If you’ve been to Disney before, you know that some of the most memorable experiences are the character interactions. Character interactions can be an encounter in a park or designated character spot, or during a meal with character dining.
Character meet and greets around the park can vary, so it isn’t always easy to be in the right place at the right time. Likewise, long lines can occur at a designated character spot, so the best way to assure a cool and comfortable, hassle free meeting of a favorite character without standing in a long line is character dining.
Children truly enjoy getting attention from characters, so make the best of your personal character table time. You can do this by making dining reservations that take into account the heat of day, your child’s best time of day, your child’s naptime or your child’s bedtime, and scheduling in or around these times. Also, try to be ready, with camera and flash charged and/or cell phone ready, and autograph books (optional) open with a pen holding the place of the page you want signed. It is by no means a requirement, but characters do seem to love Disney themed outfits, custom or otherwise. Always be considerate of the time you take with the character as others are always waiting for their turn.
You are never too old to dine with characters. Even the costumed characters can be funny and playful. The face characters are often very witty, even to the point of hilarious.
While my family’s motto is “try every place once, maybe twice,” we give the Character Meals a great deal of repeat business. Whether I am travelling with only my daughter and son, or my parents and siblings and all our children, we never tire of the Supercalifragilistic Breakfast with Mary Poppins, Alice, the Mad Hatter, Tigger and Pooh, and the Lunch and Dinner at 1900 Park Fare with Cinderella, Prince Charming and the Tremaine Family.
The trick is to consult your travel agent and discuss your family’s particular character dining wants and/or needs have him/her drawn upon her experience and resources to help you plan the most *Magical* vacation possible.
Here’s list of where to find your favorite characters, so that you can use the venue as a starting point and discuss things like food choices, availability and more with your travel agent:
AGENT OSO:
Breakfast & Lunch – Hollywood & Vine, Hollywood Studios
ALICE IN WONDERLAND:
Breakfast – 1900 Park Fare at the Grand Floridian
1:30 Wonderland Tea Party, Grand Floridian
ARIEL:
All Meals – Akerhaus Royal Banquet Hall, Epcot
All Meals: Cinderella’s Royal Table, Magic Kingdom
AURORA:
Brunch — Perfectly Princess Tea Party, Grand Floridian
All Meals – Akerhaus Royal Banquet Hall, Epcot
All Meals: Cinderella’s Royal Table, Magic Kingdom
BELLE:
All Meals – Akerhaus Royal Banquet Hall, Epcot
All Meals: Cinderella’s Royal Table, Magic Kingdom
BRER BEAR (At a Good Neighbor Resort):
Sunday Breakfast – Covington Mills Restaurant, Hilton, Downtown Disney
BRER FOX (At a Good Neighbor Resort):
Sunday Breakfast – Covington Mills Restaurant, Hilton, Downtown Disney
CAPTAIN HOOK:
Snack/Drink: Pirates and Pals, Contemporary Resort
CHIP AND DALE:
Sunday Breakfast – Garden Grove at the Swan and Dolphin
Dinner — Garden Grill, Land Pavillion, Epcot
Dinner – Mickey’s Back Yard BBQ, Fort Wilderness
Friday Dinner — Garden Grove at the Swan and Dolphin
CINDERELLA:
All Meals: Cinderella’s Royal Table, Magic Kingdom
Dinner – 1900 Park Fare at the Grand Floridian
DAISY DUCK:
Breakfast & Lunch – Tusker House, Animal Kingdom
DONALD DUCK:
All Meals – Chef Mickey’s, Contemporary Resort
Breakfast – Cape May Café, Beach Club Resort
Breakfast & Lunch – Tusker House, Animal Kingdom
Dinner – Mickey’s Back Yard BBQ, Fort Wilderness
EEYORE:
All Meals – Crystal Palace, Magic Kingdom
FAIRY GODMOTHER:
