The best character dining at Walt Disney World combines memorable interactions with beloved Disney characters, enjoyable food, and an atmosphere that feels like part of the experience. Disney World currently has 12 character dining opportunities spread across all of the Disney Parks and several deluxe resorts.
Quick Tip: Kids under 3 are free if they eat off your plate. I think this is a fantastic deal if they love characters.
Another Quick Tip: These meals are often hard to book. Consider using one of these great Dining Reservation Alert Apps. Also, in our experience, many reservations open the night before or morning of the meal.
Below, I rank and explain all 12 of these fantastic dining experiences. All are great, and only the last two are one-and-done for me. Well, I’ll probably go back eventually.
How I Ranked These Character Meals
I rank these Disney character meals primarily by the characters, food, and atmosphere/location.
For characters, I’m focused on how popular they are and how fun the interaction is. For food, I’m talking about quality and service style. You’ll find that I’m very biased towards non-buffet meals. With little kids, I find buffets stressful. You have to make multiple trips, decide what to do with the kids while you’re at the buffet, and risk missing a character visit. For environment, I prioritize highly-themed or upscale venues over fluorescent-bulb dining halls.
My girls with Flynn Rider at Trattoria al Forno’s Bon Voyage Breakfast. This one would be high on the list, but sadly it hasn’t reopened since Covid.
That being said, my rankings are also based on my whole family’s experience, not just mine. I also don’t take price into account very much because the difference is not substantial to me from the lowest to the highest (and I wish they were all less expensive).
Now, let’s get started. Sorry if it makes you hungry.
For another restaurant guide, check out my daughter’s Best Kids Restaurants at Disney World.
Disney World Character Dining at a Glance
| Rank | Restaurant and Location | Characters | Meals and Dining Style | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Cinderella’s Royal Table Magic Kingdom – Cinderella Castle |
Cinderella and rotating Disney Princesses |
Breakfast, lunch, and dinner Prix fixe |
Castle immersion, princesses, and a once-in-a-lifetime experience |
| 2 |
Topolino’s Terrace Disney’s Riviera Resort |
Mickey, Minnie, Donald, and Daisy |
Breakfast Prix fixe |
The best food combined with Mickey and friends |
| 3 |
Story Book Dining at Artist Point Disney’s Wilderness Lodge |
Snow White, Grumpy, Dopey, and the Evil Queen |
Dinner Prix fixe |
Excellent food, immersive theming, and villain interactions |
| 4 |
Chef Mickey’s Disney’s Contemporary Resort |
Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Donald, and Pluto |
Breakfast and dinner Buffet |
High-energy interactions with the classic Fab Five |
| 5 |
‘Ohana Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort |
Lilo, Stitch, Mickey, and Pluto |
Breakfast Family-style, all-you-care-to-enjoy |
Lilo and Stitch fans and the Polynesian atmosphere |
| 6 |
Hollywood & Vine Disney’s Hollywood Studios |
Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, and Pluto |
Breakfast, lunch, and dinner Buffet |
Seasonal character outfits and a kid-friendly buffet |
| 7 |
1900 Park Fare Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa |
Cinderella, Aladdin, Mirabel, and Tiana |
Breakfast and dinner Buffet |
A unique character lineup and Grand Floridian ambience |
| 8 |
Garden Grill EPCOT – The Land |
Chip, Dale, Mickey, and Pluto |
Breakfast, lunch, and dinner Family-style, all-you-care-to-enjoy |
Living with the Land fans and a uniquely Disney setting |
| 9 |
Tusker House Disney’s Animal Kingdom – Africa |
Donald, Mickey, Daisy, and Goofy |
Breakfast, lunch, and dinner Buffet |
Adventurous adult food and safari-themed characters |
| 10 |
Cape May Café Disney’s Beach Club Resort |
Minnie, Daisy, Donald, and Goofy |
Breakfast Buffet |
A relaxed resort breakfast near EPCOT |
| 11 |
Akershus Royal Banquet Hall EPCOT – Norway Pavilion |
Rotating Disney Princesses |
Breakfast, lunch, and dinner Family-style, all-you-care-to-enjoy |
Meeting several princesses during one meal |
| 12 |
The Crystal Palace Magic Kingdom – Main Street, U.S.A. |
Winnie the Pooh, Tigger, Piglet, and Eeyore |
Breakfast, lunch, and dinner Buffet |
Pooh fans and a convenient Magic Kingdom character meal |
1. Cinderella’s Royal Table
Cinderella’s Royal Table is far and away the best character dining opportunity at Disney World. Its location on the upper floor of Cinderella Castle in Magic Kingdom sets it apart from any other character meal experience at Disney World. This was one of the first experiences we ever had at Disney World, and we (especially my daughters) will never forget it. It truly feels like you’re in a movie. The price is the highest of all the character meals, but you’re paying a premium for being in the castle, which I think is reasonable.
