Too many character meals?

Mom2JPL · #1 09-06-2007, 01:06 PM

Hi, we're a family of 5 (myself, dh, dd3, ds2, dd1) and we'll be in wdw oct 3rd - 8th. I have 3 character meals booked:

oct 3rd - arrival at noon, no adr's yet
oct 4th - ak - breakfast @ breakfastosaurus
oct 5th - mgm - lunch @ hollywood & vine
oct 6th - mk - lunch @ crystal palace
no adr's for the 7th yet (still can't decide!)

I added the dining plan for the 2 adults and 1 child, but am not so sure about it with doing the character meals. Anyone have any thoughts on this?

Thanks in advance!

Ellen

Madame Leona · #2 09-06-2007, 01:11 PM

I don't think you can have too many character meals. Here is just my personal opinion on the subject. If you visit with the character, take pictures, whatever, while having your meal, you are killing two birds with one stone. I don't like to stand in long lines to do the meet and greet thing with characters when there is so much to do. My kids are very young (ds-19 months, baby due in Nov.) so they don't ask to stand in the character lines yet but I will when they are old enough to ask. Hopefully, I will be able to hold off on a few if we due the character meals.

Belle_0717 · #3 09-06-2007, 01:17 PM

IMO - I would keep H&V for Playhouse Disney with JoJo, Goliath, Leo and June and I would keep CP with Pooh.

For the ages of your children these would be best. My DNephew will be one when we hit WDW next month (37 days to be exact) and we kept it to CP for dinner the first day and H&V for breakfast on the 3rd day. We will try to see the characters at meet & greets or as we stumble upon them. We will also go to the MK LOEMH to hit the Fantasyland rides and characters.

Hope this helps.

#1donaldfan · #4 09-06-2007, 01:18 PM

You are very lucky !!! AK, Donalds Breakfastsaurs is going to close......I sure don't like seeing that place go......we LOVE it.....you should too....the food is awesome the interaction is great......CP in our opinion was ok, not as fun as Donalds Breakfastsaurs....you can never have too many ADR for characters.....they are a lot of fun and you get better pics...at least your in AC for the photo.....depending on where your staying, try breakfast at your resort.....we love Boatwrights at POR ........ have fun.....

FriendsofMickey · #5 09-06-2007, 01:21 PM

The only way it is too many character meals is if one of the three are terrified of the characters.
We LOVE the character meals and do most character meals. My girls love them and it gives them a lot more time with them versus standing in line.

ElenitaB · #6 09-06-2007, 01:26 PM

Hi, Ellen!

to Intercot!

I also think that you can't have too many character meals. You've done a wonderful job planning them as each meal is with a different set of characters. As my DS got older, and we would go to the different character experiences, he would bring up to Chip and Dale or Mickey what they had done together earlier in the week... got a bit dangerous there!

If I were to make any changes, I might change your breakfast at Donald's in AK to lunch or dinner at the Garden Grill in Epcot where you would be able to sit and have food brought to you rather than run and get food for three little ones.

Have fun! We're looking forward to trip reports as I would guess that this is the first visit to WDW for at least one of your children!

Mom2JPL · #7 09-06-2007, 01:44 PM

This is actually the first trip for my whole family except me...but I was there soooo long ago when it was just the Magic Kingdom (I think I was there in '75 or '76).

We're not doing hopper passes since the kids are so little, seemed like a waste of money this trip (I'm sure we'll upgrade on future trips).

We're staying at SSR (my in-laws are DVC owners), so unfortunately there's no characters there to dine with.

Our breakfast in AK is before the park opens (I thought that would be best) and our lunches in the other parks are noonish, which gives us plenty of time to head back to the resort and nap before heading back out in the evening.

Thanks everyone for your input!

Ellen

princessM0m · #8 09-06-2007, 02:00 PM

No Princess meals? Maybe they are too young, but if not I would recommend Norway in EPCOT for that one.

crazeedizneefinatic · #9 09-06-2007, 02:23 PM

Character meals always work best for us. Buffets seems to always have something everyone will like. I always hear the exotic places people have eaten around the countries and such but we are not that adventurous. We are very plain eaters so it always works out for us, plus my son just loves the characters and we love to watch him!

mickey&missy · #10 09-06-2007, 02:26 PM

I think you did a great job planning for 3 little kids! I agree with everyone who said you can't have too many character meals. Like one of the previous posters said, it kills 2 birds with 1 stone! We've never done Hollywood and Vine with Playhouse Disney. I'm sure we will in the future my youngest is 3 months old. Breakfastosaurous is GREAT! Its so much fun!My recommendation for that is to leave yourself PLENTY of time to get there! Its a pretty far walk from the front of the park.

