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Guide to Character Dining at Walt Disney World

 

Character Meals at Disney World 

It’s always a fun treat to have a character dining experience while at Walt Disney World. During your character meal, you will have the chance to enjoy a delicious meal and interact and take photos with your favorite Disney characters.

disney world character dining

There are numerous Disney character dining restaurants located in every Walt Disney Park and several Disney World resorts.  Check out every Disney character dining experience, and consider visiting one of these Disney restaurants on your next Disney trip! 

***Disclaimer***  This post contains affiliate links. This means I may earn an affiliate commission if you click on an affiliate link. Full disclosure, I only post products that I have or recommend! 

 

Magic Kingdom 

Cinderella’s Royal Table 

By far and away, the most popular and well-known Disney World character meal is Cinderella’s Royal Table. This Disney restaurant is actually located right inside Cinderella’s Castle in the Magic Kingdom.

During this experience, you will be able to dine with Cinderella, Jasmine, Aurora (Sleeping Beauty), Snow White, and Ariel (The Little Mermaid). 

cinderella royal table

Since this is one of Walt Disney World’s most popular character dining experiences, Cinderella’s Royal Table is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

It is also one of the most costly Disney World dining experiences. Disney guests are required to pre-pay for their meal at Cinderella’s Royal Table, which is $65-$80 for adults and $39-$47 for kids. Even though it is pre-paid, you can still cancel and receive your money back up to 24 hours in advance. 

The food at Cinderella’s Royal Table is a table service restaurant and offers nicer entrée options for lunch and dinner such as chicken, fish, beef, and pasta. And for breakfast, you can enjoy American breakfast favorites. 

If you have little kids that love the Disney princesses, this Disney World character meal is a MUST for you! 

 

Crystal Palace 

The other character dining experience at Disney’s Magic Kingdom is Crystal Palace. The Crystal Palace is located at the end of Main Street USA and provides Disney guests an opportunity to dine with their favorite Winnie the Pooh characters. 

This Magic Kingdom character meal is a little different from Cinderella’s Royal Table in that its a buffet meal. You can enjoy breakfast, lunch, and dinner if you decide to dine at Crystal Palace. 

Luckily, this Disney character dining option is a little bit cheaper at $45-$59 for adults and $29-$38 for children. If your family has big eaters, you can get your fill of Disney food at this buffet.

For breakfast, there are food options for pretty much everyone and for lunch and dinner, you will have options like salads, chicken, pasta, prime ribs, veggies, dessert and much more. 

This is a great Disney World character dining experience at the Magic Kingdom, especially if you like Winnie the Pooh. Like I mentioned above, I also recommend this Disney restaurants for families with growing kids or big eaters because you can definitely get the bang for your buck at Crystal Palace. 

 

 

Epcot 

Akershus Royal Banquet Hall 

The other great Disney character dining experience that features your favorite Disney princess is the Akershus Royal Banquet Hall. For those that aren’t familiar with Akershus, it is located in Epcot World Showcase in the Norway pavilion. 

At this Disney World character meal, your family will have the chance to meet a variety of Disney princesses like Belle, Snow White, Ariel, Cinderella, and more! 

During the pandemic, Akershus was temporarily closed but Akershus will be reopening on May 13, 2023 for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. This is another pricey Disney character meal that will cost between $53-$61 for adults and $34-$41 for kids. 

Disney World character meal
Photo from Disney World webpage

 At Akershus, you will dine family style with a combination of American and European food options.  The breakfast options at Akershus are pretty standard and for lunch and dinner, you will have options like meatballs, chicken, fish, and a variety of sides. 

If you are looking for a Disney World character experience with the princesses, this is a great option. It is much cheaper and easier to reserve than Cinderella’s Royal Table at the Magic Kingdom. 

 

Garden Grill 

One of the original Disney character meals is the Garden Grill at Epcot. As a fun fact, my first Disney character dining experience was at Garden Grill when I was a little kid. 

The Garden Grill is located in the Land Pavilion in Epcot’s Future World.  During the pandemic, Garden Grill was only open for lunch and dinner but starting in June, you can enjoy breakfast at Garden Grill again too. 

