(Article last updated: July 30, 2018)
One of the things that many people want to include on Disney World trips is character meals, but there are so many to choose from that it's hard to figure out which ones to do.
In this post, we have listed all of the character meals at Disney World with info on which characters appear, prices, menus, and transportation information on how to get to early breakfast reservations to help you out.
Let's get started...
In this article
Magic Kingdom
Breakfast
Cinderella’s Royal Table (breakfast)
Table Service
Price (adult/child): $60.00/$35.00
On the Disney Dining Plan? Yes, 2 Table Service credit(s)
Pros: The experience, view, characters (which include Ariel, Aurora, Cinderella, Snow White, and sometimes Jasmine), and some of the food, like the stuffed French toast, are good
Cons: Expensive, waits can be long to get in even with a reservation, reservations are difficult to get
Tips: This reservation needs to be made 180 days in advance, particularly for 8 a.m. breakfast.
Crystal Palace (breakfast)
Table Service
Price (adult/child): $26.00/$16.00
On the Disney Dining Plan? Yes, 1 Table Service credit(s)
Pros: This is a Winnie the Pooh and friends buffet character meal that has the benefit of having both good food and fun character interactions
Cons: Can be a wait, even with reservations (which you almost always have to have to get in here)
Tips: The Cast Members here are known for providing great service, including recognizing special occasions, so be sure to note if you're celebrating on your reservation and mention it when you check in as well.
Lunch
Cinderella’s Royal Table (lunch)
Table Service
Price (adult/child): $70.00/$43.00
On the Disney Dining Plan? Yes, 2 Table Service credit(s)
Pros: The experience, view, and characters (which include Ariel, Aurora, Cinderella, Snow White, and sometimes Jasmine), are all good
Cons: Expensive, waits can be long to get in even with a reservation, most food is mediocre
Tips: This reservation needs to be made 180 days in advance, particularly for 8 a.m. breakfast.
Crystal Palace (lunch)
Table Service
Price (adult/child): $41.00/$22.00
On the Disney Dining Plan? Yes, 1 Table Service credit(s)
Pros: Winnie the Pooh and friends buffet character meal that has the benefit of having both good food and fun character interactions
Cons: Can be a wait, even with reservations (which you almost always have to have to get in here)
Tips: The Cast Members here are known for providing great service, including recognizing special occasions, so be sure to note if you're celebrating on your reservation and mention it when you check in as well.
Dinner
Be Our Guest (dinner)
Table Service
Price (adult/child): $55.00/$35.00
On the Disney Dining Plan? Yes, 2 Table Service credit(s)
Pros: Interesting French food options, the only place to meet The Beast
Cons: Service and food can be inconsistent, waits can be long, hardest dining reservation to get at Disney World
Tips: This might be the hardest dining reservation to get in all of Disney World since it's the newest restaurant. We don't happen to think it's worth the trouble (breakfast and lunch here are much better in our experience, though The Beast doesn't appear at those meals) but be sure to make reservations 180 days in advance if you want to eat here for dinner.
Cinderella’s Royal Table (dinner)
Table Service
Price (adult/child): $70.00/$43.00
On the Disney Dining Plan? Yes, 2 Table Service credit(s)
Pros: The experience, view, and characters (which include Ariel, Aurora, Cinderella, Snow White, and sometimes Jasmine), are all good
Cons: Expensive, waits can be long to get in even with a reservation, most food is mediocre
Tips: This reservation needs to be made 180 days in advance, particularly for 8 a.m. breakfast.
Crystal Palace (dinner)
Table Service
Price (adult/child): $41.00/$22.00
On the Disney Dining Plan? Yes, 1 Table Service credit(s)
Pros: Winnie the Pooh and friends buffet character meal that has the benefit of having both good food and fun character interactions
Cons: Can be a wait, even with reservations (which you almost always have to have to get in here)
Tips: The Cast Members here are known for providing great service, including recognizing special occasions, so be sure to note if you're celebrating on your reservation and mention it when you check in as well.
Epcot
Breakfast
Akershus Royal Banquet Hall (breakfast)
Table Service
Price (adult/child): $46.00/$27.00
On the Disney Dining Plan? Yes, 1 Table Service credit(s)
WDW Prep Favorite: Yes
Pros: One of the best uses of a Table Service credit when using the Disney Dining Plan, good princess character interactions (characters here often include Belle, Jasmine, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, Mulan, and Mary Poppins)
Cons: Expensive if paying out-of-pocket, waits can be long even with a reservation
Tips: Eat breakfast here if you have picky eaters since lunch and dinner feature foods that are a bit more adventurous and not as popular for families.
Garden Grill (breakfast)
Table Service
Price (adult/child): $32.00/$19.00
On the Disney Dining Plan? Yes, 1 Table Service credit(s)
WDW Prep Favorite: Yes
Pros: Family-style, all-you-can-eat, restaurant rotates slowly (you can catch glimpses of scenes from Living with the Land), characters stop by for a visit (usually Mickey, Chip, Dale and Pluto)
Cons: Can be a bit tricky to get to and strollers aren't allowed after a certain point
Tips: It is often possible to get a reservation here when many others aren't available.
Lunch
Akershus Royal Banquet Hall (lunch)
Table Service
Price (adult/child): $47.00/$30.00
On the Disney Dining Plan? Yes, 1 Table Service credit(s)
WDW Prep Favorite: Yes
Pros: One of the best uses of a Table Service credit when using the Disney Dining Plan, great princess interactions (characters here often include Ariel, Belle, Cinderella, Jasmine, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, Mulan, and Mary Poppins)
Cons: Expensive if paying out-of-pocket, waits can be long even with a reservation, traditional Norwegian foods may not appeal to everybody
Tips: Eat breakfast here if you have picky eaters since lunch and dinner feature foods that are a bit more adventurous and not as popular for families.