Have a great trip!

LoriMistress · #11 09-06-2007, 05:23 PM

I think your ADRs should be okay. You should only really do 1-3 CMs. You should go to Epcot or AK. (Personally, I would go with Epcot.)

Jared · #12 09-06-2007, 05:34 PM

Keep your current plans. The kids will love the character meals, and each one is so different. You will enjoy each restaurant for different reasons, and that's the best part.

GrmGrninGost · #13 09-06-2007, 07:53 PM

No way can you have too many character meals! Each one is different and fun! You guys will have a ball!

I did notice you don't have a princess meal though. It would probably be a huge success with the little ones.

disneydrmr · #14 09-07-2007, 08:31 AM

Add me to the "you can never do too many character meals" crowd! We did 5 when we went - and we don't have kids!

To me - the characters add to the magic! They ARE Disney - so to dine with them just makes the vacation more magical! Have fun!

Mom2JPL · #15 09-07-2007, 11:59 AM

Thanks everyone for your input! My oldest daughter asked me yesterday (after I had asked this question) if we were going to eat with the princesses - so I got on the phone and got a late lunch date with the princesses in Norway! My son is so excited, it's a riot!!

So, they'll dine with the princesses, Donald, Mickey, Goofy, Pluto, Pooh, Tigger, Eeyore, Piglet, Jo Jo, Goliath, Leo and June...I think they're going to have a blast!

Ellen

illini · #16 09-07-2007, 12:26 PM

I actually think it looks good. I always load up on character meals/buffets, and think I should do more regular sit-downs, but in the end... it's good. You get the characters out of the way to free up touring time, priceless photos, and a lot of fun. What really sells me on the buffets, though, is that my kids don't have to eat off the kids' menus, which though are improved now, still aren't quite right for my kids' tastes. They eat almost exclusively off the adult buffet and are much better fed than getting yet another meal of chicken nuggets and fries.
It sounds perfect! You're going to have a blast!

FaithTrustPixieDust · #17 09-07-2007, 02:49 PM

I love the meals you have picked- those characters are perfect for your little ones. Lunch is good timing for your kids too. (Character breakfasts work well for my kids- but I know breakfast is generally not the smartest time to use your TS credits.)

You might have a back up plan in mind just in case your kids are scared of the characters. Princess meals are a good suggestion- not only for your little princess, but because they are "face characters" and less likely to scare small kids. (And many young princes enjoy the attention they receive at these meals!!)

Buffets are great because of the variety of foods available. However, with 3 little ones, mom and dad are going to do a lot of running back and forth to the buffet. All while trying to make sure you are at the table with camera ready when the characters come by. Maybe you can request a table near the buffet!

Keep an open mind: If the first character meal is a disaster, you can always cancel the others and see if your hotel concierge can help you get new ADRs.

Have a fabulous trip!!!

2girlsmom · #18 09-07-2007, 09:42 PM

I don't think you can have too many character meals when you go with little ones. At that age - it is all about the characters and the meals accomplish 2 things at once...food & magic! Our daughters love the character meals. We do one every day of our visit. My only advice would be to try to do breakfast and dinners, not lunches. Breaksfasts help you get an early start to the day & if they are in the park, you get to enter before the rest of the guests for the day. It is sooooo neat to be the only ones in MK or Epcot, etc. The dinners are a nice way to end the day. We learned to avoid lunches after our last trip - they take up a lot of time in the middle of the day and can make it hard to get everything you want done. But, I don't think it is a huge issue, just my personal opinion. Your schedule looks like fun! Enjoy!!!

wedway fan · #19 09-08-2007, 01:09 PM

gotta agree- never too many character meals. we've really enjoyed chef mickey's and o'hana in the past. you've got most of the characters from chef mickey's covered in your other meals. with o'hana, you'd get lilo and stitch (if that matters), plus a great breakfast with awesome polynesian bread, served family style (no carrying kids plates across the dining room!).

can't really go wrong with any of them- your choices so far are great.

wdw_bound · #20 09-08-2007, 04:07 PM

Some people say character meal buffets don't "maximize" DDP value. I say value is a personal thing - you maximize it by getting the most of what YOU want. With kids your age, buffets are perfect the 1yo and 2yo will eat for free at the buffet, where as at a regular plated meal you would have to share. While there is usually plenty of food to do this, we found that it restricted our ability to order what we wanted, so we ended up orderin another kids meal OOP.

We did the Norway breakfast, and it was excellent, as was CP. I haven't enjoyed the others, but I'm sure you will.

Have a great trip!