If you dine at Garden Grill for your Disney character meet and greet, you will get to meet Chip, Dale, and some of your other favorite Disney characters. 

Garden Grill is a table service menu that costs between $42 and $55 for adults and $29 and $36 for kids.  This Disney character meal is an American restaurant that has great breakfast, lunch, and dinner options. 

One of my favorite parts of the Garden Grill is the rotating floor.  The Garden Grill restaurant moves in a circle and you can experience the entire Land pavilion and even see the Living with the Land ride. 

Maybe I’m biased, but Garden Grill is one of the most underrated Disney World character dining experiences. 

 

 

Hollywood Studios 

Hollywood and Vine 

The only Disney World character dining experience at Hollywood Studios is called Hollywood and Vine. Hollywood and Vine is unique because you can often dine with two different sets of Disney characters. 

On a regular basis, you can dine with Disney Junior stars at Hollywood and Vine but you can also dine with Minnie Mouse and friends at seasonal lunch and dinner parties. 

Hollywood and Vine is located near Echo Lake at the front of Disney’s Hollywood Studios. At this Disney World character meal, you can enjoy breakfast, lunch, and dinner at Hollywood and Vine’s buffet. 

disney world character meal

For adults, you will be set back between $59-$42 and for kids its will cost $38-$29. Since this Disney dining experience is a buffet, you will have lots of delicious options for everyone in your family. 

If you have little ones that love the Disney channel and Disney junior, this is a great Disney World character dining experience for you.

During the Halloween and Christmas seasons, Hollywood and Vine usually offers a special dining experience with Minnie and friends so watch out for this during the holiday season! 

 

 

Animal Kingdom 

Tusker House

Similar to Hollywood Studios, Animal Kingdom only has one Disney character dining experience too and its Tusker House.  Tusker House is located in Africa at Disney’s Animal Kingdom and features Donald Duck and other favorite Disney characters. 

I would dare to say Tusker House is one of the most unique character dining meals at Disney World.  At Tusker House, you will be enjoy delicious food with an African flare, but don’t worry there are great options for all types of eaters. 

tusker house
Photo from the Disney World webpage

Tusker House is a buffet that will run between $59 and 45$ for adults and $38 and $29 for kids. For breakfast enjoy favorites like Mickey Waffles, eggs, pastries, and more and for lunch and dinner, enjoy more exotic flavors like tandoori chicken, curry, braised beef and more! 

Tusker House tends to be one of the less popular Disney character meals, probably because some are weary of the menu. The food is always delicious and there are options there for everyone in your family! 

 

 

Disney World Resorts 

Chef Mickey’s 

One of the most iconic character meals at Walt Disney World is Chef Mickey’s at Disney’s Contemporary Resort. At Chef Mickey’s dine with Mickey, Minnie, Pluto, Goofy and all your favorite Disney characters. 

Differently from some of the other Disney character meals, you can only get breakfast or dinner at Chef Mickey’s. Enjoy all you can eat at the Chef Mickey buffet which will set you back between $62 and $51 for adults and $39 and $33 for kids. 

Chef Mickey’s has great breakfast options ranging from Mickey Waffles, biscuits and gravy, eggs, beef hash, and more. For dinner, Chef Mickey’s has a range of options too including mac and cheese, shrimp and grits, stir fry noodles and much more. 

If you are looking for one character dining meal at Walt Disney World, go with Chef Mickey’s. It is one of Disney’s first character meals, allows you to meet Mickey and friends, and is just steps for the Magic Kingdom at the Contemporary Resort. 

 

‘Ohana 

If you are looking for a character meal with a tropical, Polynesian twist, check out ‘Ohana at Disney’s Polynesian Resort. Right now, you can only dine with the Disney characters during breakfast.

While at ‘Ohana, dine with Lilo and Stitch at this family style Hawaiian breakfast. The ‘Ohana character breakfast will run $45 for adults and $29 for kids. 

