Reservations Recommended
Bust out the autograph books and get your cameras ready! Presenting my Pixie Six Best Character Meals at Walt Disney World:
Akershus Royal Banquet Hall
Akershus is sometimes seen as the not-so-wicked stepsister of the more grandiose Cinderella’s Royal Table, but Bon Mot princesses prefer the intimacy of Epcot’s regal buffet. It’s also easier to get a decent reservation. Try to get in early for breakfast then skate directly to “Frozen Ever After” to be first in line to ride (located right next door).
Characters: Belle greets you at the door. Other princesses include Snow White, Rapunzel, Cinderella, Ariel, Aurora, and others as schedules permit.
Tusker House
The Tusker House buffet serves some of the best food in the park, and the venue is perfectly themed for its Animal Kingdom (Africa Village) location. Look for reservations featuring the River of Lights Package which includes access to reserved seating for the evening event at no additional charge (If you weren’t able to get a package reservation, I recommend asking the hostess about seating vouchers at check-in because sometimes they have extras.).
Safari Chic Characters: Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Daisy, and Goofy
Hollywood & Vine
Hollywood & Vine has two different character meal offerings at Hollywood Studios. Breakfast features a traditional buffet with popular Disney Junior stars. Minnie hosts the lunch and dinner buffet and seasonal themes vary throughout the year. The diner-style restaurant is centrally located and features a photo-worthy background at the entrance. We prefer breakfast because we still have a huge Disney Junior fan in our midst, and morning reservations mean early access to the park to rush to Toy Story Land or to get in line for Jedi Training.
Breakfast Characters: Doc McStuffins, Vampirina, Sofia the First, and Goofy (Fancy Nancy is joining the party in March 2019).
Lunch & Dinner Characters: Minnie (the hostess with the mostess), Mickey, Donald, Daisy, and Goofy.
Garden Grill
Chip and Dale host meals at the Garden Grill in The Land pavilion at EPCOT. It’s one of my family’s favorite character meals for two important reasons. First, the meal is served family style and includes some of the park’s most delicious dishes (We’ve done breakfast, lunch, and dinner here and prefer the unique lunch/dinner menu as the breakfast offerings aren’t much different than those offered in other restaurants.). The absence of a buffet is also a welcome change of pace. Second, the restaurant spins! Your table slowly floats above the “Living with the Land” ride sets and makes for a fun and ever-changing ambiance.
Characters: Chip & Dale, Farmer Mickey, and Pluto.
The Crystal Palace
At the Crystal Palace character buffet at the Magic Kingdom, the characters are the star. Your favorite Hundred Acre Wood Characters reside here and spend ample time entertaining their fans of all ages. The glass-domed restaurant is centrally located just off of Main Street USA. The menu is pretty standard fare, but the garden greenhouse-esque atmosphere provides a refreshing respite from the theme park chaos. And did I mention you get to meet Tigger?
Characters: Tigger, Winnie the Pooh, Piglet, and Eeyore
Supercalifragilistic Breakfast at 1900 Park Fare
This character breakfast is, well, supercalifragilistic. It’s worth the trip over to the Grand Floridian Hotel to join Mary Poppins and friends for a meet and greet. 1900 Park Fare is a great option for arrival day or a non-park day. Try to make some time to explore the resort after your meal; you won’t regret it. Dinner at 1900 Park Fare is fun for the Cinderella purists and fans in your family and includes a buffet of world flavors. (Tip: Use a Lyft Minnie Van or other private transportation to avoid the chaos of bus transfers, etc.)
Breakfast Characters: Mary Poppins, Alice in Wonderland, Mad Hatter, Tigger, and Pooh
Dinner Characters: Cinderella, Prince Charming, Lady Tremaine, Anastasia, and Drisella (a.k.a. the wicked step-mother and -sisters), and the Fairy Godmother.
Character meals are one of the best ways to meet characters without having to wait in lines at Character Spots throughout the park. And I think it’s the ultimate in vacation multi-tasking (you’ve gotta eat, right?). We tend to maximize our Disney Dining Plan by cramming as many character meals as we can into our visit, but even if you’re not on the Plan, I strongly recommend finding time for just one. It’s always a great idea to make reservations as early as possible when traveling to Disney World (start making them six months in advance if possible), especially at the park’s most popular restaurants.
Visit https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/dining/ for more information on these and other dining options for your visit. Please note that characters are always subject to change.
It’s always hard to Pixie Six, especially when there are so many great dining options at Disney World. What are some of your favorites?
Looking for more Walt Disney World planning tips? Check out my Pixie Six FastPass Choices!