[Sometimes/Rare] All Meals: Cinderella’s Royal Table, Magic Kingdom
GOOFY:
All Meals – Chef Mickey’s, Contemporary Resort
Breakfast – Cape May Café, Beach Club Resort
Breakfast (Tu, Th & Sat from 7:30 – 10:30 AM) – Lakeview Restaurant,
Wyndham Lake Buena Vista Resort, Orlando
Breakfast & Lunch – Tusker House, Animal Kingdom
Friday Dinner — Garden Grove at the Swan and Dolphin
Saturday Breakfast – Garden Grove at the Swan and Dolphin
Saturday Breakfast – Garden Grove at the Swan and Dolphin
Sunday Breakfast – Buena Vista Place, Downtown Disney
Sunday Breakfast – Garden Grove at the Swan and Dolphin
Dinner – Garden Grove at the Swan and Dolphin
Dinner – Mickey’s Back Yard BBQ, Fort Wilderness
HANDY MANNY:
Breakfast & Lunch – Hollywood & Vine, Hollywood Studios
JAKE (From Jake and the Neverland Pirates)
Breakfast & Lunch – Hollywood & Vine, Hollywood Studios
JASMINE:
[Sometimes/Rare] All Meals: Cinderella’s Royal Table, Magic Kingdom
JUNE:
Breakfast & Lunch – Hollywood & Vine, Hollywood Studios
LILO:
Breakfast – Ohana at the Polynesian Resort
MAD HATTER:
Breakfast – 1900 Park Fare at the Grand Floridian
1:30 Wonderland Tea Party, Grand Floridian
MARY POPPINS:
Breakfast – 1900 Park Fare at the Grand Floridian
MICKEY MOUSE:
All Meals – Chef Mickey’s, Contemporary Resort
Breakfast – Ohana at the Polynesian Resort
Breakfast & Lunch – Tusker House, Animal Kingdom
Dinner — Garden Grill, Land Pavillion, Epcot
Dinner – Mickey’s Back Yard BBQ, Fort Wilderness
MINNIE MOUSE:
All Meals – Chef Mickey’s, Contemporary Resort
Breakfast – Cape May Café, Beach Club Resort
Sunday Breakfast – Buena Vista Place, Downtown Disney
Sunday Breakfast – Covington Mills Restaurant, Hilton, Downtown Disney
(Not Bookable through Disney Dining)
Dinner – Mickey’s Back Yard BBQ, Fort Wilderness
MR. SMEE:
Snack/Drink: Pirates and Pals, Contemporary Resort
PETER PAN:
Snack/Drink: Pirates and Pals, Contemporary Resort, Monorail Line
PIGLET:
All Meals – Crystal Palace, Magic Kingdom
PLUTO:
Breakfast – Ohana at the Polynesian Resort
Friday Dinner — Garden Grove at the Swan and Dolphin
Saturday Breakfast – Garden Grove at the Swan and Dolphin
Sunday Breakfast – Buena Vista Place, Downtown Disney
Sunday Breakfast – Garden Grove at the Swan and Dolphin
Sunday Breakfast – Covington Mills Restaurant, Hilton, Downtown Disney
(Not Bookable through Disney Dining)
Dinner — Garden Grill, Land Pavillion, Epcot
Dinner – Garden Grove at the Swan and Dolphin
PRINCE CHARMING:
Dinner – 1900 Park Fare at the Grand Floridian
SNOW WHITE:
All Meals – Akerhaus Royal Banquet Hall, Epcot
All Meals: Cinderella’s Royal Table, Magic Kingdom
STITCH:
Breakfast – Ohana at the Polynesian Resort
TIGGER:
Breakfast – 1900 Park Fare at the Grand Floridian
All Meals – Crystal Palace, Magic Kingdom
TREMAINE FAMILY (Lady Tremaine, Anastasia and Drizella)
Dinner – 1900 Park Fare at the Grand Floridian
WINNIE THE POOH:
Breakfast – 1900 Park Fare at the Grand Floridian
All Meals – Crystal Palace, Magic Kingdom
Please note, although these details were all confirmed via telephone with Disney Dining and the respective resorts in July, 2012, they are subject to change. For example, there was a time that dinner at Cinderella’s Royal Table included Mary and Perla Mouse, as well as the Fairy Godmother, and Breakfast at the Cape May Café included a 4th Character, Beach Mickey, but no more. Should it be imperative that you see a particular character during a meal, please confirm with Disney Dining or the appropriate establishment.
You may use this list to help you determine which restaurants to ask more about when consulting your personal Travel Agent. If you do not have a personal Travel Agent, please feel free contact me for a free quote for your *Magical* vacation, as well as any questions you may have.
by Lynne Marie
