will there be a 'new' character dining?

[littlelaura]

Now that Liberty Tavern will stop character dining from Jan, and Garden Grill aren't doing lunch anymore (just dinner); do you think there will be a new character dining experience introduced?

Do you know why these were stopped. i cant believe they would have finished due to low numbers, as we have never done one yet as they have always been fully booked when we've been, (i have never reserved as i was always worried about how much it would cost to call from the uk if it turned out to be a lengthy call). i'm even more suprised that they decided to axe the park ones (as oppose to the resort ones) as in my opinion these are the ones that non-resort geusta are more likely to go for....

 

[Robo]

do you think there will be a new character dining experience introduced?

Could be, but I doubt that it would be soon, because...

Do you know why these were stopped...

My first guess is that it was due to WDW cutting operating budgets.

 

[littlelaura]

wow that was fast, thanks Robo

 

[CharacterFan]

I think Garden Grill was due to budget.

I think Liberty Tree was a mix of budget and dining plan. There are 4 TS in MK, 1 is really small, 1 is a 2 credit meal, and Tony's. The turn around time at Liberty Tree is at least an hour per table or more. By, cutting the characters you may be able to get people in and our quicker.

 

[Mr. & Mrs. Smith]

I don't think there will be a new one any time soon for the reasons stated above.

 

[Sleeping Becca]

I think Garden Grill was due to budget.

I think Liberty Tree was a mix of budget and dining plan. There are 4 TS in MK, 1 is really small, 1 is a 2 credit meal, and Tony's. The turn around time at Liberty Tree is at least an hour per table or more. By, cutting the characters you may be able to get people in and our quicker.

ITA I think Liberty Tree had more to do with trying to get more bodies in the door.

I think Liberty Tree is better without the characters. I love their lunch menu.

However there are 5 table service locations at MK, you forgot Crystal Palace!

1. Tony's
2. Plaza Pavillion (tiny)
3. Crystal Palace (Pooh and Friends)
4. Cinderella's Royal Table (expensive and high demand)
5. Liberty Tree tavern (regular lunch, character dinner Goofy and friends)

 

[disnut8]

I hope there's not any new character dining. Seems like there was a glut of them for a while. There are a lot of people who enjoy eating a meal without having characters around.

 

[TDC Nala]

I counted them for fun once - even without Liberty Tree there will be 20 separate character meals offered at 12 different restaurants on WDW property. All but one are offered daily (the Swan has a character breakfast on weekends)

 

[snykymom]

I hope there's not any new character dining. Seems like there was a glut of them for a while. There are a lot of people who enjoy eating a meal without having characters around.

I have to agree. We were there 3 years ago and were hard-pressed to find a sit-down meal in MK or in Epcot (breakfast) that didn't have characters.

 

[psindone]

I have to agree with snykymom. A few more places without the characters would be nice.

 

[CanadianGuy]

Questions about Character Dining Experiences are best asked on the Disney Dining board here on the DIS.

As such, I'll be moving this one there.

Knox

 

[ConcKahuna]

I counted them for fun once - even without Liberty Tree there will be 20 separate character meals offered at 12 different restaurants on WDW property. All but one are offered daily (the Swan has a character breakfast on weekends)

Yup, there are character meals at:

1900 PF (B&D)
Norway (B,L&D)
Cape May (B)
Chef Mickey's (B&D)
CRT (B&L)
Garden Grove (D)
H&V (B&L)
LTT (D)
Shutters (B)
Crystal Palace (B,L&D)
Garden Grill (D)
Ohana (B)
Tusker House (B)

There's also a breakfast at Tony's for Magical Gatherings, and when it was still the Grovsner, the resort on Hotel Plaza (Sun Somthing now) used to have one too.

 

[Laura]

They have too many character meals, in my opinion. It was a sad day when the princesses invaded Akershus.

 

[TheRustyScupper]

1) I hope they have stopped adding character meals.
2) In fact, I would like a reduction of one or two more.
3) Character meals have sprouted in the past few years.
4) For us, who like to sit/enjoy a meal, choices were fewer and fewer.

 

[dementia412]

I want one added... something for boys. Toys Story, or a Pixar (which have way more boy friendly movies) or heros would work fine. Three princess meals and not one aimed at boys seems so unfair!
Then there is the rumor of them kicking Pooh out of CP which would upset my kids no end (I wouldn't think they would like Winnie the Pooh so much, way too old, but they loved it).
I'm not sure why people would think having character meals takes the restaurant away from them. They are so non-obtrussive at CP that I can't see it bothering anyone without kids. Tusker House was a bit more out there but its only breakfast. I haven't been to any others.

 

[Abharmagic]

I am soooo hoping that the walled off construction area in Frontierland is going to be revealed to be a pirate themed meal- with Characters dressed up as pirates- and maybe even a Captain Jack.... one can dream...

 

[Laura]

I want one added... something for boys. Toys Story, or a Pixar (which have way more boy friendly movies) or heros would work fine. Three princess meals and not one aimed at boys seems so unfair!
Then there is the rumor of them kicking Pooh out of CP which would upset my kids no end (I wouldn't think they would like Winnie the Pooh so much, way too old, but they loved it).
I'm not sure why people would think having character meals takes the restaurant away from them. They are so non-obtrussive at CP that I can't see it bothering anyone without kids. Tusker House was a bit more out there but its only breakfast. I haven't been to any others.

They can easily switch characters in an existing character meal and make it more geared for boys. A pirate-themed meal would appeal to lots of people, I think.

With Akershus, it isn't the princesses themselves that are the problem. Especially when they were first introduced there--the place used to just have lunch and dinner, so they started serving breakfast and had princesses at breakfast only. But with having them at dinner and lunch as well, it has raised the prices significantly, changed the menu for the worse, and made it much, much harder to book for those who are willing to pay the increased price to be able eat Norwegian food.

 

[snykymom]

I'm not sure why people would think having character meals takes the restaurant away from them. They are so non-obtrussive at CP that I can't see it bothering anyone without kids. Tusker House was a bit more out there but its only breakfast. I haven't been to any others.

Aside from the premium price, as mentioned by the PP, unless it's a buffet (which we don't like that much), character meals take much longer. The servers assume you want to linger to meet the characters, so service takes longer. Because there tend to be many more little kids there, the menus, even for adults, tend to be much less adventurous or interesting.

 

[danielle782001]

I think Liberty Tree is better without the characters. I love their lunch menu.

So are they just sticking with the "lunch" menu all day and getting rid of the family-style Thanksgiving?

 

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

We had lunch at Garden Grill in August and thought it was gross. We only went there because we had never been and we had the DxDDP. The characters were terrific, but even WITH the characters we wouldn't go back!

We had dinner at LTT once, and again, we had a dining plan. The food was not good enough to justify the price if we were paying OOP.

From now on we are sticking pretty much to signature restaurants with our DDE card. I don't mind characters, they just aren't an integral part of the dining experience for us anymore.