Disney World Character Dining 101

If there's a little core memory hub in my own brain headquarters like in the Disney-Pixar movie Inside Out, then I know for a fact that at least two of them include a Disney character dining experience. They are both yellow with joy, and one of them is me when I'm about 7 years old eating grapes inside Cinderella's castle, and the other is when we took our first trip to Disney with our 5-year-old and 1-year-old and ate cornbread and turkey with Chip' n Dale.

Basically, you never forget a Disney character dining experience. But that doesn't mean they're right for every family — from the price of the meal to battling with picky eaters and overstimulated kids, it can be a lot to consider if a Disney character meal is right for you and your family. Still, you don't need to panic when it comes time to planning one. They're surprisingly easy to coordinate, and they can really be a great pillar of your Disney vacation.

Are the character meals worth it?

This is, of course, highly dependent on what you and your family consider “worth it” means. Character meals are expensive, and on a trip where you’re already spending a whole lot of money, it can feel like an extra expense you really don’t need to add.

I’ve got three kids. I fully understand what it’s like. But I’ll tell you — yes. Worth it. 100%.

• The food is good. I honestly find that a lot of Disney food is priced better than you think, and the food is always delicious. The extra bonus of a character meal is that the meals are often served buffet or family style, and the ones that aren’t still have shared appetizers and tons of entree options.
• It really is one of the best ways to meet characters. You can stand in lines all over the park and meet characters, but I find there’s way less rush at a character meal. The characters are there specifically to meet you and interact with your family, and having kids sitting at a table and allowing them to find their own comfort zone is so great.
• It’s the perfect combination of downtime and Disney magic. You’re getting to relax and recharge for a bit but still get to snag some pictures and get autographs for your book. A major win.

Are character meals included in my Disney Dining Plan?

If you have the dining plan that includes table-service meals, then yes, you can redeem your credits on a character meal. However, there are three different Disney World character experiences that require two table-service credits per person (which means you can use a table-service credit from another day on your trip).

• Fairytale Dining at Cinderella’s Royal Table
• Princess Storybook Dining at Akershus Royal Banquet Hall(lunch and dinner only)
• Story Book Dining at Artist Point with Snow White

Where are all the character dining spots at Disney World?

Disney World has several different character meal options, both in the parks and at some resorts. Not all of them have the same characters, and not all of them have the same food, so it’s definitely something to look at when you’re choosing.

Magic Kingdom

• Cinderella’s Royal Table (breakfast, lunch, and dinner): Characters may vary, but it’s a mixture of princesses like Ariel, Aurora, Belle, Snow White, etc. Cinderella is always there to greet diners!
• The Crystal Palace (breakfast, lunch, and dinner): Characters may vary, but this is where you’ll find Christopher Robin’s friends from the Hundred-Acre Wood. I’ve seen Tigger, Piglet, Pooh, and Rabbit there, but Eeyore could make an appearance, too!

Epcot

• Akershus Royal Banquet Hall (breakfast, lunch, and dinner): Great Norwegian food as you celebrate with a variety of princesses in Norway!
• Garden Grill (breakfast, lunch, and dinner): My family and I stumbled onto this one on our first trip, and I’m so glad we did. It’s one of the older restaurants on property and felt like 1980s Disney, which we loved. But it was also quiet and calm, food was served family-style, and my kids got to see Chip ‘n Dale, Mickey, and Pluto. Don’t sleep on this spot.

Disney’s Hollywood Studios

• Hollywood & Vine (breakfast, lunch, and dinner): For the little ones who are big Disney Junior fans, this is the best breakfast dining spot. Doc McStuffins, Vampirina, Fancy Nancy, and more could make an appearance in the morning, and Minnie and friends are also spotted here for lunch and dinner.

Animal Kingdom Park

• Tusker House Restaurant (breakfast, lunch, and dinner): Donald and his pals are here for lots of African-inspired fare and an incredible buffet.

