“What are the best character dining experiences at Walt Disney World?” is a question that is asked by lots of people on an inaugural Disney vacation. The answer is that it depends on the ages and interests of the children going.
If your child has a favorite character, it is almost certainly worth finding him or her and seeing the wonder on that little face.
Here are some great character dining options by age as a general guide, but we recommend knowing if specific characters are important to your crowd as you decide!
All of these reservations (ADRs), and several are pretty hard-to-get, so check out our advice on getting them.
Babies and Toddlers
Winnie the Pooh and Friends – Crystal Palace (Magic Kingdom)
- Breakfast in the Magic Kingdom with Winnie the Pooh, Tigger, Eeyore, and Piglet is a great for Winnie the Pooh fans!
Mickey and Friends (Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Goofy and Pluto) – Chef Mickey’s
- Meet the classic Disney characters at breakfast, brunch or dinner in Disney’s Contemporary resort.
Mickey and Lil0 – O’hana breakfast (Disney’s Polynesian Resort)
- Located on the resort monorail, this one is a relaxed, fun breakfast and you get to meet South-Pacific Mickey! And his friend Lilo.
Tip: Tusker House (Animal Kingdom) is another fun place to meet Mickey, but the ease of getting to the Contemporary and the Polynesian on the monorail is why we recommend these resort breakfasts for the youngest in the crowd. They are easily followed up by a day in the Magic Kingdom two monorail stops away. Animal Kingdom is only accessible by bus, car, taxi or uber, unless you are staying at the Animal Kingdom lodge.
Preschoolers
Mickey and Friends – Chef Mickey’s (Disney’s Contemporary Resort)
- Preschoolers love meeting so many of the characters from Mickey Mouse Clubhouse!
Doc McStuffins, Jake and the Neverland Pirates, Handy Manny, or Sofia the First – Disney Junior Play ‘n Dine Breakfast at Hollywood & Vine (Hollywood Studios)
- If your kids like the Disney Junior characters, it is worth planning to go to the Disney Junior Play ‘n Dine breakfast at Hollywood & Vine. We recommend pairing this with seeing Disney Junior: Live on Stage.
Winnie the Pooh and Friends – the Crystal Palace (Magic Kingdom)
The Princesses – Akershus (Epcot) or Cinderella’s Royal Table (Magic Kingdom)
Cinderella characters specifically – 1900 Park Fare dinner (Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa)
- You even get to meet Prince Charming. It’s not all that often that a prince is part of the deal!
School Age Kids
Mickey and Friends – Chef Mickey’s (Disney’s Contemporary Resort)
Princesses – Akershus (Epcot) or Cinderella’s Royal Table (Magic Kingdom).
Cinderella specifically – 1900 Park Fare dinner (Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa)
Mickey and Pals – Tusker House Restaurant (Disney’s Animal Kingdom)
We celebrated our Grandson’s 3rd birthday at Chef Mickey’s a few weeks ago. As a 17-year Disney Annual Passholder, I reviewed the special occasion on my website and gave it a thumbs-up for a positive and memorable experience. I highly recommend Chef Mickey’s for the outstanding Character interaction, however, Tusker House at Animal Kingdom (our Grandson’s 1st birthday destination) was far superior with the food quality. But, as you have said, it’s best to choose the Character Dining option that best represents the child’s favorite Disney Character and the level of personal interaction with them. (My little Mouseketeer loves silly Goofy!) With Character Dining, obviously, the food is secondary!
I agree, Tusker House has better food, but it’s tough to beat Chef Mickey’s overall experience.