![]() If you're planning an upcoming trip to Walt Disney World with big-time Disney character fans in your travel party, then consider adding a magical Character Dining experience to your plans! These one-of-a-kind meet and greet opportunities Disney has perfected are great for getting photos and autographs from many of your favorite pals in one place, at one time, all while having a fabulous meal. Whether you're a princess fan, love the "Fab Five," or want to spend extra time in the Hundred Acre Wood, there are multiple places for you to have a meal alongside your favorites. Not familiar with Character Dining? Still on the fence whether your family would enjoy the experience or not? Check out some of my tips for making reservations and getting the most out of your meal: **Find the right fit for your family There are over a dozen Character Dining opportunities to choose from at WDW, so be sure you're picking the right one for your family/travel party. If you're looking for a more upscale location where you can dine alongside royalty, then you might want to consider Cinderella's Royal Table at The Magic Kingdom or Akershus at EPCOT. Want a buffet venue that's more on the casual side? Then look into a meal at Cape May Cafe at Disney's Beach Club Resort or The Crystal Palace at The Magic Kingdom. Pay attention to menu choices, variety of characters, and costs as well. If you really want to meet Mickey, Minnie, Goofy and other members of the "Fab Five" classic character group, a breakfast at 1900 Park Fare with Disney's British friends doesn't quite fit the bill. Looking to indulge in cuisine fit for a more sophisticated palette? Then dinner at Mickey's Backyard BBQ probably won't fulfill that desire. Take your time looking at the options and know what you're getting yourself into. **Make your reservations EARLY With all of Disney's new capabilities through My Magic+ and the My Disney Experience site/app, take advantage of the opportunity to make your dining reservations early, even up to 180 days in advance of your trip! Disney is well-known for it's Character Dining opportunities, and many locations are guest favorites, some requiring advance reservations to get a table. Even if you're traveling during non-peak seasons or typically less busy times of the year, these restaurants will fill up quicker than you can say Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious (whew, that was a tough one to type). Play it safe and reserve your table as soon as your intended day becomes available. Tip: You'll need to submit credit card info to confirm your reservation, so have it handy or add it to your profile on your My Disney Experience account beforehand. You won't be charged when you make your reservation, but you will if you don't cancel within the given window of time or show up for that meal. Some of the more popular locations like Cinderella's Royal Table may require up-front payment when you first make your reservation, so be prepared for that as well. **Traveling on a budget? Consider breakfast vs. dinner Really want to experience Character Dining, but are on a tighter vacation budget? Consider dining for breakfast instead of dinner (if it's available at your desired location). Breakfast meal costs, especially at the various buffet locations, typically cost less per person. Plus, you can fill up at the start of your day so you don't have to worry about saving up for dinner and feeling hungry in the meantime. And if you make your reservation early enough in the day, you can get into the parks before they're officially open to the public! This means getting to leisurely stroll to the restaurant, get pictures for your vacation album without photo-bombs from random strangers, and take in all of the stunning scenery without feeling like you're in the way of other guests. It adds a little extra magic to the start of your day. **Be prepared for your meal This goes without saying, but make sure your family is prepared for your character meal before you arrive. Make sure your entire party arrives at the location ahead of your reservation time to check-in, you have enough money to pay the bill, you bring along a fully charged camera/phone to capture photos, and your all-important autograph book is in your park bag with a pen or sharpie too. And if you want to take your Character Dining experience up a notch, be sure to dress up for the location you're visiting! Characters love to see themselves on your clothing and accessories, and they love to add to your special vacation memories if you've got celebration buttons on. Tip: When you arrive at your table, seat children or guests particularly excited about meeting the characters in the spots closest to the aisles around your table. This will make it easier for the characters to lean in for photos and give hugs. And leave your autograph book open and out on the edge of the table also closest to the aisle so they can clearly see you'd like for them to sign your book. Make sure that pen cap is off, too! **Enjoy every moment! Remember, you're going to be getting nose to nose (or nose to snout) with Disney friends, so don't be shy and HAVE FUN! Sometimes character meet and greets in the parks can feel rushed and chaotic, so take every opportunity to spend as much time with the characters as you can, give big hugs, and capture all of the magical moments. Plus, take the time to rest your feet and fill your tummy - These meals serve as great relaxation opportunities indoors, too! Check out some of my favorite Character Dining spots around Walt Disney World: -Chef Mickey's at Disney's Contemporary Resort -Cinderella's Royal Table at The Magic Kingdom -Disney Junior Play 'n Dine at Disney's Hollywood Studios -The Crystal Palace at The Magic Kingdom -The Garden Grill at EPCOT Character Dining is a great way to meet many Disney friends at once, enjoy five-star meals only Disney can dream up, and relax a little bit during your vacation. Even at 23, without children of my own yet, I still get giddy meeting characters and spending a little bit of extra time with them. While it's an experience that comes at a little higher cost, it's so worth it. To check out all of the Character Dining experiences Walt Disney World has to offer, be sure to visit https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/dining/#/character-dining/ for more information. Do you have any memorable moments from a Disney character meal? Share them with me in the comments below! Until the next post, see ya real soon!
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About MeA twenty-something alumni of the Disney College Program looking to help others plan the Disney vacations of their dreams! Living that Disneyland AP dream in SoCal. Archives
February 2018
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