Dining is a very important part of your experience at Disney World. One of the best ways to enjoy your dining is to reserve a character meal, either in the parks or in the resorts of Disney. This is a great way to let your family get a chance to meet their favorite characters without having to wait in line with their autograph book. As you leisurely eat your meal, the characters will come around to your table to meet you personally! How much fun is that!! They will sign your autograph books and pose for a picture before moving on to the next guests. And all that in an air-conditioned setting with great food to enjoy!!
There are lots of restaurants that offer character dining, in all four of the Disney parks, and in several resorts as well. We usually book at least one character dining experience in every one of our Disney vacations, and we still haven’t tried them all! We love Crystal Palace in Magic Kingdom, which has Pooh, Tigger and all of his friends to see. We also love the Tusker House in Animal Kingdom for either breakfast or lunch. There you get to see Mickey, Donald and Goofy all dressed up and ready for safari!
There is one character dining experience that is my favorite. We were able to enjoy Cinderella’s Royal Table a few years ago. Just to go inside the castle was a treat, but the food and service was out of this world!! We went for my daughter’s birthday, and they truly treated her (and our entire family) like royalty! When our waiter overheard her ask for a bite of my dessert, he quickly returned with one for her! And it was such a treat to get to meet some of our favorite princesses!
I know it can be a disappointment when you spend lots of money on your dining and the food is not that great. Let me assure you that this is not the case at Disney! I can honestly say that I’ve never had a bad meal at Disney World, Disneyland or on a Disney cruise ship. From a quick meal of burgers or a salad, to a relaxing restaurant meal, Disney always takes the care to prepare wonderful food. They cater to everyone in your family as well, from carving stations and special kids-only sections at the buffets, to kids’ meals served in a plate shaped like Mickey’s head. Everyone, even the pickiest of eaters, will find something they truly enjoy at a Disney restaurant.
I highly recommend that you make reservations for any character dining experience. That will save you a lot of time waiting with hungry, cranky kids. Reservations for any Disney restaurant open 180 days before your desired dates. As part of my services, I will make sure that we start making your dining reservations as soon as possible in order to hopefully get you everything your heart (and stomach!) desires! So don’t forget to schedule some time for character dining on your next Disney vacation!!
Amy Kirby
Disney Vacation Specialist
