Top 2-3 Character Dining Choices

[twostep]

If you were going to book 2-3 character meals for a week, for a family with children ranging from 5-16 (all girls, if that influences your choices any), which would you use? We are going for a week next year, on a budget, but want to plan a couple character dining experiences (mostly for the youngest). It will be a first trip for 4 of the 6 kids and 1 of the adults. We will be staying off site, hence no dining plan. I'm trying to decide which meals are absolute must do's for us and need some help.

[TheDuckRocks]

As a grandma who does all the Disney planning for a large extended family the 2 I get most requests for and good reports back are breakfast at either Crystal Palace at MK (Winnie & friends) or Donald's Breakfast Safari at AK.

[Reedy Creek Buccaneer]

Ohana is my fave!

[i'm grumpy]

'Ohana breakfast.

[Brooklynos]

Tusker House breakfast is amazing!!!! Other than that our family really enjoys Akershus and although not a traditional character meal Be Our Guest dinner is always good.

[IloveJack]

'Ohana is our favorite, although if your girls like princesses, Akershus was nice, too.

[markyv]

Count me in on Crystal Palace and Tusker House in the parks.

Chef Mickey's and Cape May (breakfast) would be my picks at the resorts.

[Pirate Granny]

I like the relaxing garden grill. Not a buffet but family style meal..

Rest are all buffets, 1900 park Faire is different for breakfast they have Alice in Wonderland, Mad Hatter, Tigger and someone else...O'Hana's has LILO and Stitch and Mickey and one of the others, I think goofy. Beast is available for pictures AFTER you are done eating in a special room, for dinner only at BOG, which is an experience in itself.

[WDWForever]

I've got 6 and 8 yr old girls myself. I'd suggest Akershus for the princesses, Hollywood & Vine for Sophia The First and Doc McStuffins, Crystal Palace for Pooh & Friends, Chef Mickey for Mickey & Friends, or Ohana breakfast for Mickey, Pluto, Lilo & Stitch.

[mydisneygirls]

As I just posted in another thread:

1900 Park Fare
Chef Mickey's
Crystal Palace.

If you're on a budget, I would suggest going to dinners and not breakfasts. I find breakfast is quite expensive for eggs, waffles, bacon, etc. For 3 of us at Chef Mickey's, it was over $100 plus tip. Not worth it to me. I think you get more for your money at dinner.

[AgentC]

Our favorites
Ohana (breakfast)
Tusker House (lunch)
Garden Grill ( dinner)
are

Ohana's is just a fun breakfast with Lilo, Stitch, Mickey and Pluto. It's family style with Mickey waffles and really yummy pineapple bread.

Tusker House has a unique buffet menu because it incorporates African dishes but it also has traditional food. Our favorite time is an early lunch because you get lunch and breakfast foods. Usual assortment is Donald, Daisy, Goofy, Mickey and sometimes Minnie. If you don't like the menu heer but want similar characters you can sub in Chef Mickey's. Crystal Place has a great buffet. We just don't do it because my kids aren't into Pooh characters.

Garden Grille is relaxing family style meal with Chip, Dale, Mickey and Pluto. The menu isn't for everyone. It is usually a combination of poutry, beef and fish.

If a princess meal is a must (and it probably is with girls) I would do Akershaus because the price is more reasonable than CRT and the princesses are very similar. We do not do this one as much because my family doesn't like the menu as much (thought the dessert is wonderful!) however the character experience is excellent.

[NJGIRL]

My personal favorites are the Crystal Palace for breakfast and the Cape May for breakfast. Tusker House was also enjoyable and so was Norway with the princesses.

[natkevnol]

I would suggest O'hana first (because they serve the food to you family style and nobody is at the buffet line when characters come through) plus it's a great breakfast and you get Lilo and Stitch

My kids all love Tusker House for breakfast/brunch too.

Unlike the above poster, I would absolutely recommend Breakfast as the one to choose...it is less expensive and if you do a later breakfast it suffices for lunch as well.

Have fun!

[LandFan]

Tusker House for brunch and 1900 Park Fare for dinner (the step-sisters are hysterical!!)!

[#1donaldfan]

For girls I'd say Tusker House breakfast and 1900 Park Fare for dinner. Ohana's for breakfast is pretty good too !! :mickey:

[jenperich]

First of all, :welcome: to Intercot! I would definitely choose Chef Mickeys. Then, Donald's Safari Breakfast @ Tusker House, and then Crystal Palace w/Winnie the Pooh and friends. For a very close fourth choice, I would say 1900 Park Fare - the step-sisters are hilarious! Good luck choosing and have a great time.

[whitney37354]

O'hana breakfast, 1900 PF dinner, CRT breakfast

[KylesMom]

We have always enjoyed Chef Mickey's (CR) for breakfast, Crystal Palace (MK) for Lunch, and Garden Grill (Epcot) for either lunch or dinner. However, I was the only 'Princess' in a family of boys so having all girls would definitely sway me towards at least one Princess dining experience!

[kpen625]

I definitely loved Crystal Palace, Tusker House and Chef Mickey, but as stated earlier look into lunches. Hollywood & Vine does a Disney Junior Character lunch. If you book it as part of the Fantasmic Show you will get VIP seating as well.

Have a great trip!!

[chefmickey3]

If you are working within a budget, breakfasts are a great choice. You can probably skip lunch or do a small snack on the days that you do a character breakfast. If you can get up early and secure an ADR before the park opens you also have a jump on the day. We love Tusker House and O'Hana for breakfast. We have enjoyed 1900 Park Fare and Crystal Palace although we haven't done them in the last two years. I would skip Chef Mickey's because it might be more expensive and the other meals are just as good. I have no experience with Akershus because I have all boys. You could have the older kids look at the menus and help you decide. Have fun planning!

[RavsRuleDisney!]

Akershus / Cape May Buffet / Chef Mickey's....CP gets high marks as well....

[joonyer]

My faves: (we have been to each of these several times)

Crystal Palace
Tusker House
Chef Mickey's

[SurferStitch]

Our favorite character breakfasts are:

1. 'Ohana - I love Lilo and Stitch. Pineapple bread is delicious, they now have Stitch waffles, and we love the sausage there (and I'm not much for sausage).

2. Tusker House - Great food and characters, although last October they didn't have my cheese blintzes, so that was a bummer.

3. Crystal Palace - Get an early seating before park opening. You can get great photos on a nearly empty Main Street. Food is very good, as are the Winnie the Pooh characters.

For dinner:

We don't really do character dinners, but did do Crystal Palace a couple times before MVMCP and MNSSHP. Food is very good (again).

[wdwcarrie]

On our recent trip (just a couple weeks ago) we hit MK for morning EMH, then got the latest reservation we could for breakfast at Ohana (about 10:50 a.m.) It was great because it was "brunch" and a nice break from the parks in a beautiful setting. I also like the family style service because kids can fill up on their favorites and don't have to worry about missing characters.

We also had dinner at Garden Grill, which was excellent--again, the food just keeps coming, and a really fun setting.

Crystal Palace for breakfast is another beautiful venue, and we have enjoyed a couple of very nice meals there!

[poodlemcduck]

For the girls Askershus in Epcot is great. So many Princes to meet. Hollywood and Vine is good but loud and not much room. !900 Parke Fare is good and we have have always enjoyed Crystal Palace but it can get loud.