will we be rushed with a 10:20 Plaza Inn ADR?

[Trip planner]

My children requested a character breakfast during our 3 day DLR trip. I hate to waste precious early morning touring time so I am considering a 10:20 ADR at Plaza Inn. What time does Plaza Inn switches over to a non-character lunch? Will we feel rushed, or possibly not see all of the characters if we are getting our food? How long do they leave the food out? My children have been known to be too excited to eat when the characters are coming around to the tables and then finally eat after we have met all of the characters. I am worried we will miss characters if we are getting food or they will start to put the food away before we have finished eating. I have never experienced this at any WDW character meals but this will be the first time I am at a restaurant that changes over to a non-character quick service.

 

[Mamabun]

We did a similar timing last year, and personally if seeing ALL the characters is important, I probably wouldn't recommend it. There are lots of characters at this breakfast - ours had 8 different characters, which is pretty nice. We arrived on time, but it was raining heavily. When it's raining heavily, ADR's at almost all restaurants back up (people would rather wait out the rain in the restaurant than leave and let new folks get seated). So we were well after 11 before we were seated (and I think the regular lunch switch over usually starts at 11). The cast members were very nice and told us not to rush on the food, that breakfast would be out for while, and it was but it was pretty picked over within 15 mins, and was not replenished. Four characters quickly made their way to us, but then before 11:30, they announced the characters were all leaving. I let them know, politely, that we hadn't seen all the characters, so they did get us a group shot with all 8, which was super cool and one of my all time favorite character pics, but no autographs or interactions or anything.

Overall we enjoyed it. And I'm aware that it was a bit of an unusual situation with the rain, and we definitely did get to eat and see some fun characters, and everyone was truly trying to give us a good experience. However, it was a bit disappointing to only meet half the characters, and I feel we didn't really get a particularly great buffet. If we do this breakfast again, I will schedule our family for an earlier time, before 10am for certain.

I do think in perfectly normal circumstances a 10:20 ADR should give enough time for characters and good eating, but I'll plan with a bit more buffer personally. I'm other folks will have different experiences and opinions.

 

[mom2rtk]

I let them know, politely, that we hadn't seen all the characters, so they did get us a group shot with all 8, which was super cool and one of my all time favorite character pics, but no autographs or interactions or anything.

That's pretty cool. And very unique. I'd suffer with the rain if it helped get me a shot like that!

 

[Mamato4boys]

I was considering doing this, but after reading several reviews of basically the same experience as above, I decided not to. Instead, I booked the earliest time available on a day with Magic Morning, when we won't have a MM entry available. This only applies if you aren't staying on-site.

For example, MM at 8, regular opening at 9, first reservation available is 8:10. We usually take about an hour, so we will be finished just after opening and able to take advantage of the low morning crowds. We have found that first reservation means we are seated indoors (tends to get better character interaction, according to some) and the food is fresh and plentiful.

 

[Winnowill]

We always get the latest possible seating at Plaza Inn, and always see all the characters - sometimes as many as a dozen. The only time we missed one was when Fairy Godmother had to leave for her set M&G. As the restaurant starts clearing out, we get AWESOME character interactions - often over and over again. One time, Captain Hook and Dale fought each other over my DD7 (then)'s affections. So much fun.

 

[22Tink]

We had a 10:35 seating and didn’t feel rushed at all. There was plenty of food and we easily saw all of the characters, some came to our table two or three times!

 

[ktlm]

We almost always do it at 10:15 or 10:30 and have never felt rushed. We have always seen a bunch of characters too. We have always been inside. I will say that over the years, we have noticed that sometimes there may be a certain character that only makes the outside rounds- and does not come inside-- or a character we have seen that was only making the rounds inside. We have also occasionally seen one that only did one side of the restaurant and not both. That seems to be the same no matter what time you are there. They switch out, I think. Usually if there is one that isn't coming to our area, then we have one making the rounds in our area that is not going out to the tables where that character is.

 

[Angrose]

Plaza Inn opens at noon for their regular lunch service.

 

[cmwade77]

I personally would suggest a little earlier if you can get it, as others have mentioned there are a lot of characters at this breakfast (it is the best bang for the buck to meet characters), our record was 17 characters one morning when we went. For whatever reason it was dead in the park that day and no one was there to meet the walk around characters, so they all came into Plaza's breakfast, it was a blast. Now that definitely doesn't happen all the time, but I would say 8 is the fewest we have had when eating there.

 

[Napoleon Dynamite]

We had a 10:35 seating and didn’t feel rushed at all. There was plenty of food and we easily saw all of the characters, some came to our table two or three times!

Ditto!!


But, they did try to shove us in a corner, and characters couldn't even get to us, and we could barely get out of our seats. We were finally moved, and had a much better spot. I did find the food to be awful at that time. Not sure if that's the norm, but we were less than impressed. The overall number of characters was in impressive though!

 

[maleficent55]

We did a 10:00 breakfast last July. We had a very good experience with lots of hot fresh food and lots of characters that cam to our table. We didn't want to waste precious morning hours eating.

 

[HydroGuy]

My first character meal ever will be at PI later in June. Going with DGD3 who LOVES Minnie.

I was planning on a 10AM but based on the "hit and miss" comments I have read here, decided not to risk it and went for 9:30AM. FWIW.

 

[Trip planner]

My first character meal ever will be at PI later in June. Going with DGD3 who LOVES Minnie.

I was planning on a 10AM but based on the "hit and miss" comments I have read here, decided not to risk it and went for 9:30AM. FWIW.

The most “magical” character meals our family has had was when our children were 3 and 4. The look on their faces when meeting the characters was priceless. Have your camera ready!