Back of the castle: The stained-glass windows look into Cinderella’s Royal Table.
Characters and Interactions
Cinderella greets guests in a separate photo area in the Grand Hall before the meal, and several other princesses visit the tables upstairs. The typical lineup is Merida, Ariel, Jasmine, and Aurora, though the lineup can change.
Sleeping Beauty was the only one that warned us to take pictures without the windows behind us…and she got the best picture.
Princess meet-and-greets are among Disney World’s most memorable character experiences. Meeting them inside Cinderella Castle feels especially immersive, which is one of the main reasons CRT ranks first.
For good interactions, I recommend asking them about their friends, sidekicks, or some other element of their movie. Having a child dressed as one of them is also a special experience. At the end of our meal, we received wands or swords as keepsakes. I still have my sword.
Here’s the most expensive sword I’ve ever bought.
Food and Dining Style
We ate at Cinderella’s Royal Table for breakfast and felt that the food was delicious and filling. The assorted pastries, French Toast, and Steak and Eggs were fantastic. The food is brought to your table rather than being a buffet, which I find more upscale and less stressful with little kids. The dinner looks great as well.
Atmosphere and Comfort
You’re in Cinderella Castle (!) on the second floor with stained-glass windows overlooking Fantasyland. The medieval, fantasy castle theming is beautiful. The restaurant is relatively quiet given all the carpet and cushions, and the tables are spread out enough to not feel cramped. Even as an adult, I felt completely caught up in the experience.
The attention to detail in the dining room is stunning.
2. Topolino’s Terrace – Breakfast à la Art with Mickey & Friends
Topolino’s Terrace is my second-favorite character meal because it combines the best food on this list with a beautiful environment and great character interactions. Topolino’s has most of the classic Mickey characters, and it’s on the top floor, with rooftop panoramic views.
Important Note: Character experiences are only available for breakfast.
Check out my full review of Topolino’s Terrace character breakfast .
Characters and Interactions
Breakfast à la Art with Mickey & Friends features Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Daisy Duck, and Donald Duck. The theme here is the French and Italian art scene: Mickey is a painter, Donald a sculptor, Minnie a poet, and Daisy a ballerina. I love these costumes because they are classy and unique.
Little dude is not fooled by her feminine charm.
Each character visits each table, interacts with guests, and takes pictures. On our recent visit, each character was fun for our little guy and even visited multiple times.
Food and Dining Style
The phenomenal food sets Topolino’s apart from every other restaurant on this list. The food is also delivered to the table, which means that I didn’t have to navigate a buffet with two different plates for my toddler and me, risking the chance of missing a character.
The pastry basket is exceptional, especially the chocolate croissant. The steak and eggs, the quiche gruyere, the sour cream waffle—you can’t go wrong. Even the kids’ options are next level. The kids can get Mickey waffle pops! Everything is creative and delicious.
The Topolino’s Quiche Gruyere.
Atmosphere and Comfort
Topolino’s Character Breakfast takes place in a beautiful, quiet restaurant at the top of one of the classiest resorts at Disney World. We stepped onto the outdoor terrace during our meal to photograph EPCOT and Hollywood Studios in the distance. I’m a sucker for rooftop experiences at Disney. The restaurant avoids all of the chaos of the parks, but remains a quick trip to EPCOT or Hollywood Studios on the Skyliner.
The interior of Topolino’s Terrace.
Cinderella’s Royal Table is the better once-in-a-lifetime experience, but Topolino’s is probably the most repeatable character meal—especially for parents who care as much about the food as the characters.
3. Story Book Dining at Artist Point with Snow White
Story Book Dining at Artist Point in Wilderness Lodge is the most underrated character meal at Disney World. The excellent food, beautiful Wilderness Lodge setting, and unique interactions with Grumpy and the Evil Queen make it fantastic.
Quick Tip: The restaurant is very dark, so make sure to check your photos and use low-light or night mode to get good pictures.
When your wife looks more like Snow White than Snow White.
Characters and Interactions
Story Book Dining features Snow White, Grumpy, Dopey, and the Evil Queen. Grumpy and the Evil Queen set this meal apart from other character meals. Grumpy is funny and cantankerous. The Evil Queen shows Disney’s character creativity. She remains perfectly in character—regal, dismissive, and hilarious—without making the interaction uncomfortable. Nothing is funnier than watching her be doted on by a toddler, while she makes comments only the parents understand.
