Three Great Character Meals at Walt Disney World

My daughter is at the age where she thinks that the characters at Walt Disney World are real. There’s nothing more magical, as a parent than getting to see my daughter meet the ‘real’ Mickey Mouse or Winnie the Pooh and seeing her face light up with excitement. While I know that she isn’t going to remember those interactions, they’re core memories for me, that I know I will treasure forever. One of my favorite ways to guarantee quality character interaction time during my trip to Disney is by booking a character meal. If you want to spend time with characters, it's essential now to book a character meal, as character meet and greets will not be available with the new Lightning Lane Multipass. You have a lot of character meal options at Walt Disney World - and the good news is that they all have great food and even better character interactions. Be Our Guest Vacations can help narrow down the character meal right for your family, and help you secure even the hardest-to-get reservations. And don't forget - kiddos under the age of three eat for free at buffet and family-style character meals. Today, we’re sharing three of our favorite character meal options for your next trip! 

Tusker House Restaurant at Disney’s Animal Kingdom 

Of every character meal at Walt Disney World, I’m of the personal opinion that Tusker House at Disney’s Animal Kingdom has some of the best and most interesting food. The food here is African-inspired buffet but has enough familiar flavors that even the pickiest of little ones will find something to love. Don't miss trying fresh and flavorful items like the watermelon and feta salad, or the Tandoori Chicken. This is a buffet where you truly can't go wrong though - the flavors of everything are great. The inside is themed after an African market, and you’ll get the chance to meet Mickey, Goofy, Donald, and Daisy - and they’re all going to be wearing their best safari gear! You’ll be able to grab breakfast, lunch, or dinner here. I always recommend lunch or dinner - I think the food options are more interesting and varied! Make sure to try the Moroccan spiced beef and the curry shrimp - both are standout items. During your meal, you might even see the characters lead a dance processional throughout the restaurant. My toddler loved getting to dance with Goofy! Tusker House is a one credit restaurant on the Disney Dining Plan.

The Crystal Palace at Disney’s Magic Kingdom

The Crystal Palace is perfect for those who want to visit the Hundred Acre Woods because it’s the ONLY restaurant at Walt Disney World where you can dine with Winnie the Pooh and his friends. The restaurant has prime real estate, being right at the end of Main Street U.S.A., and facing Cinderella’s Castle. The restaurant is beautiful - it’s a Victorian greenhouse-inspired building, made completely of windows. Inside, you’ll find adorable topiaries of Winnie the Pooh and all his friends, and banners welcoming you to their ‘friendship celebration day’. If you’re going to celebrate being besties with anyone, wouldn’t it be with Tigger at an incredible buffet? You can have breakfast, lunch, or dinner in this spot, but this is the only place where you can get CHURRO Mickey Waffles. I’m not sure if anyone wants a Sophie’s choice of picking a favorite Mickey waffle, but this one will for sure make your top three. If you go for lunch or dinner, make sure to avoid my two favorite items - the country fried chicken with black pepper gravy and the roast carved beef. They're both delicious! The Crystal Palace is a one credit restaurant on the Disney Dining Plan.

Minnie’s Seasonal Dining at Hollywood & Vine at Disney’s Hollywood Studios 

Minnie’s Seasonal Dining at Hollywood & Vine is my favorite meal option at Disney’s Hollywood Studios (I give it bonus points for being a buffet!) I’m a sucker for all things seasonal - my pumpkins will be on my front porch on September 1st, and come November 1st, my Christmas tree will be fully decorated. This makes this the perfect character meal for people like me - Minnie’s Seasonal Dining changes with the season. So if you’re trip falls in October, you’ll be eating with characters dressed in their best Halloween costumes, but come November, you’ll be hanging out with characters that are in their Christmas best. There are also spring and summer-inspired costumes. It’s billed as ‘Minnie and Friends’. We’ve seen Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Donald, Goofy, Pluto, and sometimes Daisy. No matter what characters are there, you’ll have a great time. The food changes throughout the year as well, with items that celebrate the season. Some of my favorite items that I've seen on the buffet are the peel and eat shrimp, the wasabi salmon, and the crispy tofu. I've never had anything bad here - you can't go wrong with anything on the buffet! This character meal is only available for lunch and dinner! Hollywood & Vine is one credit on the Disney Dining Plan.

There are dozens and dozens of dining options at Walt Disney World - you have so many choices to make about your trip, and nothing takes the guesswork out of things like using Be Our Guest Vacations. Our team is a wealth of knowledge on all aspects of Disney dining - whether it’s the Disney Dining Plan, character meals, or recommendations on not to miss treats and snacks. Be Our Guest Vacations is also Disney Dining Plan experts - which means we can help you plan how to use your credits in advance, and the best use of those credits! Reach out today, so we can help plan your family's dream vacation.