Character meals cost more than any given meal without characters. So you're paying for the ability to get those photos and autographs without standing in long lines.
With that said, I never recommend Crystal Palace. The pooh characters are pretty easy to find in the parks--most commonly down at the old boat dock in Animal Kingdom. Very short waits and easy to get through.
By comparison, you could spend 2-3 hours waiting in separate lines trying to get photos with the likes of Mickey, Minnie, Goofy and Donald. For that reason alone, I would strongly encourage folks to look into Chef Mickey's. If you have any illusions of coming home from your trip with photos / autographs of the Fab 5 or princesses, character meals are the best way to do it.
Cape May Cafe at the Beach Club is also a good one. I seem to recall Minnie, Goofy, Chip and Dale, but it may have changed. 1900 Park Fare has Cinderella and her friends in the evening, and the likes of Mary Poppins and Alice for breakfast. Norway has princesses but the food is served family style (which means fewer selections) and the exact characters changes daily. Ohana has Mickey, Pluto, Lilo and Stitch, but the food there is also family style. Tusker House at Animal Kingdom has some of the Fab 5 in their safari gear.
Then there's Cinderella's Royal Table. Expensive, but a very unique experience.
We've been to all of the character meals listed above and those are all worth consideration. Again, check the current character rosters before booking--they DO change.