Garden Grill (lunch)
Table Service
Price (adult/child): $41.00/$23.00
On the Disney Dining Plan? Yes, 1 Table Service credit(s)
WDW Prep Favorite: Yes
Pros: Family-style, all-you-can-eat, restaurant rotates slowly (you can catch glimpses of scenes from Living with the Land), characters stop by for a visit (usually Mickey, Chip, Dale and Pluto), great use of a Table Service credit when using the Disney Dining Plan
Cons: Can be a bit tricky to get to and strollers aren't allowed after a certain point
Tips: It is often possible to get a reservation here when many others aren't available.
Dinner
Akershus Royal Banquet Hall (dinner)
Table Service
Price (adult/child): $52.00/$31.00
On the Disney Dining Plan? Yes, 1 Table Service credit(s)
WDW Prep Favorite: Yes
Pros: One of the best uses of a Table Service credit when using the Disney Dining Plan, great princess interactions (characters here often include Ariel, Belle, Cinderella, Jasmine, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, Mulan, and Mary Poppins)
Cons: Expensive if paying out-of-pocket, waits can be long even with a reservation, traditional Norwegian foods may not appeal to everybody
Tips: Eat breakfast here if you have picky eaters since lunch and dinner feature foods that are a bit more adventurous and not as popular for families.
Garden Grill (dinner)
Table Service
Price (adult/child): $41.00/$23.00
On the Disney Dining Plan? Yes, 1 Table Service credit(s)
WDW Prep Favorite: Yes
Pros: Family-style, all-you-can-eat, restaurant rotates slowly (you can catch glimpses of scenes from Living with the Land), characters stop by for a visit (usually Mickey, Chip, Dale and Pluto), great use of a Table Service credit when using the Disney Dining Plan
Cons: Can be a bit tricky to get to and strollers aren't allowed after a certain point
Tips: It is often possible to get a reservation here when many others aren't available.
Hollywood Studios
Breakfast
Hollywood and Vine (breakfast)
Table Service
Price (adult/child): $34.00/$20.00
On the Disney Dining Plan? Yes, 1 Table Service credit(s)
Pros: Buffet offers lots of options that please a wide variety of people, Disney Jr. characters appear here
Cons: Can be loud, not all dishes are great
Tips: Often times guests with pre-park opening reservations at Hollywood and Vine will be allowed to sign up for Jedi Training Academy before their meal.
Hollywood and Vine Fantasmic Dining Package (breakfast)
Table Service
Price (adult/child): $39/$25
On the Disney Dining Plan? Yes, 1 Table Service credit(s)
Pros: Buffet offers lots of options that please a wide variety of people, Disney Jr. characters appear here, get reserved seating for Fantasmic, same number of dining plan credits as if you booked without the dining package
Cons: Can be loud, not all dishes are great
Tips: Often times guests with pre-park opening reservations at Hollywood and Vine will be allowed to sign up for Jedi Training Academy before their meal.
Hollywood and Vine The Music of Pixar Live! Dining Package (breakfast)
Table Service
Price (adult/child): $39/$25
On the Disney Dining Plan? Yes, 1 Table Service credit(s)
Pros: Buffet offers lots of options that please a wide variety of people, Disney Jr. characters appear here, get reserved seating for Music of Pixar Live show, same number of dining plan credits as if you booked without the dining package
Cons: Can be loud, not all dishes are great
Tips: Often times guests with pre-park opening reservations at Hollywood and Vine will be allowed to sign up for Jedi Training Academy before their meal.
Hollywood and Vine The Music of Pixar Live! and Fantasmic! Dining Package (breakfast)
Table Service
Price (adult/child): $44/$28
On the Disney Dining Plan? Yes, 1 Table Service credit(s)
Pros: Buffet offers lots of options that please a wide variety of people, Disney Jr. characters appear here, get reserved seating for Fantasmic and Music of Pixar Live show, same number of dining plan credits as if you booked without the dining package
Cons: Can be loud, not all dishes are great
Tips: Often times guests with pre-park opening reservations at Hollywood and Vine will be allowed to sign up for Jedi Training Academy before their meal.
Lunch
Hollywood and Vine (lunch)
Table Service
Price (adult/child): $40.00/$23.00
On the Disney Dining Plan? Yes, 1 Table Service credit(s)
Pros: Buffet offers lots of options that please a wide variety of people, characters appear here (Disney Jr characters until September 3, 2017, and then it's Minnie and friends), good value on the Disney Dining Plan
Cons: Can be loud, definitely more about the experience than the food
Tips: Don't forget to try the sundae bar after your meal (available at lunch).
Hollywood and Vine Fantasmic Dining package (lunch)
Table Service
Price (adult/child): $52/$32
On the Disney Dining Plan? Yes, 1 Table Service credit(s)
Pros: Buffet offers lots of options that please a wide variety of people, characters appear here (Disney Jr characters until September 3, 2017, and then it's Minnie and friends), good value on the Disney Dining Plan, same # of dining plan credits as if you eat here without the dining package but includes a voucher for seating at Fantasmic
Cons: Can be loud, definitely more about the experience than the food
Tips: Don't forget to try the sundae bar after your meal (available at lunch).
Hollywood and Vine The Music of Pixar Live! Dining Package (lunch)
Table Service
Price (adult/child): $52/$32
On the Disney Dining Plan? Yes, 1 Table Service credit(s)
Pros: Buffet offers lots of options that please a wide variety of people, characters appear here (Disney Jr characters until September 3, 2017, and then it's Minnie and friends), good value on the Disney Dining Plan, same # of dining plan credits as if you eat here without the dining package but includes reserved seating for Music of Pixar Live
Cons: Can be loud, definitely more about the experience than the food
Tips: Don't forget to try the sundae bar after your meal (available at lunch).
Hollywood and Vine The Music of Pixar Live! and Fantasmic! Dining Package (lunch)
Table Service
Price (adult/child): $57/$35
On the Disney Dining Plan? Yes, 1 Table Service credit(s)
Pros: Buffet offers lots of options that please a wide variety of people, characters appear here (Disney Jr characters until September 3, 2017, and then it's Minnie and friends), good value on the Disney Dining Plan, same # of dining plan credits as if you eat here without the dining package but includes reserved seating for Music of Pixar Live and Fantasmic
Cons: Can be loud, definitely more about the experience than the food
Tips: Don't forget to try the sundae bar after your meal (available at lunch).
