Best Disney World Character Meals in 2023 (Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner)

One of the things that many people want to include on Disney World trips are character meals, but there are so many to choose from that it’s hard to figure out which one (or ones!) to do.

In this post, we have listed all the character meals at Disney World with info on which characters appear, prices, menus, plus we have some handy transportation information on how to get to early breakfast reservations.

Let’s get started…

Are all character meals back?

Most of them are. There are 2 character meals with face characters have not returned to their previous operations. Those 2 restaurants are:

• 1900 Park Fare (closed)
• Trattoria al Forno (open but no characters)

Other than those 2 character meals, everything is back to normal. Characters go from table to table, sign autographs, and yes – you can give them a hug again, too.

Can the characters sign autographs?

The characters can once again sign autographs!

What character meals are available?

Character Meal Comparison Chart (Graphic)

We go into more details below, but here’s a quick overview of how the current character meals compare to one another:

Click to open full-sized PDF

What is the best character meal at Disney World?

While we love the experience you can find at many of the character meals, Garden Grill at Epcot is still our favorite.

Not only can you get delicious food here, but the rotating restaurant is fun for both adults and kids, and the characters are adorable.

Plus, it isn’t a buffet, which we typically prefer simply because it makes for a more relaxing meal.

What is the best character breakfast?

A second favorite overall for us is Topolino’s Terrace (breakfast). The characters here are so freaking cute. Love the uniqueness of the costumes and the theming.

We also love that this restaurant is accessible via the Skyliner, which makes it a great option for guests staying at Pop Century, Art of Animation, and Disney’s Caribbean Beach resorts.

More on why we love both Garden Grill and Topolino’s Terrace down below, where we list out the pros and cons to all character meals.

When to schedule Disney World character dining meals

Trying to decide the best time to schedule a character meal?

Because character meals are a fun experience that (in our opinion) shouldn’t be rushed, we recommend you choose days and times when you can relax and fully enjoy it.

One great option for that is to book your character meals on non-park days. Just make sure you pick restaurants that are located at one of the resort hotels (and not a theme park) so that you don’t have to use a park ticket for entry.

Another great time for character meals may be your arrival and departure days.

Lots of people don’t like to waste a park ticket on their travel days, but they still want some of that Disney magic, and character meals are a great way to do just that. 

Just make sure you give yourself plenty of time to get to (or from) the airport if you’re flying. 

If you opt to dine with the characters on a day you’ll be visiting one of the theme parks, we highly recommend you book your dining in the park where you’ll be (or at a nearby resort) to save transportation time. 

How long do character meals take?

You’ll want to budget about 90 minutes (plus travel time) for your meal.

That gives you time to check in, be seated, and then time to eat and see all the characters without racing through anything.

It may take less time than that, but for planning purposes, 90 minutes is a good rule of thumb.

In a hurry? If eating at a fixed-price meal, ask for your check as soon as you sit down, so you can pay and then leave as soon as you’re finished eating.

What about character breakfasts?

Character meals for breakfasts are a popular way to start a day, but here are some things to keep in mind:

• If you want to maximize your park touring, you’ll definitely want to have the earliest reservation possible (which on most days is around 8:00 a.m.).
• Park hours can (and do) change, which means that pre-park opening breakfast might wind up not being before the park opens, which can throw off your touring plans for the entire day.
• Breakfasts are generally the least expensive character meals, so while they aren’t always a good value on the Disney Dining Plan (when available), they are a great way to save a few bucks if you’re planning to pay for your meal out-of-pocket.
• Some character breakfasts put you in a good position to be at the front of the line for a popular nearby attraction, so that is something to consider as well. 

How to book a character meal at Disney World

As you can imagine, character meals are very popular and many on the list below are some of the most difficult reservations to get in all of Walt Disney World.

If you want to dine with the characters you’ll definitely want to plan on making your Advanced Dining Reservations at that 60 day mark right when the booking window opens which is typically around 5:45 a.m. EST.

We have lots more advice for maximizing your chances of getting exactly what you want in our How to snag hard-to-get Disney World dining reservations post. 

Pros and cons of every Disney World character meal

First, it’s important to note that the Disney Dining Plan is temporarily suspended, but Disney has that dining packages are returning at some point in the future.

Please keep in mind that some photos below may not reflect current procedures and are intended for reference only.

Now, let’s dive in and look at the pros and cons of each character meal…

Everything Else

VIDEO: Disney Character Meals you DON’T Need a Park Ticket For

What about PhotoPass photographers?

We’ve slowly started to see PhotoPass photographers returning to character meals.

