Best Character Dining in Walt Disney World Resort

One of the most magical experiences you can add to your Walt Disney World itinerary is character dining!

I think character dining at Disney World one of the best time-saving and memory-making experiences for families with children. If you don't reserve character dining, you have to wait in park lines for autographs and pictures -- my family would rather be on rides! You also get delicious meals in themed restaurants, and it's a lovely way to actually relax while in the busy theme parks.

The ones on my list are unique Disney restaurants combine delicious, all you care to eat meals with meet-and-greets featuring beloved characters from classic films and modern favorites. I love character dining as a way to recharge and meet our favorite characters in a more relaxed environment.

I have FOUR character dining experiences to share with you, and these are my favorite ones to book with children under 10 years old. I try to get these reservations every time we visit Walt Disney World.

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My Favorite Character Dining in Walt Disney World with Kids under 10 years old:

1. Breakfast at Chef Mickey's:

Located inside Disney's Contemporary Resort, Chef Mickey's is one of the most popular character dining experiences at Walt Disney World Resort for families visiting with kids. This is my favorite character dining experience in Disney World, and we eat here every time we visit.

Just minutes from Magic Kingdom, this lively buffet restaurant lets you enjoy breakfast or dinner with the classic Disney characters. During the meal, all of the characters visit your table for pictures and autographs.

Characters: Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, Daisy Duck, Goofy and Pluto

Prices for Breakfast: $59 per adult (ages 10+) and $38 per child (ages 3-9 years old).

*Estimate for a family of 4: around $202.35 plus gratuity.

Why I love it: Chef Mickey's serves an all you care to eat breakfast buffet from 6am to noon every day! The food is classic American breakfast items -- perfect for even picky eaters. It's a very energetic atmosphere, so children can move around and dance. It also gives you the chance to meet your favorite Disney characters, take pictures with them and get autographs. It's located on the monorail, so you can ride it from Magic Kingdom or another resort. Plus the monorail drives through The Contemporary, so you can watch the train during your meal too.

Why My Kids Love it: My children have eaten at this restuarant at ages 15 months, 2 years old, 4 years old, 6 years old and 8 years old. They can be as lively and move around - children are not expected to sit quietly and still. They love that Mickey Mouse "eats with them," and they love the "Mickey Waffles and Bacon." Another feature of Chef Mickey's they love is riding the monorail to get to and from our meal. You can even watch it ride through the hotel!

How I use it: I book reservations for Chef Mickey's on an off day from the parks. We usually go for breakfast or brunch on the first day we arrive in Walt Disney World or the day we leave Walt Disney World. Since you do not need a park ticket to visit, we usually dine here when we are not going to the theme parks. You have a lot of flexibility when dining here because the character breakfast buffet is served from 6am to noon -- the longest breakfast time in Walt Disney World!

The menu is a buffet-style meal with classic American favorites:

• Mickey waffles

• Scrambled eggs and omelets

• Bacon and sausage

• Buttermilk biscuits with gravy

• French toast, pancakes, and pastries

• Fresh fruit, yogurt, and cereals

• Carved ham or brisket

• Breakfast potatoes and hash

  
  

*Since it is located at Disney's Contemporary Resort, you do not need a park ticket to visit the restaurant.

2. Breakfast at Epcot's Akershus Royal Banquet Hall:

Located inside Epcot, Akershus Royal Banquet Hall serves up a family-style meal with the most popular Disney Princesses. This is my favorite princess dining experience in Disney World because of its menu and location. Yep, it's my favorite over Cinderella's Royal Table, and it cost less than eating inside the Castle in Magic Kingdom!

Characters: This storybook dining experiences has Disney's princesses like Ariel, Belle, Jasmine, Tiana, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, and Mulan.