Dinner
Hollywood and Vine – Fantasmic Dining Package (dinner)
Table Service
Price (adult/child): $57.00/$35.00
On the Disney Dining Plan? Yes, 1 Table Service credit(s)
Pros: Buffet offers lots of options that please a wide variety of people, Minnie and friends appear here, good value on the Disney Dining Plan
Cons: Can be loud, definitely more about the experience than the food
Tips: This dining package uses the same # of dining plan credits as when you eat here without the dining package but includes a voucher for seating at Fantasmic.
Hollywood and Vine (dinner)
Table Service
Price (adult/child): $50.00/$30.00
On the Disney Dining Plan? Yes, 1 Table Service credit(s)
Pros: Buffet offers lots of options that please a wide variety of people, Minnie and friends appear here, good value on the Disney Dining Plan (especially if you book the Fantasmic Dining Package because you get a character buffet plus great Fantasmic seating for just 1 credit)
Cons: Can be loud, definitely more about the experience than the food
Tips: In the winter you can find Minnie and friends decked out in cute holiday attire which can make for fun photo opportunities.
Hollywood and Vine The Music of Pixar Live! Dining Package (dinner)
Table Service
Price (adult/child): $57/$35
On the Disney Dining Plan? Yes, 1 Table Service credit(s)
Pros: Buffet offers lots of options that please a wide variety of people, characters appear here (Disney Jr characters until September 3, 2017, and then it's Minnie and friends), good value on the Disney Dining Plan,
Cons: Can be loud, definitely more about the experience than the food
Tips: This dining package uses the same # of dining plan credits as when you eat here without the dining package but includes reserved seating for Music of Pixar Live.
Hollywood and Vine The Music of Pixar Live! and Fantasmic! Dining Package (dinner)
Table Service
Price (adult/child): $62/$38
On the Disney Dining Plan? Yes, 1 Table Service credit(s)
Pros: Buffet offers lots of options that please a wide variety of people, characters appear here (Disney Jr characters until September 3, 2017, and then it's Minnie and friends), good value on the Disney Dining Plan
Cons: Can be loud, definitely more about the experience than the food
Tips: This dining package uses the same # of dining plan credits as when you eat here without the dining package but includes reserved seating for Music of Pixar Live and Fantasmic.
Animal Kingdom
Breakfast
Tusker House (breakfast)
Table Service
Price (adult/child): $31.00/$19.00
On the Disney Dining Plan? Yes, 1 Table Service credit(s)
WDW Prep Favorite: Yes
Pros: Large buffet with lots of good food (standard breakfast items, along with some African-inspired dishes), classic characters (Daisy Duck, Donald Duck, Goofy and Mickey Mouse) appear in their safari gear
Cons: On the pricier end of restaurant prices at Animal Kingdom, service can be inconsistent
Tips: This is probably the most popular dining reservation at Animal Kingdom. Be sure to book 180 days in advance, particularly if you want the much-coveted 8 a.m. breakfast reservation.
Tusker House Rivers of Light dining package (breakfast)
Table Service
Price (adult/child): $39/$24
On the Disney Dining Plan? Yes, 1 Table Service credit(s)
WDW Prep Favorite: Yes
Pros: Large buffet with lots of good food, classic characters (Daisy Duck, Donald Duck, Goofy and Mickey Mouse) appear in their safari gear
Cons: On the pricier end of restaurant prices at Animal Kingdom, service can be inconsistent
Tips: This dining package uses the same # of dining plan credits as when you eat here without the dining package but includes a voucher for seating at Rivers of Light.
Lunch
Tusker House (lunch)
Table Service
Price (adult/child): $42.00/$25.00
On the Disney Dining Plan? Yes, 1 Table Service credit(s)
WDW Prep Favorite: Yes
Pros: Large buffet with lots of good food, classic characters (Daisy Duck, Donald Duck, Goofy and Mickey Mouse) appear in their safari gear
Cons: On the pricier end of restaurant prices at Animal Kingdom, service can be inconsistent
Tips: This is probably the most popular dining reservation at Animal Kingdom. Be sure to book 180 days in advance, particularly if you want the much-coveted 8 a.m. breakfast reservation.
Tusker House Rivers of Light dining package (lunch)
Table Service
Price (adult/child): $52/$32
On the Disney Dining Plan? Yes, 1 Table Service credit(s)
WDW Prep Favorite: Yes
Pros: Large buffet with lots of good food, classic characters (Daisy Duck, Donald Duck, Goofy and Mickey Mouse) appear in their safari gear
Cons: On the pricier end of restaurant prices at Animal Kingdom, service can be inconsistent
Tips: This dining package uses the same # of dining plan credits as when you eat here without the dining package but includes a voucher for seating at Rivers of Light.
Dinner
Tusker House (dinner)
Table Service
Price (adult/child): $42.00/$25.00
On the Disney Dining Plan? Yes, 1 Table Service credit(s)
WDW Prep Favorite: Yes
Pros: Large buffet with lots of good food, classic characters (Daisy Duck, Donald Duck, Goofy and Mickey Mouse) appear in their safari gear
Cons: On the pricier end of restaurant prices at Animal Kingdom, service can be inconsistent
Tips: This is probably the most popular dining reservation at Animal Kingdom. Be sure to book 180 days in advance, particularly if you want the much-coveted 8 a.m. breakfast reservation.
Tusker House Rivers of Light dining package (dinner)
Table Service
Price (adult/child): $52/$32
On the Disney Dining Plan? Yes, 1 Table Service credit(s)
WDW Prep Favorite: Yes
Pros: Large buffet with lots of good food, classic characters (Daisy Duck, Donald Duck, Goofy and Mickey Mouse) appear in their safari gear
Cons: On the pricier end of restaurant prices at Animal Kingdom, service can be inconsistent
Tips: This dining package uses the same # of dining plan credits as when you eat here without the dining package but includes a voucher for seating at Rivers of Light.
