Character dining questions

[KentB3]

Would anyone here know how many characters generally show up as the various character meals at WDW? Also, what is generally the maxiumum number of characters that go around from table to table greeting guests. IIRC, a Chef Mickey's, there are 5 characters that greet guests at dinner (Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Chip, & Dale) and Goofy hangs around the dessert bar (I heard about Goofy showing guests how to decorate a cupcake!)
Also, Cinderella's Royal Table usually has 5 in the dining hall at breakfast, with the Fairy Godmother in the lobby; but I have heard of as many as eight inside the dining hall during the early days (mid-1990's when the restaurant was known as King Stephan's). Could someone here clear this up for me?

 

[Kingdom Konsultant]

There are no set limits to how many characters are in the restaurants. They also change at times due to availability.

 

[mkt]

there isn't a set maximum of characters... however, due to size and time contraints there are obvious limitations. The largest amount appearing I've ever seen has been 40 at the Thanksgiving Buffet at the Swan/Dolphin... but that was VERY VERY VERY rare. Usually no more than 5 will appear. Some restaurants like Chef Mickey's or Cinderella's Royal Table may get 6.. but for the most part most won't get more than 5. Some only get 2... like Gulliver's at the Swan (which I highly recommend... best burger on property, and VERY reasonably priced).

 

[KentB3]

Originally posted by mkt
there isn't a set maximum of characters... however, due to size and time contraints there are obvious limitations. The largest amount appearing I've ever seen has been 40 at the Thanksgiving Buffet at the Swan/Dolphin... but that was VERY VERY VERY rare.

40
CHARACTERS???!!! GOOD GOD!!!!! How did they all fit into the restaurant?! Also, how did all of them make it to each customers tables?! Was this a regular occurance for the Thanksgiving Buffet or other annual events such as this? Also, which characters showed up? I would've loved to have seen THAT!!!!!

Usually no more than 5 will appear. Some restaurants like Chef Mickey's or Cinderella's Royal Table may get 6.. but for the most part most won't get more than 5. Some only get 2... like Gulliver's at the Swan (which I highly recommend... best burger on property, and VERY reasonably priced).

I have heard of as many as eight (including the Fairy Godmother in the lobby) at CRT. In fact, I ran across a circa 1995 character breakfast summary on the google groups archive (I think, may be wrong), which had 7 inside the restaurant and the Fairy Godmother in the lobby. The characters were Cinderella, Snow White, Peter Pan, Pocahontas, Meeko, Pinocchio, and Dopey. IIRC, 1995 was the first year this meal was offered, and this was when the restaurant was still called King Stephan's. In addition to having this many characters, this is one of the few CRT/King Stephan's breakfasts I have heard of in which "character head" characters appeared; but then, this may have been more common in the early days. IIRC, only "face characters" appear at the castle breakfast now.

BTW, thanks for answering my questions about character dining! I really do appreciate it!

 

[xfkirsten]

Originally posted by mkt
there isn't a set maximum of characters... however, due to size and time contraints there are obvious limitations. The largest amount appearing I've ever seen has been 40 at the Thanksgiving Buffet at the Swan/Dolphin... but that was VERY VERY VERY rare. Usually no more than 5 will appear. Some restaurants like Chef Mickey's or Cinderella's Royal Table may get 6.. but for the most part most won't get more than 5. Some only get 2... like Gulliver's at the Swan (which I highly recommend... best burger on property, and VERY reasonably priced).

I agree about Gulliver's! And it's usually pretty quiet, I've found you tend to get more time with the characters there than at some of the busier restaurants. Not always, but a lot of the time.

-Kirsten

 

[mkt]

Originally posted by KentB3
40
CHARACTERS???!!! GOOD GOD!!!!! How did they all fit into the restaurant?! Also, how did all of them make it to each customers tables?! Was this a regular occurance for the Thanksgiving Buffet or other annual events such as this? Also, which characters showed up? I would've loved to have seen THAT!!!!!

it was actually held in the convention center... the characters were on platforms surrounding the main dining area. I don't remember everyone who was there.. I'll give you what I remember.. Mickey, Minnie, Chip, Dale, Goofy, Pluto, Donald, Daisy, Lilo, Stitch, Buzz, Woody, Green Army Man, Pinnocchio, Geppetto, Meeko, Friar Tuck, Timon, Rafiki, Baloo... and that's all I can recall.. lol. It was a thanksgiving buffet for anyone who wanted to pony up the money... I'm not sure how often they do things like that... it was more than likely a one-off event.

 

[kennyj29]

It's usually about 5 or 6

Every one I've gone to had about 5 or 6 characters. That to me is plenty. They make a few trips around and the camera's end up with a million pictures. Anyway., Did all 40 characters go around for pictures? That must have been a sight. No time to eat because we have to take character pictures!!! LOL

 

[mkt]

nope.. like I said before, they were on platforms surrounding the dining area.