Prices: between $55-62 per adult (ages 10+) and between $35-39 per child (ages 3-9)

Why I love it: This is a family-style breakfast, so your meal comes right to your table. It is all you care to eat, so your server will bring more of any dish you want! I like that the meal comes directly to your table, so you can enjoy the atmosphere and the princesses come right to you too! My daughter loves the princesses, so this gives us an opportunity to meet them and interact with them without waiting in line around the parks.

Why My Kids Love it: My children have eaten at this restaurant at ages 2 years old, 4 years old, 6 years old and 8 years old. My daughter absolutely loves Disney's princesses, and this is always her top choice because she can meet so many princesses. My kids also enjoy the food, as it's a bit different from the other character dining experiences. Their favorites are the Norwegian waffles and potato casserole - the options are better and more filling for my children than Cinderella's Royal Table.

It's also located in Epcot, and, for my family, it doesn't have a lot of attractions for us. Dining at Akershus Royal Banquet Hall gives us something special to do between rides and attractions. Cinderella's Royal Table is located inside Magic Kingdom, and it has PLENTY of rides and attractions for all ages. We do not like to waste any time in that park!

How I use it: Breakfast is served between 8:30 AM to 12:10 PM, so I tried to book a reservation between 10 and 11am. This allows us to arrive for early opening, try out a few rides, and then the meal serves as our brunch and rest between attractions. I think this method because you can stack Lightening Lanes, and we jump on rides right after we eat. Epcot doesn't have a ton of attractions, so this cuts our wait times down significantly.

*Highlights of the Norwegian-inspired Menu:

• pastries

• scrambled eggs

• potato casserole - our favorite!

• Norwegian waffles

*You need a valid theme park ticket to visit Akershus Royal Baquet Hall.

3. Animal Kingdom's Tusker House Restaurant

Located inside Disney's Animal Kingdom Theme Park, Tusker House Restaurant is a really fun and lively character dining experience with kids. The breakfast buffet is our favorite menu at the restaurant: African-inspired breakfast dishes alongside classic favorites like Mickey waffles, eggs, pastries, and fresh fruit.  Many Disney fans consider Tusker House one of the best character breakfasts for food. While it has all the traditional favorite breakfast items, it also has more unique flavors than typical Disney breakfasts!

During the meal, guests can meet beloved characters including Donald Duck, Daisy Duck, Mickey Mouse, and Goofy, all dressed in safari outfits to match the Animal Kingdom theme. With its unique flavors, fun atmosphere, and multiple character meet-and-greets, Tusker House is widely considered one of the best character breakfasts at Disney World for families and kids.

Characters: Donald Duck, Mickey Mouse, Daisy Duck, and Goofy (dressed in safari outfits)

Prices: between $49–$52 per adult (over 10), $33–$35 per child (ages 3-9), and children under 3 are free

*this does not include gratuity!

Why I love it: This is the only character breakfast in Animal Kingdom, and it has all the classic Disney characters. It's all you care to eat, and it's buffet style. This makes it really easy with little kids - just go up and grab your food as soon as you sit down. My kids also love this food. While they have all the traditional favorites ilke Mickey waffles and breakfast potatoes, they also have speciality waffles and pancakes plus African-inspired dishes like curry or spiced items.

The location inside Animal Kingdom is great too: it's in Harambe Village near the safari (a favorite ride experience for all ages)!

How I use it: Breakfast is served between park opening at 10:30, so I tried to book a reservation between 9 and 10am. This allows us to arrive for early opening, try out a few rides, and then the meal serves as our brunch and rest between attractions. I think this method because you can stack Lightening Lanes, and we jump on rides right after we eat.

*Menu Highlights:

• Mickey waffles

• Scrambled eggs

• Bacon & sausage

• Breakfast potatoes

• Pastries and fruit

• Some African-inspired dishes like curry or spiced items

4. Breakfast at Magic Kingdom's Crystal Palace

Located inside Magic Kingdom, The Crystal Palace has one of my favorite buffet breakfast menus, and Magic Kingdom is our favorite park! It's located on Main Street, USA, and it looks like a big, Victorian greenhouse. The inside is bright and roomy, providing a complete different atmosphere from all the other character dining experiences on my list.