Resorts
Breakfast
Garden Grove (weekend breakfast)
Table Service
Price (adult/child): $24.99/$15.99
Location: Swan/Dolphin
On the Disney Dining Plan? No, Table Service credit(s)
Pros: Buffet and a la carte menu options, characters appear on the weekend, easier to get a reservation here than most other character meals, nice ambiance
Cons: Not on the Disney Dining Plan, can't charge to your Disney resort room or use Disney gift cards here since this isn't an official Disney hotel, inconsistent service
Tips: Unlike the other character meals, in addition to their buffet, Garden Grove also offers a menu that can be ordered from instead.
Ohana (breakfast)
Table Service
Price (adult/child): $31.00/$19.00
Location: Polynesian Village Resort
On the Disney Dining Plan? Yes, 1 Table Service credit(s)
WDW Prep Favorite: Yes
Pros: Food options to please most people (all-you-can-eat American breakfast), characters appear (Lilo, Stitch, Mickey, and others)
Cons: Popular spot so reservations are hard to get, check in can take a long time so maybe even consider arriving early for your reservation
Tips: Book ASAP if you are interested in eating here; breakfast hours extend until 12:00 pm which makes it a great place to grab a late breakfast.
Trattoria al forno – Bon Voyage Breakfast (breakfast)
Table Service
Price (adult/child): $34.00/$20.00
Location: Boardwalk Inn
On the Disney Dining Plan? Yes, 1 Table Service credit(s)
Pros: Unique breakfast offerings and the only place to see Rapunzel and Flynn Rider & Ariel and Prince Eric together
Cons: Service can be slow at times
Tips: A small selection of princess and prince apparel and accessories are available to purchase right as you enter.
1900 Park Fare (breakfast)
Table Service
Price (adult/child): $33.00/$20.00
Location: Grand Floridian Resort
On the Disney Dining Plan? Yes, 1 Table Service credit(s)
Pros: Random character combo is fun (and often includes Alice, Mad Hatter, Mary Poppins, Tigger and Winnie the Pooh), strawberry soup is good
Cons: Fairly expensive, especially since the food isn't super good (you're definitely paying for the experience)
Tips: If you arrive by monorail, it may not be obvious where this restaurant is located. When you exit the monorail, go down to the first floor and you'll find the restaurant by the front doors.
Cape May Cafe (breakfast)
Table Service
Price (adult/child): $38.00/$21.00
Location: Beach Club Resort
On the Disney Dining Plan? Yes, 1 Table Service credit(s)
Pros: Nice variety of foods to choose from (such as chorizo with eggs, Mickey waffles, cheese grits, bacon, etc.), characters (Donald, Goofy and Minnie) are dressed in beach attire, often easier to find a reservation here than other character dining locations
Cons: Only 3 characters here, fairly expensive for breakfast food
Chef Mickey's (breakfast)
Table Service
Price (adult/child): $40.00/$21.00
Location: Contemporary
On the Disney Dining Plan? Yes, 1 Table Service credit(s)
Pros: Family favorite due to the fun vibe (and it's fun to ride the monorail right into the building), good spot to catch the classic characters together (Donald, Goofy, Mickey, Minnie & Pluto)
Cons: Food isn't particularly good but is sufficient, reservations are hard to get
Tips: Request to be in the main dining room to get the maximum amount of fun since the other rooms are further from the action.
Lunch
Chef Mickey’s (brunch)
Table Service
Price (adult/child): $40.00/$21.00
Location: Contemporary
On the Disney Dining Plan? Yes, 1 Table Service credit(s)
Pros: Family favorite due to the fun vibe (and it's fun to ride the monorail right into the building), good spot to catch the classic characters together (Donald, Goofy, Mickey, Minnie & Pluto)
Cons: Food isn't particularly good but is sufficient, reservations are hard to get
Tips: Request to be in the main dining room to get the maximum amount of fun since the other rooms are further from the action.
1900 Park Fare (brunch)
Table Service
Price (adult/child): $37.00/$22.00
Location: Grand Floridian Resort
On the Disney Dining Plan? Yes, Table Service credit(s)
Pros: Random character combo is fun (and often includes Alice, Mad Hatter, Mary Poppins, Tigger and Winnie the Pooh), strawberry soup is good
Cons: This meal is a brunch offering that is only available during the holidays. For 2016 those dates are Nov. 20-26 and Dec. 18th - Jan. 1st, 2017.
Tips: If you arrive by monorail, it may not be obvious where this restaurant is located. When you exit the monorail, go down to the first floor and you'll find the restaurant by the front doors.
Dinner
1900 Park Fare (dinner)
Table Service
Price (adult/child): $47.00/$27.00
Location: Grand Floridian Resort
On the Disney Dining Plan? Yes, 1 Table Service credit(s)
Pros: Fun character interactions (character lineup often includes Prince Charming, Cinderella, Anastasia, Drizella and Lady Tremaine) and it's fun to be able to have both sushi rolls and gummi bears at dinner (where else would that be possible?)
Cons: Fairly expensive, especially since the food isn't super good (you're definitely paying for the experience)
Tips: If you arrive by monorail, it may not be obvious where this restaurant is located. When you exit the monorail, go down to the first floor and you'll find the restaurant by the front doors.
Garden Grove (dinner)
Table Service
Price (adult/child): $30.00/$14.00
Location: Swan/Dolphin
On the Disney Dining Plan? No, Table Service credit(s)
Pros: Good ambiance, characters offered nightly (depending on the day, the characters can include Goofy, Pluto, Chip and Dale), more availability at this location than most other character dining meals
Cons: Not on the Disney Dining Plan, can't charge to your Disney resort room or use Disney gift cards here since this isn't an official Disney hotel, inconsistent service
Tips: Unlike the other character meals, in addition to their buffet, Garden Grove also offers menu items that can be ordered instead.
Mickey's Backyard BBQ (dinner)
Table Service
Price (adult/child): $57.00/$33.00
Location: Ft.Wilderness Campsites
On the Disney Dining Plan? Yes, 2 Table Service credit(s)
Pros: Meal includes music and dancing with the characters (Chip, Dale, Goofy, Mickey & Minnie), wine and beer are included, plentiful picnic-style food (barbecued meats, corn on the cob, watermelon, etc.)
