Character dining with large group

[k.hunter30]

We're doing at least one character dining (lunch at Crystal Palace) in about a week and a half:sohappy: . There are 8 of us - 6 adults and 2 kids, ages 7 and 5. Would the characters spend a bit of extra time with us since we're a large group - so that Eeyore of whoever can interact with the majority of people at our table? Or should we just expect the characters to spend a minute or two with the two kids in our party?

I ask b/c it seems that recently when I've gone to some character dining restaurants, the characters spend more time at the tables with children than with a table of just two 20-something-year-olds...? While I definitely want my niece and nephew to get to meet the characters - I want my Pooh and Eeyore time too!

 

[tigsmom]

We went with a group of 9 (4 adults and 5 kids) at Chef Mickey's and all of the characters spent quite a bit of time with us. They even put up a fuss about having to sign all those books and pose for pictures. :lol:

They all made sure to stop by the adults as well as the kids even if we didn't want our photos taken. :lookaroun
I think they may spend less time with some adults if they aren't really into it and make a fuss, but I've seen characters spend quite a bit of time with adults if they are in the right mood.

 

[k.hunter30]

Thanks! With DH being such a kid at heart - we'll definitely be into it - so I hope they'll stick around for us! Yay!

 

[slappy magoo]

Other factors may be how busy the restaurant is at the time, and how many children are at the other tables, and how noisy or whiny they are to see the characters. They certainly won't avoid you, but if a dozen crying children are screaming "Tigger! Tigger! Tigger!" they may get to them sooner than planned.

 

[Dwarful]

We've gone with a group of 13 and are going in August with a group of nearly 40. The characters are very good at visiting everyone. We had lots of photo ops with the children, adults and the children/adults together. If you feel you didn't get enough time, speak to the waitstaff and they will do all they can to help you.
At Chef Mickey's we had one really obnoxious group, a few drunk mothers, who wouldn't leave the characters alone....they went so far as to come to our table and pull on the characters to get them to their table. We lingered over dessert/coffee etc and the characters made a special trip back to our tables for photos.

 

[WDWKat26]

Well, definitely let the characters know that you want their picture with them. Sometimes the characters feel that parents don't want their pictures taken, and when they don't say anything then they lose out.