), they came by our table twice so we got lots of pictures. We also did breakfast at 1900 Park Fare, we had an 8am so we got to the park just after opening so we didn't miss much. We saw Pooh, tigger, Alice and the Mad Hatter who was so funny. The food was okay but at least the kids could have what they wanted and they were ready to go. We did breakfast at LTT in MK because they are refurbishing Crystal Palace while we were there. We saw Minnie, Chip and Dale and Pluto, the food here was really good. I think when you go you could do the Cyrstal Palace, it's in MK and the characters are Pooh and friends. you can even eat there before the park opens and then you are already there or do a later breakfast around 11 so you can go on the rides first when there's no lines. We also did lunch in the Castle, that was great. The food was really good and all the princesses came around plus the kids got a sword and wand which they loved and you get a picture with it. Have fun!