Here’s where you can find them:

• Story Book Dining at Artist Point (Wilderness Lodge)
• Chef Mickey’s (Contemporary Resort)
• Cinderella’s Royal Table (Magic Kingdom)

Several other restaurants (like Tusker House) used to also have a photo op; however, there are no PhotoPass photographers there currently.

You don’t get a physical copy of the photo, but it will be added to your PhotoPass account and will be available to download – and the photos taken are included with Memory Maker, too.

Also – there are no PhotoPass photographers at the tables themselves, so you’ll need to be ready with your own camera or phone if you want your picture taken.

Buffet – yay or nay?

As you go through the pros and cons of all the character meals above, you’ll find that lots of them are buffets.

Buffets are great for picky eaters, and the nice thing about Disney World buffets is that they all have a section of kid-friendly options like mac and cheese and Mickey Waffles. However, kids are also welcome to eat from any of the food stations available.

The downside to buffets is that they are often a bit loud and if the number of kids in your group outnumbers the adults, getting everybody’s plates filled in a timely manner can be tricky. 

If buffets aren’t your thing, Disney does have character meals that serve food family style (like Garden Grill) or ones where you order off a menu and the food is brought to your table (like Cinderella’s Royal Table) so keep your preference in mind when making your selections.

How do you get to character meals?

You’ve booked a character meal, but have you thought about how you’ll get there?

Some places can be trickier to get to than others, so make sure you check out the information below you’ll need to make it to your reservation on time.

Transportation to early morning character meals at Disney World

The only time we ever recommend breakfast is if it’s before the parks open (if you eat any later, you end up eating during prime park touring time), but it’s confusing to understand how to get to the dining reservations.

Although Disney will often tell you that transportation begins 1 hour before the parks open, there are earlier options for people with early dining reservations (and those who want to rope drop).

Here’s what’s available for early morning transportation at Disney World:

Bus

While we used to recommend arriving at the bus stop 60 to 75 minutes before Early Entry begins, after testing the timing out many times, we now recommend 90 minutes. That 90-minute window is especially important if you:

• want to be on the first bus (which we recommend), or
• if you are staying at a large resort like Art of Animation, Pop Century, or the All-Stars, or
• if you are staying at a resort with multiple internal stops, like Caribbean Beach or Coronado Springs.

Expect the first bus of the day to arrive between 1 hour to 75 minutes before Early Theme Park Entry starts. The goal is to be on the first bus of the day, and the lines for the buses will get very long, very fast. Arriving 90 minutes before Early Theme Park Entry will get you to the front of the pack, and likely on that first bus.

Skyliner

For the Disney Skyliner, aim for 75 minutes before Early Theme Park Entry begins if you don’t have to transfer, and 90 minutes if you do. Both the Hollywood Studios and Epcot lines start up about 1 hour before Early Entry begins.

Monorail

Plan to get to your monorail stop about 60-75 minutes before Early Theme Park Entry. For reference, the Resort Monorail Loop goes:

• Transportation and Ticket Center
• Polynesian Resort
• Grand Floridian Resort
• Magic Kingdom
• Contemporary Resort

Boat

If traveling by boat, 60-75 minutes before Early Theme Park Entry is probably good.

Walking

Walking? You’ll have it the easiest!

Guests that walk are typically allowed to line up at the tapstiles around 60 minutes before the park opens for Early Theme Park Entry. If you want to be at the front of the pack of the walkers, plan to arrive ahead of that. (If you arrive before they begin allowing people to line up at the tapstiles, you’ll be held back by security.)

Car

When traveling by car, plan to arrive at the parking lot entrance about 70 minutes before Early Theme Park Entry. If the parking lot booths are not open at that time, you should be able to just wait for them to officially open up. But, don’t show up too early because they may not let you wait for the booths to open and instead will force you to turn around and come back closer to opening.

Want to learn more about Disney World buses, boats, monorail, and more?

Take a look at these handy posts for even more information on how to get around Walt Disney World.

• How to Navigate with Disney World Transportation
• How to Get Anywhere on Disney World Property (WDW Prep Navigator)
• Complete Guide to the Disney Skyliner
• How Minnie Vans Work
• How to use Lyft or Uber at Walt Disney World
• Renting a Car at Walt Disney World

Are character meals a good value on the Disney Dining Plan?

You can now add the Disney Dining Plan to Walt Disney World vacation packages that include a Disney Resort hotel stay with arrivals on or after January 9, 2024.

If you end up doing several character meals, the Disney Dining Plan might make a lot of sense. Review our post on maximizing Disney Dining Plan credits to see which restaurants offer the best value.

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Will you be doing any character meals at Disney World for your trip? Feel free to leave your thoughts in the comments.