Resort Dining

• 1900 Park Fare at Disney’s Grand Floridian (breakfast, dinner): Spotted in Disney’s Grand Floridian resort, this gorgeous buffet restaurant often has icons like Mirabel and Tiana visiting.
• Camp May Cafe at Disney’s Beach Club Resort (breakfast, dinner): For New England fans, you’ll love this buffet spot that includes a great character breakfast with Minnie and her friends in beach themes.
• Chef Mickey’s at Disney’s Contemporary Resort (breakfast, dinner): This all-you-can-eat buffet is perfect for everyone in the family, and you’ll get to see Mickey and all his friends in their chef attire.
• ‘Ohana at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort (breakfast, dinner): Enjoy a family-style Polynesian feast here at ‘Ohana and see your favorite Hawaiian buds like Lilo and Stitch, along with Mickey and pals in Hawaiian shirts.
• Topolino’s Terrace at Disney’s Riviera Resort (breakfast, dinner): For a fun Italian and art-themed meal, head to Topolino’s Terrace (which also boasts great fireworks viewing if you’re there for dinner). This spot brings out shared appetizers like croissants for the table, and then guests can choose their entrees. Characters include Mickey, Minnie, Donald, and Daisy in their Italian flair.

Can you eat at a resort character meal if you aren’t staying there?

Absolutely. You don’t have to stay at any of the above resorts to be able to enjoy a character meal. Just be sure to make your reservation. And if you’re going to a park to enjoy a character meal, make sure you have a park ticket for that day and/or a park hopper to enter the park.

How early can I reserve a character meal?

Reservations are pretty key as these are super popular experiences at Disney, but once you have your tickets, you can reserve 60 days out from your trip. But be sure to keep checking reservations as you get closer if the date you want isn’t available; one could open up!

Will my picky eater eat anything at a character meal?

I know it can be tough to drop the money on a meal when you aren’t convinced your kid will eat anything, but I promise you, they probably will. Macaroni and cheese, cornbread, mashed potatoes, chicken nuggets — there are tons of kid-friendly options at a lot of the character meal restaurants. And if you’re really worried about it, try and get a breakfast reservation instead. There are usually a lot of “safe” foods for picky eaters when it comes to breakfast.

Will older kids enjoy a character dining?

Aren’t you, an adult, enjoying your macaroni and cheese, whipping your head around to see if Tigger’s spotted your table yet? Then yes, I think it’s safe to say an older kid will still find some magic in a character meal. My 10-year-old was thrilled at filling her autograph book so easily, and the characters truly do know how to interact with kids of every age. At one point, Minnie came over and played tic-tac-toe in my daughter’s autograph book, and she was absolutely thrilled with it.

Make the meal work for your day.

Another thing to think about? Whether or not you’re going to be ready for a huge character breakfast as soon as you walk into Magic Kingdom. I’ve done early morning character meals, lunch character meals, and dinner character meals — dinner is my favorite. Whether you take a break from the parks or hit all the rides all day long, there’s something really lovely about finally getting a chance to sit and recharge around 4:30/5 p.m. with a character dinner. Then you can see the characters, relax, and hit a few rides or just chill until fireworks.

Think about your kids’ attitudes, what you want to accomplish during the day, and when your family will feel best about a character meal.

Consider which characters you want to see.

If you’re still on the fence about it, think about which characters would make your family’s trip the most magical. You can honestly see Mickey and Minnie at tons of spots in the parks if that helps narrow down your decision! Also, consider how much time you’ll want with these characters. If your kid’s a huge Cinderella fan and wants to just bask in all the princess glory, dining at Cinderella’s castle will probably be worth it for you guys. Knowing which characters your family really wants to see can really help you choose and plan your vacation better.

And don’t assume you have to do a certain character meal experience.

Everyone talks about Cinderella’s Royal Table because it’s an absolute fairytale wonderland (and has been a character meal experience since the ‘90s), but that doesn’t mean you have to do it. I promise you, The Garden Grill at Epcot brought my family as much joy and magic and core memories as any other spot in the park would or has since, even if it’s never at the top of some travel influencer’s character meal experiences to try.