Cons: Located outside on a covered patio which can be quite hot at certain times of the year, usually only available Thursdays and Saturdays, you can't drive directly to this event but must take Ft. Wilderness transportation to get there
Tips: Consider taking a boat there from Magic Kingdom.
Chef Mickey's (dinner)
Table Service
Price (adult/child): $50.00/$27.00
Location: Contemporary
On the Disney Dining Plan? Yes, 1 Table Service credit(s)
WDW Prep Favorite: Yes
Pros: Family favorite due to the fun vibe (and it's fun to ride the monorail right into the building), good spot to catch the classic characters together (Donald, Goofy, Mickey, Minnie & Pluto)
Cons: Food isn't particularly good but is sufficient, reservations are hard to get
Tips: Request to be in the main dining room to get the maximum amount of fun since the other rooms are further from the action.
Everything Else
Perfectly Princess Tea Party
Table Service
Price (adult/child): $0.00/$334.00
Location: Grand Floridian Resort
On the Disney Dining Plan? No, Table Service credit(s)
Pros: A whole event rather than just a meal that includes each girl receiving a doll, tiara, bracelet, rose, scrapbook plus food and entertainment (boys receive a crown and plush bear). The $250 price includes 1 adult and 1 child. More children can be added for an additional cost.
Cons: Only available Sunday, Monday, Wednesday, some Thursdays and Friday from 10:30am-12:00pm.
Tips: Party goers are encouraged to dress up as their favorite princess or prince.
Wonderland Tea Party
Table Service
Price (adult/child): $/$40.00
Location: Grand Floridian Resort
On the Disney Dining Plan? No, Table Service credit(s)
Pros: 1 hour tea party from 2-3 p.m. for ages 4-10 where kids get to make and eat cupcakes, hear a story, have tea (juice) with the characters and make flower bouquets.
Cons: Kids do this event without parents so parents should plan to do something nearby like stroll the beach, order a drink, explore the resort, etc.
Tips: The price of this tea party makes it a popular option so be sure to book early if you'd like to attend.
Transportation
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.
Here's what's available for early morning character meals at Disney World:
- Buses for the Magic Kingdom and Magic Kingdom resort area start running at 6:30 a.m. daily
- Buses for Animal Kingdom and Animal Kingdom Lodge start running at 7-7:15 a.m. daily
- Buses for the Hollywood Studios and the Epcot-area resorts will start running at 7-7:15 a.m. daily
- Buses for Epcot start running at 7-7:15 a.m. daily
- The ferry from the Ticket and Transportation Center (TTC) to Magic Kingdom begins running 1 hour before Magic Kingdom opens
- The express monorail (that goes from the TTC to MK) begins 30 minutes before MK opens
- The resort monorail (which will go from TTC to The Polynesian to The Grand Floridian and then to MK) begins at 7 a.m.
- The Epcot monorail usually begins operating at 8 a.m.
- The boats that service the Epcot-area resorts and go to Epcot and Hollywood Studios start running at 8:30 a.m. daily
Transportation options for the rest of the day
If your character meal is a lunch or dinner you may not be starting from your resort. In that case, use the WDW Prep Navigator to help you figure out how to get there.
Is the Disney Dining Plan right for you?
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.
Hi, I’m staying at an offsite hotel and I have a character dinner reserved at Crystal Palace. Do I need to get a Dining Plan also? Or just show up ahead of my reserved time with my reservation number and I’ll be fine? Disney’s whole dining setup is very confusing!
Offsite guests can’t get the Disney Dining Plan since it’s just an option with onsite packages. You can just pay cash/credit card for your meal. Enjoy!
Wow. This is an impressive list. Mind if I post this on my Facebook page and include a link to it on my Website?
Sure! Never need permission to post links. Glad it was helpful to you.
Will table service restaurants balk if I bring in outside food (cheese sticks, fruit, etc.) for my one-year-old? I know she can eat off of our plates, but I want to make sure I have some of her favorites available if I can. Thanks!
I really appreciate all of the info provided on this site! It has been so helpful to me while planning our family’s first trip! Our daughter is OBSESSED with Pooh and we have made reservations on her birthday in September at Crystal Place. Our ADR is for 9:05am. Will we still be able to get into the park early to insure we don’t miss our reservation? I am afraid if we don’t get in early we will miss this special breakfast. I am planning on ordering a cake and everything. What do you think? Also any thoughts on how early… Read more »
I don’t know how to count! Planning to take the grandkids to WDW and scheduling buffet service character meals. Three adults plus the 5 year old for sure, but what about the 2 yo twins? Do I reserve for 6, to get a large enough table, even though only 4 are paying/have park tickets? (I have read that at buffets the under 3 guests eat off an adult’s plate.) Will we automatically have the 18% tip added? If we do a F! dining package with Minnie’s Seasonal Dine, how do we count the F! seat spaces?
For dining reservations, you have to have a reservation for everybody in your group for fire code purposes, but then the number can be different when it comes time to pay. Kids under 3 not only don’t have to pay for a meal, but they don’t get FastPass+ reservations (they just come with you if you have one). Same will be true with the Fantasmic Dining Package – the little ones won’t need a meal and can be seated with you and your voucher at the show.
Are the Paw Patrol characters anywhere in Disney World including character meals?
No they won’t be; Paw Patrol is part of the nick jr franchise.
Hi! We’ve got an ADR for 7:35 AM at Trattoria al Forno @ Disney’s Boardwalk for the character breakfast in October. We’re staying at AoA and we’re trying to figure out transportation. We really don’t want to drive. Will we be able to take Disney transportation to the boardwalk in time, or will we need to schedule an Uber? I’ve seen comments online that suggest you can get character meal transportation from AoA at 7 AM, but would we make it in time? Thanks!
Just curious if you found the best way to travel from AOA to Trattoria? As my family will be doing the same. Thanks
We will be staying off-site but want to book an early breakfast at Cinderella’s royal table. Will we be able to enter early enough for the reservations before the park officially opens or will we not be able to because we are not able to use the extra magic hours?
