Changes To Character Dining At Disney World


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Thankfully most of the Character Dining locations have reopened and things have mostly gone back to normal. You can now hug all your favorite characters again and take pictures with them instead of just a selfie with them in the background! Some locations have not reopened as of yet like 1900 Park Fare at the Grand Floridian but hopefully they will in 2023. Below I will give you an idea of what you can expect at each location. As things change and new locations are added I will be sure to update this article.

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Topolino’s Terrace

Located at the top of the Riviera Resort, Topolino’s Terrace offers French and Italian fare that is sure to please the entire family. In this Character dining experience you can enjoy Breakfast a la Art with Mickey and friends. You can also enjoy a Signature Dining Experience for dinner at this location but characters do not appear at that time and there is a dress code.

The prix fix menu starts with fresh pastries and bread. Your choice of entrees include:

Quiche Gruyere with house-made pancetta, Sour Cream Waffle, Smoked Salmon, Two Eggs Any Style, and more.

While enjoying your breakfast, Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, and Daisy Duck will parade through the restaurant and will pause briefly for you to wave hello and snap a picture. You can find the current menu here. Current pricing is $59.99 for adults and $35 for children ages 3-9.

Whats great about the characters at this location are their costumes! They are all dressed as different types of artists and they are so cute! Daisy Duck is a beautiful Ballerina, Minnie Mouse is a Poet, Donald Duck is a Sculptor and Mickey Mouse comes to your table in his Artists Apron looking like he just finished his latest masterpiece!

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Garden Grill

Located inside of the Land Pavilion in Epcot, The Garden Grill is quite a unique dining experience for lunch or Dinner. You are seated in a booth that will revolve around the views of Living with the Land. Until you are seated you really have to look closely to see that the tables actually do move!

You will dine family-style on a delicious selection of farm-fresh recipes. Whats really unique about this location is that a lot of the ingredients used in the dishes are grown right in Living With The Land! It truly is Disney Farm to Disney Table!

When we were recently there we had a selection of beef, turkey, mashed potatoes, vegetables, and salad. Chip and Dale are joined by Mickey and Pluto as they come to your table to say Hi and take pictures with you. You can find the current menu here. Current pricing is $59.99 for adults and $35 for children ages 3-9.

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Cinderella’s Royal Table

What little girl hasn’t dreamt about being able to go INSIDE of Cinderella’s castle? I know I did for sure as a child and this restaurant made that dream come true for me. When you check in downstairs of the castle you are whisked to an elevator or a set of stairs that take you to one of the most magical dining rooms I have dined at in Disney World. You really feel like a princess when you step into the dining room. If you are lucky to get a window seat your view is of Fantasyland. That’s a view I will not soon forget.

At the current time, Cinderella is the only princess that will make an appearance to wave from the side of the dining room. The food was incredible and the whole experience was what dreams are made of. You can find the current menu here. Current pricing is $62 for adults and $37 for children ages 3-9. You should know that advanced reservations are required and you must pre pay when making the reservation.

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Hollywood & Vine

Minnie and her friends will treat you to a fantastic lunch or dinner in a beautifully themed restaurant, located in Hollywood Studios. There is also a Breakfast with Disney Junior favorites like Fancy Nancy and Doc McStuffins! No matter what time of year you visit the seasonal offerings will amaze you. The characters will make appearances for hellos and photos. This location has returned to it’s original buffet style meal. You can find the current menu here. Current pricing ranges from $35 to $60.

Depending on the time of year you may see the Fab Five dressed in their Holiday or Halloween best! I personally love that the theme changes at this Character dining experience! And with it being a buffet, there is certainly something for everyone in your party! From plant based frittatas at breakfast to herb crusted tenderloin steak at lunch and dinner, there are lots of different options.

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Chef Mickey’s

For the Character Dining options currently open, this one is my family’s personal favorite. Just recently Chef Mickeys brought back the characters and I know many families are super excited about this. Now the character interactions are back to normal as well! Each character comes around to your table for pictures and hugs.

Located in the Contemporary Resort this restaurant is very convenient for families to get to because you do not have to have theme park tickers or park reservations. This is also a great option if you are taking an off day from the parks. We have dined there both while staying at the Contemporary and while staying at other resorts.

The atmosphere is pure excitement as soon as you step off the monorail into the Grand Canyon concourse. You can immediately smell the great food and hear the families enjoying their time at the Contemporary.

This restaurant was originally a buffet but has since reopening switched to a family-style dining option. Personally, that doesn’t bother me at all. If you have really little ones I think that this style is more convenient than having to tote them along the buffet line. Being that it is traditional American breakfast fare and Delectable Dinner Fare there is something for everyone. You can find the current menu here. Current pricing is $59.99 for adults and $35 for children ages 3-9

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Credit: Disney

Ankershus Royal Banquet Hall

This location is newly reopened and has LOTS of Princesses to meet! This location is open for dinner only right now, offering the Princess Storybook Dining experience. Here you will meet Ariel, Snow White, Cinderella and Belle inside a medieval castle!

This meal is served family style with all you care to eat Norwegian inspired fare. Menu highlights include Norwegian Meatballs and Grilled Salmon as well as two delicious desserts for the end of your feast. They also have Mac and cheese and mashed potatoes for the less adventurous eaters.