I love that you can meet and greet the characters during breakfast, the large buffet has so many kid-friendly foods, and you can even make reservations early (before most of the crowds arrive). It's also the only spot to see all the characters from Winnie the Pooh!

Characters: Winnie the Pooh, Tigger, Piglet & Eeyore

Prices: $54 per adult (ages 10+), $35 per child (ages 3–9), and kids under 3 years old are free

Why I love it: This is our favorite character dining experience in Magic Kingdom! My kids love the menu items, and the all-you-care-to-eat style is perfect for a late breakfast or brunch.

How I use it: Breakfast is served between 8am and 10:45am, so I tried to book a reservation between 9 and 10am. This allows us to arrive for early opening, try out a few rides, and then the meal serves as our brunch and rest between attractions. I think this method because you can stack Lightening Lanes, and we jump on rides right after we eat.

Highlights of the American breakfast includes:

• Mickey waffles and pancakes

• Scrambled eggs and breakfast potatoes

• Bacon and sausage

• Biscuits and gravy

• Fresh fruit and yogurt

• Assorted pastries and muffins

• Cereal and oatmeal

PRO TIP: If you book around 10:30AM, they start putting out lunch food at 11:00, so you can try both breakfast and lunch items while paying the breakfast price.

HONORABLE MENTION:

1. Breakfast at Hollywood Studio's Disney Junior Play ‘n Dine

This breakfast is located at Hollywood & Vine in Hollywood Studios, and it just switched to Minnie’s Seasonal Dining during holiday seasons.This new experience has a similar price range but different characters.

Characters: Doc McStuffins, Vampirina, and Fancy Nancy (not during Minnie's Seasonal Dining)

Prices: $49 per adult (ages 10+), $33 per child (ages 3-9) and kids under 3 are free

Why I like it: This character dining experience is perfect for children 5 and younger! Since it is all Disney Junior characters, it isn't as crowded, and it's easier to get a reservation. Since a lot of Hollywood Studio rides are designed for older kids, this also gives a fun attractions for younger ones.

How I use it: Breakfast is served between 8:30am & 10:30am, so I tried to book a reservation between 9am and 10am. This allows us to arrive for early opening, try out a few rides, and then the meal serves as our brunch and rest between attractions. I think this method because you can stack Lightening Lanes, and we jump on rides right after we eat.

Menu Highlights:

• Mickey waffles and pancakes

• French toast and pastries

• Bacon, sausage, eggs

• Omelet station

• yogurt, fruit, and breakfast casseroles

MY NUMBER 1 TIP FOR SCORING THE BEST DISNEY DINING RESERVATIONS:

You need to get the Stakeout app (I found it in the Apple App Store). It has been a gamechanger for me!

Stakeout is a specialized tool designed to help YOU get the best dining reservations and experiences in Walt Disney World.

It's very user friendly: you pick the restaurant you'd like with your top days and times, and as soon as a reservation comes available, you will get a notification to book. This helps you grab the last minute cancellations! I've used it on our last 3 trips, and we've been able to get at least 3 of our top character dining experiences and other top dining reservations.

Cost: There is a free option and a paid option. I usually purchase the paid option during the month of our visit.

MY TIPS & TRICKS FOR BOOKING DINING IN WALT DISNEY WORLD:

1. Anyone can make dining reservation! You don't have to be a guest at a Walt Disney World Resort.

2. You can make reservations starting 60 days out from your resort stay or ticket dates (it used to be 180 days).

3. If you have a must-visit dining experience, plan in advance!

4. I highly recommend making at least one character dining experience.

5. If you are flexible, you will be able to get more reservations. It can be highly stressful, so keep your plans fluid. I also recommend getting the Stake Out app.

6. When making a reservation, check the park times and try to plan which park you'd like to visit on which day. Where I like to make reservations depends on which park we are visiting.