You’ll be able to enter early even if staying offsite. You will simply show your reservation confirmation number. Make sure the time of your breakfast is shown also.
Approximately how long should it take to get from Pop Century to The Grand Floridian?
It’ll be 60-90 minutes by the time you wait for the bus at Pop, ride the bus to Magic Kingdom, then wait for the next boat or monorail to Grand Floridian, and take that ride. For that reason, I usually suggest Uber or taxi for most resort-to-resort transportation. They can get you there in about 15 minutes.
Hi. We are going to Disney in September. I am trying to decide between dinner at Crystal Palace or Chef Mickey’s. It will be on an evening of Mickey’s Halloween Party, which we will not be attending. We are also planning dinners/lunches at 1900 Park Fare, Hollywood and Vine, Tusker House and Akershus Royal Banquet Hall. Thanks for your advice.
It depends on what you are looking for. If you go to the Crystal Palace, you’ll get a greater diversity of characters, seeing Pooh and friends. Chef Mickey’s has a similar line up as Tusker House. I really enjoy the ambiance of the Contemporary Resort, though, so I don’t think you’ll be disappointed on which ever one you choose. I think the food is about the same in both places in terms of quality.
Which would you say is the best character meal for a 2 year old who is obsessed with Minnie and Mickey? We won’t have a meal plan and will be there in november.
The Garden Grill is perfect. It was the easiest character meal we have done. (And we have been going once a year for many years) The characters are constantly making appearances, many times. And it’s cheaper than the others. We loved it, and so did our 2 year old.
We are having a O Hana character breakfast at Polynesian then heading to Magic Kingdom for the day..do we park at Transportation Center then monorail over to Polynesian or can we park at Polynesian for meal and leave car after meal to go to MK? I doubt it but thought i would ask.
Cathy
Officially, you can only park for 3 hours for your dining reservation. In actuality, they’ll almost certainly allow you to stay there, but you’ll just have to make sure you get back to the Poly after leaving MK to get back to your car (via resort monorail or boat).
Is there any where to see the marvel charters with a meal?
Hi, April –
There are no Marvel characters at Disney World. Here’s why – http://comicbook.com/2016/03/04/dont-expect-marvel-lands-in-walt-disney-world-any-time-soon/
Hello! How much time should I plan for character meals? We are doing chef Mickey for dinner, askershus for lunch, tusker house breakfast, crystal palace lunch, be our guest breakfast and cinderellas table for lunch(all on separate days obviously) but as far as planning fast passes I’m not sure how much time will be needed to eat and interact with characters, should I plan 2 hours?
I’d plan for up to 90 minutes to allow time to be seated (sometimes takes a little while), eat, and see all of the characters.
Thank you for all of this great info. I am planning our first Disney trip as a family (it has been 30yrs since I have been!) For July 2017. My kids are 5,13,14 & 18. My daughter (5) loves princesses but I am not sure her 3 big brothers would prefer to dine with them! Thinking Chef Mikey’s for an early breakfast on day one will be a good plan. What are the chances we will be able to satisfy the princess loving girl without doing another dining experience? Thanks so much!!
If you don’t want to dine with princesses (like in Akershus in Epcot) then I would say they are numerous places to meet princesses in the parks; especially Magic Kingdom and Epcot. She should be able to get her princess fix that way.
When we went with extended family, my 7 yr old daughter was the only girl (big brother and 6 boy cousins). So she and I scheduled a lunch at Cinderella’s castle with all the princesses while the rest of the family rode rides. It was a great mommy/daughter activity and allowed her to experience the magic of Disney princesses without boring the boys!
My daughter loves Doc McStuffins, but we werent planning on visiting Hollywood Studios. Can we do a character breakfast at Hollywood & Vine without visiting the park? Then we could still see Doc, but visit Magic Kingdom after?
No, unfortunately park admission is required to dine at Hollywood & Vine.
Hi,
If we stay off site can we still book character meals?
Also, are we still eligible for Fast Pass?
Yes, you can book character dinings but you cannot benefit from Extra Magic Hours unless you are staying at a Disney property.
Are there photographers at the character meals for the photo package?
We are staying at the All Star Music Dec 10-16 and have reservations for breakfast at 8:30 at 1900 Park Fare. My mother has a scooter (does not break down) what is the best way to get there? Do we get a bus to MK then another to GF? or does the resort monarail start early for us to get from MK to GF?
We have been to WDW many times but not with a scooter.
Thanks for any help.
More than likely the MK buses will begin running around 6:30am. I would be at the bus station for Magic Kingdom around 7am.
When you make it to the MK, you will have to take the resort monorail, it should be running by 7am as well, that should take
you to the grand floridian. Or you could take a cab, the hotel desk can help with this.
Shannon-
We’re travelling the first week of November with my 10 yea old niece. It is her first Disney trip. Grammie would love to do a Character meal. We’re staying off-site. Can we go to any character meal, or do you need to be staying on property? Thank you in advance for your help!
Anybody can eat anywhere at Disney World, regardless of where they’re staying. Be sure to look for reservations now because character meals usually book up months in advanced. Enjoy your trip!
We’re also staying off-site in December and are hoping to do a character breakfast. Can you get into the park early when staying off-site? And if so, what is the best way to go about it? We were at Disney 2 years ago and came to the park 30-45 minutes early and had to take the ferry over but still didn’t make it in time for rope drop.
Yep! You do have to allow for plenty of time though. The resort monorail usually begins operating at 7 a.m. daily, so you’ll catch that at the Ticket and Transportation Center, then it’ll stop at The Polynesian, Grand Floridian, and then get you to MK.
Good morning. I Have a question. I’m booking my 1st Disney vacation. The price range for the characters meals is that how much you have to spend per person to eat at the restaurant or will be charged.
Good Evening! We are headed out in 9 days, this will be our second trip. Last time our early character breakfast was Chef Mickeys and the bus took us right to Contemporary. This time we have an 8:00 at Ohana’s, we are staying at Caribbean Beach. What is our best option? TIA!