Snow White, Grumpy, and Dopey come by the table, while the Evil Queen is in a separate photo opportunity space.
Three of us understood the assignment.
Food and Dining Style
Just like Topolino’s, I would go out of my way to eat the food here. However, my wife and I enjoyed it a little more than our kids did because it’s slightly adventurous. Rather than a buffet, all of the food is brought to your table (my preference, but not my kids’). There are shared appetizers and desserts with individual entrees.
For the appetizers, you’re given a tower that has amazing mushroom bisque, and my wife loves the shrimp cocktail. For the entrees, we love the pork shank, the herbed chicken, and especially the prime rib (this is what the waitress said they were known for).
For the desserts, the miner’s treasures and “poison apple” mousse were phenomenal.
The desserts were pretty until we ate them.
Atmosphere and Comfort
The atmosphere at Story Book Dining is immersive. The meal takes place in an enchanted forest with purple lights strung between the trees, giving it a mystical feel. It’s quiet, intimate, and even more enchanting when it’s dark during your meal.
One of the most enchanting dining rooms at Disney World.
If dinner ends near fireworks time, you can take the water taxi to Magic Kingdom in time to see the fireworks over Bay Lake.
4. Chef Mickey’s
Chef Mickey’s is the quintessential Mickey character meal that takes place in the iconic Contemporary Resort. If the goal is to have a classic Mickey and friends experience, in a classic location, with decent food, this is a good choice. Chef Mickey’s is also a great place to hit for breakfast before spending the day at Magic Kingdom. I place this one the highest of the buffets because of the character interactions, and I personally have had several amazing experiences here.
For a full breakdown, check out my review of Chef Mickey’s here.
Our first time at Chef Mickey’s. That churro waffle won’t last long.
Characters and Interactions
Chef Mickey’s features the classic Fab Five characters: Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Goofy, Donald Duck, and Pluto, all in chef outfits with bright ’80s color accents. Typically, each character stops by your table for fun interactions, autographs, and photo opportunities. They’ll also do group dances and have funny interactions with each other. I highly recommend trying to get Goofy to do the Hot Dog dance.
On our last visit, the crowd was low, and we got insane amounts of attention for our three-year-old’s birthday. Goofy stopped by repeatedly because our little guy had a Goofy stuffy with him. Minnie danced with him for a while. Then, we got to take a photo with all five—something the Cast Member handler was clear they never do. It will go down as our greatest character meal experience of all time.
The rarest photo we’ve ever taken. Little dude has Frontier Airlines wings to keep him humble.
Food and Dining Style
Chef Mickey’s serves a buffet for both breakfast and dinner. Breakfast is delicious, if basic, with eggs, proteins, potatoes, and pastries. Most famously, they have Mickey churro waffles.
Dinner is a little more adventurous. They have the basics that kids like, but they also have several Asian-inspired choices and some interesting meats. They also have very artistically creative desserts.
The carving station is pretty epic for a buffet.
Atmosphere and Comfort
Chef Mickey’s is in the Grand Canyon Concourse on the fourth floor of Disney’s Contemporary Resort. It’s a large atrium with soaring ceilings and a view of the monorail coming into the resort. It’s a busy and loud area, so it is not as cozy as some of the other locations, but it is iconic.
The restaurant itself feels a little like a cafeteria, but what I like about this buffet is the proximity of the tables to the buffet. It makes me feel more comfortable letting the kids go to the buffet by themselves.
5. ‘Ohana Breakfast
Best Friends Breakfast featuring Lilo & Stitch at ‘Ohana is a unique character meal because it combines a promising breakfast food experience, a great environment (Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort), Mickey, AND two characters that are sought-after but rare: Lilo and Stitch. This might be a better choice than Chef Mickey’s for the overall experience. I place Chef Mickey’s ahead of it because, if you’re only doing one character meal, meeting the classic characters is a better choice.
I have not personally been to ‘Ohana for breakfast, so this is how I rank it based on other guests’ experiences, and my experience with the dinner food.
Important Note: ‘Ohana is open for dinner, but characters are only at breakfast.
Characters and Interactions
‘Ohana’s Best Friends Breakfast features Lilo, Stitch, Mickey, and Pluto—a great combination because you get the classic Mickey experience as well as cult favorites, Lilo and Stitch. It also works perfectly with the Pacific Island theming of the restaurant and resort because the movie Lilo and Stitch takes place in Hawaii.
I’m living vicariously through our friends here.