Pricing for this Character meal is $63 for adults and $41 for children ages 3-9. Getting an advanced dinning reservation for this is a must, especially as it has just reopened and is the only location where you can meet these princesses right at your table!

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Credit: Disney

Cape May Cafe

Located at Disney’s Beach Club Resort, Cape May Cafe has recently welcomed back Minnie’s Beach Bash Breakfast where you can meet Minnie and her friends dressed in their beauty best! You can take pictures and get autographs as each character comes to your table while you enjoy your breakfast!

This location is a buffet style meal offering favorites like Micky Mouse waffles, scrambled eggs, seasoned potatoes, sausage, oatmeal and more! This location does offer a Seafood Buffet Dinner as well but that is not a Character Meal.

Pricing here is the usual $59.99 for adults and $35 for children ages 3-9. This does seem to be an easier reservation to get as apposed to the more popular character breakfasts but it is a super cute location and the menu is relatively the same as the other breakfast buffets offered on property.

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Credit: Disney

The Crystal Palace

Another recent reopening for Character Meals is Pooh and Friends at the Crystal Palace in Magic Kingdom! I have to admit that this was a happy reopening for me, this was always a favorite of mine before Covid closures.

Here you get a little taste of the Hundred Acre Wood with Pooh, Tigger, Piglet and Eeyore hosting their Friendship Banquet at the Victorian Greenhouse setting of the Crystal Palace! This “Buffet with Character” includes freshly baked pastries, fresh fruit and more at breakfast and roasted carved meats, freshly prepared pastas and seasonal cobblers at linch and dinner.

Pricing here is also $59.99 for adults and $35 for children ages 3-9. This is a great experience for families, especially if your kiddos are Pooh fans. These character come around to each table for pictures and autographs and are so much fun!

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Credit: Disney

Ohana!

It’s Back! A fan favorite for sure, this I the only Character meal where you can meet STITCH! This is a character meal at Breakfast only an includes Lilo, Stitch and Mickey!

The menus is served family style and is all you care to enjoy American Fare influenced by Polynesian Flavors. You will enjoy Mickey and Stitch waffles, scrambled eggs, seasoned potatoes, ham and pineapple, a variety of fresh fruits and assorted breads.

Pricing here is $59.99 for adults and $35 for children ages 3-9.

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Tusker House Restaurant

This is the only character meal located in Disney’s Animal Kingdom and it is a good one! You will meet the Fab Five here in their Safari best ready for adventure.

This meal is a buffet style meal featuring American and African favorites for Breakfast, Lunch or Dinner. The buffet includes dishes like safari bread, Mickey and Simba waffles at Breakfast and Moroccan Spiced Beef, Spit Roasted Herb Chicken and Mac and Cheese at Lunch and Dinner.

Pricing here is the usual $59.99 for adults and $35 for children ages 3-9. My family has always loved this character meal. The characters are so fun and the food is a step above what’s offered at other character buffets in my opinion. Whether you are an adventurous eater who loves to try new things or just want to stick with what you know the food won’t disappoint!

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Storybook Dining at Artists Point

This is one of the newer character meals to hit the scene in Disney World and it’s very cool! Located in Disney’s Wilderness Lodge Resort, you can meet Snow White, some of the Dwarfs and of course the Evil Queen!

The atmosphere and decor in this restaurant is top notch! You ares transported into the Enchanted Forest for Dinner here with creative and fun cocktails in addition to the meal. This is a prix fix menu featuring appetizers like Wicked Shrimp Cocktail, entrees including the Royal Prime Rib Roast and desserts like the Poison Apple, a dark chocolate-apple mousse!

Pricing is $65 for adults and $39 for children ages 3-9. This is the only character meal where you can meet the dwarfs and the Evil Queen, in fact it is the only place in all of Walt Disney World to meet these characters other than an after hours event certain times of the year.

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Conclusion

I am so glad that these character meals are almost completely back to normal. With the exception of 1900 Park Fare at the Grand Floridian remaining closed and Cinderella’s Royal Table with it’s modified character interaction, all other locations are allowing characters to meet with guests at their tables, grab hugs and pictures and most are even doing autographs!

These character meals are such a wonderful way for your family to meet characters without having to wait in line. You can enjoy a fabulous meal and meet the characters you and your family are interested in all at the same time. There’re so many options to choose from and they are expensive so I always advise that you prioritize what characters are important to your family AND what kind of food they will enjoy most.

I know that planning a trip can be a lot. If you want more help planning your next trip I 100% recommend using The Vacationeer as a travel agent. They go above and beyond for the clients and they are the only ones that I can say that I would trust to plan my families travel.

Heather

Heather Noyes, the visionary behind this website and a former Disney travel agent, has woven her lifelong passion for Disney into the fabric of her daily life. Nestled just 3 miles away through the enchanting trees lies Cinderella's Castle, a magical neighbor to Heather's everyday adventures. From her earliest days, Disney has captured her heart, and this enduring love has translated into the meticulous planning of numerous trips for her family, friends, and cherished clients, all destined for the enchanting realm of Walt Disney World.

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