Last Updated on August 25, 2023 by Happily Ever Park Hoppers
Character Dining at Walt Disney World
What is Character Dining?
Character Dining is easily one of the most popular experiences at the Walt Disney World Resort. Being able to see some of your favorite characters up close; without having to wait in long lines or only being able to watch them roll by on a float, is what makes Character Dining so enticing.
Character Dining is essentially that. Dining with characters. Well sort of. You’re not sitting down to eat with The Fab Five, but they are walking around, posing for photos and maybe you might even get a little dance or a funny interaction. Character Dining is either Prix Fixe, Buffet, or Family Style; large platters for the entire table. Both Buffet and Family Style are “all-you-care-to-enjoy”, so don’t be afraid to ask for more of your favorite dish!
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Filter Dining Experiences to show Character Dining options
Character Dining Locations
- Akershus Royal Banquet Hall
- Located inside Epcot in the Norway Pavilion
- Cape May Café
- Located at Disney’s Beach Club Resort
- Chef Mickey’s
- Located at Disney’s Contemporary Resort
- Cinderella’s Royal Table Character Dining returns February 28th, 2023
- Located inside Magic Kingdom Park in Cinderella Castle
- Hollywood & Vine
- Located inside Disney’s Hollywood Studios
- Topolino’s Terrace – Flavors of the Riviera
- Located inside Disney’s Riviera Resort
- Garden Grill
- Located inside Epcot in the World Nature section
- ‘Ohana
- Located at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort
- Ravello Good Morning Breakfast with Goofy & friends
- Located at the Four Seasons Resort Orlando
- The Crystal Palace
- Located inside Magic Kingdom Park
- Tusker House
- Located inside Disney’s Animal Kingdom
- Be Our Guest*
- May or may not be considered a true Character Dine. Throughout your meal, you might catch a glimpse of Beast wandering the halls
- Located inside Magic Kingdom Park
- Story Book Dining at Artist Point with Snow White
- Located at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge
Temporarily Unavailable Character Dining
- 1900 Park Fare
- Located at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa
What meals are offered for Character Dining?
Surprisingly, not all of the Character Dining restaurants offer Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner. Some of the restaurants only offer two out of three meals. The only two restaurants that offer all three meals are Hollywood & Vine and Tusker House. So it is important to pay close attention to what meal you will be getting during the time you will be there. It is also important to pay attention to the price. Breakfast is always cheaper than lunch/dinner. And because of this, breakfast reservations can be harder to come by.
Breakfast offerings can be found at: Chef Mickey’s, Ravello and Topolino’s Terrace (as well as the other two listed above)
Lunch offerings can found at: Be Our Guest and Garden Grill (and the above)
Dinner offerings can be found at: Be Our Guest, Chef Mickey’s, and Garden Grill (and the above).
** I just want to point out that Topolino’s Terrace and Ravello do offer dinner; it’s just that dinner is not a Character Dine.
Is Character Dining worth it?
I feel like this is a loaded question, but one that I get all the time.
Character Dining is definitely one of the most expensive meals you will have On Property. This is one of the only meals you cannot share and are priced per child (3-9) and per adult (10+). For a family of four, a Character Dine can run you nearly $200. Even though it is expensive, it’s important to not compare how much you would normally spend on a typical family meal when dining out; because what you are paying for is the experience.
What can you expect at a Character Dine?
One thing you can expect at a Character Dine is pure joy on your children’s faces. The excitement, happy dances, and smiles are undoubtedly priceless. You can also expect some unique dining atmospheres, appropriately themed outfits for all the Characters and, a LOT of food! No two Character Dining restaurants are the same and you can expect something different from each and every restaurant.
The Characters do a great job interacting with every table, making sure every table has a little “one on one time” with the Characters, and families might even receive a special signed keepsake instead of having characters sign your autograph books.
If you’re wanting to know if it’s “worth it” to spend the money because you really can’t get over the cost, that is definitely an answer you’re going to have to come to on your own. If you find a Character Dine that you know your kids just have to go to, check out my Money Saving Tips for some ideas on how to help with your Disney budget.
I can tell you from my own experience, Character Dining is something my family always fits into our schedule. We love trying all the different restaurants and seeing the characters dressed up in their fun outfits. Make sure you look at all the options, check out the menus, and what characters are at what location. Every Character Dine is different. If you have a little one that HAS to meet Vampirina, then you are definitely going to want to go to Hollywood & Vine. If you want to get a good breakfast to start your day, then you might want to make reservations for Topolino’s Terrace. For my family, Character Dining is just that extra touch of pixie dust that sets a Disney vacation apart from anything else.
Again. Be sure you know what restaurants serve what meals, what characters are at that location, and does the menu have something for everyone.
Spreading magic one post at a time
Kristin