The characters come around each table for interactions and photo opportunities. Stitch and Pluto are both known for their antics, so be ready to laugh. Recently at a different interaction, Pluto stole my daughter’s Cruella De Vil Minnie ears and pretended to eat them. I always recommend having a few movie quotes ready to get a reaction from the characters: “‘Ohana means family,” “How high is your badness level?” or “Also cute and fluffy.”
The characters will also typically do a dance parade and often invite guests into the line. Some guests have reported that interactions seem more rushed here than other breakfasts, but I bet this varies.
Food and Dining Style
The breakfast food at ‘Ohana is a good mix of classic breakfast food (scrambled eggs, potatoes), Hawaiian-inspired food (ham with pineapple), and fan favorites Mickey and Stitch waffles. They also have coconut/pineapple bread, which guests rave about.
‘Ohana is family-style, meaning that all the food items are placed in the center of the table, and each person can take what they like. I prefer this for families with small kids because you don’t have to get up for the buffet and possibly miss characters.
You can purchase the Kona Press Pot coffee for an extra charge here, and I highly recommend it. I think it’s the best black coffee in all of Disney World.
Atmosphere and Comfort
The attention to detail at ‘Ohana sets it apart from some of the other character breakfasts. ‘Ohana is designed with lots of carved tiki wood, tropical plants, and big windows looking towards Magic Kingdom. It’s much more immersive than some because it doesn’t feel like a cafeteria that happens to have characters in it.
The entrance to ‘Ohana.
‘Ohana is also located at the beautiful Disney’s Polynesian Resort (which smells amazing). It’s on the monorail, so it’s also a good choice for getting to Magic Kingdom after an early morning breakfast. While I have it ranked behind Chef Mickey’s, I would put it ahead if you like the characters. Polynesian is a better resort to visit than Contemporary in my opinion.
6. Hollywood & Vine
Minnie’s Seasonal Dining at Hollywood & Vine is located inside Hollywood Studios—a great option for a meal during a Hollywood Studios day. The downside for me is that it’s a dining hall with a buffet that happens to have characters in it. The upside is that my kids love the buffet, and the buffet is close to all the tables, making it less stressful with little kids and less likely you’ll miss a character interaction. Furthermore, you get to hang out with Minnie Mouse, Mickey Mouse, Goofy, and Pluto.
We have been here more than any other character meal because friends and extended family have wanted to meet us there. The great thing about it is the repeatability. Since Minnie and her friends change outfits seasonally, you’ll get different photo opportunities several times a year. I wouldn’t have listed it this high, but my kids and my mother-in-law brought it up as one of their favorite recent experiences.
Characters and Interactions
Hollywood & Vine offers character interactions officially with “Minnie and Friends.” Currently, this includes Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, and Pluto—a great lineup because you get the classic Mickey and Minnie, plus Goofy and Pluto are known for fun interactions.
They change outfits several times a year. Everything is subject to change, but in the past, they’ve done Silver Screen (where they are dressed for the red carpet), Springtime, Summertime, Halloween (with various costumes), and Holiday (with Christmas outfits). If you like seasonal photos (like we do), this is a great option.
Beach Mickey hangs out my kiddos.
Food and Dining Style
The buffet food at Hollywood & Vine gets average marks in my opinion. Nothing stands out to me except the soft-serve ice cream. However, my kids thought it was amazing: pizza, mac and cheese, and chicken are possible items. I did like the Shepherd’s pie. For breakfast, they have the usual hits of protein and pastries, including bananas foster French Toast and bread pudding.
Atmosphere and Comfort
The atmosphere at Hollywood & Vine is a large dining hall with old Hollywood and Art Deco touches. I honestly didn’t notice the theming. All I recall is the buffet and fluorescent lights. Not my favorite. It is not as immersive or beautiful as most of the other options, but it is fun, and the buffet is close to the tables.
The classic diner chrome is a nice touch, but the basic drop ceiling brings down the class a little.
Being located inside the park is convenient for Hollywood Studios guests (but requires entry to the park separately from the reservation). The downside is that, if there’s a wait, you’re waiting outside in a rather underutilized area of the park. Most resort restaurants have great indoor areas to explore while you wait.
7. 1900 Park Fare
Wish Makers Enchanted Dining at 1900 Park Fare is a character breakfast and dinner at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa, arguably the poshest of all of the Disney Resorts. Both meals are buffets and feature character interactions with Cinderella, Aladdin, Mirabel, and Tiana.
With unique characters, good food, and a beautiful environment, this is a top contender for buffets. We have eaten here several times but not since they refurbed the restaurant and changed the characters to the current lineup, and I’m impressed with the changes.
Cinderella explains to my children the importance of doing chores.