Resort-to-resort transportation is often the trickiest part about navigating at Disney World. You could either consider taxi/Uber, or take the bus to Magic Kingdom and then the resort monorail to The Polynesian. If you decide to use Disney transportation, I’d be at the bus stop for that by 6:30-6:45 or so to allow for up to an hour or more to get there.
We have a brekfast at Cinderella castle at 930..how early should we arrive?
Love your site! So informative. We are going early november 2016, taking our 8yo daughter and 5 yo son. Our first day will be at MK, we have 10:20 reservations for Pirates League and then a 1:50 reservation at Chef Mickey. Is this enough time to get from PL to Chef Mickey? Are we going to be too rushed? We have other character meals planned during the trip to Tusker House, Hollywood & Vine and Crystal Palace on our last day that I’m considering cancelling Chef Mickey cause I’m worried it’s the wrong time of day to leave MK especially… Read more »
More than enough time, you’ll be sitting around for awhile between that
You will have more then enough time too get too Chef Mickey its our favorite place to go!
We have 8am Garden Grill reservations. How long does the meal usually take? There are 6 of us traveling together, and we are hoping to be able to get on Soarin right after breakfast without FP+ (and then Test Track right after that). Want to save our Tier 1 FP+ for Frozen Ever After.
I like your plan. Service is so quick and good at Garden Grill. Even with lots of food and character interaction, you can easily be done w/in 40 minutes or so.
Hi there Shannon! I’m a little nervous about my first trip to Disney! You see, I’m 16 years of age and as my Mom suffered from several accidents and disease, we were never able to go. I know she wants to give me the best experience possible but I’m trying to do a little research of my own since I don’t want to be a burden and have her spend unnecessary money. Therefore, I’m trying to find the cheapest things to do while still doing the things I want to. I was a bit sad to find out there was… Read more »
Sheridan, Honey, you are a peach. Seriously. You obviously love your mom tremendously. You’re so thoughtful and considerate. As a mom, we appreciate that more than you can ever know. Raising girls like you make us proud of the job we’ve done as mamas. We’re populating the world with good and kind-hearted young people. At nearly 40, *I* still get the butterflies about meeting characters at both the parks and the meals. I’ve had a wonderful experience each and every time. They’re all so sweet to everyone they meet, regardless of age. Have no fear. They want to meet YOU… Read more »
Hi Shannon! Love your tips. First trip to WDW from Argentina in December.
I’ve made a 8:15 am breakfast reservation at Akershus. Do you think we will be able to ride frozen ever after first thing with little wait? Thank you for everything.
If you want to know my opinion I would do a Character Breakfast that is close too the Frozen ever after ride it would give you more time too eat and such!
i booked this breakfast too. how was the wait after you left breakfast?
Have you been to Goofy & Pals at the Four Seasons? I’m looking at that vs. Cape May. Thanks!
I haven’t done goofy pals at the Four seasons but have heard about it Goofy is really funny
Do any of the character breakfasts just use a quick service meal credit? Or do all require table service credit?
All character meals are at least 1 Table Service credit on the Disney Dining Plan. The closest Quick Service you’ll get is getting to eat in Beast’s Castle at Be Our Guest for breakfast or lunch, but the Beast will not be there at that time.
Do you have to prove you have a breakfast reservation to ride the early buses?
Nope! Just go to the bus stop and hop on.
How early can we catch a bus at the DVC Beach Club during the week of March 23-31, 2016?
Hi, Shannon! I am in the midst of planning our upcoming October trip. We have a seven year old girl who likes princesses, adventure and Star Wars and a two year old boy who loves anything his sister loves. I am trying to plan a character meal for each of them that would be enjoyable for both. What are your suggestions?
Hi what’s the best way to get to ohannas Polynesian Resort from ft wilderness? Also best ways to get to ohannas if staying off site? Can we drive there and is there a charge for parking?
Go to the Contempo, hop in the monoriel which will get you to the Poly in no time.
Hi Shannon, We are headed to WDW after Easter. We have a 5:10pm reservation at 1900 Park Fare on a Monday. We will be spending the morning and early afternoon at HS. Any tips on how to get there? Would it be worth it to go from HS to MK for a little while and then take the Monorail to the GF? I heard on one of your podcasts that you could valet at a resort daily. Any idea on the price? Thanks! P.S. You have the best Podcast around! It’s so organized! I will be leaving an Itunes review.
Just take the bus to Grand Floridian from HS and then you can get back to your hotel afterward by taking the monorail to MK and then the bus to your hotel. Thanks for the nice words about the podcast! 🙂
We are staying at the All-Star Movies resort and have a breakfast reservation at Chef Mickey’s on Friday for 7:15AM. How do we get transportation from our hotel to the Contemporary hotel for 7:15AM? Will this be a hassle? Should we try and get another reservation elsewhere?
I’d take an Uber or taxi.
Ok… So we are coming to WDW in May. I am so excited because I am the only one who has ever been my husband and children have not. I have a DDP and have made several reservation already but i have a question or 2. I have a 7:35 breakfast with Chef Mickey the first day we will be touring the parks what is the best way to get their from the Caribbean resort ? also How many Character meals can we do on the dinning plan? and one more are all the buffet meals just one trip to… Read more »
We are going to in FL May 21-26. We are getting a late start on planing. We do have 1 day park hopper passes, and plan on using them for Magic Kingdom on 5/24. I really want do a character meal for the kids. Our oldest daughter will be almost 8. I am not sure who she would be excited to see. She’s out of her princess stage, but I think she may like to see Minnie and Mickey. My middle guy will be almost 7. He adores Toy Story. I am not even sure if those characters are there.… Read more »
Hi, I need help!
I have a breakfast reservation at Chef Mickeys for 9:40 on our first day at Disney. (We arrive day before, never been before.)
We have an e-ticket which we have to get verified, presumably at Magic Kingdom?
Do I travel to Magic Kingdom, get tickets verified then travel to Chef Mickeys? Or can we do the breakfast then sort tickets afterwards? Is it best to get the Monorail from Magic Kingdom to Chef Mickeys?
Sorry for all of the questions, I have no idea of what to expect!!
