Character dining is one of the most beloved parts of a Disney World vacation, with breakfasts, lunches, and dinners with some of Disney’s best-known icons being a memorable part of a trip to the “Most Magical Place on Earth.”
Meeting at tables
However, there are some unspoken rules that guests should follow to have the most magical meal possible. Whether having breakfast, lunch, or dinner at one of the many character dining spots scattered across the resort’s theme parks and hotels, following these “rules” will make the experience better for everyone, from other guests to Cast Members to you yourself!
Don’t Forget the Food
So, this one may sound like common sense, but it can be easy when booking character dining to get caught up in the location/characters/theme involved and not actually look into the food. However, like most table service dining meals at Disney World, character dining costs a pretty penny. So it’s worth doing some research beforehand to make sure the restaurant you’re thinking of offers something you — or your party — wants to eat.
“What’re you gonna eat?”
Where can you do that research? Well, our Guide to Disney World Dining pulls it all together so you can stop stressing and focus on the fun without feeling like you’re missing a thing!
Time Your Buffet Run
If you’re eating at a restaurant that serves a buffet-style meal, make sure to keep an eye on where the characters are. If you see them nearing your table, maybe hold off on your next buffet trip so you don’t miss them. This happens all the time, and sometimes attendants can’t pull a character out of rotation for your table if you miss someone.
Chef Mickey’s Buffet
Don’t Chase Down the Characters…
Obviously, anyone eating at a character meal wants to meet said characters, so it’s understandable to be excited. However, there’s no need to start following characters around the restaurant or trying to rush them over to one’s table. They will make their way around eventually. Just enjoy your meal and let the characters and attendants make the magic happen!
Breakfast at Akershus
… and Don’t Hog the Characters When They Come to You
Now, once the characters do reach your table, be respectful of the fact that the characters have a whole restaurant of guests to see. Now, of course, that doesn’t mean speed through the experience, skip photos and autographs, or anything of that nature. However, also just be cognizant of the fact that each character has a finite amount of time with each party.
Who’s hungry?
Do Some Test Runs for Your Kids
If you’re planning a Disney World trip with young kids for the first time, we’d recommend booking your character meal towards the end of your trip. That way, just in case the youngsters in your party are nervous or shy around characters, you can slowly introduce them to experiences in the parks so that the meal won’t be overwhelming for them.
Pooh Bear!
Research Which Characters Appear at a Given Restaurant
Now, we started talking about doing research on food — and we stand by that — but you should do some chracter reserch to. For example, if your little one — or you — would prefer Stitch, check out the Ohana menu. If your party is more Princess-crazy, compare and contrast Cinderella’s Royal Table or Akershus.
Stitch, What Are You DOING?!
These are some of the best rules to follow in order to maximize your next Disney character dining experience! Stay tuned to DFB for more Disney dining etiquette!
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This past March, I went to Disneyland with some of my adult children and their children, my grandkids. Around 4 we were thinking about dinner, I was able to snag a reservation for 5 people a little later that day. We walked to the hotel, the reservation was for Goofy’s Kitchen only I thought I had booked Story teller’s Cafe at the Grand Californian, totally my mistake but I wasn’t about to now walk to the Disneyland Hotel for dinner. The Staff at Storytellers, cancelled our reservations AND were able to seat us in a half hour. At that time I had the only kids in the place. Clarabelle the cow, taught them a dance step, Daisy Duck spent time with us. It was the perfect end to a perfect day. I thanked the Cast Member over and over.
Disney Magic was out in full force that day.