Characters and Interactions
You have the classic Cinderella that little girls (and adults) want to meet. You can meet Aladdin in Magic Kingdom, but no other character meal offers interactions with a prince. Mirabel and Tiana are also fan favorites (I wish Bruno was there, but we can’t talk about that).
Mirabel recounting the entire Madrigal history, I assume.
Food and Dining Style
The food looks promising as well. Rather than typical breakfast food, they have several items that look amazing, such as the bread pudding and guava Danish. Dinner also looks great, with some interesting entrée items, desserts, and some Tiana-inspired Gumbo. I love New Orleans food.
Atmosphere and Comfort
The refurb also turned 1900 Park Fare from a posh dining hall into a more themed, Fantasyland experience, with carousel theming, impressionist art, and whimsical décor. Going inside Grand Floridian at all is a great experience, and it’s a short hop to (or from) Magic Kingdom. 1900 Park Fare is possibly the fanciest of all of the character buffets.
Some of the artwork at 1900 Park Fare
8. Garden Grill
Chip ‘N’ Dale’s Harvest Feast at Garden Grill is a character meal in the Land pavilion in EPCOT featuring Chip, Dale, Mickey Mouse, and Pluto. Garden Grill is a unique meal for two reasons. First, it has Chip and Dale, who are very interactive and rarer to meet than other characters. Second, it takes place in a rotating dining room with views of the Living with the Land ride below. If anyone is a huge fan of Chip and Dale or Living with the Land, this is a great option.
We haven’t yet eaten here, so my ranking is based on the experience of others.
Characters and Interactions
Garden Grill features character interactions with Chip, Dale, Mickey Mouse in a farmer’s outfit, and Pluto.
Mickey in his farmer costume. Photo cred: Jeff Christiansen https://flic.kr/p/dtv4u3
One thing that makes the interactions unique is that the tables are set up in a slowly rotating circle facing out. The tables feel very private, and the interactions are reported to be longer than most character meals.
Food and Dining Style
The food is family-style and all-you-care-to-enjoy. I think that’s important for a rotating restaurant. Nobody is balancing plates from a buffet or chasing kids through the desserts while the floor is slowly spinning. It seems like a relaxing and stress-free setup.
The food seems rather unexciting. The appetizers include cornbread, salad, and vegetables. The entrée includes turkey and gravy, mashed potatoes, more vegetables, and mac and cheese. The one item that looks interesting is the grilled steak with chimichurri. For dessert, there’s strawberry shortcake. These items could be amazing (and people have said so), but nothing is making me run to book a table.
Breakfast food looks pretty good with your typical Disney breakfast options of eggs, meat, pastries, and Mickey waffles. But they also have steak for breakfast, which is awesome.
Atmosphere and Comfort
The atmosphere at Garden Grill is cozy. You sit in a round booth that opens to the outside of the rotating restaurant, viewing scenes from Living with the Land. Then, the characters come to your table as you circle around, allowing a much more private experience than most other restaurants.
Garden Grill Entrance, photo cred: Michael Gray https://flic.kr/p/4SypAx
9. Tusker House
Tusker House is a character buffet in the Africa area of Animal Kingdom available for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. You meet Mickey and Friends in safari outfits and enjoy African-inspired cuisine. It’s a unique experience with classic characters and great food, but the food might be too foreign for picky American kids.
Hanging out with the mouse, the myth, the legend himself.
When I took my son, I loved the food more than he did, but he loved the characters. I didn’t love dragging him around looking for food he might eat. Tusker House might be my favorite buffet for adults, but I have to rank it for the whole family.
Characters and Interactions
Tusker House is hosted by Donald Duck and currently features Donald, Mickey Mouse, Daisy Duck, and Goofy. This is a great arrangement because Donald and Goofy offer funny interactions. Mickey is classic (and my son’s favorite), and Daisy brings a hilarious mixture of sass and confidence. They wear safari outfits, which give an Animal Kingdom vibe and a unique picture, even if you have tons of pictures with the classic characters.
I wonder what Donald said to him.
Food and Dining Style
The breakfast at Tusker House features American dishes (sometimes with African twists) and African dishes. I thought the food was phenomenal, interesting, and creative. It is my favorite buffet…for adults. They do have basic waffles, pancakes, and eggs for picky children like mine, so everyone has something to eat. I’ve only eaten for breakfast, but from what I understand, lunch and dinner are even more adventurous, with a few items for the picky eaters.
Pretty adventurous breakfast plate. I love fried plantains.
Here’s my problem with the buffet. It was in a separate room from our table, and the buffet is spread out. For adults and older kids, this isn’t a problem. However, I took my three-year-old there by myself, so he had to tag along any time we searched for food, and since it was spread out, it took a while for us both to fill our plates and return to our seats, while I held two plates (hoping he’d follow me on voice command alone). If you have slightly older kids, you have to go with them or be comfortable with them out of sight getting their own food.
