Best Character Meal for Adults

Chickapin Chick

Chickapin Chick

New Member
Original Poster
Hello, everyone!

I will be going to the world this November with a friend who has never experienced a Disney character meal. What restaurants do you suggest? To offer you a bit of background information, let me establish a few of our preferences:

1. My personal favorite character dining experience of all time is still Goofy's Kitchen at the Disneyland Hotel. I loved the atmosphere and the interaction. Is Chef Mickey's perhaps the WDW equivalent?

2. I was considering a princess meal, but my vanity prevents me from booking an ADR. The last thing I want is for a beautiful young woman to stop by my table as I am proudly stuffing my face with Disney goodies. I fear conversation would be awkward, too. But we are still girls who love the Princesses, despite our ages. If I were to choose, I would probably prefer the Princess meal at Akershus and 1900 Park Fare over Cinderella's Royal table.

3. In recent years, it has become increasingly difficult to just let myself go when I am around the Disney characters, especially at character meals. I am ashamed to admit that I feel out of place around them now that I am an adult (and it makes me sad, because they understandably don't see me the way they did when I was a little girl). I hope this doesn't sound selfish or rude of me - I really do adore the Disney character experience, and I truly regret that I have allowed myself to feel this way. I would greatly appreciate any help on this. This has been bothering me for some time.

My short list includes:
Chef Mickey's
Liberty Tree Tavern
The Garden Grill
Donald's Breakfastosaurus (I LOVE Donald).

While the Crystal Palace and 'Ohana sound like fun, we are not big Pooh, Lilo, and Stitch fans.

Thank you all so much in advance for your help.
 
slappy magoo

slappy magoo

Well-Known Member
If this is presumably more for your friend than you, who are some of her favorite characters? That might help you make a decision.

1: From what I can tell, yes, Chef Mickey's is pretty comparable to Goofy's Kitchen

2: Yeah, full comstumed characters make it easier to avoid chit-chat.

3: If you're worried that the characters won't see you the way they did when you were a kid, just tell 'em "Hey, don't you recognize me? I'm Chickapin Chick!" That oughta break the ice!

As an adult who goes to WDW without kids (yet), one thing I like about Garden Grill is, by virtue of it's design, when the characters are with you, they're pretty much just with you. Granted, some kids might not be able to help themselves, run up and infringe on your time with them. But because each booth has a high back and faces outward, it affords more privacy. You may not feel so self-conscious about time with the characters if you're not being watched by every family enviously awaiting their moment with the characters.
 
S

St205

New Member
My personal favorite would be the 'Ohana character breakfast,we had a blast there and it's great for adults too. However,another place I suggest checking out is the Cape May breakfast buffet at the Beach Club.

And don't feel bad if you're "out of place",people are not looking at you,they are way too focused at the food and the characters. In fact there's a 99% chance that you will never see those people again,so go ahead!
 
ClemsonTigger

ClemsonTigger

Naturally Grumpy
I think the list you have to start is a good one. Liberty Tree Tavern is fairly low key, as was described for Garden Grill.

Chef Mickey's is like Goofy's Kitchen, but it is very loud and a bit wild. Generally character meals at the resorts are more reserved...like 1900 Park Fare and Cape May.

For a different "kind" of character meal, there is always Hoop de do Review and 50's Prime Time Cafe.

For a full rundown, check here to help with your decision:

http://www.allearsnet.com/din/cb.htm
http://www.allearsnet.com/din/cbchar.htm
 
ArielWannaBe

ArielWannaBe

Member
hmmm

I am a kid at heart, but for me Chef Mickey's was too kid oriented. They included us and even celebrated our anniversary ... but it still was very kid-oriented.

I prefer Cindy's and The Garden Grill for Character meet and greets!
 
tigsmom

tigsmom

Well-Known Member
I'm going to vote with The Liberty Tree Tavern if you want something more sedate (and some good food).
I would go with Chef Mickey's if you and your friend are fun loving. You love Donald? Then head on over to see him.
I understand the breakfast at the Cape May is underutilized so maybe you can have a quit meal there and still see the characters.
A Princess meal at Akershus if you like that type of food (we had a dinner there and my family did not care for the food). is a good way to go. They are not pushy and will probably only ask a few simple questions and sign autographs and take photos. They were even respectful of the teenage boys who looked like they really didn't want to be there.