Thanks in advance
You do not need park tickets to dine at Chef Mickey’s in the Contemporary. You can head to Will Call at any park after breakfast if you wish to redeem your e-tickets for your park tickets. The best way to travel to the Contemporary depends on where you are coming from. If you’re staying at another MK resort you can take the resort monorail. If you are staying at another non-MK Disney resort you can bus to MK then take the walkway to Contemporary which is right beside the bus terminal, it will be shorter than walking to the resort… Read more »
Hi, thank you so much for that.
We are driving in and thought, from your info, that we might park at Magic Kingdom, take the monorail to Contemporary, have breakfast, then get tickets validated and go to Magic Kingdom.
Please let me know if there is a flaw in this plan but if not, many thanks!
That will work just fine. Its often faster to take the express monorail from the TTC to MK then walk from there, instead of taking the resort monorail. But if persons in your party have mobility issues then the resort monorail will take you directly to Contemporary. Alternately you can take the ferry to MK then walk, for a more leisurely experience. Enjoy your trip!
Ok….so I’ve probably waited too long to take the kids to Disney World Disney World…wanted my youngest to be able to remember it. Then in 2013 I was hurt on the job which led to CRPS and a nuerostimulator being put in my back last Friday. Needless to say I believe any twisty turny rides are out for me. Yet I want to make this trip a dream vacation, especially with what we have endured in the last 2.5 years. I would like to do a character dining. However, my 5 year old is not so much into Mickey Mouse… Read more »
Maybe they would be interested in the character dining that has the classic characters like Mickey. I have seen jaded teenagers gush when they see them, something about the Disney magic. There aren’t any character meals that focuses on Star Wars or Pirates, although there are quite a few special events. The Pirates League is where your kids can get made up into a pirate and participate in a parade. There is also a Pirates & Pals Fireworks Cruise (that the whole family can go on) and a Pirates Adventure Cruise (that is for kids only).
And I forgot, there have been Star Wars character meals at Sci-Fi during Star Wars Weekends
Lots of great tips on your posts! Thank you! Just wanted to let you know that the resort monorail did not begin running till 8:30 am several mornings when we visited Dec. 10-18, 2015. We had planned to use the resort monorail from the Polynesian to get to the MK for an early morning BOG and CRT reservation, but it was not running. Fortunately, we were able to catch a boat both days, and even though we were late, we were accommodated. For our EPCOT early morning breakfast at Askerhaus, we just used our rental car to avoid any issues.
Thanks for this list! Great overview, well organized- I was feeling a little overwhelmed & under-informed with the Disney explanations in the app.
Hey can you give me or email me a list of character breakfast that does breakfast and dinner. We are staying April 3-8 and have the dining pass and trying to figure out so we dont do all character breakfast which is the sit down meal or table service. I would like alternate them
I just booked a late breakfast at 1900 Park Fare. It says on the Disney site that the breakfast is until 11:50. Is that the time they close the buffet down or is that the time they have the last seating? I want to make sure we have time to graze and meet the characters. Thanks!
You forgot about the Seafood Sensation Buffet at the Garden Grove Swan/Dolphin Hotel. It features Chip, Dale, Goofy and Pluto. It is not on the dining plan but the price is great – about $33 for adults and $17 for kids. It includes crab legs and half a lobster for each adult. We went the day after Thanksgiving 2015 and it was great!
We went to the Swan Resort several years ago to have dinner with Goofy ( and Pluto) and had a great time. We had reservations but didn’t really need them. It was not crowded and the characters stopped by our table several times.
This list needs an update with. Minnie’s new seasonal character meal at Hollywood and Vine.
We are staying at the All Star Sports resort and had planned a breakfast reservation at Chef Mickey’s at 7:30 am. Will it be possible to get there on the Disney bus?
I’m coming from the Magic Kingdom to go to 1900 Park Fare in the Grand Floridian for dinner at 5:20pm. What time do you suggest we start heading out of the park to make our reservation if traveling by monorail?
Love all the info here. Great job!! I have until December to plan our meals. The only one we know for sure so far is Cinderella’s royal table one evening after a trip to the bippity boppity boutique. This our 1st trip. We will be there for 2 weeks but are staying offsite at the embassy suites so I don’t know how that will affect dining yet. We have an 8yr old girl and a 12yr old boy. I would like to know if we need to be reserving breakfast, lunch, and dinner every day or will we be ok… Read more »
We ate at Cinderella’s castle, and it was the WORST meal of the entire vacation. We took our granddaughter and when we made the reservations, we asked if they could accommodate my granddaughter, who is a vegetarian. The staff assured us her needs would be accommodated. The options…a small frozen pizza or pasta with butter! What a rip-off!
i would definitely reserve at least one meal per day. The restaurants get VERY crowded and even with reservations you can end up waiting 30 minutes or so. We reserved a later dinner each evening, and just grabbed lunch wherever we could. This worked for us because it gave us an opportunity to wind down after a crazy day without stressing over what restaurant we would be able to get into. Also, we used Uber a couple times rather than the Disney busses (we stayed on site). They arrived quickly, the vehicles were spotless, the drivers were polite, friendly, and… Read more »
You only need reservations for table service meals. We went last June and only made one dinner reservation. The rest of our meals we ate quick service. Except for breakfast our first day, which was at Boma and we were able to get seated quickly without a reservation.
If we eat dinner at Tusker House in the AK, how do you suggest we get back to our hotel (the Polynesian) since the park will be closed by the time we are done eating? Thanks!
There will still be buses running.
Hi we are planning on taking our kids to Akershus for dinner. Is the charachter dining all day there or just in the morning?
When we went for lunch we met about 5-6 princesses in the Norwegian restaurant. I’m fairly adventurous eater but I definitely ended up using snack credits soon after, as I wasn’t that thrilled with the food selection. But if you don’t want to spend half your day in line over 5-6 MAJOR princesses, this is a great option. Just got to determine what’s more important for you and your group.
But anyway, I assume they also have the princesses in the evening as well, in case you’re wanting to do dinner.
we just went for dinner in Mid October, the beef dish(cant recall the name ) was some of the best beef I’ve ever eaten, My son LOVED Snow White….was a great experience:)