The food was great, but getting the food was more of a hassle than any of the other buffets in my opinion, and my toddler wasn’t impressed.
Atmosphere and Comfort
The African theming is considerably stronger than the theming at most of the other buffets: distressed walls, colorful tapestries, exotic plants, and non-fluorescent lighting feel far away from Orlando.
The interior of Tusker House is beautiful.
The wait for the restaurant is in an unglamorous area outside. The restaurant is large with lots of foot traffic to the buffet—not relaxed or private. That being said, if I (the adult) am choosing the buffet, this one is at the top of my list.
10. Cape May Café
Minnie’s Beach Bash Breakfast at Cape May Café is a character breakfast held at Disney’s Beach Club Resort, one of my favorite resorts on property. Here, you eat relatively basic breakfast food while interacting with Minnie Mouse, Goofy, Daisy Duck, and Donald Duck in beach outfits, which fits the old-timey New England beach vibe.
This is a highly sought-after character dining experience, and we have not eaten there. However, I rank it rather low for a few reasons. First, it doesn’t really offer anything that you can’t find at other character buffets or resorts. Second, Mickey is missing, which is a huge loss if character meals are a splurge.
The interior of Cape May Cafe
On a positive note, the environment is one of the most relaxing for a character buffet. The tables are near the buffet. The resort around it is fantastic, and the character interactions (that we observed from the outside) were fun, especially with Goofy and Donald. It’s also VERY close to the International Gateway entrance to EPCOT, so you could have an early breakfast here before heading to the park, or a late breakfast after the rope drop rush. It’s also close to the EPCOT Skyliner station and the boat dock, so getting to Hollywood Studios is also easy. I’m particularly interested in trying the crepes.
I don’t think this will be a bad experience at all. It just doesn’t offer the uniqueness a lot of the higher-ranked character meals offer.
Characters and Interactions
Cape May Café features Minnie Mouse, Daisy Duck, Donald Duck, and Goofy. Like most of the character meals, each character comes by to visit at your table, interact, take photos, and sign autographs. They wear fun, old-timey beach outfits.
Donald and Goofy entertaining the guests.
Food and Dining Style
Cape May character breakfast is a buffet-style meal with the usual American comfort breakfast choices: eggs, Mickey/Minnie waffles (always a hit), bacon, sausage, and fruit. Two things that stand out here: they have a made-to-order omelet station and crepes. The omelet station is better than what Chef Mickey’s offers. The salted caramel “Beach Buns” are also very popular.
As I mentioned above, the buffet is central and easily visible to the tables, so this makes Cape May a little easier with children under 7 in my opinion. It’s easier to see your kids, make multiple trips, and avoid missing a character interaction.
Atmosphere and Comfort
Cape May Café, inside the Beach Club Resort, fits the beach café/cabana theming well. It’s less chaotic than most of the park buffets and Chef Mickey’s. However, the hotel crowd is clearly visible in an open hallway around the restaurant (which is how I got all my pictures). It uses the hotel bathrooms, which are very fancy (marble changing tables). And the waiting area is the Beach Club lobby, which is one of the best smells on property.
The Beach Club Resort is situated on the Boardwalk, so it’s a great location for experiencing the rest of the Boardwalk, walking two minutes to EPCOT, or taking quick transportation to Hollywood Studios. Boardwalk is one of our favorite areas.
Check out my review of Disney’s Beach Club Resort and my Disney Springs vs. Boardwalk article.
11. Akershus Royal Banquet Hall
Princess Storybook Dining at Akershus Royal Banquet Hall is a character meal for breakfast, lunch, and dinner in the EPCOT Norway Pavilion. It’s a family-style meal where everyone shares dishes brought to the table. You typically interact with five princesses, most often Ariel, Belle, Snow White, Aurora, and Tiana. Cinderella, Jasmine, Mulan and others can rotate in.
The medieval mead hall-themed environment is beautiful and immersive, and princesses are always a big hit with guests. However, I rank this experience low for several reasons. First and overwhelmingly important, the food at Akershus is extremely bland and unappetizing. It’s by far the worst culinary experience of the character meals to us. We haven’t been there since they stopped offering a buffet, but many reviews confirm our past experience. Second, while the princesses are amazing, you can meet most of these characters (and other princesses) easily in other parts of EPCOT. Third, Akershus is the second most expensive breakfast out of all the character meals.
Normally I try to use landscape photos, but this was too cute to crop.
