If you have children while you are at Walt Disney World you must try fit in a character meal. We had not experienced these until a few years ago and now we ensure we book one of them on each visit. It is a fantastic way to meet the characters, they are particularly attentive to the children and offer some great photo opportunities. The popularity of character meals has grown so much that you can now have breakfast, lunch or dinner the characters.
The meals are served all over the Parks and at the Resort hotels and there are three options:
- Traditional buffet-style, all you can eat buffets (non-alcoholic drinks are usually included in the price).
- Family-style, this is where servers brings large bowls/plates/skillets of food to the table and everyone at the table serves themselves.
- Pre-plated meals is where each guest receives the same food/meal bought to the table by servers.
At both family and pre-plate there is no problem in asking for seconds of anything!
As the meals have become so popular it is probably best to book before you go for the meal. However, during quieter times it may be possible to just walk up and see if you can get in. Advance Reservations are available for all character meals and can be arranged by calling 407-WDW-DINE (939-3463).
The characters are always different at each meal – decide who the children would like to see and then discuss with the staff when making your booking which restaurant it is best to go to in order to meet them.
You should plan at least an hour for your meal to ensure you see all the characters. They make their way around the room stopping at every table for photos and autographs etc. The beauty of the meals is there is no queuing or chasing after the characters they will come to you and if they happen to miss your table (which rarely happens) then you simply mention it to your server and they will ensure they come to you as soon as they can.
If we visit in the winter when we are unsure of the weather, we book a character meal at one of the hotels. This avoids paying for admission into the parks even if you only intend to dine. Car parking is free at the hotel as they have your name at the entrance. It is fantastic way to have a look around the hotel and there are usually shops and bars that you can visit after your meal (ask to take a look at the rooms too and you will definitely appreciate your villa then!)