Get in the Boat, Men! - Walt Disney World with Kids 2015 - page 363

restaurants offer a buffet, while others opt for one-skillet family-style service, in which all
hot items are served from the same pot or skillet. To help you sort it out, we rate the food
at each character meal in our chart using the five-star scale.
5. THE PROGRAM Some larger restaurants stage modest performances where the characters
dance, head a parade around the room, or lead songs and cheers. For some guests, these
activities give the meal a celebratory air; for others, they turn what was already mayhem
into absolute chaos. Either way, the antics consume time the characters could spend with
families at their table.
6. NOISE If you want to eat in peace, character meals are a bad choice. That said, some are
much noisier than others. Our chart gives you an idea of what to expect.
7. WHICH MEAL Although breakfasts seem to be most popular, character lunches and dinners
areusuallymorepracticalbecausetheydon'tinterferewithearly-morningtouring.During
hot weather, a character lunch can be heavenly.
8. COST Dinners cost more than lunches and lunches more than breakfasts. Prices for meals
(except at Cinderella Castle) vary only about $10 from the least expensive to the most
expensive restaurant. Breakfasts run $21-$53 for adults and $11-$34 for kids ages 3-9.
For character lunches, expect to pay $26-$57 for adults and $15-$36 for kids. Dinners
are $36-$67 for adults and $14-$41 for children. Little ones ages 2 years and younger
eat free. The meals at the high end of the price range are at Cinderella's Royal Table in
the Magic Kingdom and Akershus Royal Banquet Hall at Epcot. The reasons for the sky-
high prices: (1) Cinderella's Royal Table is small but in great demand and (2) the prices at
Cinderella's and Akershus include a set of photos of your group taken by a Disney photo-
grapher. Whereas photos at other venues are optional, at Cindy's and Akershus you don't
have a say in the matter. Fortunately, the photo packages are just about to be discontinued
(see below).
9. ADVANCE RESERVATIONS Disney makes Advance Reservations for character meals 180
days before you wish to dine (Disney resort guests can reserve 190 days out, or 10 addi-
tional days in advance); moreover, Disney resort guests can make Advance Reservations
for all meals during their stay. Advance Reservations for most character meals are easy to
obtain even if you call only a couple of weeks before you leave home. Meals at Cinder-
ella's Royal Table and Be Our Guest are another story. For these two, you'll need our
strategy (see Part Four ) , as well as help from Congress and the Pope.
10. “FRIENDS” For some venues, Disney has stopped specifying characters scheduled for
a particular meal. Instead, they say it's a given character “and friends”—for example,
“Pooh and friends,” meaning Eeyore, Piglet, and Tigger, or some combination thereof, or