It’s a good choice if you want a cool environment, you like Scandinavian food, and you would rather meet princesses indoors. However, Cinderella’s Royal Table and 1900 Park Fare are better princess choices.
Characters and Interactions
Akershus Royal Banquet Hall offers character interactions with a variety of Disney princesses, usually Ariel, Belle, Snow White, Aurora, and Tiana. However, other princesses might rotate in. They come around to each of the tables for photo opportunities. Princesses are some of the most highly sought-after character interactions.
Two Belles and a Snow White
However, you can meet a lot of princesses in EPCOT in their “home” countries, including Mulan, Anna, Elsa, Jasmine, Aurora, Snow White, and Belle. Since there are so many, the lines to meet them are usually shorter than the meet-and-greets at Magic Kingdom (Anna and Elsa stay busy, but have a cool queue).
Check out my daughter’s Disney World Princess Guide here.
Still, it’s better to meet princesses in an air-conditioned room where you don’t have to wait in line. It’s certainly better for them in their makeup and fancy ballgowns.
Food and Dining Style
The dining style is family-style and all-you-care-to-enjoy. For breakfast, they’ll bring pretty normal options with Norwegian waffles. For lunch and dinner, however, it’s very Scandinavian. Good on them for having authentic offerings, but the food is typically very bland and strange to American taste buds (meatballs and lingonberry jam?). Go for the environment or the characters, not the food.
Atmosphere and Comfort
The atmosphere is beautiful and immersive. Disney calls it a medieval castle, but I call it a mead hall because you know when you enter that it’s only a one-story building as opposed to the actual castle at Cinderella’s Royal Table, or even the façade of a castle at Be Our Guest (not a character meal, but a great environment nonetheless). Either way, you feel like you’re transported to a fantasy version of the Middle Ages, with rock arch doorways, tapestries, and chandeliers.
The environment is immersive, especially the authentic, medieval hand sanitizer.
Like many park character meals, you’ll be waiting outside. However, looking around at the Norway pavilion with the grass roofs, timber structures, and the waterfall is better than most.
12. The Crystal Palace
The Crystal Palace, located just at the end of Main Street, U.S.A. on the Magic Kingdom hub, offers breakfast, lunch, and dinner with characters from Winnie the Pooh. Pooh, Tigger, Eeyore, and Piglet greet you as you eat at the buffet.
Here’s why it’s last. Winnie the Pooh and friends are perhaps the least sought-after characters on this list. Second, the character meal is extremely close to better character meals: Cinderella’s Royal Table, Chef Mickey’s, ‘Ohana, and 1900 Park Fare are all close. Third, the food is as basic as it gets—nothing interesting beyond a boring hotel buffet. Fourth, the area just feels like a pretty dining hall.
My family and Pooh Bear, in my giant beard era.
It’s a great choice if you love Winnie the Pooh. Also, Tigger and Eeyore are interesting characters to interact with. It’s also a good choice for a last-minute fun experience if you’re in Magic Kingdom because it typically has more availability than the other restaurants.
Characters and Interactions
The Crystal Palace offers character interactions with Winnie the Pooh, Tigger, Piglet, and Eeyore. Tigger, Piglet, and Eeyore walk by the tables, while Pooh Bear has a queued meet-and-greet. Tigger brings a lot of energy. Eeyore is fun to try to cheer up. The characters make sense because Pooh is British and the Crystal Palace is based on the glass greenhouse concept that Queen Victoria and Prince Albert commissioned for the Great Exhibition of 1851, often considered the first World’s Fair.
Food and Dining Style
The Crystal Palace is a buffet with basic food. The breakfast menu is a typical hotel hot breakfast. The dinner menu looks like it has fewer options and less creativity than Ryan’s Steakhouse. They do have soft-serve ice cream, which kids love.
Atmosphere and Comfort
The Crystal Palace is a beautiful Victorian greenhouse/conservatory concept with lots of angled windows and natural light (which isn’t great for photos, as you can see). As I mentioned, it’s named after Queen Victoria and Prince Albert’s full glass building for the Great Exhibition in 1851.
Don’t take photos in front of windows.
Which Disney World Character Dining Experience Is Best?
Cinderella’s Royal Table is the best character dining experience with an immersive meal inside the castle, keepsake sword or wand, princess experience, and good food.
If you’re looking for a delicious, laid-back meal with Mickey, check out Topolino’s Terrace. If you want the full Mickey and Friends experience: Chef Mickey’s.
Disney World Character Dining FAQ
What is the best character dining at Disney World?
Cinderella’s Royal Table—you’re in the castle, enough said.
Which Disney World character meal has the best food?
