Disney World Character Meals for Families

Tips for Dining with Disney’s Characters

Nov 30, 2009
Debra Peterson

Snow White at Disney Character Breakfast - Thomas Jung

Walt Disney World Character dining offers families the chance to meet some of their favorite characters for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

Walt Disney World (WDW) offers character dining at its theme parks and resorts a low-key way for guests, especially guests traveling with children, to meet characters in lively setting. At Disney chapter meals, various characters interact with guests, sign autographs, and pose for pictures.

Benefits of Disney Character Dining

WDW character dining is designed with families in mind. Because Disney character meals combine entertainment and family-friendly dining, they are good additions or alternatives to other character “meet and greet” opportunities. Table visits allow families with, for instance, young or shy children to meet characters in a supportive and less overwhelming atmosphere.

Most meals are buffets or all-you-can-eat family-style dining. Character meals tend to serve American cuisine, with plenty of kid-friendly selections. And Disney character dining can provide everyone a break from park touring, offering families a chance to relax, refresh, and refuel.

Choosing a Disney World Character Meal

WDW character meals take place at over a dozen different restaurants in the Disney World theme parks and WDW resorts. Location, which characters are in attendance, and availability are primary factors in selecting a character meal. Other factors include a particular meal’s cost, atmosphere, theming, and menu.

Be aware that character meals are festive, even noisy, and tend to be themed to match the Disney park or resort. During the decision-making process, check current information on a meal’s cost, characters, and availability at WDW’s dining website. Recent menus and dining reviews can be found on Disney fan-operated websites such as AllEars.net.

Planning Tips for Disney Character Dining

Although selecting a Disney World character meal is based on a family’s interests, here are some suggestions to help with planning.

Disney's Advance Dining Reservations (ADRs) are recommended for character meals, especially highly popular venues.
All meals at Crystal Palace and Cinderella’s Royal Table are very popular. ADRs should be made as early as possible.
Character breakfasts can interfere with early-morning park touring, the least-crowded part of the day. Consider a light breakfast in the hotel room, touring a park, and taking a late character breakfast or early lunch. Another alternative is an early or late dinner.
Character meals are good ways to spend a travel day at the beginning or end of a trip.
Character meals can be used as segue in the day, as the beginning of a late-day touring plan or an early return to the hotel for a nap and a swim.
Character meals inside the theme parks can be very crowded. Consider a similar meal at a resort.
ADRs for character meals may be made as part of the Disney Dining Plan.

Making Disney World Dining Reservations

Disney reservations for character meals at the parks or at the resorts can be made at Disney World Dining online or by phone at 407-WDW-DINE (407-939-3463). Reservations can be made up to 180 days in advance. Guests staying at WDW resorts may make dining reservations for their entire length of stay one that window begins, up to 10 additional days.

Enjoying the Disney Character Dining Experience

Knowing what to expect in a Disney character dining helps the experience be more enjoyable. Characters move about the entire room and visit guests’ tables. But don’t worry if characters temporarily leave the public areas. They will return after a brief break and complete their circuit, If members of the family were away from the table when a character passes through the area, simply let the server or character’s handler know.

Other tips for enjoying a Disney character meal:

Arrive early, 15 – 20 minutes before the ADR time. Restaurants have a brief check-in process and arriving early increases the probability of being seated on time.
Bring autograph books or other things, like postcards, as well as markers or oversized pens.
Take pictures of characters in action, not only when they pose with guests. Some of the most memorable pictures capture candid moments and spontaneous interactions.
Allow children to take pictures, as characters put on especially energetic antics for kids.
Ask your server to take pictures of the entire family, with and without the characters.
If the character meal has live entertainment, in which children (and adults) are invited to celebrate, dance or party with characters, be sure to participate.

Walt Disney World character dining allows guests to meet characters and enjoy a meal. Knowing what to expect from a Disney character meal, planning, and making dining reservations will help the family experience be fun, relaxing, and filled with Disney magic.