What's the appeal of a character meal?

[Sharlag]

I see lots of people talking about them, but mostly they discuss how to schedule them or how the food tasted, plus some comments about time with the characters.

But do the kids (and adults) REALLY get a big kick out of the experience?

I'm trying to understand why so many people participate in them.

Thanks!
Sharla

PS. My sons are 8 and 10, if that helps...

 

[Jenn Lynn]

I do not like to stand in lines in the park to meet chracters so this is a way to get pictures and not wait in lines.

 

[contempgal]

Because it's fun to be a kid again! LOL

I loved the breakfast at Chef Mickey's (and dinner actually) last year -- wonderful character interaction. My entire group (4 adults and one pre-teen) laughed and waved our napkins around at the "party." You can't help but smile when you do a character meal.

I don't know about you, but pretty much all of Disney makes me feel like a kid again. It's wonderful.

 

[F1Julie]

Character meals are probably my DD4's favorite part of the trip. She just loves to spend time with the characters. It's much easier to visit with them and take pictures at a character meal than in the park with a long line of people behind you. As for adults without children though, I'm not sure what the appeal is. I know if I were dining at WDW without my DD, I wouldn't be doing any character meals.

 

[Mercy]

Because they are so much fun!! We went to Chef Mickey's for dinner on our last trip, my boys were 10 and 13 at the time. They had a great time. Like someone else said, it's like a party!

I think the food was good : I remember eating but I was so busy jumping up and getting pictures of my kids with the characters, that the food was secondary. My boys are now 14 and 17, and want to know if we are going to Chef Mickey's again on this trip!!

 

[Aimeedyan]

We (all adults) LOVE THEM! We love to get pics with the characters and HATE lines =) Problem solved!

 

[phyllis1966]

I took my first trip to WDW when I was 30 years old. DH and I were childless at the time and went with friends who supposedly knew all about WDW since they had been there a few times (but that's a whole other story ). We only did 1 character meal during that trip - breakfast at the Cape May Cafe. I didn't think I'd care about the characters at all, after all, I was a grown-up, and Mickey or whoever was secondary to the food - WRONG! My DH and I had so much fun that we felt like kids again! I danced cheek-to-cheek with Chip (or was it Dale? I didn't know the difference back then! ) and had a terrific time - we all did! I think that if you like to have fun, you'll enjoy a character meal, even without children.

 

[LisaZoe]

Where else will the characters come to you? I haven't been to one yet so can't give an opinion of the food (although the one at Chef Mickey's looked wonderful on the Unwrapped show last night) but plan to do a few with my DD, almost 3, on our first WDW trip in Sept.

When we went to Disneyland last year, I had heard such meals were available but didn't think it was worth it. However, after waiting in lines only to have DD not want to get close to a character as well as having problems getting a photo that doesn't include other kids or adults I don't know, I've decided we're going to try them this time. We'll start with a "princess" meal (this one is booked already) as I think those characters are less intimidating to a toddler. We'll then work up to the other characters (I've already started mentioning eating with MIckey and Pooh to DD who seems to like the idea but I'm also trying to get her to realize they are "big like mommy" and not "her size"... I think that issue will be the biggest to get past. )

 

[GADISNEYGIRL]

We never tried a character meal until DS came along. Our first was last September at Chef Mickey's, DS was 18mos at the time. Wonderful experience! He was able to warm up to the characters slowly (Minnie was fabulous with him), and was more receptive to them in the parks after the breakfast. We only did that one last year. On our most recent trip in May, we did the Ice Cream Social at the Garden Grill (Epcot) and also breakfast at Cape May. For our upcoming September trip, we have 7 character meals planned. It sounds like a lot, but several of them are on our non-park days (resort restaurants), and DS has enjoyed them so much in the past that we figured while he's this age we'll spend the money on this...when he's into swimming, we'll choose resorts with the best pools (for now, we're staying Value~but I have to say, it's hard to go from Deluxe to Value!)...make sense?

Enjoy your planning, and your trip!

 

[Harmony]

I hate waiting in lines to meet the characters so character meals are the best way to do so!

We are scheduled to have dinner and to celebrate my son's first birthday at Chef Mickey's next week. We are also scheduled to do a Chef Mickey's breakfast. My two older sons insisted!

Last time we went to Chef Mickey's, everyone was off getting their plates filled so I was sitting at the table by myself. Chip (or Dale...dont' know) came by and sat with me until the rest of my party got back. Boy, I had so much fun! I felt like a kid again!

