All About Character Meals at Disney World

Are meeting characters high on your to-do list for your next Disney World vacation? If you want to minimize the amount of time you spend in line to meet the characters, then you might want to consider planning some character meals. It’s a great way to meet characters while you eat because they come to you! No waiting in line, and you get to sit and enjoy a meal.

 

Character meals are very popular so you will have to make advanced dining reservations if you want to do one. They open up 180 days in advance, so book as early as you can! Just another reason why planning a Disney vacation early is key!

 

What is a Character Meal?

A character meal is a restaurant, just like any other, except they feature characters while you eat. The featured characters go around the restaurant and visit each table one at a time. This gives you the opportunity to get their autograph, chat a bit with them, and take pictures. It sure does beat standing in a line out in the hot sun! Some of the character meals even have fun parades around the restaurant that the kids can participate in. It really is a fun experience for the whole family.

 

Where Can I Find a Character Meal?

There are several to choose from both in the parks and outside the parks. You’ll find one in every park and at several of the deluxe resorts. If you are not planning to go to the parks or are not a guest of a resort, you can still make reservations for a character meal. There are even a few choices at some off-site hotels. Please note though that if you want to attend a character meal inside a park, park admission is required.

 

Here is where you can find all of the Disney character meals:

 

Cinderella’s Royal Table

• Location: Magic Kingdom
• Characters: Various Princesses, subject to change
• Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
• This is a Signature restaurant, so if using the dining plan, you will have to use 2 table-service credits in this meal.

 

Akershus Royal Banquet

• Location: Epcot, Norway Pavilion
• Characters: Various Princesses, subject to change
• Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
• This is a great alternative to Cinderella’s Royal table if you want to spend a bit less or only use 1 table-service credit.

 

 

1900 Park Fare

• Location: Grand Floridian Resort
• Characters: Mary Poppins, Alice in Wonderland, The Mad Hatter, Tigger, Winnie the Pooh, Cinderella, Prince Charming, Evil Stepmother & Stepsisters
• Meals: Breakfast and dinner
• The Cinderella characters are only there at dinner, while the rest appear at breakfast.

 

Story Book Dining at Artist’s Point with Snow White

• Location: Wilderness Lodge Resort
• Characters: Snow White, Evil Queen, Dopey and Grumpy
• Meals: Dinner only
• The Evil Queen is one of my favourite characters and is great to interact with, she never breaks character.

 

Chef Mickey’s

• Location: Contemporary Resort
• Characters: Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Donald, Pluto
• Meals: Breakfast, brunch and dinner
• This is a great character meal if you would like to meet both Mickey and Minnie Mouse.

 
Tusker House

• Location: Animal Kingdom
• Characters: Mickey, Donald, Daisy, Goofy
• Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
• Although the food here may not appeal to everyone, I absolutely love the spread they have at the buffet at this character meal.

 

Cape May Cafe

• Location: Beach Club Resort
• Characters: Minnie, Donald, Goofy, Daisy
• Meals: Breakfast only
• This is a fabulous breakfast buffet with a ton of choice. They also have a made to order omelette station!

 

 

Garden Grill

• Location: Epcot
• Characters: Mickey, Pluto, Chip n’ Dale
• Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
• The restaurant is located inside the Land pavilion and it rotates very slowly as you look over the Living with the Land ride.

 

Crystal Palace

• Location: Magic Kingdom
• Characters: Winnie the Pooh, Tiger, Piglet, Eeyore
• Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
• A great option if you want to do an early morning breakfast in the park before it opens.

 

 

Hollywood & Vine

• Location: Hollywood Studios
• Characters: Mickey, Donald, Daisy, Goofy
• Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
• During the Christmas holidays, they switch up the theme to a Minnie holidays theme, so character appearances may change during that time.

 
‘Ohana

• Location: Polynesian Village Resort
• Characters: Lilo, Stitch, Mickey
• Meals: Breakfast only
• This is a very popular character meal to book and I highly recommend that you book this as soon as your 180 day window opens.

 

Bon Voyage Breakfast

• Location: Boardwalk Inn Resort
• Characters: Rapunzel, Flynn Ryder, Ariel, Prince Eric
• Meals: Breakfast only
• This is a very popular character meal to book and I highly recommend that you book this as soon as your 180 day window opens.

 

Topolino’s Terrace – Flavors of the Riviera

• Location: Riviera Resort
• Characters: Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Daisy
• Meals: Breakfast only
• This brand new resort opens in December 2019, but reservations can be made as of now.

 

Off-Site Character Meals

There are a few off-site hotels that also have character meals. It is still recommended that you make reservations for these as well if you would like to attend one. Also, if you are staying on-site, you may have to make alternative transportation arrangements to get to them as they don’t all have access to the same Disney transportation system.

 

Garden Grove

• Location: Walt Disney World Swan Hotel
• Characters: Various classic characters
• Meals: Dinner daily, and breakfast and Saturdays and Sundays
• This resort does have access to Disney transportation, so you can catch a bus or boat from the parks to get there.

 

Good Morning Breakfast with Goofy & Pals

• Location: Ravello at the Four Seasons
• Characters: Goofy and classic characters
• Meals: Breakfast only on Thursdays and Saturdays
• To get to this location you will have to either drive, or take an Uber/Lyft.

 

Hilton Orlando Lake Buena Vista

• Location: Hilton Orlando Lake Buena Vista
• Characters: Various classic characters
• Meals: Breakfast only on Sundays
• To get to this location, you can take the bus over to Disney Springs and then walk to the hotel. Breakfast begins at 7 am, but characters only arrive at 8:30 am.

 
Character meals are very popular, so it is always best to reserve them as far out as you can. It is one of the reasons why I always say that planning Disney early is important. When you are booking your dining reservations 180 days out, then you will pretty much have your choice of what you want to reserve. One of the best ways to get advice and help with dining is to book with an authorized Disney travel agency like Click the Mouse. They will help guide you as to which meals may best appeal to your family and will even take care of making all the reservations for you!

 

Which character meal is your most favourite? Tell us which ones you enjoy the most and why in the comments below!

 

 

Our preferred travel agency is Click the Mouse. They specialize in Disney destinations and will help you plan out all the little details. Best part is that their services are FREE when you book your vacation with them. Personalized service at no extra cost to you! To get a quote from a Click the Mouse travel agent, simply click on the quote button below and they will be back in touch with you:

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