Now as for being afraid to let yourself go and enjoy the fun, just remember this:

You are on vacation and the only people you know are the ones you are traveling with. You will more than likely never see anyone else you encounter again so who care if you whoop it up a bit! Go, have some fun and remember we are all kids when we hit WDW, not matter what our age. :lol:
 
Chickapin Chick

Chickapin Chick

New Member
Original Poster
slappy magoo said:
3: If you're worried that the characters won't see you the way they did when you were a kid, just tell 'em "Hey, don't you recognize me? I'm Chickapin Chick!" That oughta break the ice!
Click to expand...

That's a very good idea, Slappy. After all, a name like Chickapin Chick is hard to forget. :)

Thanks to everyone who has responded thus far. I'm looking forward to making those ADRs (even though I have to wait until June).
 
LeeSeeBabe

LeeSeeBabe

Active Member
My boyfriend and I (both 21) enjoy LTT as a character meal. He hasn't been to any other character meals, and he was sure surprised the first time he ate there. It was his first time to WDW since a middle school trip (his family is not the "theme-park" type). He had no idea what to do with the characters, but I got pictures!

That time at LTT, it was my first time at a character meal since I was a little girl, so I was a little nervous with out to act too! I was so excited to see the characters, but didn't want to feel silly. Then I said, what the heck!
 
AndyJo0930

AndyJo0930

New Member
We have been to both Goofy's Kitchen and Chef Mickey's, and they are pretty much the same. I, like you, am crazy for Donald, so I have done the breakfastotorus in AK 4 times, just because its the only character dining that features donald duck. If you want the main characters, (mickey, minnie, goofy, pluto, chip and dale) go to either chef mickey's or the breakfaastortus. Liberty tree tavern features winnie the pooh and gang. We have been there, and that is very nice, a little more low key. 1900 park fare features alice in wonderland, i think minnie is there, and a few other characters. I wasn't really impressed (though that was our very first character dining experience). We are going in August and we have character dinings set up for every night we are there.
 
joanna71985

joanna71985

Well-Known Member
My personal favorites right now are LTT and CRT, with CP following up the rear. The food at LTT is great, plus the character interaction is really good. CRT has good food for lunch, but it is pretty expensive. And CP has good food, but it can be kind of crazy. I will be trying Norway, Chef Mickey's, and Garden Grill this summer, so hopefully they will be good.
 
HoneyMnShawnee

HoneyMnShawnee

Member
Thanks to the OP for creating this thread.. I have been wondering about character dining for adults as well.. I'm so glad that the adults are liking the Garden Grill, as we just made ADR's for our next trip and we didn't know it was character dining.. Can't wait to check it out..
 
WDWPrnces02

WDWPrnces02

New Member
Well at any character dining, every adult can instantly change into a kid.....

The fallowing is my top 5 character experiences

1. Crystal Palace (Pooh and Friends)
2. Chef Mickeys
3. Ohana's
4. 1900 Park Fair
5. Donalds Breakfastsaurs (?sp)

Best advice... go to a place with your favorite characters..Itll make the experience more memorable....
 
MaXXimus

MaXXimus

New Member
Chef Mickey's would be my top pick for character dinner. And sorry I dont mean to highjack the thread but where would the closest character breakfast be to WL? 9 yrs ago when we stayed there they had an awesome all you can eat character breakfast at Artist Point and sometime between then and now they ditched it. :(
 
Kerby626

Kerby626

Active Member
Personally, I wasn't a big fan of Chef Mickey's. I think it was the food and not the atmosphere. The food selection at Goofy's Kitchen was more diverse. But then, I also had a character experience at Goofy's Kitchen that no matter what I do at Disney it wont compare. I think I need a few more character meals. Maybe that will open me up so to speak.
 
slappy magoo

slappy magoo

Well-Known Member
MaXXimus said:
Chef Mickey's would be my top pick for character dinner. And sorry I dont mean to highjack the thread but where would the closest character breakfast be to WL? 9 yrs ago when we stayed there they had an awesome all you can eat character breakfast at Artist Point and sometime between then and now they ditched it. :(
Click to expand...

Probably Chef Mickey's. Depending on the season, the WL may have ferry transportation to the Contemporary, so you won't even have to drive. If that's not available, simply take the ferry that goes to the MK. From there, you can either hit Crystal Palace or (long long longshot) the breakfast in the castle, OR take the monorail to 1900 Park Fare in Grand Floridian, 'Ohana's in the Poly, or the aforementioned Chef Mickey's. Just make sure you have ADRs beforehand.
 

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