The food at ‘Ohana is all served family style and includes delicious offerings such as pineapple coconut bread, fresh fruit, eggs, Mickey waffles, potatoes, and more.  

‘Ohana is also known for having a fun, high energy atmosphere so this is a great Disney character meal for big families and those with little kids. 

In addition, the ‘Ohana dinner is a delicious Hawaiian themed meal but you won’t be able to meet Lilo and Stitch at dinner! Maybe in the future Disney will add this back! 

 

 

1900 Park Fare – Temporarily Unavailable 

Before the pandemic, 1900 Park Fare was a character dining option at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort but the characters have yet to come back post pandemic. 

When 1900 Park Fare featured characters, you were able to have breakfast with Mary Poppins, Alice in Wonderland, the Mad Hatter, Tigger, and Winnie the Pooh. 

disney world character dining
Photo from the Disney World webpage

If the character meal comes back at 1900 Park Fare, it would probably be a breakfast buffet with similiar Disney characters. 

Today you can still dine at 1900 Park Fare but it just won’t be a character meal. It runs about $45 for adults and $30 for kids. 

This was a great Disney character meal that featured characters that you don’t come across often. Keep checking the Walt Disney World website for updates on this Disney World character dining experience!

 

Storybook Dining at Artist Point 

Check out Storybook Dining at Artist Point for dinner with your favorite Disney characters at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge Resort.  At Storybook Dining, you will be able to dine with Snow White, Dopey, Grumpy and other Snow White characters.

artist point
Photo from the Disney World webpage

This is a table service restaurant that tends to be a bit pricey running $65 for adults and $35 for kids.  Since Storybook Dining tends to be a bit pricier, you will have more elevated menu options like prime rib, pork shank, herb chicken, fish, and more! 

If you are looking to combine a great meal and a character dining experience, considering checking out Storybook Dining at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge! 

 

 

Cape May Cafe 

Another great Disney World character breakfast option is Cape May Cafe at Disney’s Beach Club Resort. At Cape May Cafe, you can dine with Minnie Mouse and some of your other favorite Disney characters. 

Cape May Cafe also offers dinner but it is not a Disney character meal. For the character breakfast, you will be set back $45 for adults and $29 for kids. 

disney character breakfast

This Disney World character dining experience is a buffet with delicious beachy options like “beach buns”, waffles, eggs, omelets, cheddar biscuits and gravy and much more.  

The atmosphere at Cape May Cafe is very laid back and relaxed. Since it’s so close to Epcot, this a great Disney character meal ahead of your Epcot park day! 

 

Topolinos Terrace 

My personal favorite of the character meals at Walt Disney World is Topolinos Terrace at Disney’s Riveria Resort. Similar to the other Disney character dining at the Disney World resorts, Topolinos Terrace is only a character breakfast, not lunch nor dinner.

At this Disney character breakfast, dine with Mickey, Minnie, Donald and Daisy while they are dressed up in their Mediterranean coast outfits. 

Topolinos Terrace breakfast will costs $45 for adults and $29 for kids. This is a table service restaurant that offers delicious breakfast offerings including quiche, avacado toast, french toast, waffles, and much more! 

Right now, Topolions Terrace breakfast is one of the hardest Walt Disney World dining reservations to get. It is totally worth the time and effort though. 

Make sure to get a dining reservation for this Disney character meal 60 days in advance. I promise you won’t regret it!  

 

 

Best Character Dining Experiences at Disney World 

There are so many great character meals at Walt Disney World but it all boils down to what you are looking for. For the best food, I would recommend the character breakfast at Topolinos Terrace! The food is out of this world and you get to meet Mickey, Minnie, and much more! 

disney world character meal

For a chance to meet the Disney princesses, the best options are Cinderella’s Royal Table and Akershus Royal Banquet Hall. If you would like to meet the iconic Disney characters including Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Pluto and more, make sure to dine at Chef Mickey’s

When choosing a Disney World character dining experience, consider what characters you would like to meet, what time of day you would like to eat, and what price point you want to stay around. But any Disney character meal will be amazing!  

 

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