Is a character meal worth it at Disney World? What families should know before booking.
Mickey Mouse without standing in line at Walt Disney World.
Guests who splurge on character dining are guaranteed face time with beloved characters ranging from the Fab Five to Disney princesses. They come right up to your table for photos, autographs and hugs while you sit down to a hearty meal. Because half of the venues are located outside of the theme parks, you don’t need a park ticket to still get a Disney fix, but you should still expect to spend a chunk of money. Character dining is as pricey as it is popular.
Is it worth it? Here’s what you should know before deciding for yourself.
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How much does it cost to eat with Disney characters?
Character dining starts at $27 for kids and $42 for “adults” at Hollywood Vine, but every other venue charges more, so bills can easily balloon above $100.
Guests should note that only kids ages 3 to 9 qualify for child pricing. Disney counts anyone age 10 and up as an adult for meals and park tickets. It’s free for guests under age 3.
In general, breakfast offers the best bang for the buck, but not every character dining venue serves it. For example, Akershus Royal Banquet Hall currently only offers dinner, which costs $39 per child and $65 per adult.
Is a character meal worth it?
The answer is subjective, but it’s worth it for my family.
It’s certainly not an every-day, or even every-trip, treat. There have been plenty of trips where we’ve packed meals into the parks or stuck to quick service. But over the years, we’ve splurged on character meals for a few big occasions: a first trip, a family reunion, a birthday and most recently, an anniversary.
I personally don’t do character meals for the food, though by design there’s something for everyone at each venue, and the food and service at Topolino’s Terrace, in particular, are top-notch. I go for the overall experience.
I love seeing my kids light up when interacting with characters, who take their time at each table. A lot of guests rush through long lists of to-dos at Disney World. For me, character dining is about slowing down and savoring that iconic Disney magic. Plus, if you eat as much as we do, you may be able to save money by skipping the next meal.
What character meals are back at Disney?
Character dining has returned to nearly all of the restaurants where it was available before the pandemic. Exceptions include Cinderella’s Royal Table in Magic Kingdom, where character experiences are expected to return on Feb. 28, and 1900 Park Fare, which remains closed at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort Spa.
Some venues only have characters during certain meals, and characters are subject to change.
- Akershus Royal Banquet Hall at EPCOT features Disney princesses at dinner.
- Cape May Cafe at Disney’s Beach Club Resort features Minnie and her friends at breakfast.
- Chef Mickey’s at Disney’s Contemporary Resort features Mickey and his pals at breakfast and dinner.
- The Crystal Palace at Magic Kingdom features Winnie the Pooh and friends at breakfast, lunch and dinner.
- Garden Grill Restaurant in EPCOT features Chip ‘n’ Dale and pals at lunch and dinner.
- Hollywood Vine at Disney’s Hollywood Studios features Disney Junior characters at breakfast and Minnie and her friends at lunch and dinner.
- ‘Ohana at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort features Lilo Stich at breakfast.
- Story Book Dining at Artist Point with Snow White at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge features characters from “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” during dinner.
- Topolino’s Terrace – Flavors of the Riviera at Disney’s Riviera Resort features Mickey and pals at breakfast.
- Tusker House Restaurant at Disney’s Animal Kingdom features Donald and his friends at breakfast, lunch and dinner.
“Beauty and the Beast” fans should note that Be Our Guest Restaurant is not considered character dining even though the Beast may make appearances. He does not visit guests table-to-table.
How do you get Disney character dining?
Guests can book dining reservations directly through Disney World’s My Disney Experience website, app or dining line 407-939-3463.
Authorized Disney vacation planners can book reservations for clients for free as part of their trips.
When can I book character dining?
Disney dining reservation windows open 60 days in advance, and the most popular restaurants book up quickly.
If you miss out your first go-around, don’t worry. Fellow guests drop reservations all the time and even day-of, now that dining reservations can be canceled up to two hours ahead of time without penalty at many locations. Third-parties like MouseWatcher and MouseDining can also alert you to openings for a fee.
Annual passholders get 10% off at Disney character dining venues, but there aren’t many other discounts. Dining plans, which helped resort guests budget in character dining and other pricey meals, have not been available since the pandemic.
Disney World, however, is running a promotion for select, non-discounted vacation packages over the summer. Depending on travel dates, length of stay and category of accommodations, guests mays be eligible for a Disney Dining Promo Card worth hundreds of dollars, which can be used on food and drinks. A minimum four-night stay and four-day park tickets are required. Details can be found on the resort’s website.
Thrifty guests can also save a little cash using Disney gift cards. You can purchase gift cards at a slight discount at warehouse stores like Sam’s Club or get 5% off using a Red Card at Target. When friends and family ask you what you’d like for a gifts, you can also ask for Disney gift cards and save them for meals.
I used a gift card for my family’s breakfast at Topolino’s Terrace, which came to about $175 before tip. It was probably the most expensive meal we had all year, but the memories were worth it to me.
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