Character dining at Walt Disney World is a must for a lot of families. What is better than seeing your child’s face light up when Cinderella kneels down to hug her and sign her autograph book? Or you little guy get a high five from Goofy at Chef Mickey’s? When you book the Disney Dining Plan as part of your package, you are entitled to one table service meal for each night of your stay! Many families, my own included, LOVE to use these for character dining experiences. It allows my children to see their favorite characters, our family can enjoy a good meal, and it gives us a break from the parks. As the resident “Disney expert” here at Family Friendly Frugality, I’d like to share some tips with you to get the most out of your Disney Character Dining Experience!
Dress the part. Dining at Akerhaus, Cinderella’s Royal Table, or 1900 Park Fare with the princesses? Then dress your little princess accordingly! Let her wear her favorite princess dress or t-shirt with her favorite princess on it. Even a tiara is fun! With classic character meals, our family tends to all dress in Disney t-shirts with Mickey or Minnie on them. This gives the characters something “in common” with your children, and the interactions are that much more fun!
Prepare your child to meet the characters. Mickey Mouse is big when he’s standing right at your table. If your child seems unsure, be the first one to greet the character. This will show your child that Mickey and Minnie are there to have fun, not to scare your child. If your little one is still unsure and you want a photo, get in the photo with you child, and stand between your child and the character. Don’t force your child to get close if he or she doesn’t want to. The characters are GREAT about sensing a child’s personality during an interaction.
Timing is everything. Schedule a “face character” meal early in your trip, and a “costume character” meal later. Akerhaus, Cinderella’s Royal Table, and 1900 Park Fare all have “face characters”. These characters {Alice in Wonderland, Mary Poppins, the Mad Hatter, and many princesses} will talk to your child, smile at them, and interact on a more personal basis. This is a GREAT way to warm your child up to a “costume” character meal later in your trip. If you can schedule an early breakfast at the Crystal Palace at the Magic Kingdom, this gives you access to a nearly empty park for photos. Schedule a later dinner time, around 8PM, and the characters may have more time to interact since it is not prime dining time.
Take your time. Most of the character meals are buffet or family style. Also, it can take some time for the characters to make their way to each table. Plan on about 75-90 minutes for a character meal experience. Your children may have an especially long interaction with Snow White, or just a simple picture and autograph with Cinderella. So be prepared for some “down time” while eating. Many locations have a small parade for the children to join in, or a song for everyone.
Have your autograph book and camera ready. There are no MemoryMaker photographers in the dining area of the restaurants. So be ready with your camera. Also, having the autograph book signed is a small distraction for my daughter, who can take awhile to warm up to characters.
Remember why you are at your character dining experience. You are there to see the priceless looks on your children’s faces, enjoy a nice meal, and save time for attractions in the parks. Some of our best Disney memories come from our character dining experiences. Even my grown father in law loved seeing Eeyore at Crystal Palace, and my 11 year old twin boys will still give Goofy a high five at Chef Mickey’s. Combine that with my daughter’s huge hug to Snow White, and our memories are priceless!
Are you ready to book your Disney vacation? If so, contact Carrie Hurst at carrie@destinationsinflorida.com or at 937.209.9473 for a FREE, no obligation quote and to get your vacation planning started. All her planning services are FREE, and every reader of Family Friendly Frugality who books with Carrie receives a FREE gift!
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