Plus the pictures they take...I bought the whole package.

 

[Kapp]

to Cindy's was a great joy for my wife and I. One was 7 and the other was turning 4 that day. The Princesses made a big deal over the birthday girl but never left out her older sister either. It was a good breakfast but the joy in their faces with worth it.

 

[pstepka]

Our first Character meal was during our last trip and I only scheduled one because my husband was not too keen on it, even though we have 3 kids (then they were 3, 5, and 12). I scheduled a breakfast (Pooh) at 1900 Park Fare. We all loved it so much (we also LOVE breakfast buffets) that since we were staying at BCV, we went to another breakfast at Cape May last minute. We definitely will do them again next trip. It's really great to get the interaction with the characters, as well as some really good photos.

 

[mla973]

My DH and I have been to several character meals (O'Hana, Chef Mickeys, Cape May Cafe) and we continue to enjoy them every time.

I have been a Disney fan since I can remember, and I really like getting pictures with the characters (I also scrapbook). I thinkmy favorite part of the character meals is that the chracters come to you. I don't have to worry that I'm pushing a 3-yr old out of the way or anything, since they come right to the table. (I've always been postive about letting young kids get in line ahead of me, which sometimes causes me to miss out on getting a photo with the characters in the parks.)

Besides the lengthy chracter interaction, the food is wonderful!!! Don't go on the last morning if your'e driving home because Mickey waffles can cause drowsiness!!!

My husband and I are both 25, and we are taking a trip this November with another younger couple, and all four of us are trying to decide which meal to try. I think we want to try Cindy's breakfast. The guys don't mind, and since I've heard only good thinkgs about it, we wanted to try a new one this trip.

You will have a blast (and a full tummy) if you attend a character meal.

 

[crisi]

I think the appeal has been expressed. (although I don't go for the food) Since you haven't been, this is the way it works....

You have a normal meal, seated at your own table. Most of the character meals are buffets - so you'll go to the buffet to get your food. Others are plated (CRT) or family style (GG, Ohana). They are all all-you-can-eat. Some people (myself included) like the non-buffet meals better with little kids - I hate running back and forth to a buffet with small kids.

As you eat, the characters circulate around the restaurant. They don't eat with you. More like a bride at a wedding, they stop by each table for photos and hugs and autographs. At a buffet, they'll watch your table to make sure you are there so you won't get missed (although it happens) because you are getting more food.

Each meal has a character set likely to show. Disney never guarantees the characters - some restaurants have a pretty standard set - others have two or three standards and then luck of the draw. The Pooh characters and Princesses meals seem to be less set than the Mickey/Minnie/Donald meals. Generally, they are billed as "and friends." So Mickey and friends may mean Chip and Dale and Goofy - but Chip and Dale may be missing and you may get Pluto and Minnie instead.


It is a lot of fun. It "saves" a little time over waiting in line for Mickey's autograph. An 8 and 10 year old may think they are "stupid" (not all 8 and 10 year olds do, plenty of them still have a lot of fun) but younger kids can't get enough of them (provided you don't have a two year old who screams when characters come near) - nor can people old enough to re-embrace childhood.

 

[Sharlag]

OK, then-- we'll do it for sure.

Thanks for all of your input!

 

[LYNSUE]

We ended up at a character meal sorta by accident. It was MNSSHP and Crystal Palace was the only sit-down place available. My two teenage boys were not thrilled, but we went in anyway. All four of us had a great time. The characters could sence that our party was not really into the characters so they would pass by. However, each character would acknowledge us with a wave or nod. Also everytime Eeyor would pass he would hit my son in the shoulder with his twirling napkin...and we would all laugh.

It was a very unexpected good time.

 

[slo]

The very first character meal we went to was The Crystal Palace when DD was 2. She loved Winnie the Pooh and friends - so we decided to try this out. DD was so excited the whole time she barely ate. We got some great photos and the memories will last a lifetime.

Ever since, we do a character meal everyday of our trip - sometimes twice a day. We have as much fun as our DD and we are looking forward to seeing our newest DD's reaction when we take her to the Crystal Palace - she will be 13 months old.

Our favorite character meals:
Mine (DW) - The Garden Grill
DH - Chef Mickey
DD (now 6) - The CRT
DD #2 - to be announced