Topolino’s Terrace (Riviera Resort) and Story Book Dining at Artist Point (Wilderness Lodge) have the best food for adults. Kids will find amazing food at most of the restaurants. Our kids particularly liked Hollywood & Vine. Tusker House is the most ambitious of the buffets but might not land with kids.
Which character dining is best for toddlers and young kids?
It really depends on what characters you want to meet. For princesses, go to Cinderella’s Royal Table. For Mickey and Friends, go to Topolino’s or Chef Mickey’s. I prefer restaurants that aren’t buffets because of the difficulty of moving to and from the buffet with small kids.
Which Disney World character dining has Mickey Mouse?
Chef Mickey’s (Disney’s Contemporary Resort) - Breakfast and Dinner
Topolino’s Terrace (Disney’s Riviera Resort) - Breakfast
‘Ohana (Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort) - Breakfast
Garden Grill (EPCOT - The Land) - Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
Hollywood & Vine (Disney’s Hollywood Studios) - Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
Tusker House (Disney’s Animal Kingdom - Africa) - Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
Which character meals are inside the Disney World parks?
Cinderella’s Royal Table (Magic Kingdom – Cinderella Castle) - Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
The Crystal Palace (Magic Kingdom - Main Street, U.S.A.) - Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
Akershus Royal Banquet Hall (EPCOT - Norway Pavilion) - Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
Garden Grill (EPCOT - The Land) - Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
Hollywood & Vine (Disney’s Hollywood Studios - Echo Lake) - Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
Tusker House (Disney’s Animal Kingdom - Africa) - Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
Do you need a park ticket for character dining at Disney World?
You need a park ticket for character dining only at the restaurants that are inside the Disney Parks. Restaurants in the hotels can be accessed by anyone with a dining reservation.
Can you use the Disney Dining Plan for character dining?
Yes, Disney World character meals accept the Disney Dining Plan. Most use one table-service meal, but some require two. In 2026, Cinderella’s Royal Table, Story Book Dining at Artist Point, and Akershus at lunch and dinner require two table-service meals per person. Akershus breakfast uses one. You many want to evaluate if paying cash is a better deal for two-credit meals.
Is character dining at Disney World worth it?
Yes, character dining at Disney World is worth it if you are just as excited about the character interactions as you are the food. If you only want food, there are plenty of cheaper and fantastic restaurants. You can meet characters elsewhere, but having them come to your air-conditioned table is much easier than waiting in line elsewhere at Walt Disney World.
What is the cheapest character dining at Disney World?
The cheapest character meals, as of October 2026, are as follows:
Breakfast
Garden Grill (EPCOT - The Land) - $49 adult / $34 child
Hollywood & Vine (Disney’s Hollywood Studios - Echo Lake) - $49 adult / $34 child
Cape May Café (Disney’s Beach Club Resort) - $52 adult / $35 child
Lunch
Garden Grill (EPCOT - The Land) - $62 adult / $43 child
Hollywood & Vine (Disney’s Hollywood Studios - Echo Lake) - $64 adult / $45 child
Tusker House (Disney’s Animal Kingdom - Africa) - $64 adult / $43 child
The Crystal Palace (Magic Kingdom - Main Street, U.S.A.) - $64 adult / $46 child
Dinner
Garden Grill (EPCOT - The Land) - $62 adult / $43 child
Hollywood & Vine (Disney’s Hollywood Studios - Echo Lake) - $64 adult / $45 child
Tusker House (Disney’s Animal Kingdom - Africa) - $64 adult / $43 child
The Crystal Palace (Magic Kingdom - Main Street, U.S.A.) - $64 adult / $46 child
Can you meet princesses without doing character dining?
Yes, you can meet princesses all over Walt Disney World, particularly in Magic Kingdom and EPCOT, with a few in Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom.
Which Disney World character dining is not a buffet?
Cinderella’s Royal Table (Magic Kingdom - Fantasyland) - Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner - Prix fixe
Topolino’s Terrace (Disney’s Riviera Resort) - Breakfast - Prix fixe
Story Book Dining at Artist Point (Disney’s Wilderness Lodge) - Dinner - Prix fixe
‘Ohana (Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort) - Breakfast - Family-style, all-you-care-to-enjoy
Garden Grill (EPCOT - The Land) - Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner - Family-style, all-you-care-to-enjoy
Akershus Royal Banquet Hall (EPCOT - Norway Pavilion) - Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner - Family-style, all-you-care-to-enjoy
I ranked all 12 Disney World character dining experiences based on characters, food, atmosphere, and our family’s experience. Compare Cinderella’s Royal Table, Chef Mickey’s, Topolino’s Terrace, ‘Ohana, and more to find the best character meal for your family.